Actually, that 1997 team really wasn’t that good.

1). Using the extremely unscientific method of going strictly by wins, they were the 33rd best team in Indians history. Go to W-L% and they slide to 42nd.

2). The team OPS+ was 111. The team ERA+ was 99. Both of those are worse than the team that directly preceded them.

3). The 1997 team scored only 53 more runs than it allowed. By comparison, this year’s Twins (a team no one will be heralding years from now) outscored their opponents by 52.

That team really wasn’t that good, they just got hot at the right time. Personally, I’ll remember the 2007 team as being consistently better.

And it isn’t irony if the return of said person is what sparked this debate.

The 1997 playoffs (save one game) were more enjoyable. The year as a whole was actually really frustrating for me. I’ll give 2007 the edge in that regard. The 1997 playoffs are probably some of my best memories as an Indians fan though. That whole Baltimore series was exciting.

I was at both games, and Sandy Alomar in ’97 was the most clutch player the Indians have had since the Jacobs field era.

Ah, I was at both games.

And I loved the Indians in 1997, but let’s be honest. I was 12. I was excited because everyone else was excited too. 2007 was something different. I led that parade.

yeah, I probably pay more attention to the images anyways.

Bottom line for me is that Sandy was part of the most memorable moments for me as an Indians fan and he came through in some big moments. I don’t think he was anywhere near the player Victor Martinez is, but he is a bigger part of my memories as an Indians fan.

first, alomar was just a touching off point, not the point itself. it’s about this 90’s cloud, not alomar per se. i love the hire. are you happy? yay sandy! welcome back!

apparently a lot of people care what other people think. i didn’t start this. i just got annoyed by it. everyone keeps saying hiring alomar was an act of goodwill. apparently what those people that need the goodwill think is a big deal. it keeps getting mentioned with the prospects of bringing back omar, too. Gesture to the fans! hargrove, bench coach! i don’t know where the front office is saying these are motivations, but they’re certainly getting taken that way.

jay hits on one thing i find annoying. the reluctance to embrace indians and indian teams after that era, except first base and bullpen coaches of course. sizemore will never be loved like lofton, asdrubal as much as omar, etc. it’s tiring. what you call “nostalgic”, i tend to call “living in the past”. when i hear “we need a line-up like the 90’s” you might well up inside with memories of yesteryear, where i might roll my eyes because i’m sick of hearing about how these indians will never be that good. i thought the lofton in ’07 thing was pretty neat, but i never liked how he actually seemed to overshadow the players on the team that made that team so good.

again, i know my gripe isn’t here – it’s with a group of fans that will never read this. it’s with guys like my dad, who couldn’t tell you who luis valbuena plays for, but thinks omar would be a perfect fit for second base.

but this is an indians blog, where we talk about things that have to do with the indians. and i think the 90’s aura can have a negative impact on the team. it can keep current fans from embracing the current team and buying current tickets – like it does with people i know. perhaps it is a molehill, perhaps my oatmeal just tastes like it has some pee in it. but i think it’s an issue, even if a small one as it relates to that fueling of ignorance jay refers to. and it’s the offseason where not much is going on to talk about.

I don’t think anyone ever expected Sandy to be quite that good.

If this were probably any other person 90s teams I would probably be feeling the same way, so I understand where you’re coming from.

Now here’s some goggle for ya. Do you really believe that this club has any shot – any shot what so ever – at the World Series in the next three years? The smart money says that they don’t. This is a horribly flawed team with little help in sight.

As to whether Alomar was better than Victor or Kenny better than Sizemeore, is of little relevence. What’s relevent to most fans is whether the Indians will compete for a pennant any time in the predictable future. In ‘97 in looked like we’d be in the hunt forever. In ‘09 there’s not even a flicker of light at the end of the tunnel.

This comparing of my all time and current favorite Indians has me confused.

I’ve already lost. Wedge 1, Cody 0.

definitely as a manager. what i’m not sure is what happens if he’s just a coach. i think jay addressed this exact question before, but am not sure if i am remembering it right.