A.L. Central Championship Leaves Cleveland In Shock

For so long, they were the punch lines to jokes, or among the more compassionate, objects to be pitied.

Now, the Cleveland Indians are division champions.

“Unbelievable,” catcher Sandy Alomar said. “Who would have thought two or three years ago that this team would have done this?”

It was only four years ago, in 1991, that the Indians lost a franchise-record 105 games. But even then, the groundwork was being laid for the team that clinched the A.L. Central championship on Friday.

The Indians’ fortunes finally turned around last year, when they added free agents Dennis Martinez and Eddie Murray as stabilizers.

“I think this is a great celebration for the guys who have played so long in this organization,” pitcher Orel Hershiser said. “But they realize there’s a lot of work left to be done.”