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CLEVELAND -- Mark Shapiros love for Cleveland and its people runs deep, personally and professionally. John Smoltz Jersey .Its where the Toronto Blue Jays president and CEO began his career, raised his family and helped orchestrate a baseball renaissance in the 1990s thats enjoying a 21st-century revival. In many ways, it will always be home for Shapiro.Over the past few months, Shapiro has enjoyed from afar seeing Cleveland celebrate this summer as the Cavaliers won an NBA title, ending a half-century drought for the city, and hes watched with pride as Indians fans rallied around a team that has been overlooked -- even in October.Its been some ride.I just feel bad that were going to have to put an end to it, he said with a chuckle over the phone on Wednesday.Shapiro finds himself the man in the middle of the AL Championship Series as his new team, the Blue Jays, will face with the Indians, the franchise that gave him his start, for a spot in the World Series.And it wont just be an emotional reunion for Shapiro. Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins also came up in Clevelands organization, working alongside Indians president Chris Antonetti, manager Terry Francona and many others.Shapiro was flying to Cleveland on Wednesday and planned to have dinner with his sister, Julie, who lives in the area. On Thursday, hell arrive at Progressive Field as he did for more than two decades, and although he knows the direction to the visitors clubhouse, Shapiros first stop will be the Indians executive offices, where he plans to visit colleagues who are as close as family.Ive got not just friendships, but deep friendships both in the community there and throughout the Indians organization, up and down it, he said. Its not just walking in to play the team, its walking in to play a group of people where you have a deep history and a profound respect. But I can tell you, because weve played them seven times already, when the first pitch gets thrown, the only emotion I feel is a competitive desire to win.Shapiro spent 24 seasons with the Indians, breaking in as an unpaid intern in the early `90s. But it didnt take long for the Princeton-educated son of respected sports agent Ron Shapiro to advance through the ranks and become one of baseballs top executives. Shapiro has always done it the right way, displaying class and humility while molding the Indians into a model organization and helping them navigate through difficult years when the turnstiles slowed and the club had to re-invent itself to stay competitive.However, Shapiros impact with the Indians goes way beyond statistical data. His personal skills might be what set him apart.I didnt like Mark when he was here. Hows that? Francona joked before turning serious about both Shapiro and Atkins.Im so close to both of them that itll be fun to say hello, said Francona, who used to take diligent notes whenever Shapiro spoke. Im sure they feel the same way we do -- they want to beat our brains out. But then when its over, thats never going to affect a friendship. Next time I probably see them will be at the winter meetings and well be laughing and Im sure something will happen during this (series) well be laughing about.It could be a year, it could be a month, it could be two years. When youre friends like that, it kind of goes beyond time or uniform or anything like that.During his time with the Indians, Shapiro was approached by numerous organizations, turning down an offer from the Cleveland Browns. He was content, but maybe needing a new challenge, Shapiro accepted a position with the Blue Jays and decided to leave the only team he had ever known.Shapiro spent much of the past year commuting between Cleveland and Toronto, where he was rudely welcomed after popular GM Alex Anthopoulos was pushed aside to make room for him. Shapiros transition was beyond tumultuous, as he was lambasted on sports talk radio and in columns across Canada. Some of the attacks were personal and vicious.Shapiro accepted the criticism, put his head down and went to work.Antonetti never worried that Shapiro would change peoples opinions of him.I talked to Mark frequently, especially at the outset, Antonetti said as the Indians took batting practice in anticipation of Fridays Game 1. I never had any doubt that once the city, the organization and the country got to know Mark Shapiro the person and the executive that they would embrace him. Hes a transformational leader and a phenomenal human being, and those are two pretty good attributes that will end up endearing you to people.When the Indians wrapped up their Division Series victory against Boston, completing a three-game sweep at Fenway Park, Shapiro watched on TV along with his son, Caden, who used to shag flies during batting practice in an Indians uniform.While the Shapiros have changed colors, their affection for Cleveland remains.We were both happy, not just for the chance to come back, but happy for the staff and the organization and the players, Shapiro said. But as he grows up he learns about the game and hes 100 percent a Toronto Blue Jay now, just like me, but with the Cleveland Indians running through our veins. They will always be an important part of our lives and history. Brock Holt Red Sox Jersey . -- Anaheim Ducks defenceman Luca Sbisa will be out at least six weeks with a torn tendon in his right hand. Drew Pomeranz Jersey . -- An ugly goal by Nick Bonino helped the Anaheim Ducks overcome the defensive-minded Phoenix Coyotes on a night when their ragged power play continued to struggle. https://www.cheapredsox.com/ . Thousands of fans at Mosaic Stadium will be cozying up to each other in an effort to stay warm in chilly temperatures and block the Prairie wind that locals say can knock your socks off.From stunning hole-outs to a history-making ace, we look back at the shots of the week from the Nedbank Golf Challenge and the OHL Classic. Alex Noren produced one of the rounds of the season on his way to victory in South Africa, with a chip-in from the rough a standout moment in his nine-under 63.The Swede finished six strokes clear of Jeunghun Wang, who came inches away from an albatross at the par-five 10th as he moved up the leaderboard during the third round. Jeunghun Wang ended the week as runner-up at Sun City Wangs approach would have been the second albatross of the week at Sun City, as Lasse Jensen holed out from the 14th fairway to safely make it through to the weekend.The tournament saw its first ever hole-in-one when Fabrizio Zanotti aced his tee shot at the fourth on Fridayy, while Russell Knox came close to replicating the feat on his way to a top-10 finish in Mexico. Boston Red Sox Gear. Click on the video above to see the best of the efforts Live European Tour Golf November 17, 2016, 8:00am Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass Watch the DP World Tour Championship and the RSM Classic live this week on Sky Sports 4 - your home of golf. Also See: Nedbank delight for Noren Noren savours special 63 Best round of my life Golf live on Sky Sports ' ' '