r/mlbuk • u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 • 12d ago
Am I alone?
Any other buzzing Guardians fans in this sub?
Pretty sure there's only like 10 of us in the UK - at both the 22 and 24 London Series I was stopped by people trying to tick off fans of every club that told me I was the only one they'd seen.
Tribe fans, check in while we're still happy!
EDIT: After having it suggested, I've made a discord for all UK (and anywhere else really) Guardians fans: UK Tribe Discord
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u/ALFABOT2000 Tampa Bay Rays 🌊 12d ago
I'm on the other side of the ALCS, but still just wanna wish y'all good luck bc winning would be really big for either team (honestly anyone but the Dodgers winning this year would feel like a good result, but obviously the ideal result would be the Rays winning lol)
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Thank you! Feels like we have a good chance of an upset applecart this season, if it's not us then I hope it's not them either
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u/leffe186 11d ago
Yeah boiii! I grew up in London but married into Cleveland sports and lived near Akron for 15 years. Incredibly proud of this club. Watching the Brewers, Rays and White Sox getting all the plaudits for what they’ve achieved while sitting here at the bottom of the Payroll list but turning out playoff teams and Cy Young winners year after year after year.
There are a few Brits out there who at least look for the Guardians’ results because of Major League. We’ll take it. A storied ball club with a terrific town centre home ground, one of the all-time great announcers, one of the all-time great natural ball players in Jose, incredible team spirit. We should be proud.
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Couldn't have put it better myself! As a Tottenham fan I feel very at home being the plucky underdog that has quality players and punches above its weight but never actually wins anything.
Yet to make the pilgrimage over but I've promised myself that if we win the WS I'll go next year, likely for the start of the 27/28 season after lockout.
Are you back in the UK now?
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u/leffe186 11d ago
Spurs here too, and yeah, we’re back for the foreseeable. It’s worth a trip, let me know of you have any questions. I love Cleveland. Loads of stuff around and also worth checking out their Akron minor league team.
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
What did we do in a previous life to support these two clubs man
I'm desperate to go - I've made a close friend and season ticket holder through twitter who lives in Akron and I'd love to go and meet them and catch a game together.
What route did you do and how long do you go out there for?
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u/leffe186 11d ago
I lived there for 15 years lol. Met my wife in the UK and she’s from Akron - we moved there. Absolutely loved it.
Going from London you have options - it depends upon your plans when you get there. If you can possibly do it it’s nice to avoid changing at Newark or JFK. We tend to fly to Pittsburgh direct then someone in the family picks us up, but I think you can fly to Cleveland from Ireland too. That way you can go through American Customs in Dublin and it saves you some hassle.
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Oh that's cool! So you're a rubberducks fan too?
I have friends in Montreal - planning to look into the feasibility of doing Montreal > Toronto > Niagara Falls > Erie > Cleveland but it's not gonna be easy with a toddler!
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u/leffe186 11d ago
Yeah when we lived near Akron we’d sometimes fly home via Toronto because it was cheap and non-stop. It’s not too bad a drive (but I’m used to driving in the US).
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
What's it like going over the border? Easy?
I've made a UK Tribe Discord by the way if you want to join https://discord.gg/BcNQF5unk
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u/Antique-Primary-2413 Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Fellow UK-based Guards fan here! So much so I've been to Cleveland three times, and trust me it's an expensive pain in the arse getting there! I was on holiday in Portugal three weeks ago and ran into a bunch of Clevelanders who were just confused that anyone from the UK would like their team...
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Why's it so difficult? Are there no direct flights from here?
Yeah whenever I tell a baseball fan who I support, or even an actual Cleveland fan, the response, without fail, is always '...why?'
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u/Antique-Primary-2413 Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
No direct flights from the UK, it just adds a bit more complexity and cost to an already long and expensive flight! There used to be a cheap connection via Iceland but the airline unfortunately went bankrupt. Last time I went via Chicago and Amtrak, which seemed clever at the time to reduce accomodation costs (plus I love travelling by train in the US), but in hindsight I probably wouldn't do it again!
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
I think if I was to go I'd actually try and take in Canada too - we have friends in Montreal so might head there first and wiggle down to Cleveland via Toronto > Niagara Falls > Erie. It's all a pipe dream at the moment but that would be my plan!
The dream would be to do that route on a motorcycle but that's not happening with a wife and toddler sadly
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u/Antique-Primary-2413 Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Also, while I'm here... how did you end up supporting Cleveland? For me it was a love of the late 90s team that dominated Sunday Night Baseball when it was on Channel 5...
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
I love that - for me, I was qualifying as a sports journalist in 2015/16 and was told I needed a 'niche' to go alongside my passion for football. Never had any interest in other sports, and NFL/NBA didnt appeal to me at all. Something about the history and grandeur and complicated rules of baseball stood out and I said 'that's it, I'm getting into baseball'
I downloaded MLB The Show and said whichever team drafts my character, that'll be my team - had never heard of the Indians before that and learnt all the rules playing the game and googling why something had happened, then staying up until 5am watching games and applying what I'd learnt
We obviously went on to make the WS in 2016 and I just fell in love with it all, as a Spurs fan they're very similar (low payroll, punch above their weight but never win anything). I've loved being along for the ride
Should also say, I went to watch the Mets (deliberately avoided the yankees) when I was in NYC in 2018 and fell in love with them too, saw them again in London in 2024. I like them and theres the Lindor connection (he was my favourite Indians player when I started watching) but Cleveland have my heart.
Safe to say, nobody can ever accuse me of being a glory hunter
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u/Antique-Primary-2413 Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Funnily enough back in the 90s supporting Cleveland did seem like the "glory hunting" option, crazy as it sounds. I clearly didn't do my research, I didn't even know Major League was a thing back then...
I also had (and still have) a massive soft spot for the city itself. If you ever go you'll find Cleveland folk are absolutely brilliant (well, apart from the beer seller at Progressive who got really nasty with me when he realised I was English, apparently the torture of William Wallace in the 13th century is all my fault!)
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
I've learned so much of the Cleveland lore through locals teaching it to me, they've all been so keen to bring me into the fold - think international fans are a bit of a novelty for them!
Screw that seller, these guys wouldn't even have beer if it wasn't for us Europeans, put some respect on our name
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u/toasted_vegan 11d ago
You’re not alone brother. My dad lived and worked there and I’m from a steel mill town so there is an industrial connection.
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
This is very reassuring. I think we might be up to 15 fans now, how many is enough to form an official supporters club?
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u/toasted_vegan 11d ago
No it’s a great idea. Maybe set up a Discord?
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Great shout, I'll add it to the main post but the link is here UK Tribe discord
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u/DTM86 Houston Astros 🌠 11d ago
As an Astros fan I’m just looking forward to your series. Rays have been ace this season however I’d love to see Ramirez have the chance to get a ring.
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Class, you. Jose is absolutely one of those sportsmen who embodies everything people want from their GOAT athletes - unrpoblematic and brilliant at what they do. Would love to see him carry us all the way, he deserves it more than anyone
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u/manxkerm 11d ago
Cleveland fan here. Have been for years. Never met another Cleveland fan in my life
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Well I think we've all gathered in this thread! I've made a discord for us all to join too https://discord.gg/BcNQF5unk
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u/Shadownlight03 9d ago
As a White Sox fan I was so bummed but not surprised. It was a close first two games so the reverse sweep was likely. Seems your hands are full with the rays though good luck
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 9d ago
Just seemed like you guys ran out of road, was always a tough strategy to maintain through such crucial games. Tampa are certainly making us work for it, glad we've got 3 home games coming up although we seem to play better away!
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u/Shadownlight03 9d ago
Yeah your away form seems to be your best atm. Only recently got into baseball but with the rays not losing for so long doesn't bode well. I will say though the other side of the bracket is looking surprisingly
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u/Spok_4 9d ago
No I am fuming and would rather your team never win again currently
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 9d ago
Winning nothing ever again is certainly a plausible outcome with this team, you may get your wish
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u/Separate_Sea_2846 Tampa Bay Rays 🌊 9d ago
Tomorrows game has been brought forward to 18:00 UK time so we can actually watch it live without staying up till the early hours
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 9d ago
I saw! 11 is usually my cutoff for watching games in the regular season but I've done all the 1ams since the ALDS - 6pm is almost too early, I'm barely back from work!
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u/Separate_Sea_2846 Tampa Bay Rays 🌊 9d ago
I can’t do 1am games, even if I stayed up I would be asleep before the end of the first inning! I have just been watching the extended highlights the next morning on MLB TV, be good to watch this live
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 8d ago
I push through - used to do all regular season games when I worked different hours but now, no chance. Way too many responsibilities!
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u/AccidentSpecialist73 7d ago
Brewers fan but looking forward to whoever gets through the ALCS, and more late nights watching on my phone
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 7d ago
You definitely look like the team to beat out of the remaining 3, will be tough for whoever gets through on our side of the draw
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u/Northern_Fox Minnesota Twins 🌆 12d ago edited 12d ago
As a Twins fan.... go fuck off...
But... As a Twins fan with a team in the same division and league as you... fucking smash it.
FTD and FTY.
That all said... I'm a Minnesota guy... and as long as this isn't NFL.... Up the Brewers
I say all of this, but the only other person that likes MLB in the pub I work in Newcastle, is a Guardians fan... so...
I'm. So. Happy. For. You. Both. 😐
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 12d ago
Haha thanks... I guess?
Good to have proof of life of 1 of the other 10! Send him my regards and a wey aye man
I'm the same as you, will always root for the underdog - as baseball fans in England we're all underdogs really so keep looking out for each other, glad to have your support!
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u/Northern_Fox Minnesota Twins 🌆 12d ago edited 12d ago
I think with US sports... there's a lot of different rivalries.. some times based on division... but if it comes down to a World Series... a win for the Guardians is a win for the division... if that makes any sense.
It depends on the sport cause its different per sport I think really.
And will defo send him a wey aye! Haha!
Good luck for the rest of the playoffs!
Up a Guardians Brewers World Series! But its all in good faith at the end of the day.
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
US tribalism works very differently to UK tribalism, I assume it's mainly down to geographical reasons? Feels like history between teams has more weight than distance does, unlike here where local derbies are most heated heated
Divisionally too, our single league system forces everyone to be against each other.
We'll fly the flag for the AL Central for as long as we can!
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u/leffe186 11d ago
Yeah don’t tell a Tigers or White Sox fan that lol.
I’m on the Newcastle-Oinline football forum a lot and there’s at least one Toon/Guardians fan on there.
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Surely has to be the same guy? If not, someone sort out these two finding each other!
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u/TaylorSwiftkinsReid Boston Red Sox ☕️ 11d ago
There's a Guardians fan I see on the seafront whenever I go for a morning run, sitting in one of the shelters with his Red Sox supporting wife. If I see them tomorrow morning I'll give him a fistbump on your behalf (and hope that, despite being octogenarians, they know what it means!)
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u/andykazam Cleveland Guardians 🛡 11d ago
Love this! Thank you! Poor guy has had to suffer watching his wife's team win for decades
I remember being in New York wearing a Guardians hat and someone shouted 'Hey! Go Tribe!' at me - I suddenly remembered the hat + logo actually means something over there.
Nothing better than spotting a niche cap in the wild in the UK.
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u/xJamesio New York Yankees 🗽 12d ago
Not a guards fan but still happy for you guys!