Own It, Cleveland!

The video above is a sweet compilation someone put together of the 2013 season up to about the end of August. Watch it, enjoy it, remember it! Own this season, Cleveland - all we have left now are memories of the fun!

If you were following this season closely, you will be satisfied with its outcome. The 2013 Indians were a team that were probably going to the playoffs in March. Then the Tigers became the team that were definitely going, by the end of April. The Indians, probably not...definitely not in August. But wait...maybe by September? Holy cow, they are in!

It was waaaaaay fun to watch them get in to the wildcard and pretty neat to have the top wildcard spot sewn up for a few days. The final game was kind of heart-wrenching but eh, you saw it coming right?

So very awesome to see the crowds at the Prog both on Wildcard night and the weeks leading up to it! Great to see GV Artwork's "Goon Squad" tees selling out day after day. Awesome to see some Tribe trends on Twitter! It was even cool when Chris Perez said to Terry Francona "Hey, I kind of suck right now" (paraphrase)

But speaking of that game, Giambi's [second!] walk-off homer against Chicago was probably the absolute highlight of the season - a season filled with walk-off highlights! Fitting that the last one would be so money.

My second favorite moment of the season was probably when Ryan Reynolds (remember him?) blasted a big fat homer off some dude who had, in Reynolds' previous at-bat, beaned him around the head. It was such an awesome revenge homer! And the pitcher looked to SAD!

And of course there was the Rally Chicken:

And most of April spent with Meryl and her cookies:

Drew Stubbs being hit in the head and then having a several-game hitting streak:

still not a real photo, sorry.

Anything Yan Gomes did, at all:

Asdrubal at the water park:

Tom Hamilton extremely disturbed by the "water park" in Miami:

 Michael Bourn face-plant (sung to the tune of "Rock and Roll McDonalds"):

Sad Angel who lost his glove:

Bourn on the heels of Stubbs:

Tripping Miggy:

Spider Vinnie:

And this:

That is just a SMALL representation of the fun we had this year!!!

I am really excited to see this WHOLE TEAM and staff back next year. Whoever turned around the bullpen needs to come back and turn them some more, enough to fit Vinnie and Tomlin in there somewhere. Maybe maybe a new hitting coach, perhaps someone that knows a good yogi.

Now that Reynolds (God bless) and Meyers are gone, I can't think of any more fat to trim. Well I have an idea but I'm going to end on a positive note and not talk badly about Nick Swisher er...people.

It was different doing the blog this year than previous years, because it felt more like judging what was expected instead of finding joy in the unexpected. Much harder to be all positive and stuff when guys you were told would be good weren't playing so well. Hence a handful of games I completely didn't comment on at all!

But, I'll always love baseball, win or lose, and since I love Cleveland baseball I've got no choice but to be able to roll with the punches. I hope you're the same way, boffins!

See you in 6 months!! WAHOOO!!!

Radio Chatter:
"The right side of the field is like the Ponderosa."
- Tom Hamilton on the shift

"The crowd here is deafening. The tribe scores a run, lookout."
- Tom Hamilton

"The credit goes to Alex Cobb."
- Tom Hamilton

"For as good as Peralta and Rodney are, maybe the answer for the Indians is anyone but Cobb."
- Tom Hamilton

"Molina held it there, but Jerry Davis said 'that's ok Jose I'm not changing my mind.'"
- Tom Hamilton

"Molina, one of the best defensive catchers. He'll never be part of a relay race."
- Tom Hamilton

"Rodney looking at home plate umpire Jerry Davis as if he's from Mars."
- Tom Hamilton