Stop us if you happen to’ve heard this one already — it’s been a in point of fact very long time since Cleveland gained the World Series. 73 years, if you wish to be particular. (Just as a reference level, the Red Sox’s championship drought formally was referred to as the “Curse of the Bambino” after 68 years.)
It isn’t as though the Guardians had been completely absent from the postseason in that point, regardless that. The unlucky truth of a drought this lengthy is that no franchise performs poorly in 73 consecutive common seasons — inevitably, at least one time each and every decade or so, the season doesn’t finish gracefully at the ultimate day of the common season, however somewhat a lot more swiftly in an elimination sport. And, if you happen to’re partial to the Guardians, we most certainly don’t must let you know how the ones have long past in recent years.
Last 10 elimination games, CLE historical past:
• 2020 ALWC Game 2 vs. Yankees (L, 9-10)
• 2018 ALDS Game 3 vs. Astros (L, 3-11)
• 2017 ALDS Game 5 vs. Yankees (L, 2-5)
• 2016 WS Game 7 vs. Cubs (L, 7-8)
• 2013 ALWC Game vs. Rays (L, 0-4)
• 2007 ALCS Game 7 vs. Red Sox (L, 2-11)
• 2001 ALDS Game 5 vs. Mariners (L, 1-3)
• 1999 ALDS Game 5 vs. Red Sox (L, 8-12)
• 1998 ALCS Game 6 vs. Yankees (L, 5-9)
• 1997 WS Game 7 vs. Marlins (L, 2-3)
That’s 10 immediately elimination games misplaced by way of the Guardians, or, if you happen to favor, the longest such streak in postseason historical past. Ever.
But when did they closing WIN an elimination sport?
In the grand scheme of postseason streaks, it hasn’t been too lengthy — just a bit beneath 25 years. The 1997 Indians had their backs in opposition to the wall once they took Game 6 of the World Series from the Marlins, forcing a decisive Game 7. Unfortunately, in line with the duration of the full drought (and the checklist above), you recognize Cleveland didn’t win the 1997 World Series — and you’ll even be mindful the gut-wrenching method that season ended: with Edgar Renteria’s Eleventh-inning walk-off unmarried.
Have there been any similar streaks in MLB historical past?
Despite preserving an all-time postseason report, the Guardians do have some corporate. Unfortunately for plenty of different midwestern baseball lovers, it’s in the type of the Twins, who’re recently using a nine-game losing streak in elimination games that carries again to 2002. Ironically, six of the ones 9 losses have come in opposition to the Yankees, however that’s a postseason narrative for every other day.
How many had been winner-take-all games?
Seven. That’s an much more outrageous share whilst you believe that the Guardians have best performed 8 winner-take-all games in franchise historical past, all of which were since 1997. The 73-year championship drought apart, over the past 3 a long time, it’s been beautiful tricky to do away with Cleveland.
Have they arrive with regards to profitable any of them?
Agonizingly shut, in reality, on a couple of events. Even environment apart Game 7 of the 1997 World Series, Cleveland misplaced two of the opposite 9 games by way of one run, and each got here right down to the cord. Most lately, there used to be Game 2 of the 2020 ALWC Series in opposition to the Yankees in which they have been an insignificant 3 outs clear of forcing a winner-take-all Game 3 — this sooner than New York plated a couple of ninth-inning runs with a handful of well-placed grounders and a sacrifice fly.
Much extra considerably, there used to be Game 7 of the 2016 World Series in opposition to the Cubs, an rapid vintage that did finish a historical championship drought — simply now not the only we’re speaking about. To upload insult to damage, Cleveland used to be dealing with a 6-3 deficit in the ground of the 8th sooner than staging a outstanding two-out rally in opposition to then-Cubs nearer Aroldis Chapman, capped off by way of Rajai Davis’ still-iconic, game-tying house run down the left-field line at Progressive Field.
That looked like a flip in momentum, or even after Cleveland fell at the back of once more in the highest of the tenth, all didn’t appear misplaced. Davis tacked on every other RBI, bringing his membership only one run clear of extending their season for no less than every other inning. But it wasn’t to be. Chicago walked away with its first championship since 1908, and Cleveland fell simply brief, once more.
So … what are the chances this ends these days?
As with maximum postseason games, it’s about 50-50. History doesn’t recommend an glaring end result — Game 5 of the ALDS will likely be a highway sport for the Guardians, who will likely be making an attempt to advance in the legendarily-hostile Yankee Stadium. But in winner-take-all postseason games, house groups don’t in reality have an glaring merit; in reality, a minimum of for the instant, highway groups have the threshold, having long past 63-61 in those eventualities. And whilst it should appear that momentum favors the Yankees, who gained Game 4 and are web hosting this elimination sport, in the 34 earlier League Division Series that experience long past the whole 5 games, the winners of Game 4 have long past directly to win the collection 19 instances. That’s simply 56 p.c of the time — a bonus, certain, however an extraordinarily narrow one.