'Rootability' of MLB Playoff Teams Ranked: See How Cleveland and Boston Fare

CLEVELAND, OH — October baseball is back in Cleveland again! The Indians haven't played in October since 2013 when they faced off against the Tampa Bay Rays for a wild card play-in game that they lost. Prior to that, the Tribe hadn't played in the postseason since winning the Central Division in 2007.

So if you're a Cleveland fan, you've got a lot to root for, right? How could you not root for the Indians the way they've been playing? The Tribe has had 11 walk-off wins this season, including an epic in-the-park, walkoff home run by Tyler Naquin. One might say that the Indians have "rootability."

But how do other playoff teams rank for "rootability?" One website recently asked that very question and ranked the 10 teams in the MLB playoffs. There's no mention of exactly how the list was compiled, but the author claims to not have a dog in the fight, as he is a St. Louis Cardinals fan.

Here's how sportsonearth.com ranked postseason rootability for the 10 teams in the playoffs:

10. San Francisco Giants

9. Boston Red Sox

8. New York Mets

7. Washington Nationals

6. Los Angeles Dodgers

5. Baltimore Orioles

4. Toronto Blue Jays

3. Texas Rangers

2. Chicago Cubs

1. Cleveland Indians

The Indians were picked as NUMBER ONE in rootability by a Cardinals fan! Here's the author's reasoning:

Reasons to cheer for them: It's the year of Cleveland! It has been since 1948 -- a pretty freaking long time! -- since they won a title, and they've actually been closer than the Cubs several times, only to have it swiped away. Terry Francona leads a likable team that has run into some lousy luck late in the season. LeBron James would absolutely throw out the first pitch at one game. And there was no way I was putting the Cubs on top of this list, sorry.
Reasons to cheer against them: That mascot? That's the best I've got here.

Looks like the author is spot on with that explanation, however, he got the game one first pitch prediction wrong. Former Indians outfielder Tito Francona, manager Terry Francona's father, will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Also, the Tribe has been flat-out exciting this year; check out this video of Indians walk-off wins:

So the Red Sox are ranked ninth for rootability? Just one behind the Giants for least rootable? Here's the author's explanation for Boston:

Reasons to cheer for them: Big Papi. This team is packed with future superstars -- Mookie Betts, Jackie Bradley Jr., Xander Bogaerts, Andrew Benintendi -- who are too exciting and young for you to turn on them yet (though you will eventually). David Price deserves a huge October moment after a year when the Blue Jays sort of jerked him around. It has been three years since Fenway Park was rolling in October, and there's no other place like it.
Reasons to cheer against them: Well, they're a Boston sports team. How's that for a starter? A title will give Mark Wahlberg more joy than Mark Wahlberg necessarily deserves.

Apparently, the author is not a Marky Mark fan either.

Perhaps if the stars align correctly, the No. 1 most rootable Indians can play the No. 2 most rootable Chicago Cubs in the World Series. But first, the Tribe needs to get past No. 9 Boston. Here's the Cleveland/Boston series schedule:

Photo by Rick Uldricks/Patch