Watching Major League baseball paints a pretty accurate picture of how the Cleveland Indians have done for the past decade. Since 2003, the team earned only one first-place finish and has only reached a .500 average three times. 

However, since opening day this season, the Tribe has kept pace with the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central, making a case that this year’s squad can reach the playoffs and go far in October. 

The Indians are led by skipper Terry Francona. This may be his first year managing in Cleveland, but as manager for the Boston Red Sox, he led them to two World Series championships. 

The Red Sox were a cursed team when Francona joined them in 2004. Even though Boston had finished second since 1998, when Francona began his time with the team, they seemed to be on an eternal roller coaster ride of losses and almost-wins. 

Francona’s Indians started in worse shape, but have ended up in virtually the same spot as the Red Sox in 2004. The Indians are chasing the Tigers for the division and are seeking at least a wild-card berth in the playoffs to show off their newfound energy for playing the game. 

It’s true; there is something electric in Cleveland this year. It starts with the coach and ends with the players. 

“This is probably the most fun I’ve had on a team in the majors in a while,” third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall said on CBSsports.com. “This year, we’ve kept it loose. He’s a big part of what we’re doing here. He’s got a smile on his face all the time. The way he carries himself, it translates.”

It was the same in Boston. The looseness that Francona brought to the team allowed the players to create their own identity and just play baseball as a game rather than a job. 

They are flying under the radar as well, quietly lurking in the shadow of the division-leading Tigers and the teams in bigger markets. Even if the Indians came up in conversation, asking someone to recite their lineup might be harder than an SAT question. 

There is no question about the ability of the players who are on the field, though. Newly acquired Nick Swisher leads a powerful lineup that is toward the top of the league in home runs and runs batted in. 

Cleveland isn’t just breeding powerhouses with eyes only for the fences. According to MLB.com, the Indians have also stolen more than 100 bases as a team, which puts pressure on opposing pitchers to keep runners off the base paths. Veteran outfielder Michael Bourn and young second baseman Jason Kipnis lead the squad in swiping bases. 

A combination of speed and power is necessary for good baseball teams, and Francona is the type of manager to promote both. Remember that Francona wasn’t afraid to steal bases in the biggest of situations. In 2004, he ordered Dave Roberts to steal off of Mariano Rivera with the Red Sox trailing by one. That call and stolen base saved the game, and the series for Boston. 

Finally, the Indians have a pitching staff led by Ubaldo Jiménez and Justin Masterson, who both have double-digit wins and more than 150 innings pitched each this season. Masterson leads the team in strikeouts with close to 200, according to MLB.com. 

Starter Scott Kazmir and closer Chris Perez provide veteran presence on a pitching staff that is constructed for success in postseason play. 

Power, speed and pitching are the ingredients for the playoff potion. Adding experienced coaching and players into the mix only increases a team’s chances for greatness in the postseason. The Cleveland Indians aren’t there yet, but look for the Tribe to fight past the competition in the wild card race and take the playoffs by storm once October begins.