Sunday's painful loss to the Angels proved once again that the downside to having a team that is a contender is that the losses are far more painful than are losses when the team is an also-ran.

Of course, the wins are also far more enjoyable, so it's a tradeoff. The Indians had three of each on their West Coast trip that ended Sunday, a trip that may have been a validation of the Indians being a team that can stay in contention all year.

The Indians played .500 ball in six games against the A's and Angels, the two teams with the two best pitching staffs in the American League. The Indians actually came within six outs of going 4-2 in the six games, which would have stamped it as a sensational trip.

To this point in the season the Indians are following the battle tested formula for being a contender: win big at home, and break even on the road. The Indians have won 13 games in a row at home, and are 13-2 overall at Progressive Field. They are 9-9 on the road. That kind of a home-away split, if maintained for the rest of the season should keep the Indians in contention all the way through September.

This West Coast trip was another opportunity for us to judge whether the Indians are for real. The verdict six games later: Yes, they are for real. And they will remain for real until their play suggests to us that they are not.