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Cleveland Indians in need of a Rick Vaughn?

By Josh Sippie

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In case the fans haven’t noticed, and judging by the attendance, they haven’t, the Cleveland Indians have managed to win a few here and there, and are threatening to climb out of the cellar. They are by no means out of the playoff race.

Behind some solid starting pitching in reigning Cy Young winner Corey Kluber, the venerable Carlos Carrasco and the young, sprightly antics of Trevor Bauer and Danny Salazar, all of whom have an ERA under 4.00, the Indians off the mound are a force to be reckoned with.

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So clearly it is the offense that is holding the tribe back.

Well, that is not entirely true. While the Cleveland Indians are not wowing anyone’s socks off from the plate, they rank right in the middle of the pack with a great base in Michael Brantley, Jason Kipnis and Daniel Murphy.

All in all, this is not a bad Cleveland Indians squad and while it is not composed of delinquents and unknowns, there is character to be found on this team. They are only five games below .500 and 4.5 games out of second place. That’s not a bad situation to be in.

Perhaps the only bad situation to be found in Cleveland is the average fan attendance. Just over 17,000 fans per game (ESPN.com) makes you wonder if the movie Major League wasn’t based on a true story… and somehow predicting the future. 

The circumstances may be incredibly different, but the overlying theme is the same. The Indians are not out of the race and one of the main problems facing the ball club is a lack of fan support that has plagued them for years. The only team that averages less fan support is the Tampa Bay Rays, and fans avoid them because the stadium is the equivalent of a medieval castle that has sunk into a bog.

The Indians need a little injection of spirit. It sounds corny and farcical, but it can make all the difference. One of the main factors that plays into the St. Louis Cardinals’ continued success is the undying support from the fan base. Sure, they have the titles to back it up, but the Indians have two world series wins and that is a point of pride.

The Cleveland Indians are a good team with a rich history. They should not need a juvenile delinquent to close games for them in order to attract a consistent fan base.

Next: Are the Indians buyers or sellers?

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