2017 ALDS: Why Cleveland Indians fans should worry about Corey Kluber in Game 5
The 2017 ALDS comes down to one game as the Cleveland Indians send Corey Kluber to the mound. A sure thing? Not so fast.
Corey Kluber takes the bump for the deciding Game 5 in the 2017 ALDS between the Indians and Yankees.
The Indians had a chance to end the series in New York, but failed, looking overwhelmed by the Bronx Zoo in the process.
Now, the Tribe’s ace has a chance to come home and advance his team into the ALCS.
If it had to end up this way, manager Terry Francona couldn’t have drew it up any better.
That is unless you’re not as confident in Kluber as you were five days ago, when he got rocked against a powerful New York Yankees lineup for six earned runs in 2.2 innings of work.
As ridiculous as it is to doubt Kluber, I have my reasons.
The last two times I’ve seen him pitch live includes Game 2 of this series, and the other was Game 7 of the World Series. In that start, in which Kluber started on three days rest, he allowed two homers and four total runs in four innings of work against the Cubs.
These were two huge “moment” games when everyone was counting on Kluber to deliver, and didn’t happen. The Klubot got short circuited.
Two huge moments, and the Klubot didn’t deliver.
There’s no doubting how exceptional Kluber is, and his overall body of work during the 2016 was MVP worthy, but when it comes to pitching lights out in “moment game,” with the Indians backs against the wall and their season hanging in the balance, we’re waiting for the probably Cy Young Award winner to deliver.
Doubting Kluber is ridiculous. There’s no one else on the planet an Tribe fan should want to start this game.
The guy’s a total pro. He doesn’t get too up, or too down. He’s going to do the same mundane things he’s does today and tomorrow that he’d do du ring the regular season before a start.
He’ll be pitching in the second biggest game of his life and none of us we’ll be able to tell. Look at his face, and you won’t be able to tell if it’s April, or an elimination game.
Admittedly, baseball has driven me crazy, and the idea of the Indians going home early during this dream season as me on edge.
Think about this series. Kluber get rocked. Andrew Miller gave up what turned out to be a game losing home run in Game 4. The impenetrable Yankee bullpen got taken down a notch in Game 2 in one of the great postseason comebacks of all time.
There’s no rhyme or reason to this thing they call October.
Next: Indians rumors: Sox, Seattle to have interest in Santana?
Even though Kluber starting is a close as the Indians can get to a sure win on Wednesday night, there’s no counting on it.