Happy memories still burn bright for Cleveland's celebrated 2016 squad

CLEVELAND -- Terry Francona obviously wishes Cleveland’s 2016 season ended with a parade. That’s stating the obvious, as the team's former skipper noted, considering how close he and his ballclub came to making that reality.

When Francona looks back on that team one decade later, another sentiment stands prominently in his mind.

“But pride won out over disappointment. I was so proud of that group,” Francona said. “It was a really good group."

The 2016 club is being honored at Progressive Field this weekend, 10 years after its American League pennant-winning season. The celebration corresponds with the three-game series between the Guardians and Reds, whom Francona now manages.

Sixteen members of the 2016 team were part of Friday’s festivities, including Jason Kipnis, Andrew Miller, Corey Kluber, Bryan Shaw, Cody Allen, Yan Gomes, Coco Crisp and Brandon Guyer. Mike Napoli is also in town; he’s the Reds’ assistant bench coach.

That group helped captivate the city of Cleveland with a magical season that ended with a painful loss in Game 7 of the World Series. There will always be a stinging feeling around how things ended, and how close the franchise came to celebrating its first championship title since 1948.

The scars from what Cleveland didn’t accomplish may not go away, but the appreciation for what the squad did achieve will persist.

“The further you become removed from it, I don't want to say that wounds heal,” Kluber said. “But they become less deep. You’re able to look at the bigger picture and realize what we were able to accomplish. Even though ultimately it didn’t go the way we wanted it to at the end, leading up to that was special and you appreciate that.”

The 2016 team celebrated the franchise’s first AL Central title since ‘07 and first pennant since ‘97. The club had a 14-game winning streak (June 17-July 1), which culminated with a 19-inning, 2-1 win over Toronto.

Among other unforgettable moments, Tyler Naquin hit a walk-off inside the park home run on Aug. 19. Ryan Merritt solidified himself as a Cleveland cult hero with his scoreless start in Game 5 of the ALCS. Rajai Davis delivered the most unforgettable memory of them all with his game-tying homer in the eighth inning of Game 7 of the Fall Classic.

“People ask all the time, ‘Hey, when did you know they were special?’” Francona said. “I don't think you have to win the final game. They were a special group, and they always will be."

The players got a vote of confidence they could do something special when they acquired Miller from the Yankees before the Trade Deadline. There was some debate in Cleveland’s front office on whether the prospect cost was too steep before the deal went down, Francona recalled.

Francona said he rode his scooter to Progressive Field after getting word of the potential trade. He pleaded with team brass on how much Miller would help. The lefty ultimately logged a 1.55 ERA over 26 regular-season appearances and a 1.40 ERA over 10 postseason appearances as a versatile bullpen fireman.

“Andrew Miller was in that training room every night, just [saying], 'I'll be ready tomorrow,’” Francona said.

Miller was a new face, but many members of the 2016 team came up together through Cleveland’s farm system. It made the ride all the more fun. A repeated refrain Friday was how tight-knit the group was.

“It was just guys who have been best friends for, like, seven years, Minors to Majors,” Kipnis said. “It was such a fun team.”

Kipnis was in a unique position as a guy from the Chicagoland area. He had loved ones who were Cubs fans donning his Cleveland jersey at Wrigley Field, and part of him can appreciate what that title meant to his hometown.

But he can’t bring himself to go back and watch many highlights -- beyond Davis’ epic home run that fills his YouTube viewing history, with clips documenting that moment from a variety of perspectives.

“It was the first time I felt like, ‘Oh, that's what pandemonium is,’” said Kipnis while recalling the ballpark’s atmosphere at that moment.

Among other postseason moments. Kluber recalled a raucous crowd at Fenway Park chanting Allen’s name in the ninth inning of Game 3 of the ALDS. Boston put two runners on with two outs. Allen got Travis Shaw to fly out to clinch the series for Cleveland.

There’s no forgetting Kluber putting a beleaguered rotation on his back and making three starts during the Series. Cleveland won Games 1 and 4 behind its ace and lost Game 7, which went 10 innings and featured a 17-minute rain delay heading into the 10th.

Who knows what would have happened had play not been halted, with momentum entirely on Cleveland's side, but Francona doesn’t think that’s what cost them.

“I just don't feel like that did us in,” Francona said. “I think lesser teams than the Cubs probably don't win that game, but I just never really bought into that.”

Kluber said part of the reason that season’s finish stings is because they know how much Cleveland is hungry to celebrate a baseball championship. It has been so for a long time.

That moment, he hopes, is not far away.

“That time’s coming, hopefully sooner than later,” Kluber said. “I think it will be fantastic for the organization, the guys on the field, the fans in the stands. Whenever that day comes, it will be a special time.”