There are reasons for me not to like either one of these teams. My friends from Philly are annoying to watch sports with. Tampa’s stadium was built on the premise of stealing the Mariners. Tampa’s stadium is lame and their mascot is idiotic. Ryan Howard was a major player in screwing up my fantasy team and he might win an MVP award that he absolutely does not deserve. The Phillies eliminated the Brewers. I could go on, but I guess I have to make a choice. It’s the World Series, ya know? I’m a Mariners fan and somehow became a Brewers fan, but most all I’m a baseball fan. I have to watch it. It’s important, it’s not the Olympics. Despite the fact that I really like Chase Utley and the fact that my friends like the Phillies, I am going to be rooting for the Rays.
It’s simple really. This is a dream season for them. Their like the 1995 Mariners. They brought down the Yankees and the Red Sox and they didn’t do it by outspending, they did it the right way. Years of good drafting and development has led them here. It’s “Moneyball” all over again, but it’s not Billy Beane. It’s not one man, it’s a strategy and belief system that Tampa Bay proves works. I want them to win because they did it RIGHT. It’s the same reason I fell for the Brewers (well, that and Miller Park). I want Tampa Bay to win so that the Mariners copy them. I want them to win so that they don’t bring back Pat Gillick. I want them to win because BJ Upton is awesome. Go Rays.
CORRECTION: Tropicana Field was built with the intention of stealing the White Sox, not the Mariners. They tried to steal the Mariners later. My bad.
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