Cleveland Indians: The franchise all-time bracket
By Bill Felber
![BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 20: A detailed view of the Cleveland Indians logo patch on a jersey of Michael Brantley #23 of the Cleveland Indians before a game against the ]Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on August 20, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_fill,w_1080,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/shape%2Fcover%2Fsport%2F915859e3545854faf35868bafdc38f42d9e5ad5a1a5996efb0d116a0da8d10cb.jpg "BOSTON, MA - AUGUST 20: A detailed view of the Cleveland Indians logo patch on a jersey of Michael Brantley #23 of the Cleveland Indians before a game against the ]Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on August 20, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)")
Cleveland Indians: The Franchise All-Time Bracket
No. 1 vs. 8 seed
As the world champion with the better regular-season record, the 1920 Cleveland Indians deserve the top seed. This great collection of talent featured an offense led by player-manager Tris Speaker, a future Hall of Famer. Speaker batted .388 with 107 RBIs.
But he was not alone: Six Indians regulars topped .300 that season, and both third baseman Larry Gardner (118) and outfielder Elmer Smith (103) joined Speaker over 100 RBIs.
But the club’s true strength was a star-studded twosome on the mound. Jim Bagby went 31-12 in 38 starts and 339 innings of work, while Stan Coveleski compiled a 24-14 record in 38 starts and 315 innings.
The eighth seed belongs to the 1997 American League champions, and even with their 86-75 regular-season record they represent a stern test. Those Indians were led offensively by the tandem of outfielder Manny Ramirez (.328, 26 home runs) and DH David Justice (.329, 33 homers, 101 RBIs), with Jim Thome (40 home runs, 102 RBIs) playing a strong supporting role.
The pitching staff was a decidedly weaker element, but Charles Nagy (15-11) and Orel Hershiser (14-6) were both capable of keeping their team in any game.
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Game 1: At 98-56 .629, the 1920 club has by far the better regular-season record, 15 and one-half games superior to 1997.
Game 2: The 1920 Indians won a nine-game World Series in seven games over the Brooklyn Dodgers. The 1997 team compiled a 7-4 post-season record before losing a scintillating seven-game series to the Florida Marlins. That makes it 2-0 for 1920.
Game 3: Despite the 1920 team’s phalanx of .300 hitters, the 1997 team’s 111 OPS+ is four points better than the 107 posted in 1920.
Game 4: Bagby and Coveleski are too much for the 1997 team. The 1920 Indians’ 113 staff ERA+ is far superior to 1997’s 99.
Game 5: This game is a white-knuckler. The 1920 Indians’ team WAR is 51.3, two-tenths of a point better than 1997’s 51.1.
Result: 1920 in five games.