Cleveland, Ohio (92.3 The Fan) – Cleveland is once again the center of the baseball universe as the city hosts its record sixth Major League Baseball All-Star Game Tuesday night.
There might not be anyone more excited about it than Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor, who is set to appear in his fourth mid-summer classic – and the first in his home ballpark.
“I can’t wait for the fans to show off, and show every team Cleveland is a good spot,” Lindor said Monday afternoon during the American League’s All-Star availability at the Huntington Convention Center of Greater Cleveland.
Since being called up in 2015, Lindor has come to embrace Cleveland as his own.
“Cleveland’s a great place,” Lindor said. “People are genuine, man, and people, they care about others and they want to support their [teams]. They’re with us in the good times and the bad times.
“I love my city and I can’t wait for every team to see it.”
Lindor knows all about the negative narrative Cleveland receives nationally – most of it because of the heartbreaking moments sports fans have endured over the years.
When LeBron James left in 2010 and returned in 2014 the city took on an us against the word mantra, which became a rallying cry and even t-shirt slogan for the city – Cleveland against the World.
Major League Baseball took notice and even named the Celebrity All-Star softball teams accordingly – ‘Cleveland’ against ‘The World.’
Lindor loves it, but he doesn’t care for the rest of the country rooting for Cleveland’s teams to fail on the big stage.
“It seems like a lot of people don’t want to come to Cleveland and they don’t want to support us,” Lindor said. “I see it like this little city against everybody. They want someone else to win.”
Not even the Cavaliers 2016 NBA Championship was enough to get the national media off the city’s back.
“When LeBron was here, they didn’t want LeBron to win. When we were [in the World Series] they didn’t want us to win, they wanted the Cubs to win,” Lindor said. “So, it’s us, beautiful city, against everybody.
“It’s fun. I love that because I like when people doubt us. I like when people doubt because it’s always fun to say, ‘told you we were gonna do it.’”
Lindor and the Indians added to the heartbreak in 2016 when they were up 3-1 on the Cubs in the 2016 World Series before losing the final three games – including Game 7 in extra innings – keeping the Tribe’s title drought alive and well, now 71 years and counting.
After divisional round exits the last two years, the Indians appeared to be headed for a quiet October in 2019.
But they have overcome a multitude of injures and a slow offensive start that dropped them by as many as 11.5 games behind Minnesota in the AL Central and under .500 to now just 5.5 back at the break thanks to a 24-12 surge since May 27.
“We believe in each other,” Lindor said. “We’re having fun and we’re doing whatever it takes to win and that’s the most important thing.”
Lindor understands how special a World Series title would be.
“It’d be a dream come true,” Lindor said. “It’s going to be something that fans will cherish forever.”
