What's the deal with the Dodgers?

[rats60]

Originally Posted by KMayUSA6060

26 days ago, the Indians were 20 games in back of the Dodgers for the best record in baseball. After last night, they are 1 game back. Come on Phillies!

How did home field work out for the Indians last year?

[KMayUSA6060]

Originally Posted by rats60

How did home field work out for the Indians last year?

Worked pretty well. Swept the Red Sox, cleaned Toronto's clock pretty good, then reached extra innings of Game 7 of the World Series. Mind you, this was all without their #2, #3, and for a period their #4 starters. They also didn't have their All Star LF, and their starting C was out until late in the World Series.

Jumped out to a 1-0 series lead in the World Series thanks to home field advantage, too. Couldn't finish, but that was largely due to the injuries mentioned above.

Additionally, if it does happen to be the Indians vs. a West Coast team, home field advantage would play a much larger role due to the strenuous travel across the US.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by KMayUSA6060

Worked pretty well. Swept the Red Sox, cleaned Toronto's clock pretty good, then extra innings of Game 7 of the World Series. Mind you, this was all without their #2, #3, and for a period their #4 starters. They also didn't have their All Star LF, and their starting C was out until late in the World Series.

Jumped out to a 1-0 series lead in the World Series thanks to home field advantage, too. Couldn't finish, but that was largely due to the injuries mentioned above.

Additionally, if it does happen to be the Indians vs. a West Coast team, home field advantage would play a much larger role due to the strenuous travel across the US.

So what is the Indians' secret about traveling across the US less strenuously than their opponent?

[KMayUSA6060]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

So what is the Indians' secret about traveling across the US less strenuously than their opponent?

My point about the travel is I'd rather have the first two games in Cleveland to try and get ahead in the series, rather than play on the road the first two games (maybe lose 1 or both) then make the trip cross country to try and come back in the series.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by KMayUSA6060

My point about the travel is I'd rather have the first two games in Cleveland to try and get ahead in the series, rather than play on the road the first two games (maybe lose 1 or both) then make the trip cross country to try and come back in the series.

So why did the Indians split the first two at home, take 2 of 3 on the road and then lose two at home? Seems to me that they are just as good on the road as at home. Even slightly better this year in the regular season.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by KMayUSA6060

Worked pretty well. Swept the Red Sox, cleaned Toronto's clock pretty good, then reached extra innings of Game 7 of the World Series. Mind you, this was all without their #2, #3, and for a period their #4 starters. They also didn't have their All Star LF, and their starting C was out until late in the World Series.

Jumped out to a 1-0 series lead in the World Series thanks to home field advantage, too. Couldn't finish, but that was largely due to the injuries mentioned above.

Additionally, if it does happen to be the Indians vs. a West Coast team, home field advantage would play a much larger role due to the strenuous travel across the US.

1-3 at home in the World Series tells me that it doesn't matter if the Indians finish ahead of the Dodgers. Having the best record in the league is a big deal because of the wild card game. If home field was so important, the Indians wouldn't have choked games 6 and 7 at home.

[KMayUSA6060]

Originally Posted by rats60

1-3 at home in the World Series tells me that it doesn't matter if the Indians finish ahead of the Dodgers. Having the best record in the league is a big deal because of the wild card game. If home field was so important, the Indians wouldn't have choked games 6 and 7 at home.

For a small market team, it is also important for revenue. I believe the Indians generated an additional $60M last year with their deep playoff run. They parlayed that into Encarnacion.

Also, keep in mind there was a strong Cubs contingent at the World Series games in Cleveland due to the closer distance between the cities. If it were an East vs. West situation, it would be a bigger home field advantage.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by KMayUSA6060

Also, keep in mind there was a strong Cubs contingent at the World Series games in Cleveland due to the closer distance between the cities. If it were an East vs. West situation, it would be a bigger home field advantage.

Not at the game that I went to. With only 35K seats, there weren't a lot of extra seats available and they certainly didn't generate that much extra revenue for 1 extra home game.