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World Series 2016: Five reasons the Indians win it

By Joshua Sadlock

Oct 19, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The Cleveland Indians celebrate beating the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Oct 19, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; The Cleveland Indians celebrate beating the Toronto Blue Jays in game five of the 2016 ALCS playoff baseball series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /
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Here are the five biggest reasons the Cleveland Indians can end their lengthy drought and win the 2016 World Series.

The Chicago Cubs are an overwhelming favorite in the 2016 World Series. If Vegas is to be believed, the Cleveland Indians have little reason to even show up for the series. The Indians have been bucking the odds the entire postseason, however, and their run may not end.

The Cubs are the feel-good story of the year in baseball, but the Indians have the ability to end that a few pages short and extend the World Series drought on the North Side of Chicago another season. It won’t be easy, but the Indians’ chances cannot be discounted.

Here are the five reasons the Cleveland Indians can defeat the Chicago Cubs in the World Series.

5. No comebacks for the Cubs

Two of the Cubs’ biggest wins this postseason have been dramatic, late-inning comebacks. They scored four runs in the ninth inning of Game 4 of the NLDS to avoid an elimination game. In Game 1 of the NLCS, Miguel Montero hit a grand slam in the eighth inning to give the Cubs the lead after Aroldis Chapman blew a save.

There will be no late-inning fireworks against the Cleveland bullpen. Andrew Miller and Cody Allen will see to that.

Miller won the ALCS MVP award after pitching in all four wins, rolling up 7.2 innings of work and 14 strikeouts. The lanky left-hander still has yet to allow a run in his postseason career, and has 31 strikeouts in 20 innings. His slider has been unhittable in the playoffs, and putting the ball in play has taken on the feeling of a small victory for his opponents.

Allen has been just as good as Miller, albeit without the stratospheric strikeout rate. Between the two relievers, the Indians are in little danger of allowing an epic comeback to the Cubs. If the Cubs had lost Game 4 of the NLDS or fallen behind 1-0 in the NLCS, this run to the World Series may have already stalled. If the Cubs win the World Series, it will be because they scored early runs against the Cleveland starters.

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