Girish Mahajan (Editor)

1997 Cleveland Indians season

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Owner(s)
  
Richard Jacobs

Manager(s)
  
Mike Hargrove

General manager(s)
  
John Hart

Local television
  
WUAB Jack Corrigan, Mike Hegan SportsChannel John Sanders, Rick Manning

Local radio
  
WKNR (1220 AM) Herb Score, Tom Hamilton, Matt Underwood

The 1997 Cleveland Indians season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Indians making their second World Series appearance in three years. The Indians finished in first place in the American League Central and hosted the 1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.

Contents

Offseason

  • November 13, 1996: Matt Williams was traded by the San Francisco Giants with a player to be named later to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later, Jeff Kent, Julián Tavárez, and José Vizcaíno. The Cleveland Indians sent Joe Roa (December 16, 1996) to the San Francisco Giants to complete the trade.
  • December 10, 1996: Eric Plunk was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.
  • December 13, 1996: Kevin Mitchell signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.
  • December 16, 1996: Trenidad Hubbard was sent by the San Francisco Giants to the Cleveland Indians to complete an earlier deal made on November 13, 1996.
  • December 18, 1996: Chad Curtis was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.
  • December 19, 1996: Les Norman was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.
  • December 28, 1996: Tony Fernandez was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.
  • January 1, 1997: Casey Candaele was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.
  • January 31, 1997: Greg Cadaret was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.

    • Regular season

  • The season started with several new faces. The Indians acquired home run hitter Matt Williams. On March 25, 1997, the club traded All-Star Kenny Lofton and pitcher Alan Embree to the Atlanta Braves for Marquis Grissom and David Justice.
  • June 16 – The first interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Cleveland Indians took place at Jacobs Field. The rivalry would be known as the Battle of Ohio. The Reds won the game by a score of 4-1.

    • Notable transactions

  • April 21, 1997: Ryan Thompson signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.
  • May 20, 1997: Torey Lovullo was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.
  • June 3, 1997: Kevin Mitchell was released by the Cleveland Indians.
  • June 5, 1997: Ryan Thompson was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Toronto Blue Jays for Jeff Manto.
  • June 9, 1997: Dave Weathers was traded by the New York Yankees to the Cleveland Indians for Chad Curtis.
  • July 3, 1997: Greg Cadaret was released by the Cleveland Indians.
  • July 25, 1997: Pat Listach was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.
  • July 31, 1997: John Smiley was traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Jeff Branson to the Cleveland Indians for Jim Crowell, Danny Graves, Damian Jackson, and Scott Winchester.
  • July 31, 1997: Jeff Juden was traded by the Montreal Expos to the Cleveland Indians for Steve Kline.
  • August 13, 1997: Julio Franco was released by the Cleveland Indians.

    • All-Star game

    The 1997 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was the 68th playing of the midsummer classic between the all-stars of the American League (AL) and National League (NL). There were no members of the Indians in the starting lineup although three Indians (Sandy Alomar, Jr., Jim Thome, and David Justice) were named to the team. The game was held on July 8, 1997, and the first pitch was thrown by former Indian Larry Doby. The American League were victorious 3 – 1, with the go ahead HR coming courtesy Alomar, Jr.

    Starters by position

    Note: Pos = position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

    Other batters

    Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in

    Starting pitchers

    Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

    Other pitchers

    Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

    Relief pitchers

    Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts

    Game 1

    September 30, Yankee Stadium

    Game 2

    October 2, Yankee Stadium

    Game 3

    October 4, Jacobs Field

    Game 4

    October 5, Jacobs Field

    Game 5

    October 6, Jacobs Field

    Game 1

    October 8, Camden Yards

    Game 2

    October 9, Camden Yards

    Game 3

    October 11, Jacobs Field

    Game 4

    October 12, Jacobs Field

    Game 5

    October 13, Jacobs Field

    Game 6

    October 15, Camden Yards

    Game 1

    October 18, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

    Game 2

    October 19, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

    Game 3

    October 21, 1997, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

    Game 4

    October 22, 1997, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

    Game 5

    October 23, 1997, at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio

    Game 6

    October 25, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

    Game 7

    October 26, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

    Award winners

  • Marquis Grissom, Outfield, ALCS MVP

    • All-Star Game

  • Sandy Alomar, Jr., Catcher, Reserve
  • Jim Thome, First Baseman, Reserve
  • David Justice, Outfield, elected to start, but was unable to play due to an injury.

    • References

    1997 Cleveland Indians season Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA