Tom Williams: Can Indian summer lead to World Series?

Damn Yankees are all around us this weekend.

In Cleveland, the first-place Indians continue their four-game series against the New York Yankees tonight and Saturday and Sunday afternoons in front of what should be full houses at Progressive Field. (Thursday’s non-sellout of 23,848 was a little puzzling as the Indians have been the hottest team in baseball for the past five weeks.)

While the Bronx Bombers are struggling to reach the .500 mark at the All-Star break, the Central Division leaders (51-33) are chasing the Texas Rangers for the best record in the American League. With the All-Star Game’s winning league receiving homefield advantage in the World Series, the Indians have more at stake than usual in Tuesday’s exhibition game in San Diego.

The Tribe’s resurgence is part of Cleveland’s Dream Summer highlighted by the Cavaliers winning the city’s first major sports championship since 1964. It feels different. There’s a buzz surrounding the ballpark from fans exuding confidence.

In Pittsburgh, “Damn Yankees” is this weekend’s CLO musical at the Benedum Center. The theater is three blocks and one river from PNC Park, where the National League’s Pirates are hosting the Central Division’s first-place Chicago Cubs tonight, Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon.

It’s also a Dream Summer for the City of Champions after the Penguins won the Stanley Cup for the fourth time since 1991.

Two champions in our region crowned eight days apart — how sweet it is. It may never happen again, but that’s why we dream.

For baseball fans, these weekend series are hard to top even if you have to spend extra for tickets. If the Bucs have any hopes to be chasing the Cubs down the stretch, they need a sweep to help wipe out a recent 5-17 stretch that has put their streak of three straight playoff appearances in jeopardy.

Since June 1, the Indians are 25-10 (best in the majors). Indians fans have never had a problem getting fired up over a visit from the Yankees. This season, the Indians are much better than the Yankees and the opportunity to pummel New York’s playoff chances without selling your soul to the devil is pretty irresistible. (“Damn Yankees” is about a diehard Washington Senators fan who would do anything to see the 1950s-era Yankees not succeed.)

For those who haven’t been to Progressive Field this season, the upgrades are impressive. Gone are the horrible seats in the upper deck down the right-field line. Watching a game from there meant craning your neck hard to the left because the seats weren’t angled toward home plate. After four innings, it wasn’t fun.

Concrete walls have been removed on the main level behind home plate. Like PNC Park, you can see what’s going on while you wait in line at concession stands.

Should the Indians continue to play well, it’s hard not to dream of October magic. For the Mahoning Valley, nothing could be better than a Indians-Pirates World Series, especially coming on the heels of the Cavs and Pens winning championships.

But the Pirates (44-42) have to get much better real soon for that to happen.

imagine the fascination there would be if the Cubs and Indians met in the Fall Classic. The Cubs’ last championship was won in 1908, 40 years before the last time that the Indians were MLB’s champs.

We’re getting way ahead of ourselves. There’s still three more months of pennant races to enjoy. This weekend is a good time to start.

Tom Williams is a sportswriter at The Vindicator. Write him at williams@vindy.com and follow him on Twitter, @Williams_Vindy.