Overlooked Factor in Tribe's 3 World Series Losses

[aclayman]

This is apropos of absolutely nothing. But it's rarely if ever noted that due simply to the randomness of MLB's old, alternating system for World Series home field advantage, the Indians had to go on the road for the Fall Classic in 1954, 1995, and 1997. This was despite the fact that they had 14 more regular season wins than the Giants in '54, 10 more wins than the Braves in '95, and were division champs facing a wild card Marlins team in '97.

Forced by bad luck into being the visitors, the Indians fell behind 2-0 to New York and Atlanta, and had to play in Miami in the deciding Game 7 in '97.

Yes, home field is far less important in baseball than football or basketball. But shit. At the very least, we got screwed out of extra ticket sales. Regular season performance should determine home field advantage. Not alternating schedules and certainly not the results of a July exhibition game. The end. Bitterly.

[Adverb Harry]

I always hated that old system, too. Changing it is the only good move I give Commishioner Bud credit for.

[gotribe31]

This is apropos of absolutely nothing. But it's rarely if ever noted that due simply to the randomness of MLB's old, alternating system for World Series home field advantage, the Indians had to go on the road for the Fall Classic in 1954, 1995, and 1997. This was despite the fact that they had 14 more regular season wins than the Giants in '54, 10 more wins than the Braves in '95, and were division champs facing a wild card Marlins team in '97.

Forced by bad luck into being the visitors, the Indians fell behind 2-0 to New York and Atlanta, and had to play in Miami in the deciding Game 7 in '97.

Yes, home field is far less important in baseball than football or basketball. But shit. At the very least, we got screwed out of extra ticket sales. Regular season performance should determine home field advantage. Not alternating schedules and certainly not the results of a July exhibition game. The end. Bitterly.

Not to mention playing extra games in the NL parks stripped the offense-oriented Indians of the use of the DH.

[Squints]

A 450 foot fly out and a 250 foot home run in game 1 at the polo grounds. Not that it matters now.

[bookelly]

Given the current system and the migration of big bats to the AL, I doubt this we see a NL home advantage for quite a while.

[Shulesjo]

In typical Cleveland fashion, the World Series location was that the AL had home field in odd years and NL in even years until the 1994 strike when there was no World Series. Thus 1995 should have been a Cleveland home field advantage but the Commissioner wanted to give home field to the NL that year. Since then it has remained that way.

[bookelly]

In typical Cleveland fashion, the World Series location was that the AL had home field in odd years and NL in even years until the 1994 strike when there was no World Series. Thus 1995 should have been a Cleveland home field advantage but the Commissioner wanted to give home field to the NL that year. Since then it has remained that way.

You don't like pink teddy bears garnished with flowers do you?

[pod2dawg]

What sealed our fate in "97" was me being there with my Tribe jersey on snickering when Craig Counsell came to bat..........