Expectations for the Aeros have been running high the past few years.

That’s what happens when the Indians’ Double-A team reaches the Eastern League Championship Series four times in five years, claiming a pair of titles in 2003 and 2005.

Problem is, fan expectations no longer include getting to the title game. These days, it seems, the team’s fans won’t settle for anything less than a title.

Despite a handful of team accomplishments and individual player accolades this season, the Aeros came up short for the second consecutive year, losing to the Trenton Thunder (New York Yankees) three games to one in the Championship Series best-of-five matchup that concluded Sept. 15.

In 2006, the Aeros pushed the series to the limit in a deciding Game 5 in Portland, Maine, against the eventual champion Sea Dogs (Boston Red Sox).

While many fans felt the Aeros should have won it all in 2006, they weren’t as upset after this season’s loss in the finals.

‘‘Last year, I kind of felt like the Indians robbed us of a title when they wouldn’t let (ace Adam) Miller pitch,’’ said long-time season-ticket holder Gary Rosen. ‘‘This year, you could tell Trenton was the better team, and we did good to get as far as we did.’’

This year’s championship series pitted the league’s best pitching staff, Trenton’s, against the league’s top hitting team, the Aeros. When it came down to it, however, the Thunder not only pitched well, but also saw its offense contribute, especially in their 10-5 deciding game at Canal Park.

‘‘We could talk about being a better offensive team all we want,’’ Aeros second-year manager Tim Bogar said, ‘‘but they were a very good team and got hits when they needed to.’’

Meanwhile, the Aeros got solid pitching when they needed it only with Jeremy Soweers on the hill.

This, despite the fact they had some added help in getting the right-handed Miller and left-hander Sowers from Triple-A Buffalo in time for the playoffs ` controversial moves that appeared to go against EL rules prohibiting players from higher levels joining teams in the postseason.

While Miller’s addition had little impact (0-0 7.50 ERA in two appearances, including one start), Sowers (2-0, 0.68 ERA) was dominant in his two starts.

‘‘I feel like I’m pitching the best I have all year,’’ Sowers said Sept. 14 after helping hand the Aeros their lone win against Trenton. ‘‘I’m ready to go up there and try to have an impact.’’

Which brings us to another ususual aspect of the season: Instead of most players looking to work their way to Buffalo, such as right fielder Brian Barton did successfully, many went to Cleveland after using Akron as a springboard.

Not long after starting the season in Akron, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, right-handed reliever Jensen Lewis and left-handed starter Aaron Laffey were suiting up for the Indians and helping the Tribe win a division title Sunday.

‘‘That’s what’s really gratifying - to see guys like that whose careers really took off here,’’ Bogar said.

And they weren’t the only ones to post career-type years.

First baseman Jordan Brown put his name firmly on the Indians’ prospect list by being the most consistent hitter. He batted a league-best .333 with 161 hits and won EL Rookie of the Year and Player of the Year honors. More impressively, Brown did it on a bum right knee that will require offseason arthroscopic surgery.

Following with the tough-it-out theme, after a horrendous first half that had his batting average hovering around the .200 mark, center fielder Trevor Crowe put his swing together in the later part of the season, finishing with a respectable .259 average that included 26 doubles, 50 RBI, 62 walks and a team-high 28 stolen bases.

Although the Aeros didn’t get the kind of help they usually do from an infusion of Class-A Kinston players, help for next season should be on the way.

The K-Tribe had four pitchers finish with more than 10 wins, saw third baseman Wes Hodges bat a healthy .288, featured the dazzling play of shortstop Josh Rodriguez and was bolstered by the continuing emergence of first baseman/designated hitter Matt Whitney.

With that kind of help, the Aeros might just push their championship series run to five appearances in six seasons come next year - with that elusive third title to boot.

I received this angry email from Adam this week and it got me thinking: How do fans feel about the team’s ownership? Take a look at what got Adam all ruffled up and let me know if any of you have similiar or different views. Personally, I hesitate to gripe too much at this moment when the team is in the midst of putting a new field in the stadium.

Anyway, take a look:

It is an absolute joke that the Aeros did not have any playoff t-shirts or Southern Division Championship merchandise available. I asked an employee why they didn’t have any and the answer was “Mr. Agganis did not allow us to order any merchandise of any kind until further notice, including playoff shirts” The belief here is that Mike Agganis is afraid that he wouldn’t make a profit off of the shirts, hats and other merchandise. Any business owner will tell you that you have to spend a little money to make money. I probably would have bought at least 5 of them for my family and friends and all of the employees would have bought one and a lot of other fans. No one told Agganis he had to order 2,000 of these shirts. I guarentee you 500 shirts would have sold out very quickly and Agganis would have netted a profit. I am personally offended by the fact that the Aeros have gone south with promotions and quality merchandise. Cutbacks are everywhere from no commerative t-shirts to only a handful of ushers working for the playoffs. Are playoff crowds more behaved and the duties of an usher are automatically not needed in a playoff game? It is ridiculous he treats his die hard fans like casual, second rate fans.

- Adam

I’m asked a lot to give my opinion on the Aeros - the questions often coming from my boss to the guy at the grocery store.

How good are they, really?

Will they make the playoffs?

Can they come back from an 0-2 deficit in the Eastern League Championship Series?

All season, I’ve done my best to give my true feelings. The problem this season with this team is that they are very hard to get a good feel for. Just when I think they’ll cruise into the playoffs like they seemed for the half of the season - they end up limping in.

Just when I think they’re playing so badly they may not even make the playoffs, they reel off a nearly perfect week to end the regular season and challange the Erie Seawolves for the regular-season disivision title.

Just when I think they’ve got momentum in the playoffs by knocking off Erie in the Southern Division Finals, they quickly go down 0-2 in the Championship Series to Trenton.

About the only thing I’ve been right about this season regarding the team as a whole, is that I knew in my gut they would not lose Friday night in Game Three at Canal Park.

Understand, by then I’d come to learn that just when it seems one way, the team pulls a fast one. So I figured while many people had written the series off for a Thunder sweep - the Aeros would shock everyone and win instead.

That’s exactly what they did with an 8-2 win that looks closer than it really was. The early energy with which the team played and the jovial mood before the game showed a loose team with nothing to lose.

The Aeros - seeking their third title in five years - have been in the this sitaution before and don’t fear the pressure. While Trenton - with its two errors and shaky ace in Alan Horne Friday night - seemed tight, the Aeros were loose and carefree.

So that brings us to one last big question: Can the Aeros come back from a 2-0 deficit and win the series in five games Sunday afternoon at Canal Park?

Your guess is as good as mine.

With travel making this trip interesting to say the least - here’s an early look at the story that will run in the Beacon Thursday.

TRENTON, N.J. - Wyatt Toregas lay on the trainers table clutching his stomach, his face twisted in pain, a half-empty plastic bottle of grape Pedialyte sitting next to him.

While his teammates and coaches ate their post-game meals in dead silence in the visitor’s lockerroom at Waterfront Stadium minutes after a controversial play at the plate ended in a 3-2 loss to Trenton, the Aeros catcher writhed on the table, struggling to keep the fluid down.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t talk right now,” was all Toregas could manage, not even opening his eyes.

Despite being exhausted and still fighting a flu-like virus that had him sidelined during the first game of the Eastern League Championship Series the previous night, Toregas told Aeros manager Tim Bogar he wanted to play in Wednesday.

As baseball irony would have it, Toregas was at center stage of the game’s final play - the 5-foot-11, 200-pound catcher receiving a right-on-the-money throw from right fielder Cirilo Cumberbatch before quickly moving into position to block the plate and tag out a charging Colin Curtis trying to score the winning run from second base.

As Curtis approached the plate, Toregas went to tag him high. Curtis slid in an attempt to avoid the tag, trying to sneak his left hand under Toregas’ outstretched glove in an effort to catch the corner of home plate.

Right on top of the play, home plate umpire Cory Blaser quickly called Curtis safe - handing the Thunder a commanding 2-0 lead as the series shifts to Akron Friday.

“It was obviously a close play, and from Wyatt’s reaction, I’d say we have a pretty good argument,” Bogar said. “But the umpire said (Curtis) made a great slide.”

As Blaser signaled Curtis safe, Toregas reacted angrily. He spun around to plead his case to Blaser, then pounded the ball into the ground, followed by his glove and then helmet before collapsing a few feet away, his head bowed in his hands.

After arguing briefly with Blaser, Bogar and center fielder Trevor Crowe came over to check on Toregas. Finally, they pulled him up to his feet and helped him off the field.

”The bottom line is we didn’t lose the game on that play, we didn’t execute all game long,” said Bogar, whose team went 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position. “We had plenty of opportunities to score runs, we should have scored five or six.”

The Aeros took an early 2-0 lead with a pair of fourth-inning runs. Jordan Brown led off with a single and scored on Michael Aubrey’s RBI-double. Aubrey soon came around to score on an error.

But Trenton chipped away at the lead with a run in the fifth inning, Curtis reaching on one of six walks by Aeros starter Chuck Lofgren, before scoring on P.J. Plittere’s RBI-single. Gabe Lopez tied the game three innings later with a run-scoring double.

After practically crawling into the playoffs, the Aeros have come up with one heck of a turnaround the last two weeks in finshing the last week of the regular season strong and now knocking off Southern-Divison winner Erie 3 games to 1 with an 8-6 win Saturday night at Canal Park.

The Aeros overcame a rough start by starter Bobby Brownlie and a pair of early errors, using three home runs - including a pair of two-run shots by Michael Aubrey - to charge back for the win.

The Aeros have two days off before heading to Trenton for the start of the Championship Series Tuesday in New Jersey - a well deserved rest.

As players sprayed bottles of champaign at each other under the clear plastic tent that was the team’s clubhouse Saturday night, Aeros manager Tim Bogar called the media into his office. After a few quick words about his team’s achievements, he spent some more time talking about how impressed he was with Erie.

A lot of managers will throw comments in like that to sound good.

But it was obvious Bogar meant what he was syaing about how the SeaWolves were the best team the Aeros played all year. He also talked about how impressed he was with Erie Manager Matt Wallbeck. Perhaps Bogar was referring to Wallbeck’s class for not making too big of a deal out of the Indians sending Jeremy Sowers to Akron to pitch a pivitol Game Three.

As unfair as the move may have been, neither Bogar nor Wallbeck had anything to do with it, and both handed it professionally. The message they sent to their respective players was clear: You can’t worry about things out of your control.

A few of you have mentioned Scott Lewis in recent posts, so I wanted to clear some things up.

According to the Indians, Lewis is not hurt per say. After his last start in the regular season he mentioned some tingling and numbness in his left pitching arm, so the Indians brass just decided to play it safe and shut him down.

It’s a good big-picture move for Lewis, who’s had Tommy John surgery and pitched on a limited pitch count (70) all last season. This year, the Aeros slowly built up his innings by cautiously expanding his pitch limit from 70 to 100 by season’s end. Still, that’s a lot of extra work for an arm that was so limited the previous year.

Rather than risk anything, Lewis was shut down for the playoffs. That’s one of the reason’s right-hander Jake Dittler ended up throwing Game Two Thursday in Erie. The other reason is that because the Aeros went on such a hot run at the end of the regular season and almost caught Erie, the team wasn’t able to rest some key starters and set up the rotation for the playoffs.

Thus, the team comes home today with the best-of-five series tied 1-1. Left-hander Jeremy Sowers goes tonight (Friday) for the Aeros, followed by right-hander Bobby Brownlie scheduled for Game Four Saturday. If a Game Five back in Erie is needed, Aeros manager Tim Bogar said Thursday night that he expects to start Adam Miller.

The Aeros ace last seson, Miller came in on relief for Chuck Lofgren in the first game of the series Wednesday, allowing four runs on five hits in just two innings.

Let’s hope he’s a little sharper come Sunday - if the Aeros get that far.

Considering the Aeros only knew who their first two starting pitchers were heading into the Eastern League Southern Division Playoffs, the team could be in some serious trouble. In chosing Chuck Lofgren and Jake Dittler to start the first two games, the Aeros were basically saying these are our best two guys right now.

But Lofgren gave up four runs on seven hits in five innings Wednesday, and Dittler really blew it by allowing NINE earned runs on eight hits and five walks tonight.

Yes, the Aeros managed to pull out a 12-9 victory in Game One thanks to the offense pounding out 16 hits. And as I write this post, the team trails just 9-6 at the end of four innings. “Just” in that the team has time to overcome a three-run deficit if they get back to hitting.

But the fact that Erie has pummeled Akron starting pitchers for 13 runs in the first two games does not bode well for the Aeros. Sure, lefty Jeremy Sowers, who started the season in the Indians rotation, is scheduled to throw today’s Game Three in Akron.

But remember he’s been demoted to Triple-A Buffalo for a reason. And if he looks anything like the Aeros other “ringer” in flame-throwing Adam Miller did Wednesday (four runs on five hits in just two innings), this could quickly become an ugly series.

They called it a farce. They called it cheating. They called it an injustice in minor league baseball.

But no matter how Erie fans and officials see it, it appears Jeremy Sowers will be pitching for the Aeros come Game Three of the Eastern League Southern Division Playoffs when the series shifts to Akron Friday.

After initially being blocked from sending the left-hander to Akron Wednesday, the parent-club Indians circumvented minor league rules by using a major league transaction to get Sowers on the roster.

I’ll have a story in the Beacon tomorrow about Sowers and there is a real good in-depth story on the situation on milb.com by my good friend, Jonathan Mayo. So I won’t bore you with all the details here.

Just know that after snubbing the Aeros practically all season in terms of the Indians brass not sending Kinston’s top players to replace the ones the Aeros lost to Triple-A Buffalo, suddenly the Tribe is making up for lost time by sending the team the services of both the crafty Sowers and hard-throwing right-hander Adam Miller.

Even if they had to ruffle a few feathers to do it.

After crawling through practically the second half of the season, the Aeros have really made this last week of the regular season more than interesting. Since embarking on the final regular-season and five-game road trip in Binghamton, the team has won the first four games and presently own a six-game winning streak.

In winning the last two games of a four-game set at home last week versus Bowie (which was hot on the Aeros heels in a battle for the wild card spot in the division), the Aeros cliniched the division runner-up spot and appeared all but willing to hand Erie the Southern Division title with the SeaWolves owning a four-game lead with a week to go.

Asked if he would do anything particular in Binghamton with the rotation, Aeros manager Tim Bogar said no, he’d just focus on getting the rotation set up for the playoffs.

But suddenly, the Aeros have caught fire.

Now, they are just a half game back of Erie heading into the final game of the regular season Monday afternoon. A final day, I might add, that has the Aeros finishing up with a 1 p.m. game against the B-Mets while struggling Erie is facing a double header with visiting Altoona - marking the team’s third double header in the last five days!

In the previous two twin bills, the SeaWolves were swept - both times by Altoona. How ironic that the Aeros main rival in the Curve would be helping them in this quest to successfully defend their Southern Division title?

And now the race comes down to this:

Although both Akron and Erie each have one game remaining (due to rain outs that were not made up earlier this season), league officials have decided neither will be made up for the sake of travel and timing.

Instead, if the teams end up tied for first place, both would be crowned division champs and a tie-breaker would come into play. With Erie having edged Akron 15-13 head-to-head this season, the SeaWolves win the tie breaker.

All that being said, here’s the importance of Monday’s games:

Akron needs to win and have Erie lose both of its games to win the division title and host the first round of the playoffs that begin Wednesday.

If Erie splits its double header and Akron wins, both teams end up tied and earn a share of the division title, but Erie still gets to host the first round of the playoffs.

If Akron loses, they lose out on a share of the division title and will head straight to Erie from Binghamton tonight.