Before this year, the Cleveland Indians had advanced to the playoffs in four of the last five seasons. What do they have to show for it? Nothing, except for the distinction as the team that fell to the Chicago Cubs, and thus helped break the curse of the goat.
Unfortunately for the tribe that will be no more – Cleveland is rebranding the team and will become the Guardians after the conclusion of the 2021 season – they are victims of another curse. A more insidious curse. The curse of the small to mid-market teams.
During this half-decade of success, (2016-2020) in which the Indians won 90+ games four times, (94 in 2016, 93 in 2018, 91 in 2019); and 102 games in 2017.