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.
I don’t like the Red Sox. They have more money than my teams, they have better management, they have JD Drew and if I ever wanted to visit historic Fenway Park I would probably have to take out a loan to afford the most expensive game in the league. Plus, Bill Simmons is annoying. That being said, that was a pretty awesome comeback last night.
When Palpebon entered the game and gave up a two run double to BJ Upton, I knew it was over. It’s one thing to have a lead, it’s another for your best pitcher to be slapped around when you absolutely CANNOT afford for him to be slapped around. This wasn’t just a loss, it was a moral defeat. Their amazing closer who just wanted to play spies, suddenly looked human and it became apparent that the Rays(!) were going to the World Series. But it didn’t play out like that. Somehow, they came back. David Ortiz showed that he was still alive. Coco Crisp did something and JD Drew hit the game winner. What kind of world are we living in where people can refer to JD Drew as a hero? All of it can be attributed to the Red Sox racking up Kazmir’s pitch count to the point that he was gone after the 6th. Once you get to the bullpen, anything can happen. Nothing short of an amazing comeback and one of those times that make you remember how awesome baseball can be. The Red Sox are good. Real good.
Now that it’s guaranteed that the Tampa Rays are making the playoffs they need to figure out some things. Like who is going to throw out the first pitch in the first playoff game in franchise history. Only problem is there really isn’t anybody.
The Washington Post (via Sports By Brooks) interviewed the Rays’ shell-shocked president Matt Silverman , who amusingly relayed the team’s quandary: “MLB asked us who it’d be. We realized nobody in the history of the franchise had done anything to be worthy of the honor.”
Deadspin suggests Victor Zambrano who without they wouldn’t have gotten Scott Kazmir, but Kazmir is just one player and it’s takes a whole team to win a pennant. For the type of turnaround this team has had you really have to honor those who set it all in motion through their undying belief and sacrifices. I’m talking of course about the guy who ate the autographed taco.
I'm 29 years old, a single dad and my name is Vince. I write about my life and the things that I find interesting which covers everything from movies to TV to wrestling to writing. I'm just trying to have fun, have a good life and figure out how I can be even more awesome. Still working on that last one. You can find my baseball blog at Miller Park Drunk. I've been told it's okay.
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.
