All-Time Indians: David Justice

David Justice is both one of the greatest villains in Indians history and one of the team’s best designated hitters as well. In 1995, the Indians returned to the postseason after 40 years away and it was Justice who ended it. After going 11/45 with just one extra base throughout the 1995 postseason, it was Justice who hit the solo home run in game six of the World Series that won the game 1-0 and the series for the Braves behind Tom Glavine. With the thought of, “if you can’t beat him, make him join you” the Indians traded for Justice in the off-season between 1996 and 1997, bringing him, along with center fielder Marquis Grissom, to Cleveland in exchange for the final year under contract of Kenny Lofton and young reliever Alan Embree.

While Grissom took over center for Lofton, Justice was needed in left field to replace the departing free agent, Albert Belle. Belle was essentially the greatest slugger in Indians history (although he would eventually be surpassed by Manny Ramirez and Jim Thome), so Justice had some big shoes to fill. From his first season, he did just that, blasting 33 home runs, knocking in 101 and finishing fifth in the AL MVP voting, losing to Ken Griffey, Jr and finishing one spot ahead of Thome. The Indians used this powerful offensive attack, also including Sandy Alomar, Jr (who finished 15th in the MVP voting) and Omar Vizquel to make it back to the World Series, just two years after Justice had dealt the finishing blow the first time. This time, Justice was on their side and it wouldn’t make much of a difference.

That year, Justice played in all 18 games, batting .254 with four extra base hits and six RBI across the three series. Four of those RBI came against the Marlins, although he batted just .185 in that series. The Indians ultimately would lose that series in seven games, but Justice would return to the play-offs in every season he remained in Cleveland. From 1997 through 1999, he played in 31 play-off games, batting .227 with 15 RBI and 15 walks. His seven total doubles are the third most in Indians post-season history.

While the idea when signing Justice was for him to play left field, he played just 74 of his 139 games there in 1997, somehow enough for him to steal an outfield Silver Slugger. In 1998, the 32 year old Justice in the outfield just 21 times, spending the majority of the time at DH. For the second season, Justice was among the Indians top hitters, slugging 21 home runs and 39 doubles with 88 RBI, batting .280. He repeated the effort the following season with another 21 home runs and 88 RBI, hitting .287 this time. Of course, by this time the Indians had added a few more weapons and Justice was not as important part of the offense with Richie Sexson taking over the majority of the games at DH and Roberto Alomar joining the top of the lineup. The Indians returned to the play-offs for the fifth straight year, winning the Central Division, but taking an early exit.

With an increase in offense, but a lack of pitching depth, the aging Justice became dispensable. After 21 more home runs and 58 more RBI, Justice was traded during late June of 2000 to the Yankees in the first of many dips into the Yankee farm system. Justice’s 14 year career was almost at an end and the aging outfielder was due to make $14.8M from 2001 to 2002. With the Indians title run looking at an end, Justice was moved to cut the Indians losses and acquire some pitching, bringing back Rickey Ledee, Zach Day and most importantly Jake Westbrook. Day would be moved the following season to snare Milton Bradley away from the Expos and Ledee never amounted to much, but Westbrook was the large haul. He would start 179 games over the next nine seasons, eventually being moved himself for current Indians ace Corey Kluber. These was just a few of the many amazing trades worked by John Hart and Mark Shapiro.

Justice would just play two more seasons, one with the Yankees and one with the Athletics. He was actually traded from the Yankees to the Mets, but moved out of New York for good just a week later when he was sent to Oakland. While nearing retirement, Justice was still an asset to both teams, winning the ALCS MVP in 2000 for the Yankees on the way to his second World Series ring. In the end, he went to the World Series six separate times with three different teams and the play-offs ten times with four teams.