2011 in ReviewLast season the Indians got off to a fantastic start. They took over sole possession of 1st place in the Central on April 8th, and raced further and further ahead of the competition as the season’s early weeks continued. At the end of play on May 23rd, Cleveland had a 30-15 record, best in the Major Leagues, and a 7-game lead over Detroit in the division. Things were going well on both sides of the ball; only the Yankees were scoring more runs per game among American League teams, while only the A’s were allowing fewer runs per game.
Despite their record and those figures, there were many who doubted the legitimacy of the Indians’ success. This sent a lot of Indians fans into a tizzy; many played the “no respect” card so popular in sports among both players and fans. For my part, I didn’t expect it to last. As ESPN’s Keith Law (arguably the highest profile doubter) wrote in late April, “We notice these ‘streaks’ only because nothing preceded them, so the standings reflect the hot/cold starts and nothing else. Just about every good team will have a bad stretch, and just about every bad team will have a strong week or two.”
Despite their record and those figures, there were many who doubted the legitimacy of the Indians’ success. This sent a lot of Indians fans into a tizzy; many played the “no respect” card so popular in sports among both players and fans. For my part, I didn’t expect it to last. As ESPN’s Keith Law (arguably the highest profile doubter) wrote in late April, “We notice these ‘streaks’ only because nothing preceded them, so the standings reflect the hot/cold starts and nothing else. Just about every good team will have a bad stretch, and just about every bad team will have a strong week or two.”
