CLEVELAND, Ohio - We haven't seen an Indians team go to spring training as defending American League champs since 1998.
That was the year they lost to the New York Yankees, 4-2, in the ALCS. No shame in that.
Those were the only two losses of the postseason for a Yankees team that went 114-48 during the regular season. The Yankees swept Texas in the division round, then swept the Padres in the World Series.
The Indians finished 89-73 that year, beat Boston, 3-1, in the first round and held a 2-1 lead on the Yankees until New York won the final three games of the series.