CLEVELAND _ One followed the other out the door in the Bronx, only six days apart. When the Yankees traded Aroldis Chapman to the Cubs on July 26, it signaled Brian Cashman finally was warming to the fire sale that had been hinted at for weeks. Later, once Andrew Miller was sent to the Indians, it confirmed the GM's rebuilding process had been green-lighted by Hal Steinbrenner.
Incredibly, given the epic title droughts of both star-crossed franchises, Chapman and Miller ultimately wound up in the same place, the 112th World Series, which begins Tuesday night at Progressive Field. Chapman, who took over the closer's job from Miller with the Yankees, was given the same role for the Cubs. But Miller, based on his flexibility, has become an even more dangerous weapon for Cleveland, capable of shutting down a lineup at any point, from the fifth inning on.
Only three months ago, these two shared the same bullpen. Now either one could be the difference-maker in deciding whether the Cubs end a 108-year World Series hex or the Indians win their first title since 1948. Minutes after Saturday's Game 6 of the NLCS, which Chapman sealed with the final five outs, he was asked about squaring off against Miller, his former bullpen pal. Was Chapman looking forward to a reunion of sorts on this stage?
"Oh yeah, I'm ready to go," Chapman said through his interpreter. "I'm ready to get on with it."
What a dizzying trek for Chapman, whose December trade to the Dodgers came apart due to domestic-violence allegations that allowed the Yankees to gamble on making a deal with the Reds. Cashman figured that Chapman would either be a key piece if the Yankees were able to contend or a valuable trade chip otherwise. After a 30-game suspension levied by the commissioner's office, it turned out to be the latter, and Chapman, despite two shaky performances during these playoffs, still gives Cubs manager Joe Maddon the option of using his triple-digit fastball for more than one inning.
Twice this month, Chapman got burned by his best pitch, with the Giants' Conor Gillaspie and the Dodgers' Adrian Gonzalez barreling up 102-mph heaters. He's been far from perfect, with a 3.38 ERA in eight appearances, as well as allowing two of his six inherited runners to score. But that didn't prevent Maddon from going to Chapman with a Dodger on first base and one out in the eighth inning Saturday night.
On his third pitch, a 100-mph fastball, Chapman got Howie Kendrick to bounce into a double play. In the ninth, after a strikeout and walk, he needed one more pitch, at 101, to get Yasiel Puig to ground into another DP that made history for the Cubs.
"I'm very fortunate and blessed," Chapman said, "that I was the man to bring this team back to the World Series."
Chapman delivered the Cubs with those last few outs, something that had escaped the franchise in 2003 and 1984. But as far as carrying a club to this Fall Classic, no reliever did it better than Miller, the ALCS MVP. He stifled the Blue Jays in every situation, with 14 strikeouts over 7 2/3 scoreless innings _ tying the strikeout record set by the Astros' Brad Lidge in 2004. Overall in these playoffs, Miller has 21 strikeouts, two walks and has yet to yield an earned run in 11 2/3 innings.
"Nobody's ever done that," Indians pitching coach Mickey Callaway said. "That big kid can do whatever he wants. When we were talking about who we should acquire at the deadline, this is the reason. Somebody that can come in for the biggest spots, we can leverage to the max, and that's why we got him."
While Chapman intimidates with scorching heat, Miller baffles the opposition using his unhittable slider, a contrast in styles reflected in their personalities. After Miller received his ALCS MVP trophy Thursday at Rogers Centre, he leaned up against a locker in the frat-wild clubhouse, talking casually as he took the occasional swig from a champagne bottle.
"I can't wait to see what it's like in Cleveland, honestly," Miller said. "I'm looking forward to seeing how they react."
Back in New York, however, this World Series creates mixed emotions, for sure.
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