Tribe, fans have time to plan

The division champs still have a chance to win home-field advantage.

CLEVELAND (AP) — Clinching the AL Central Division title with a week left in the regular season gives the Indians plenty of time to map strategy for the postseason.

It also gives fans the opportunity to shop.

Although they were slow to show up at Jacobs Field this season, fans responded Sunday to the Indians’ first playoff berth in six years by snapping up T-shirts, hats and balls. It was the club’s second biggest day in merchandise sales for a regular season game, said Kurt Schloss, Indians merchandising director.

Everything but XL, 2XL and children’s T-shirts were sold out at the team shop at Jacobs Field on Monday but more were due to arrive later in the afternoon.

Sam Maul walked out with a white and blue division champions T-shirt, like the ones the Indians wore in the clubhouse during their champagne and beer-soaked celebration.

“It’s a good team. It’s not a high-priced, high-payroll team, but they’ve got a group of athletes that work together and believe in themselves,” said Maul, 50, of Cleveland.

Eye home-field advantage

With seven games left and baseball’s best record at 92-63 entering Monday night, the Indians could still win home-field advantage throughout the postseason and decide when the AL division series begins, Oct. 3 or 4.

The Indians, who have won 11 of 14 and are 22-6 since Aug. 25, feel there’s no reason to let up now.

“It’s really important for us to try to get home-field advantage,” first baseman Ryan Garko said. “We won’t be able to relax until we know where we stand.”

While these last seven games at Seattle and Kansas City have plenty of meaning, the Indians also need to have everybody fresh for the postseason.

“We’re still trying to end this thing with the best record and get some guys some rest who need it,” general manager Mark Shapiro said. “We want them to be in position to win that first series.”

With 18-game winners C.C. Sabathia and Fausto Carmona likely to pitch twice in the five-game division series, Shapiro and manager Eric Wedge must decide whether Paul Byrd or Jake Westbrook will pitch Game 3. The 25-man postseason roster also must be set.

Hafner gets some time

The final week of the season also gives designated hitter Travis Hafner a little more time to get on a tear. Hafner’s average and power numbers are down — he’s hitting .256 with 23 home runs, but needs just four RBIs to reach 100 for the fourth straight season.

The Indians will likely face Boston or New York in the division series, two clubs they’ve struggled against this year, going 2-5 against the Red Sox and 0-6 vs. the Yankees.

Arlene Wise, a native Clevelander who lives in New York — and has gotten into some fights at Yankee Stadium — would love to see the Yankees knocked out again.

“I’ve never changed my allegiance to the Cleveland Indians,” Wise said. “I’m delighted. I’m glad to see them back. I just hope they go all the way.”

She picked up a Sabathia shirt at the team shop Monday where another popular, sold-out item is the red “It’s Tribe Time Now” T-shirts that stadium workers have been wearing.

“Fans were trying to buy them off our back for $30 or $50 a shirt,” Schloss said.

The club asked fans to wear red during the Indians sweep of Detroit last week and the fans have embraced the new look.

“This red color sort of stands out,” Schloss said. “While it’s the secondary color for the team, it’s become the primary color for the fans for the postseason run.”