Still Living in Believeland

The 2016 World Series has come and gone and what a great year of baseball it has been. Unfortunately for some Clevelanders, the loss has almost been debilitating.

It is for those that I write this blog today.

Like I said, the World Series has come and gone. I really doubt I'll ever catch up on the lost sleep over this playoff season. But that is okay. It was well worth it.

Let me first start off by saying, “Congratulations Cubbies! The 108-year streak has ended for you.” And if you are a Chicago diehard, please remember that this is baseball. There is nothing like it. When things are going your way there is nothing like it. When things are not going your way there is nothing like it. Why? Because it is BASEBALL!! And over those last 108 years, you have seen your share of both. So have we in Cleveland. And that is okay. Again, we're talking baseball.

When catcher David Ross hit that home run in the sixth inning, knowing that it was his last career game, I stood up, took off my Indians hat, and congratulated him (followed by a tweet doing the same).  I saw a Chicago double play that had me applauding it was so well executed (almost like a dance).

And I'm an Indians fan.

But that's baseball. And that's okay. You can root-root-root for the home team, but there is no shame in acknowledging when the opposition does something truly . . . baseball.

Would I have preferred that the Indians had won the World Series? You bet. But I'm not depressed. And here is why you shouldn't be either:

If you watched the game on FOX, you know there was no hesitation by the announcers and post-game commentators to tell us of how superior a team the Chicago Cubs were. Every chance they had they reminded us viewers that this team was built to win the series. They were the best in the league. Hell. They were the best to play the game. Even Kyle Schwarber was the reincarnation of Babe Ruth.

Cleveland, on the other hand, was missing two of their starting pitchers and one of their hitters due to injuries. The loss of starters forced coach Terry Francona to do some fancy footwork with rotations to try to give them at least a little rest between turns on the mound. And I'm not going to bring up Trevor Bauer's “Dronegate".

Please understand. Cleveland was supposed to finish towards the bottom of the division. And yet, despite all odds, they made it to the World Series.




And what happened?

It took not only all seven games, but an extra inning for the best team in the league to beat the Cleveland Indians. In that tenth inning Cleveland had the tying run on base, and the winning run at bat. It took two outs, one strike, and some good Chicago infield work to end it.

Don't you understand? Not only were the Cleveland Indians NOT supposed to be in the World Series, the Chicago Cubs should have SWEPT them in the first four games and didn't.

That is why I'm not depressed. That is why I still wear my Indians gear with pride. And that is why I STILL live in Believeland.

So thank you, Cleveland Indians, for a great year of baseball. For all of it. Every pitch, swing, catch, and miss. You have given us a wonderful year. And we can't wait until Opening Day.

©Emittravel 2016