Saturday, October 25, 2008

I hate to say it, but this world series sucks

Tonight the Phillies and Rays, tied at 1-1, will battle for advantage in the world series. The problem, nobody cares. I can name off the top of my head the last 60 world champions, but even I have found myself in and out of this series.
The games have been close, but not too exciting. There are no great storylines or contraversey. There is no ill-will or bad blood. Its a battle between an expansion team, whos crowd looks like a bunch of homeless people grabbed off the street and given Rays jerseys so it looks good on TV and a team who has about six fans outside of the city of Philidelphia.
Why is it that the AL and NL championships series' have been way better than the world series for the last five seasons.
2004, Red Sox legendary comeback against the Yankees from down 3-0 and in the NL, Jim Edmonds game winning home run in game 7 to send the cards to the series. Pure baseball magic. Then we get to the series, the Cardinals don't show up and its a 4-0 sweep....BORING.
2005- Astros shock the Cardinals, despite Albert Pujols ruining Brad Lidge's Astro career with a game winning blast that likely landed in the Pacific Ocean. The world series? Another sweep. UGH.
2006- Carlos Beltran freezes on a 3-2 curveball with the winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth in game 7. Catcher Yadier Molina hit the game winning home run. A gripping series. World series? Tigers pitchers fail to be able to throw to first base and Cards win easy. Lowest rated series in history...until 07
2007- Another magical Red Sox comeback. Down 3-1 to the Indians, they claw back, inspired by a JD Drew grand slam and beat Sabathia and Carmona to win 4-3 in 7. World series? ANOTHER FLOP. 4-0, Rockies never show up and things get pathetic.

My only hope is that Phils-Rays goes 7 and either Carlos Pena or Jimmy Rollins hits a series-winning walk off home run in a 17-16 game that includes 12 home runs, 8 stolen bases, 5 hit-by-pitches, two brawls and a bat boy getting trapped under the field tarp, only to be saved by Lassie. Maybe that make the 2008 world series worth watching.