Commentary: Even without a wealth of Hall of Famers, Cleveland's 1995 baseball lineup was arguably best in history

"That team was tough, young, hungry, big and bad. We hit homers, and we had young players coming from everywhere." That was then general manager John Hart's spot-on description of the most ferocious Cleveland baseball team ever: the 1995 team. On sheer talent it was, and, in all likelihood, will forever be the greatest Cleveland baseball team ever. Maybe the greatest Cleveland sports team ever. No, they didn't win the 1995 World Series, but only because MLB's version of the strike zone allowed Atlanta's three Hall of Fame pitchers, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz and Tom Glavine, to carve up a Cleveland lineup, the potency of which the game hasn't seen since. "From a position player standpoint," said Dan O'Dowd, Hart's right-hand man in building that '95 Cleveland juggernaut, "I would argue that the '95 team is one of the greatest teams in the history of the game." O'Dowd is right. In a game against Kansas City in the middle of the season Cleveland was leading 8-0 before they made their first out. Cleveland's lineup was ridiculous: Kenny Lofton, Omar Vizquel, Carlos Baerga, Albert Belle, Eddie Murray, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez (imagine: the two of them took turns hitting sixth and seventh!), with Paul Sorrento and Sandy Alomar hitting eighth and ninth. Offensively, they led the league in everything. Literally. Cleveland hit 207 home runs, 21 more than any other American League team. The Indians scored the most runs, had the most hits, stole the most bases, struck out the fewest times and had the highest on-base and slugging percentages in the league. What else ya got? Cleveland's three All-Star outfielders: Belle, Lofton and Ramirez deserve considerable consideration in any discussion about the best outfield ever. Unfortunately, during their careers, none of the three played warm and fuzzy with the media, which did nothing to enhance their Hall of Fame candidacy. Vizquel, who should automatically be in play when talk turns to the best defensive shortstop ever, probably lost his chance due to questionable off the field missteps. Then there is second baseman Baerga, who, for a brief time early in his career, appeared to be on a Cooperstown trajectory. But sometimes, as is the case with many young and restless potential candidates, they allow the bright lights and big cities to get in the way. Then along came the Boy Scout ballplayer, Jim Thome, one of those rare, instinctive sluggers, with all the gifts necessary to eventually find his way to a bust in Cooperstown. Some guys just get it, guys like Thome, who got it right from the start. A player who was born to be a player and knew how to act and play like one right from the start, and he rode all his instincts to the hallowed halls in Cooperstown. Interestingly, out of all those players on that '95 Cleveland steamroller that won 100 out of 144 games, only two of them are in the Hall of Fame: Thome and Murray. At the time of their inductions, Thome was 44 and Murray was 47. In the bigger picture, however, what we have here is one of the greatest hitting teams in major league history. A runaway train that throughout the season won games at a pace that no Cleveland team ever had. On its way to a record of 100-44, Cleveland took no prisoners. The Indians won games by scores such as 10-0, 10-5, 11-5, 11-0, 14-5, 13-3, 14-4, 12-2 and 12-4. On the last day of the season, Cleveland clinched its division by beating Kansas City 17-7 for victory No. 100. That team went into the postseason and beat Boston in the ALDS, beat Seattle in the ALCS then moved on to the World Series, where they ran into the Braves' pitching machine, and six games later Cleveland's season was over. To this day it seems odd that arguably the best, most powerful Cleveland team in franchise history was put out to pasture as quickly as it was. But maybe there is hope for the most powerful Cleveland baseball team ever. Personally, I have never understood how Belle and Lofton have never gotten much appreciation from Hall voters. Lofton was removed from the ballot after the first vote. But he should be back on it this year. Belle is Belle. There will be a Hall of Fame committee at the winter meetings later this year, where a 16-person committee will consider potential Hall of Fame candidates from the years between 1980-2015. The committee will produce eight players to be voted on by a committee of 16. To be elected a candidate needs 12 of the 16 votes and each voter can only vote for three candidates. At the very least, Belle, despite being grumpy with many writers, and also Lofton, deserve serious consideration. Contract Jim Ingraham at (440) 329-7135 or jingraham4@gmail.com.