I wasn’t gonna to miss this. No way. This postseason has certainly lived up to the hype, and now we are seeing plenty of fans getting reconnected to baseball. That’s what a 12 team playoff will do. (No more 1 and donors) Anyways let’s get to the action.
Tampa Bay Rays (Rotten Luck): It was going to be an uphill climb with all the injuries they dealt with. This series loss to Cleveland was proof that the fun had run out. Although Shane Beiber was a big reason why the Rays couldn’t get anything going. Not to mention the only runs they gave up were game winning home runs. Anyways how does it feel to go 0-12 with runners in scoring position. If the Rays get at least 3 hits in those ABs they win the series. However it wasn’t meant to be. You know deep down in your heart that the Orioles should have been there instead of you.
Toronto Blue Jays (Maple Leafs for a Day): WHAT! Am I hearing this right? The Blue Jays with some of the finest North American Talents in baseball laid a massive egg against a team that hadn’t made the playoffs in over 20 years. Game 1 was no surprise, Luis Castillo was on another level and it would have been hard to take him deep. But in Game 2. Toronto now has the baseball version of Game 7 in 2013 between the Maple Leafs and Bruins. An 8-1 lead in the 6th should be game over. Seattle had other plans. A 3 run homer, bases clearing double, 4 singles, and another double undid the Jays. The question hanging on this squad right now is who is the right man to manage this team? John Schneider did a good job as an interim manager but will he be there long term. Scratch that, he’s coming back next year. Toronto I have one request. Don’t let this happen again. Opinions change over time in sports.
St Louis Cardinals (The End of an Era): The luck has run out. I thought that the Cardinals would make a deep run. It’s just too bad the clock struck midnight. St Louis may have had home field advantage but Philly was clearly the better team. It all began with that six run 9th inning in Game 1. The next evening, they ran into an ace. His name was Aaron Nola. Even though the Cards got several scoring opportunities, they couldn’t cash in. Not to mention they got outclassed by the Phillies bullpen of all things. The unit that was a liability all season made mincemeat of the Cardinals. However it’s a sad time in St Louis. Yadier Molina, Albert Pujols, and Adam Wainwright have all played their last games in a big league uniform. The true ending of a legendary era of Cardinal Baseball. They’ll still be a good team but it won’t be the same around that clubhouse. Just regroup and get ready for next year. (At least the NL Central is still in quicksand)
New York Mets (LOLMETS Strikes Again): The Mets no matter how good they’re record in the regular season was still can’t get past their status of being the greatest meme in baseball. It all started when they got swept by the Braves to lose the NL East. But hey at least you can get revenge on them and the Dodgers. Well how do I describe this? They responded by laying their biggest egg since September of 2008. (And 2007 as well) In Game 1, Max Scherzer got lit up by the big bats of the Padres. No big deal, Jacob DeGrom can just even the series up in Game 2. Then came Game 3. OH BOY! They had no answers for Joe Musgrove. At all. He tossed a 1 hitter, and the only hit he gave up was in the 2nd inning. That game symbolizes the Mets. Going all in, and getting little results thanks to getting in their own way. We can’t even blame Buck Showalter and his past reputation, they just got outplayed. Let me guess what happens next. Steve Cohen trades the remainder of his top prospects to the Angels for Shohei Ohtani, and throws even more money at Aaron Judge. Steinbrenner 2.0 eh.
Seattle Mariners (Yordan’d): It’s too bad their ChaosBall run came to an end. I was rooting for them to make a deep run. But then we realize oh right, the Astros would be their opponent in the ALDS. To be fair, Seattle put up a good fight despite getting swept. However they got outclassed by one man. Yordan Alvarez. No matter what the Mariners did to counter him, they still couldn’t get him out. He hit game winning home runs in Games 1 and 2. (And against the heart of their rotation, and bullpen too) Game 3, what to think? That was probably the most insane extra inning game in playoff history that didn’t include a walkoff. Why? Because no one could score until the 18th inning. “In the air, deep left center field, hit well, Rodriguez on the run. AND IT IS GONE!” Agony, thy name is Jeremy Pena! It sucks but you’ll be back. Just don’t take this loss too seriously and regroup for next spring.
Cleveland Guardians (Who’s Your Daddy?): Guardians I have one request. Don’t mess with Yankee fans! Because if you do, and it’s something involving parenting, unless your name is Pedro Martinez you will suffer. Look at this. Cleveland was up 2-1 following an epic comeback in Game 3. Josh Naylor hit a huge homer to get them back into it in Game 4. What was his home run celly? To rock a baby while he rounded the bases. Um, that’s not gonna bode well especially if you don’t win. Well the Pinstripes not only won that game, they came home for Game 5 and kicked their ass. And then Yankee fans gave Naylor the Pedro Treatment. And it was hilarious to watch. The Guardians definitely exceeded expectations, but can they keep this up. There’s a good chance that they will with how weak the AL Central is. Luckily their contention window has been pushed open again.
Los Angeles Dodgers (The City of Mickey Mouse Championships): We all talk about how the Lakers in 2020 won a championship because they didn’t have to travel and played in the Orlando Bubble. We also can say the same thing about the Dodgers. Besides that Mickey Mouse ring, they have done nothing but underachieve in October. Yes Clayton Kershaw, and Walker Buehler were injured, but that doesn’t explain the rest of the team excluding Trea Turner going ice cold. This was the greatest postseason failure in MAJOR LEAGUE HISTORY! This rivals the 2019 Lightning when it comes to falling off after a great regular season. (Don’t mention the 2006 and 2019 Ravens, PLEASE) And here’s the worst part. They lost to San Diego. A team missing their best player, and one who got dominated by LA all season. Dodgers now you know how Cubs, Astros and Braves fans felt in 1984, and 1998. That crowd at Petco Park was identical to the crowds at Jack Murphy Stadium all those years ago. The depressing part of this is that not only did the Dodgers squander a 111 win season. It’s that they aren’t the most pathetic team in their own city. That’s what happens when you have massive expectations. The pressure mounts. What’s the plan for next year?
Atlanta Braves (You’re not Alone): Well, at least you made us laugh at the Mets. Too bad the run towards a repeat ran out in the end. While their fans were laughing at their rivals from Queens they forgot that there was another team in the division that wanted to beat them. Oh that team showed out alright. The Phillies were better prepared, and their hitting core, especially Rhys Hoskins made mincemeat out of the Braves rotation. Atlanta had no answers not only for Hoskins but anything that Philadelphia threw at them. Even with a 103 win season it’s not enough. The title defense is over. Even with the early exit the future is still bright in the ATL. The Braves rookie class is only getting stronger, and if they mature next year they should be able to make it back to the Fall Classic. Just don’t take this loss seriously. You’ll have a chance to create a dynasty if you put the effort into it.
New York Yankees (“EVERYONE’S FIRED!” -George Steinbrenner): OH NO! You mean to tell me that the Yankees got outclassed by a team that had much more firepower than they did? YOU DON’T SAY! Well in reality that did happen. The Yankees, like the previous 2 appearances in the ALCS were dominated right from the word go. Yes they were out of gas thanks to 2 rainouts against Cleveland but how does that explain the entire team getting exposed by the Astros. This year may have been their last shot with this core. Aaron Judge, Anthony Rizzo, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gerrit Cole all could be gone in the offseason, plus Brian Cashman might be past his expiration date. And Aaron Boone is baseball’s version of Steve Nash. 5 chances with championship level talent and winning a grand total of 4 games in the ALCS. (Its fitting that YES Network broadcasts games for both teams) This team may need a massive overhaul to get back to where they were a decade ago. Although with the Steinbrenners being all in I just don’t know if they can do that. At least you made it farther than the Mets did.
San Diego Padres (Life Comes At You Fast): Momentum is a funny thing in baseball. A team that can outright dominate a stronger opponent due to fate being on their side is exposed by a team that also had fate on their side in the previous round. Normally I would praise the Padres for making it to the NLCS without their best player, and half of their rotation but we need to talk. Why in the world are your fans posting a cringe rap track that not only goes viral on the local news, but it gets exposed to NBC10 in Philadelphia and the Phillies media department. The moment that happened was when I knew that San Diego would lose. The pitching staff that exposed the big bats in LA were dominated by Bryce Harper and his boys. Manny Machado is gonna cruise to NLCS MVP, well he went back to his idiot ways in Baltimore and didn’t show up. They’ll probably be back here again, but this is the price of going all in at the trade deadline. You could have used a player like Fernando Tatis Jr in this series, it’s too bad his own demons got in the way. PAUSE.
We thought that the NFL and NBA were chaotic, well baseball has said you’re not alone. It’s so nice to have the ratings back up after what they’ve been the previous 3 years. Enough of that. What does the Junior Circuit have to offer us?
Houston Astros: (Revolution by The Score playing) You hear that in the distance? That’s the sound of war drums banging to give us one thing on our minds. It may have been their sign stealing scandal 3 years ago, but to the Space City it means one thing. The Astros are out for blood and redemption. They know that the prize of a 2nd championship is in their sights. The last 2 times they made the World Series, they were eliminated by multiple teams of destiny. The Nationals and Braves. And in both series they had issues winning on their home soil of Minute Maid Park which they usually dominate in. Not to mention they lost Roberto Osuna, Carlos Correa, and Zach Greinke after the 2021 series loss. (And George Springer after 2020) Many thought that Houston would struggle with many of their cornerstones leaving in free agency. Instead they’ve gotten better. This year they had the AL West clinched after the 1st month of the season. (A Wire-Wire run to be exact) They had the best home record in AL by a country mile. Look at the hot streak they are on. The Astros won their last 8 games of the regular season, swept the Mariners in the ALDS, and then copy and paste the same thing to the Yankees in the ALCS. A win streak that only the 1970 and 1971 Baltimore Orioles, and the 2007 Colorado Rockies have done since the start of LCS play in 1969. This year’s team offensively is loaded again. There are the familiar faces: Jose Altuve, Alex Bregman, Yuli Gurriel, Yordan Alvarez, Kyle Tucker, and Martin Maldonado. But a few key moves around midseason have gotten attention. Michael Brantley is injured, why not play Yordan in left field. Martin Maldonado is inconsistent defensively, then go grab an elite defensive backstop in Christian Vazquez. Carlos Correa is gone, who cares, Jeremy Pena is becoming the next great Astro middle infielder. Chas McCormick is the weakest hitter in the lineup, forget about it, he’s a dynamo in the field. The Astros have the best offense in baseball, then add to it by getting Trey Mancini to hit towards a much shorter wall than at Camden Yards. And that’s not all. The pitching staff is still potent, and this time they are healthy. Justin Verlander is back, and even if he’s in his late 30s and coming off Tommy John, he still is an elite pitcher that shuts down anyone in his path. Cristian Javier and Framber Valdez are 2 rising stars that are getting better by the outing. (At one point they had a better ERA than Shohei Ohtani) And with Lance McCullers back as well, the Astros have a 4 headed monster in the rotation that few teams can possess. The bullpen may be considered the weakness, but you can’t take that lightly either. It is led by a revived Hector Neris, a hard throwing setup man in Ryne Stanek, a young Bryan Abreu, former Brave Will Smith, and one of the best closers in baseball in Ryan Pressly. He has not allowed an earned run in his last 18 outings. His fastball-sweeping curve combo is a dangerous thing to have. And it shows. Then there is the man that’s guiding this machine. Dusty Baker. This may be the best team that he has ever managed. Even though he has managed some legendary players over the years one thing alludes him. The Commissioner’s Trophy. He won a World Series as a player on the 1981 LA Dodgers but he has never gotten over the hump. All the Astros want right now is to bury the sins of the trashcan scandal. They want to prove that their title in 2017 was no fluke. Their 4th trip to the World Series in 6 years. The chance to become the next baseball dynasty. But a bunch of familiar faces to Dusty Baker himself will try to stop him.
Philadelphia Phillies: “This just in, the Philadelphia Phillies have fired manager Joe Girardi after a 21-29 start to the season.” The Phillies have absolutely no direction, and it’s just a waste of their fans’ money.” “They will continue to shoot themselves in the foot because they can.” Rock bottom comes in many shapes and sizes. This one came early in what was supposed to be a critical season. After a disappointing start the Phillies did what was unthinkable just 18 months earlier. They fired Joe Girardi. A man who was a respectable manager in his own right, was told to pack his bags and never come back. Considering that the pitching staff was horrible, their defense was one of the worst in baseball, and Bryce Harper had just suffered a broken wrist, a terrible season was in their sights. (DRAMATIC MUSIC) But if you were to tell me that Philly a team that has had the longest playoff drought in the National League, a team that has been the biggest underachievers in baseball over the past 3 seasons, a team with no long term identity would not only overcome a change in the dugout but make the World Series THAT SAME SEASON! I would laugh so hard and I would lose my voice. But reality has struck us. The Philadelphia Phillies. A team with massive flaws on the roster at the beginning of the season. A team that many people were skeptical about when it came to making an expanded postseason has made the World Series. And to me there is one conclusion. (MotownPhilly playing) When I did the 2012 in Baltimore series back in July, guess who was the fanbase with the most views? Philly. They were like if B-More could do this 10 years ago, so can we. (Look at the Eagles, Flyers, and possibly the 76ers as well) The roster that they have like the rest of their city is talented in its own right as well. Leading the way is perhaps the best player in all of baseball and possibly the biggest savior that the franchise hasn’t seen since Mike Schmidt. Bryce Harper. A man who was considered the scapegoat for the lack of playoff success when was in Washington. A man who had plenty of doubters to deal with everywhere he went, has now overcome all of these and has put together perhaps the best playoff run by a Phillies hitter since Lenny Dykstra in 1993. Even if he missed most of the season due to injury and is now on the other side of 30, Harper is the engine that has made this team go during this run that they are on. Even if he is the center of attention, that lineup is deadly. There’s JT Realmuto, one of the most complete catchers that baseball has seen in quite some time. Not many players at that position are considered 5 tool talents, but Realmuto is certainly one of them. Rhys Hoskins a lifelong Phillie getting his chance at a title. He was the last player on their tank teams in 2016 and 2017, but after a rough 2021, he has regained the stroke that made him one of the best power hitters in the game. This year, Philly made 2 major splashes in the outfield to bolster their deadly lineup. Kyle Schwarber, and Nick Castellanos. (By the way 2 former Cubs, its hard to see them go but they deserve a chance at another title) Schwarber, a former champion with the 2016 Cubs, is in his prime and has been enjoying a dominant postseason at the plate. Castellanos may not be as elite as he was with the Reds, and Tigers but he still is a guy you can’t sleep on. Rounding out the offense are youngsters Alec Bohm, Bryson Stott, the usually consistent Jean Segura, and an underrated midseason pickup in Brandon Marsh who has been clutch all postseason. The pitching staff, especially the top of the rotation has been excellent over the course of this run. Zach Wheeler, and Aaron Nola combine for a 1-2 punch that can not only throw heat, but confuse hitters with their offspeed stuff. Ranger Suarez isn’t too far behind, but with the way they are using him as a swiss army knife it certainly helps. Even though he may not be what he was a few years ago, you still can’t take Noah Syndergaard for granted either. Because he can shut you down like he did to the Braves. The bullpen for many years was the weakness for the Phils. But this time it’s gotten better. It all started when they moved #3 starter Zach Eflin into the closer role. Since then he has taken the job and run with it. Although you can’t sleep on the revival of David Robertson, Brad Hand, Seranthony Dominguez, Connor Brogdon, plus the occasional appearance from Suarez. This year has been a revelation for Rob Thompson. (I just realized it’s not the Giants 2nd baseman Rob Thompson from the late 1980s) His claim to fame was that he was the Director of Player Development for the Yankees during the Joe Torre years and was their bench coach during their 2009 championship season. (While Girardi was the manager) A baseball lifer that has finally been given the chance to win a title as a manager while living the American Dream. Another figure that needs some praise is GM Dave Dombrowski. This man can be described as a true winner in every sense of the word. No matter where he goes he finds a way. Look at the teams he built that went to the World Series. The 1997 and 2003 Marlins, the 2006 and 2012 Tigers, and the 2018 Red Sox. This is the 4th different franchise that has gone to the World Series under his direction. We also need to take another thing into consideration. Guess how the Phillies season started? On Opening Day the Phillie Phanatic came onto the field via parachute from an airplane hovering over Citizens Bank Park. Why is that so significant? Because when was the last time he did this? 1993. That year they were picked to finish in the basement of the NL East and made it all the way to the World Series. (In a division that included the expansion Marlins) This team is very similar to that wild bunch from 93 that delighted fans at Veterans Stadium. And like that team they had to get past the Braves in order to make it to the Fall Classic. And then they dismantled San Diego and gave that fanbase karma. Not to mention this regime needed the right hand to get them over the hump like the previous one did in 2008. PAUSE.
The storylines in this series are very underrated. There are plenty of similarities to the 1993 Fall Classic. Not only because the Phillies are in it but because of circumstances. (That series was dubbed the briefcase Blue Jays vs the tough guy Phillies) The Astros like the Blue Jays before them are trotting out an All Star caliber roster that has been contenders for a long time. Philly is the massive underdogs with crazy personalities and a fanbase that is ready to celebrate. This series will feature revenge matches. Dave Dombrowski was the GM of the Red Sox team that beat Houston back in 2018 and copied the Astros formula to do so. He’s now with the Phils. Bryce Harper is going against his old manager Dusty Baker and now matter who wins, one of them is getting their first ring. (Although Dusty as I mentioned earlier has a ring with the 81 Dodgers) Hector Neris, the man responsible for the Phillies bullpen woes, is now in Houston and has returned to 2018 form. As for Baker himself, he is facing an identical situation to the 2003 NLCS, facing an interim manager, with a Cinderella Story, and having Dombrowski as the opposing GM. Hopefully for his sake there is no Steve Bartman play, error filled inning, or horrible starting pitching to hold him back. And Houston doesn’t want to be victimized by another massive upset in the World Series, and they want the demons of 2017 to be gone. And finally they may be in different leagues right now but this is a rematch. The 1980 NLCS. Probably the greatest best of 5 series in baseball history. That year the Phillies, led by Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, Pete Rose, and Tug McGraw went up against Nolan Ryan, Joe Morgan, JR Richard and a rising Astros team. 4 of the 5 games went into extra innings including Games 2-5. The last 2 went in the favor of the Phillies thanks to late inning comebacks against Richard, Ryan, and the Houston bullpen inside the Astrodome. Philly would not only win that best of 5 NLCS but then beat Kansas City in 6 games to win their first ever championship. Its Macho Row 2.0 vs the Rejuvenated Astro Machine. Either way one of these teams and several former Nationals will be walking out of this with a ring. TIME FOR SOME PICKS!
Prediction: There is no way the Astros want to lose a 3rd World Series while being heavily favored. The difference in this matchup is that who has the most momentum. The Phillies have been white hot since their Game 1 comeback in St Louis. But Houston has not lost a game in over a month and dominated both opponents despite the Mariners pushing them to the limit in Games 1-2 of the ALDS. Not to mention the Astros rotation is in better shape than it was a year ago. With that being said I’m going to take Houston in 6 like I did last year. Although this time I’m more confident in this selection due to a healthy Verlander, and McCullers. Please don’t tell me I have to jump on the Philly sports bandwagon. And it won’t be with the Phillies it’ll be with all of them! I do live 45 minutes up the road from Philadelphia alright.
Bragging Rights Sports 