It Begins Here Tonight



Tonight at Cleveland's Progressive Field, the 113rd World Series gets underway.

There'll be plenty of time to compare the Indians and Cubs players and managers, discuss the game-turning plays and the surprises that always emerge from baseball's ultimate stage.

Let's get in the mood by zooming in on downtown Cleveland, walking toward Progressive Field, the way I did during my July visit.

That sign for the Hard Rock Cafe seems to overwhelm the ballpark. While that's just an optical illusion, Cleveland's revitalization -- also symbolized by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum -- is very real.
This city has come a long way from "The Mistake by the Lake," days of the '80s and '90s.
Prediction? I've been so far off the mark the last couple of weeks -- not mention buying into the Giants "even year" expectations, that I hardly feel qualified. That being said, I'll pick the Indians in seven games. In this postseason Andrew Miller has just been a toutch better than his former teammate Aroldis Chapman. If that holds, and Terry Francona continues to weave his managerial magic, I'll go with Cleveland. Who would have imagined that just four months after the NBA Cavaliers snapped the city's 52 year drought, Cleveland could soon be home to its second major sports champion of the year!

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