CLEVELAND -- The Cleveland Indians came up well short of their goal of winning a World Series Championship in 2017 after losing a 2-0 lead to the New York Yankees in the best-of-five matchup in the American League Division Series.
And that setback has served as a motivating factor throughout the offseason and into spring training for the Indians, who are looking to win their third consecutive AL Central Division Championship, get back into the postseason and finish the task they started two seasons ago with a return to the World Series.
“Every time you reach the postseason and you don’t win, I don’t know if you really ever get over it,” Indians starter Corey Kluber said early in spring training. “I think you find a way to use it as motivation and different ways to drive yourself during the offseason, striving to not have that happen again.”
With the Yankees bolstering their roster by acquiring Giancarlo Stanton in an offseason trade, the defending World Series Champion Houston Astros full of young stars and the departures of Carlos Santana and Bryan Shaw, among others, some have questioned whether the Indians still have a chance to win the pennant.
However, players like Trevor Bauer remain confident in the players within the clubhouse and their ability to turn last year’s failure into another deep October run.
“Ultimately, it comes down to take care of business in the regular season to give yourself a chance to make the playoffs, and once you get in, anything can happen,” Bauer said. “I think we’ve done a really good job of that the last couple years, getting ourselves a chance. No one thought we were going to go very far in 2016, and we were the team that kind of surprised people, basically played the entire season to a tie. We needed extra innings in Game 7 to figure out who won.
“Last year, we were one of the best teams. We were the best team in the American League, one of the best teams all year round and just got beat. It happens, but that’s the goal again this year, set ourselves up in position in the regular season to make the playoffs, get in, and then, let the cards fall where they may.”
Surrounded by questions because of free-agent departures and other teams in the AL bolstering their rosters, the questions and doubts are just fine with the Indians, as they see it as fuel to their competitive fire.
“We got hammered with injuries last year,” Bauer said. “I think last year was an extreme aberration. Our medical staff does a great job of keeping guys on the field. Assuming last year was just an aberration, I think you’re going to see a very talented and deep lineup. I think you’re going to see a very talented and deep pitching staff.
“I think you’re going to see guys play really great defense. I think the focus should be there, for sure because speaking for myself and everybody in the clubhouse, I think we’re one of the best teams in the league and definitely a contender for the World Series.”
