Columbus Clippers Clinch Third Straight Division Championship

The Columbus Clippers clinched a third straight International League Western Division championship on Wednesday afternoon.

While the Cleveland Indians had a rough go of things out west against the Oakland Athletics, the club’s Triple-A affiliate was popping the champagne. The Columbus Clippers defeated Indianapolis on Wednesday afternoon by a score of 3-1 to clinch the International League Western Division crown.

It is the third consecutive division title for Columbus, the fourth since 2010, and the 11th in franchise history. The Clippers are now primed to begin their quest for a second straight Governor’s Cup, awarded to the IL’s playoff champion.

The accomplishment is particularly impressive given the number of different players that have cycled through Huntington Park in 2016. Between promotions, demotions, injuries, and trades, a staggering 217 players have put on a Clippers uniform this season. Players such as Tyler Naquin, Mike Clevinger, and Erik Gonzalez have all gotten the call to the big leagues at one point or another, yet manager Chris Tremie has kept the Clips humming along.

“At the end of the day we come together as a group regardless of the transactions and regardless of who is here,’’ catcher Adam Moore told the Columbus Dispatch. “We’ve just got a great group of guys. We grind every day – we just grind – and we are a family. We’re all working hard to get to the big leagues. But we hate losing. When you come through that door of the clubhouse, it’s all about this team. There is no joking around after losses. Then after an hour we start thinking about the next game and winning again. We take this seriously.’’

A number of the Indians’ top prospects are currently on the roster in Columbus, including Bradley Zimmer, Yandy Diaz, Ryan Merritt, Shawn Morimando, Adam Plutko, and Shawn Armstrong. There are still ten games remaining in the regular season before playoff action begins, and with MLB rosters expanding on September 1st, it will be interesting to see if the Clippers experience even more roster turnover prior to their postseason run.

“Tremie has got this team taking pride, from player one through 25, in what we do,’’ Moore said. “He gets us prepared and ready to play every single game. He is so prepared. He is all about winning.”

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No matter what the roster looks like, Tremie and the Clip Show have proven they can take care of business. In a season in which the Tribe has lofty aspirations, its Triple-A team is trying to start the championship vibes early.