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Coaches: Success brings the ‘spark’

YOUNGSTOWN — Dan Bertolini remembers them well.

Omar Vizquel and Carlos Baerga.

He recalls fondly that infield combination that made the 1995 Cleveland Indians so special, and how Vizquel made magic happen with his Gold Glove performances at shortstop as part of the ’95 and ’97 Indians World Series teams.

It made quite an impression on the young baseball player who played middle infield in Poland’s youth program.

The 2004 Poland High School graduate is Youngstown State University’s first-year baseball coach and has a new infield duo to admire — Francisco Lindor and Jason Kipnis.

Those two, along with the rest of the 2016 Indians, have the club back in the World Series for the first time since that ’97 campaign.

“You don’t take those things for granted. That’s for sure,” Bertolini said.

Eastern Gateway Community College baseball coach Jason Stanford knows that firsthand. He was part of the 2007 Indians team which was one win away from a World Series berth.

He sees the similarities from the time he made a couple appearances out of the bullpen for Cleveland and this year’s team.

“To see how the group interacted is a lot like the way the team is right now,” Stanford said. “It’s a true team. They don’t have any major superstars you see on a regular basis, but they have guys who can pitch. They have guys that come up with timely hits.

“It’s been kind of fun to see the similarities of both teams, see the way the bullpen is working right now — see how the bullpen worked back then. It’s been exciting.”

Stanford understands players like Andrew Miller, Brian Shaw and Cody Allen, the back end of the Tribe bullpen, is the reason why Cleveland is in the World Series.

Stanford said the starting pitching and hitting were great during the season, but it was the combination of the aforementioned three he called the “three-headed horseman,” and the middle relievers like Jeff Manship, Dan Ottero and Zach McAllister spearheading the surge for the Indians’ current success.

“If you don’t have those guys leading up to those three, you don’t have a good bullpen,” Stanford said.

It’s all put in motion by bullpen coach Jason Bere and pitching coach Mickey Callaway, he added.

The bullpen players, let alone the Indians field pieces, aren’t household names like Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper or media darlings like the Chicago Cubs.

The Indians, led by manager Terry Francona, are doing things the right way, according to Bertolini.

Bertolini was a coach of the Ohio Glaciers, an area youth baseball team, before coming to YSU.

He knows what kind of impact the Indians success can have on young players.

“Anytime you’re going to have success with the professional level in northeast Ohio, it gets everyone excited,” Bertolini said. “Maybe there’s kids out there watching them do what they’re doing and put the spark inside them to work hard and be good baseball players.”

jvargo@tribtoday.com

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