1997 Cleveland Indians season

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.

1997 Cleveland Indians
AL Champs
AL Central Champs
Major League affiliations
Location
Other information
Owner(s)Richard Jacobs
General manager(s)John Hart
Manager(s)Mike Hargrove
Local televisionWUAB
Jack Corrigan, Mike Hegan
SportsChannel
John Sanders, Rick Manning
Local radioWKNR (1220 AM)
Herb Score, Tom Hamilton, Matt Underwood
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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.[1]
  • December 10, 1996: Eric Plunk was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.[2]
  • December 13, 1996: Kevin Mitchell signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.[3]
  • 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.[4]
  • December 18, 1996: Chad Curtis was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.[5]
  • December 19, 1996: Les Norman was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.[6]
  • December 28, 1996: Tony Fernandez was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.[7]
  • January 1, 1997: Casey Candaele was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.[8]
  • January 31, 1997: Greg Cadaret was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.[9]

Spring training

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.[10]

Most Starts by Position
Position Name # of Starts
C Sandy Alomar, Jr. 119
1B Jim Thome 145
2B Tony Fernández 109
3B Matt Williams 151
SS Omar Vizquel 152
LF Brian Giles 82
CF Marquis Grissom 144
RF Manny Ramírez 146
DH David Justice 61

Season standings
AL Central W L Pct. GB Home Road
Cleveland Indians 8675 0.534 — 44–37 42–38
Chicago White Sox 8081 0.497 6 45–36 35–45
Milwaukee Brewers 7883 0.484 8 47–33 31–50
Minnesota Twins 6894 0.420 18½ 35–46 33–48
Kansas City Royals 6794 0.416 19 33–47 34–47

Record vs. opponents
1997 American League Records

Sources:
Team ANA BAL BOS CWS CLE DET KC MIL MIN NYY OAK SEA TEX TOR NL 
Anaheim —4–76–56–57–45–66–57–44–74–711–16–68–46–54–12
Baltimore 7–4—5–75–66–56–67–45–610–18–48–37–410–16–68–7
Boston 5–67–5—3–86–55–73–88–38–34–87–47–43–86–66–9
Chicago 5–66–58–3—5–74–711–14–76–62–98–35–63–85–68–7
Cleveland 4–75–65–67–5—6–58–38–48–45–67–43–85–66–59–6
Detroit 6–56–67–57–45–6—6–54–74–72–107–44–77–46–68–7
Kansas City 5–64–78–31–113–85–6—6–67–53–83–85–66–55–66–9
Milwaukee 4–76–53–87–44–87–46–6—5–74–75–65–67–47–48–7
Minnesota 7–41–103–86–64–87–45–77–5—3–87–45–63–83–87–8
New York 7–44–88–49–26–510–28–37–48–3—6–54–77–47–55–10
Oakland 1–113–84–73–84–74–78–36–54–75–6—5–75–76–57–9
Seattle 6–64–74–76–58–37–46–56–56–57–47–5—8–48–37–9
Texas 4–81–108–38–36–54–75–64–78–34–77–54–8—4–710–6
Toronto 5–66–66–66–55–66–66–54–78–35–75–63–87–4—4–11

Notable transactions
  • April 21, 1997: Ryan Thompson signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.[11]
  • May 20, 1997: Torey Lovullo was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.[12]
  • June 3, 1997: Kevin Mitchell was released by the Cleveland Indians.[3]
  • June 5, 1997: Ryan Thompson was traded by the Cleveland Indians to the Toronto Blue Jays for Jeff Manto.[11]
  • June 9, 1997: Dave Weathers was traded by the New York Yankees to the Cleveland Indians for Chad Curtis.[13]
  • July 3, 1997: Greg Cadaret was released by the Cleveland Indians.[9]
  • July 25, 1997: Pat Listach was signed as a Free Agent with the Cleveland Indians.[14]
  • 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.[15]
  • July 31, 1997: Jeff Juden was traded by the Montreal Expos to the Cleveland Indians for Steve Kline.[16]
  • August 13, 1997: Julio Franco was released by the Cleveland Indians.[17]

Roster
1997 Cleveland Indians
Roster
Pitchers Catchers

Infielders

 Outfielders Manager

Coaches

  • 43 Dan Williams (Bullpen catcher)

Game log
1997 Game Log: 86–75 (Home: 44–37; Away: 42–38)
April: 12–13 (Home: 5–6; Away: 7–7)
May: 15–11 (Home: 9–3; Away: 6–8)
June: 13–11 (Home: 7–7; Away: 6–4)
July: 14–13 (Home: 7–10; Away: 7–3)
August: 16–14 (Home: 9–6; Away: 7–8)
September: 16–13 (Home: 7–5; Away: 9–8)
Legend:        = Win        = Loss        = Postponement
Bold = Indians team member

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.

Player stats

Starters by position

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

Pos Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
CSandy Alomar Jr.125451146.3242183
1BJim Thome147496142.28640102
2BTony Fernández120409117.2861144
SSOmar Vizquel153565158.280549
3BMatt Williams151596157.26332105
LFBrian Giles130377101.2681761
CFMarquis Grissom144558146.2621266
RFManny Ramirez150561184.3282688
DHDavid Justice139495163.32933101

Other batters

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

Player G AB H Avg. HR RBI
Julio Franco7828982.284325
Kevin Seitzer6419853.268224
Pat Borders5515947.296415
Bip Roberts238523.27138
Jeff Branson297219.26427
Kevin Mitchell20599.153411
Jeff Manto16308.26727
Chad Curtis22296.20735
Casey Candaele14268.30804
Bruce Aven13194.21102
Enrique Wilson5155.33301
Trent Hubbard7123.25000
Richie Sexson5113.27300
Sean Casey6102.20001
Damian Jackson891.11100
Einar Díaz571.14301

Starting pitchers

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

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Charles Nagy3422715114.28149
Orel Hershiser32195.11464.47107
Chad Ogea21126.1894.9980
Bartolo Colón1994475.6566
Jaret Wright1690.1834.3863
Brian Anderson848424.6922
John Smiley637.1245.5426
Terry Clark426.1036.1513

Other pitchers

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

Player G IP W L ERA SO
Albie Lopez3776.2376.9363
Jason Jacome2142.2205.2724
Jack McDowell840.2335.0938
Jeff Juden831.1015.4629
David Weathers916.2127.5614

Relief pitchers

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

Player G W L SV ERA SO
Paul Assenmacher755042.9453
Mike Jackson7125153.2474
José Mesa6644162.4069
Eric Plunk554504.6666
Paul Shuey404226.2046
Alvin Morman340025.8913
Steve Kline203105.8117
Danny Graves50004.764

American League Division Series
Main article: 1997 American League Division Series

Game 1

September 30, Yankee Stadium

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cleveland 500 100 000 6110
New York 010 115 00X 8110
W: Ramiro Mendoza (1-0)   L: Eric Plunk (0-1)  SV: Mariano Rivera (1)
HR: CLE – Sandy Alomar, Jr. (1)   NYY – Tino Martinez (1)   Tim Raines (1)   Derek Jeter (1)   Paul O'Neill (1)

Game 2

October 2, Yankee Stadium

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cleveland 000 520 000 7111
New York 300 000 011 572
W: Jaret Wright (1-0)   L: Andy Pettitte (0-1)  SV: None
HR: CLE – Matt Williams (1)  NYY – Derek Jeter (2)

Game 3

October 4, Jacobs Field

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New York 101 400 000 641
Cleveland 010 000 000 151
W: David Wells (1-0)   L: Charles Nagy (0-1)  SV: None
HR: CLE – None   NYY – Paul O'Neill (2)

Game 4

October 5, Jacobs Field

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New York 200 000 000 291
Cleveland 010 000 011 390
W: Mike Jackson (1-0)   L: Ramiro Mendoza (1-1)  SV: None
HR: CLE – David Justice (1)   Sandy Alomar, Jr. (2)   NYY – None

Game 5

October 6, Jacobs Field

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
New York 000 021 000 3120
Cleveland 003 100 00X 472
W: Jaret Wright (2-0)   L: Andy Pettitte (0-2)  SV: José Mesa (1)
HR: CLE – None   NYY – None

American League Championship Series
Main article: 1997 American League Championship Series

Game 1

October 8, Camden Yards

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cleveland 000 000 000 041
Baltimore 102 000 00X 361
WP: Scott Erickson (1-0)  LP: Chad Ogea (0-1)  SV: Randy Myers (1)
HRs: BAL – Brady Anderson (1) Roberto Alomar (1)

Game 2

October 9, Camden Yards

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cleveland 200 000 030 563
Baltimore 020 002 000 481
WP: Paul Assenmacher (1-0)  LP: Armando Benítez (0-1)  SV: José Mesa (1)
HRs: CLE – Manny Ramírez (1) Marquis Grissom (1)   BAL – Cal Ripken (1)

Game 3

October 11, Jacobs Field

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 R H E
Baltimore 000 000 001 000 181
Cleveland 000 000 100 001 260
WP: Eric Plunk (1-0)  LP: Randy Myers (0-1)  
HRs: None

Game 4

October 12, Jacobs Field

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Baltimore 014 000 101 7122
Cleveland 020 140 001 8130
WP: José Mesa (1-0)  LP: Alan Mills (0-1)  
HRs: CLE – Sandy Alomar, Jr. (1) Manny Ramírez (2)   BAL – Brady Anderson (2) Harold Baines (1) Rafael Palmeiro (1)

Game 5

October 13, Jacobs Field

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Baltimore 002 000 002 4100
Cleveland 000 000 002 281
WP: Scott Kamieniecki (1-0)  LP: Chad Ogea (0-2)  
HRs: BAL – Eric Davis (1)

Game 6

October 15, Camden Yards

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Cleveland 000 000 000 01 130
Baltimore 000 000 000 00 0100
WP: Brian Anderson (1-0)  LP: Armando Benítez (0-2)  S: José Mesa (1)
HRs: CLE: – Tony Fernández (1)

World Series
Main article: 1997 World Series

Game 1

October 18, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cleveland 100 011 010 4110
Florida 001 420 00x 771
W: Liván Hernández (1-0)   L: Orel Hershiser (0-1)  S: Robb Nen (1)
HR: CLE – Manny Ramírez (1), Jim Thome (1)  FLA – Moisés Alou (1), Charles Johnson (1)

Game 2

October 19, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cleveland 100 032 000 6140
Florida 100 000 000 180
W: Chad Ogea (1-0)   L: Kevin Brown (0-1)  
HR: CLE – Sandy Alomar, Jr. (1)

Game 3

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

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Florida 101 102 207 14163
Cleveland 200 320 004 11103
W: Dennis Cook (1-0)   L: Eric Plunk (0-1)  S: Robb Nen (2)
HR: FLA – Gary Sheffield (1), Darren Daulton (1), Jim Eisenreich (1)  CLE – Jim Thome (2)

Game 4

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

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Florida 000 102 000 362
Cleveland 303 001 12X 10150
W: Jaret Wright (1-0)   L: Tony Saunders (0-1)  
HR: FLA – Moisés Alou (2)  CLE – Manny Ramírez (2), Matt Williams (1)

Game 5

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

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Florida 020 004 011 8152
Cleveland 013 000 003 790
W: Liván Hernández (2-0)   L: Orel Hershiser (0-2)  S: Robb Nen (3)
HR: FLA – Moisés Alou (3)  CLE – Sandy Alomar, Jr. (2)

Game 6

October 25, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
Cleveland 020 101 000 470
Florida 000 010 000 180
W: Chad Ogea (2-0)   L: Kevin Brown (0-2)  S: José Mesa (1)

Game 7

October 26, 1997, at Pro Player Stadium in Miami

Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 R H E
Cleveland 002 000 00000 262
Florida 000 000 10101 380
W: Jay Powell (1-0)   L: Charles Nagy (0-1)  
HR – FLA: Bobby Bonilla (1)

Award winners

All-Star Game

Minor league affiliates
Classification level Team League Season article
AAA Buffalo Bisons International League 1997 Buffalo Bisons season
AA Akron Aeros Eastern League 1997 Akron Aeros season
Advanced A Kinston Indians Carolina League
A Columbus RedStixx South Atlantic League
Short Season A Watertown Indians New York–Penn League
Rookie Burlington Indians Appalachian League

References
  1. Matt Williams Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
  2. https://www.baseball-reference.com/p/plunker01.shtml
  3. Kevin Mitchell Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
  4. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/h/hubbatr01.shtml
  5. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/c/curtich01.shtml
  6. Les Norman Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
  7. https://www.baseball-reference.com/f/fernato01.shtml
  8. https://www.baseball-reference.com/c/candaca01.shtml
  9. https://www.baseball-reference.com/c/cadargr01.shtml
  10. http://baseball-almanac.com/box-scores/boxscore.php?boxid=199706160CLE
  11. Ryan Thompson Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
  12. https://www.baseball-reference.com/l/lovulto01.shtml
  13. https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/weathda01.shtml
  14. Pat Listach Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
  15. John Smiley Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
  16. Jeff Juden Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
  17. Julio Franco Statistics Baseball-Reference.com
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