This is actually the third time I have seen the Tribe play at Safeco Field. The first time was back in 2002, the year after we moved to the Northwest. It was also the last year my favorite Indian, Jim Thome, played for Cleveland.
Last year, I went up with my friend Blake Perkins (left), who went to dental school in Cleveland and is a Tribe fan, along with Tom Foeller (middle) and John O'Donnell (right).
Tom and John both work at BPA with me, although Tom retired from BPA last year after recovering from cancer. John is a big Mariners fan and came dressed for the occassion as did I.
Last year we caught a double-header in the last week of the season where the first game was a makeup game from a snowed-out game in Cleveland during the first week of April. So Cleveland was actually the home team and batted last in the first game on the road. You don't see that happen very often. Cleveland clubbed the M's 12 to 4 in the first game.
In the second game of the double header, Cleveland led a close game 2 to 1 in the 9th inning, but gave up a game-tying home run with 2 outs. Then still tied at 2 in the bottom of the 10th with 2 outs and runners on 1st and 3rd, the Mariners' hitter hit a sharp grounder to Cleveland's shortstop who booted the ball and let the game-winning run score.
You may be wondering why I am going into detail about the games we went to last season. Well, Cleveland ended up tying the Boston Red Sox with the best record in baseball at 96-66. The Indians ended up playing the Red Sox in the American League Championship Series (ALCS) to go to the World Series.
Since Boston and Cleveland had the same record, Boston had home field advantage in the series because they won the season series against Cleveland. It was a best of 7 game series and Cleveland won 3 of the first 4 games only to lose the last 3 games in a row.
Although Cleveland lost the series, they took Boston to game 7 where the Red Sox swept both the Angels in the ALDS and the Rockies in the World Series. So Cleveland was the only team to beat Boston in the playoffs.
Yet if Cleveland would have held on to win that second game of the double header, which they should have, they would have had the lone best record in baseball and thus the home field advantage against the Red Sox. I'm convinced that if they did, they would have beat Boston and won the World Series.
Instead the Indians' curse of not winning the World Series has been extended to 60 years, second only to the Cubs who are in a good position to end their curse this season. I know that you're thinking that I'm being a bit obsessive about the Tribe, but this is why I'm the Cleveland Phanatic.
One good thing that came out of last year's double header, other than to get to see two games for the price of one, was that we had such a good time that we decided to make it an annual event.
So we took the three-hour drive up to Seattle on Friday, July 18th, which was the Tribe's first game after the All-Star break.
Cleveland who was picked by many analysts to win the A.L. Central and get to the World Series this season, imploded in the first half of the season due to a horrible start by their star pitchers, dismal team hitting, and injuries to several key players. So unlike last season, there wasn't anything on the line in this game, especially since Seattle had the worst record in baseball.
The stadium was packed, though it was mostly due to it being Felix Hernandez bobblehead night. Felix is the Mariners' best pitcher and was pitching that evening. We got to the stadium a couple hours early to catch batting practice and to snag a bobblehead.
It was a scoreless game with 2 outs in the bottom of the 2nd inning when Cleveland's shortstop, who lost game 2 of the double header last year, made an error that led to five unearned runs that inning. The Indians ended up losing 8 to 2.
Regardless, we still had a great time. The weather was great, and our row was picked between innings to win a DVD of the Disney movie College Road Trip starring Martin Lawrence and Donny Osmond. So even though the Tribe lost the game, I got a bobblehead and a DVD out of it. Not bad.
I can't wait until next season. I just found out that Cleveland will play in Seattle on the last weekend of July in 2009. I plan to take my family to a game. I plan to make it an annual event, so my kids will also become Cleveland Phenatics. :)
