So it'll be the Phillies against the Astros in the Fall Classic, and only one is supposed to be there. Which means the casual observer is sort of obligated to root for the Phillies, because the Astros are like reruns of "The Big Bang Theory": You've seen 'em all a million times, and the Sheldon territorial couch bits are getting stale.
See, this will be the fourth World Series in the last six years for the 'Stros, and how boring is that if you're not a deathless Astros fan? You've got your Altuve and your Bregman and your Yordan Alvarez and your requisite New Kid, Jose Pena, and then there's that whole cheating thing, which everyone says the Astros aren't into anymore.
Yeah, well ... maybe. Or so the cynics (the Blob, raising its hand) will always say.
Logic says the Astros should win this, because they won 106 games during the regular season and they've got all these guys who've been to the World Series so often it's like going to the 7-Eleven for a gallon of milk. Plus, they've got better pitching than the Phils. Which means you can see the Philly bats that have been sending baseballs on transatlantic flights in the playoffs falling silent.
Yeah, well ... maybe.
Me, I think the Phillies are just new enough to all this they'll keep mashing, oblivious to the fact it's not an August series with the Cubs. Hey, they finished third in their division, and now they're in the World Series. It's all gravy now, and has been for awhile.
So raise a glass to Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins and Kyle Schwarber and all the rest of 'em. May their bats be mighty and their balls, um, plentiful. And thanks to the Astros for sweeping the Yankees, which is always an enjoyable part of October baseball.
But that's where our gratitude ends, 'Stros. Sorry.
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