Cleveland Indians - The Clinton Years (1990-1999)
 
   
 

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        Yr P W L   Yr P W L   Yr P W L               1990  
        1990 4 77 85   1993 6 76 86   1997 1 86 75               Decade  
        1991 7 57 105   1994 2 66 47   1998 1 89 73               Click  
        1992 5 76 86   1995 1 100 44   1999 1 97 65               on Logo  
                  1996 1 99 62                            
                                                       
   
  Titles:  Top Indians Players of the Nineties  
  AL Champs (1995 lost to Braves)  
  Division Champs (1996 lost to Orioles) Pitchers:  
  AL Champs (1997 lost to Marlins)  Charles Nagy (27.27) -   86  
  Division Champs (1998 lost to Yankees) Jose Mesa (10.4) -   43  
  Divisioin Champs (1999 lost to Red Sox) Orel Hershiser (8.65) -   32  
    Mike Jackson (6.09) -   24  
  BallPark: Dennis Martinez (11.79) -   23  
  Municipal Stadium (1990-1993) Bartolo Colon (8.6) -   19  
  Jacobs Field (1994-1999) Mark Clark (4.61) -   18  
    Dave Burba (7.31) -   16  
  Team Name: Indians Greg Swindell (5.11) -   16  
    Tom Candiotti (5.8) -   14  
  Owner: Richard E Jacobs Eric Plunk (9.91) -   14  
    Steve Olin (4.14) -   13  
  General Managers: Doug Jones (2.77) -   12  
  Hank Peters (1990-1991) Jaret Wright (2.79) -   9  
  John Hart (1992-1999) Jack Morris (0.22) -   9  
    Chad Ogea (5.45) -    9  
  Managers: Derek Lilliquist (5.05) -   5  
  John McNamara (1990-1991) Jack McDowell (1.52) -   8  
  Mike Hargrove (1991-1999)    
    Catchers:  
  No Hitters:   Sandy Alomar Jr (12.77) -   46  
   None    
    First Basemen:  
  Hall of Famers: Jim Thome (29.72) -   54  
  Jim Thome Paul Sorrento (3.9) -   25  
  Robbie Alomar Rchie Sexson (1.12) -   7  
  Manny Ramirez (Pending)    
    Second Basemen:  
  Rookie of the Year:  Carlos Baerga (19.68) -   41  
  Sandy Alomar Jr (1990) Robbie Alomar (7.42) -   14  
       
  MVP:  ShortStop:  
   None Omar Vizquel (18.45) -   49  
    Felix Fermin (0.98) -   12  
  Cy Young:     
   None Third Base:  
    Matt Williams (4.25) -   8  
  Notable Events: Travis Fryman (3.38) -   8  
    Brook Jacoby (3.69) -   8  
  1990 - Things looked normally Indians-ish at the top of the nineties. They were a     
  below .500 team and continued to flounder for the first four years of the decade. Outfield:  
  Little indication at this point that Cleveland would field one of the most potent Kenny Lofton (42.51) -   101  
  lineups in baseball history by 1995. GM Hank Peters had already been planting Albert Belle (27.43) -   57  
  the seeds of the Indians juggernaut when he arrived in 1987. His hand picked Manny Ramirez (25.17) -   55  
  successor, who also migrated from Baltimore, John Hart, would pick up the Brian Giles (7.61) -   18  
  ball as GM in 1992 and keep it rolling. Amazing what a good owner and quality David Justice (9.06) -   16  
  front office folks can accomplish. The only fly in the ointment was that the  Mark Whiten (4.88) -   10  
  pitching never matched the everyday lineup and the Indians kept coming up    
  short in the post season. Nonetheless, Cleveland's was one of the most potent Notable Events:  
  and entertaining lineups ever assembled from the mid nineties to the end of the    
  decade. Here's how the Cleveland machine was put together: 1994 - Jacobs Field opens. It’s a beautiful retro ballpark and    
  □  1987 - Albert Belle, of, 2nd round pick - one of the top sluggers of nineties helps revitalize downtown Cleveland. A huge success.  
   □ 1988 - Charles Nagy , p, 1st round pick - by far, Cleveland's best pitcher of the 90's  It's opening coincides with the emergence of the Indians as a   
   □ 1989 - Jim Thome, 3b-1b, 13th round pick - one of the top sluggers of the nineties  legitimate contender and an exceptionally exciting young club.  
   □ 1989 - Brian Giles, of, 17th round pick - execellent hitter who could not break    
   into the deep Cleveland lineup and was eventually dealt away in '98 for pitching 1994 -  The season is marred by the strike, the Indians are in   
   □ 1990 - Sandy Alomar Jr, c, obtained from San Diego in deal for slugger Joe Carter.  second place with a 66-47 record when it all ends.  
   Perennial all star    
   □ 1990 - Carlos Baerga, 2b, obtained from San Diego in deal for slugger Joe Carter. 1995 - The Redmen embark on a streak of 483 sell outs at    
                                   Three time all star - outstanding hitter Jacobs field that runs thru to 2001.  
   □ 1991 - Manny Ramirez, of, 1st round pick - one of the great hitters of all time  Great ballpark + Great team = Great success  
   □ 1991 - Kenny Lofton, cf, obtained from Houston for Ed Taubensee in one   
  of history's most lopsided deals. Lofton was an absolute force of nature in 1995 - The Indians embark on a streak of five straight division titles.   
  his prime and would dominate games with his baserunnig. His OBP was just south   They beat the Red Sox and then the Mariners to win the AL title  
    of .400 during the nineties which meant he was wreaking havoc on the bases a lot  before falling to the Braves in the World Series  
   □ 1992 - Jose Mesa, p, ace reliever for whom John Hart fleeced his old Baltimore    
   club in a trade for unknown Kyle Washington 1996 - Cleveland wins the division but loses to the Orioles in the   
   □ 1992 - Paul Sorrento, 1B, slugging first baseman who was obtained from the 1st round  
   Twins at the age of twenty six for two journeyman players.    
   Left for Seattle as a free agent in '96 1997 - The Tribe win the division and then beat the Yankees,   
   □ 1993 - Richie Sexson, 1b, 1993 24th round - slugger who couldn't crack  highlighted by a game winning homer by Sandy Alomar off of   
   Cleveland's circular lineup and was dealt to the Brewers in 2000 for pitching Mariano Rivera, and follow that by  beating the Orioles to win  
   □ 1994 - Omar Vizquel, ss, stolen from Seattle in a deal for Felix Fermin. Great fielder  the pennant. Cleveland loses the World Series in extra innings  
   □ 1994 - Russell Branyan, 3b, power hitter who never had a chance to make in game seven to Florida  
   the top Indians lineups and was eventually traded away to the Reds in '02    
  Selected in the 7th round of the 1994 draft  1998 - Cleveland wins the division, beats Boston, but loses to   
   □ 1995 - Sean Casey,, 1b, 2nd round pick - an excellent hitter who was unable the Yankees in the ALCS  
   to crack Cleveland's lineup. He was dealt to the Reds in '98 for pitching  
    1999 - All Star second baseman Robbie Alomar, Sandy's brother,   
  1993 - Two Cleveland pitchers, Tim Crews and Steve Olin, die    signs on  as a free agent. Robbie was exceptional in all   
  in a boating accident and a third, Bob Ojeda is severely injured.  facets of the game  
       
     1999 - The Indians win the division but lose to Boston in the ALCS.  
   They fire their manager of nine years, Mike Hargrove. It's not his fault  
   - he can't go out on the mound and pitch.