Up 3-1 just a few days ago, the Cleveland Indians are one loss away from losing the World Series to the Chicago Cubs, and becoming the team with the longest championship drought in all of baseball.
San Francisco Giants announcer Mike Krukow joined the KNBR 1050’s The Audible on Wednesday morning, and said that the Chicago Cubs confidence is peaking, while Cleveland’s is swooning, leading to a scenario where the Indians are in danger of a choke job that will be remembered for year’s to come. One play in particular caught the eye of the legendary announcer as an indication that Cleveland is coming apart at the seams.
“I think last night what you saw from (Tyler) Naquin and (Lonnie) Chisenhall was erosion in the concentration of the overall group of the Cleveland Indians,” Krukow said. “If you’re as one mentally. You don’t have that type of a miscue, this deep in the season. That is absolutely unacceptable and what it basically says is they’re dealing with distraction. They’re entertaining the idea of losing this World Series and doing it at home.
Krukow is referring to a crucial mistake made by the two outfielders in the first inning of Game 6, when a lazy fly ball that should’ve been caught fell between the two, allowing two runs to score instead of ending the inning.
Conversely, Krukow believes the Cubs confidence is at an all-time high.
“They are forged mentally. I think they are much tougher mentally.” Krukow said. “I think when you forge as a team you eliminate distraction. You eliminate the possibilities of defeat. Those are the thoughts that erode your confidence. I thought once they left Chicago and got that win that made it a 3-2 series to go back to Cleveland, they became one mentally.”
Game 7 starts tonight at 5 PM PT and can be listened to live on KNBR 1050.
Listen to the full interview with Krukow below.
