Nobody Wants A Ring More Than Young Cleveland Star Francisco Lindor
The 2016 MLB postseason is full of veterans and rookies alike, all striving for one goal: get that World Series Championship ring. Carlos Beltran of the Texas Rangers, for instance, is in the midst of his sixth postseason appearance and has established himself as one of the best in the history of the game as far as postseason performance, but has yet to win a World Series. Out of every player striving to complete every athletes main goal, Cleveland Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor may want it worse than anybody.
2016 regular season stats - .301 AVG/ .358 OBP/ .435 SLG/ .794 OPS/ 99 R/ 182 H/ 30 2B/ 15 HR/ 78 RBI/ 19 SB
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
“I want to see myself as a winner, I want to play the last game of the playoffs and talk to [the media] and say, ‘we won.’ I always want to win. When I come home and tell my dad, ‘Dad, I won a World Series,’ to me that’s it. That’s it. That is it. He worked so hard for me to be where I am right now and I am working so hard to be in the World Series. Winning. Hoping my team wins. Being successful. Helping my team win and us celebrating.” - Lindor following the 2015 season
"That's fine. Whatever happens, happens, I don't play for any awards. I play for October baseball. That's what it's all about. The biggest accomplishment anyone could have is win the World Series. You can see this Kansas City team. They've got Gold Glovers, All-Stars and Silver Sluggers. And you can ask them, 'What was the best part of your career so far?' They will say winning the World Series. That's what I want." - Lindor last July when asked about low All-star vote total
Lindor after ALDS game one solo homerun
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
"I want to be in the ALCS. I want to be in the World Series. I want to win the World Series. That's ultimately what I play for. I play to try to bring a championship to the city of Cleveland, and I want to wear a ring. That's what I want. I want to continue to get better to help my team win, and I want to be part of a winning team. My message to Indians fans right now is, enjoy it, watch the games, have fun. We'll be there. We'll have our time where we are playing in the playoffs. We're going to be winning series and hopefully win a championship. That's my goal, that's everybody's goal on the team, and as a city, that's going to be our goal. Everybody is going to pull in the same direction, and it's going to be a special thing like the Cubs have right now. It's going to be a beautiful moment and we are going to enjoy it. Just keep on believing." - Lindor during the 2015 Playoffs after Cleveland failed to reach them
Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports
"It's an honor to be mentioned that way, and it's a blessing to be even mentioned for the Rookie of the Year Award. "I'm doing my thing, I'm enjoying my offseason, I'm enjoying my family and my time off. Watching them play, in a way I'm happy but in a way it's a little upsetting, because I want to be there. I want the Indians to be playing right now instead of us sitting on the couch watching them." - Lindor during the 2015 playoffs when asked about ROY consideration
David Richard-USA TODAY Sports
All year long Lindor's focus has been on not only reaching the playoffs, but winning a ring for Cleveland. "Frankie's" solo homerun in game one of the ALDS was the biggest hit of his career, and expect him to have some even bigger ones as the postseason continues. Lindor may or may not get his ring this year, but whether it's this year or another one, rest assured that if the Indians win a World Series that Lindor will likely be one of the biggest driving forces behind it
