Jason Kipnis' annual shoe toss was a big hit with Cleveland Indians fans, even if it wasn't from a parade float

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Jason Kipnis emerged from the players' parking lot entrance at Progressive Field and somewhere, off in the distance, his walkup music blasted from a speaker.

Tribe fans Lindsey and Max, students at the University of Akron, were playing "Thief" by Ookay, the pulsating sax-heavy jam that accompanied Kipnis to the plate during his home at-bats in 2017.

"I thought it would hype up the whole crowd," Lindsey said.

And it couldn't hurt her chances of snagging an autographed Kipnis shoe, batting glove or bobblehead, as well.

On Monday, Kipnis continued his yearly tradition of tossing out autographerd game-worn cleats and assorted gear to more than 200 eager fans lining the fence around the players' lot.

It was a way for Kipnis to bring closure to his up-and-down 2017 campaign. One that saw the two-time All-Star spend three stints on the disabled list and undergo a late-season position change.

"I know you're not always going to have fans that are on your side, that just happens," Kipnis said. "But I know when I Tweet out something like this, the people that do show up are the ones that have always kind of been in my corner. It means a lot to me that they show up and that they come here."

Kipnis annual postseason "shoe toss" is a hit with fans of all ages who get the chance to get up close with the Indians infielder, even if it's through the bars of an iron gate. They were treated to to a treasure trove of signed equipment and giveaways, including a few of the Kipnis base-stealing bobbleheads that were left over from the July 22 giveaway at the park.

Fans showed up several hours ahead of time to stake out the best spot along the fence. Alex Sylva, age 12, and his father Mark, drove in a 5 a.m. from Pataskala, Ohio.

Alex had made a sign telling Kipnis that his parents let him out of school to attend the shoe toss as a reward for getting good grades.

"We just decided to drive up and have a little fun seeing one of his favorite players," Mark Sylva said.

As for Lyndsey and Max, their walkup music worked. Lyndsey scored a signed cleat that was clearly a few sizes too big for her own feet.

"They were going through my whole career walkup music and playing some of the early ones I had before," Kipnis remarked. "That was fun."

Kipnis, who has conducted his shoe toss for the past several seasons, said the big turnout doesn't change the disappointment he and his teammates have over the way the 2017 season ended, but he hopes to one day conduct the shoe toss from a parade float while celebrating a World Series title in Cleveland.

"I think that's always the dream," he said. "But until that happens we gotta keep doing it this way. I know this team isn't where we want to be right now, but I think a lot of guys are already looking forward to next year."

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