Never a doubt!

To the ALCS we go after an extremely nervous, nausea-inducing 9th.

Some notes on the game, none of them strategy related:

1) It was just like old times with the phone tonight. Every half inning, a call would come in (or I would call) from/to either Derek or Steve in Cleveland. Just like the good old days in the mid- to late-90s.

Steve used to live in his grandmother's house in the basement - many of my hard-earned grad school dollars were lost there to Steve while playing gin and watching Beavis and Butthead. He lived there in 95, 96 and 97, and we called each other constantly during the playoffs that year.
His grandmother got the phone bill one time in Oct, 97.

Grandma: "STEVIE!"
Steve: "yes, Grandma?"
G: "What the hell is this? There is a phone call to Cincinnati at 8:42 pm, and then another phone call at 8:44 pm. Explain this!"
S: "Well, that's because Eric called me at 8:43!"

I swear that is the truth.

2) Steve and his family used to have front row, upper deck tickets to Indians games. We spent at least 7-10 games in old Municipal stadium every spring/fall....and then he had very similar tickets when Jacobs field was opened. Anyway, I developed some annoying habits sitting with him which we can go into later.
One of them that developed over time was for me to pound my hand against the upper deck railing in front of us and whine/pray/request a DP when runners got on base for the opposition. I could only summon the spirits once or (at most) twice a game, so we had to make sure not to waste it.

I have to say I had a pretty good success rate (although I'm sure that's just my selective memory).

Well, we come to the 6th inning and Perez got himself into a jam. 1st and 3rd, 1 out....and Jeter at the plate. Carl Willis comes to the mound to calm Perez down...and my phone rings.

Eric: "Hello?"
Steve: "Hello sir. You remember what you used to do?"
Eric: "Of course...."
Steve: "Well?
Eric: (pounding my hand against the coffee table) "I WANT A DOUBLE PLAY!"

and Jeter obliges.

3) What children's music will do to you, part 35: Victor comes up in the 5th with the bases loaded and 1 out...... 4-1 TRibe. A hit here breaks it open.

Ground ball! Base hit! I yell Victor! Victor - hey, that's a song! Let's sing and dance!

Victor Vito and Freddie Pasco
They like to eat fast, they never eat slow
Oh they ate their rice...they ate their beans
They ate their rutabagas and they ate their collard greens...

Hey Victor! (hey Victor!)
Hey Freddie! (hey Freddie!)
Let's eat some...
spaghetti!
Hey Victor! (hey Victor!)
I'm ready....
to have some
spaghetti
with Freddie!

Ah, Laurie Berkner is a genius.

Gooooooooo Tribe!