Indians News and Notes: Cleveland wins American League Championship

Seven down, Four to go.

This team. Wow.

Every obstacle thrown in their way has become another opportunity to show their character to the doubters. And their obstacles and doubters have been many:

• When Michael Brantley got hurt, the doubters said they didn't have enough offense
• When Carrasco and Salazar got hurt, the doubters said they didn't have enough pitching
• When they traded for Andrew Miller, the doubters said they gave up too much for a relief pitcher
• When they beat Boston, the doubters accused them of stealing signs
• When they beat Toronto, the doubters accused the umpires of being on their side

Cleveland 3 - Toronto 0

Cleveland Indians win ALCS Game 5, advance to first World Series since 1997 - Let's Go Tribe - This is the baseball.

Indians beat Blue Jays to win AL pennant | MLB.com - Against all odds, defying all expectations in the wake of so many setbacks, this Indians team is going to the World Series. Believe it, Cleveland.

Rookie Ryan Merritt, Cleveland Indians beat Toronto Blue Jays to reach first World Series since 1997 | cleveland.com - They had no one else. No one. So the Indians handed the ball to a rookie named Ryan Merritt and the skinny left-hander from McKinney, Texas pitched them into the World Series.

Ryan Merritt

Ryan Merritt has 4 1/3 shutout innings in ALCS | indians.com -  The left-hander allowed just two baserunners in an impressive 4 1/3-inning showing, departing with a 3-0 lead in hand as the Tribe went on to win by that score and advance to the World Series.

Ryan Merritt wedding registry gets bump after Cleveland pitcher's ALCS start | FOX Sports - A show of thanks for helping to get Cleveland to their first World Series since 1997?

Andrew Miller

Andrew Miller wins ALCS MVP Award | MLB.com - Andrew Miller has been a force out of the Indians' bullpen throughout this postseason, and now he has some hardware to go with his dominant numbers.

Terry Francona

Terry Francona cementing his legacy as a Hall of Fame manager – HardballTalk - Terry Francona is four wins away from his third championship as a manager.

Terry Francona sets tone for AL pennant-winning Cleveland Indians - SweetSpot- ESPN - "He said, 'Hey, no matter what, good or bad, when you go out there, we're behind you,'" Merritt said Francona told him. "He said, 'I'm behind you, your team is behind you, everybody is behind you, so just go out there and be yourself.'"

This team. Wow.

The Indians Did It Again | FanGraphs Baseball - The pitching has carried the Indians. The bullpen has carried the Indians. We’ve already been over this, but it worked perfectly again on Wednesday.

'I don't think anyone could've written this script': It took blood, sweat and teeth, but Cleveland Indians off to World Series | cleveland.com - Plan A has given way to Plan B and C and D.

Cleveland Indians are more than American League champs, they're Cleveland's kind of team! -- Terry Pluto (photos) | cleveland.com - I don't care if it sounds like a cliche, this is a team with enormous heart and a real sense of mission.

Peter Gammons: Postseason bullpen management proves more crucial than ever - GammonsDaily.com - What Terry Francona and Mickey Callaway have done turning Andrew Miller into an uber-rover has changed the way many who are not hard core about analytics watch the game.

Trevor Bauer drone accident, video, finger injury | SI.com - Because of his drone hobby, Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer had his scheduled start pushed back, but he has also produced quality video footage

Indians troll Jose Bautista one last time after winning ALCS - Cleveland wanted Jose Bautista to know that Ryan Merritt was not "shaking in his boots."

From the Great White North

Blue Jays eliminated from MLB postseason after ALCS loss to Indians - The Globe and Mail - The Indians, behind Merritt’s solid start and another splendid effort from the Andrew Miller-led bullpen, beat the Blue Jays 3-0.

Blue Jays come up empty in Game 5, lose ALCS to Indians | MLB PLAYOFFS | It was the best opportunity the Blue Jays could have hoped for. With their season on the line, all they had to do was beat a soft-tossing kid left-hander making only the second start of his big-league career.