I had a good question for the Tap Room today. Really good, if I can pat myself on the back a little. And then the Washington Nationals had to go and ruin it by losing in the NLDS.
So I have to scrap my query as to whether Orioles fans were more inclined to root for the geographical rival Nationals or the division rival Toronto Blue Jays if the two met in the 2016 World Series.
That possibility can’t happen now.
So let’s update out predictions. I had the Texas Rangers beating the Chicago Cubs in seven. But now that the Blue Jays have ousted the Rangers, I need another do-over.
I’m going with the Cubs beating the Cleveland Indians in six games.
I know everyone is picking the Blue Jays to get to the World Series now that they appear to have gotten hot at the right time. But I’m not buying it.
Like the Orioles, I think the Jays are a flawed club that relies on the longball too much. I’m not sold on their starting pitching or bullpen in close playoff games.
And I am a big believer in Cleveland’s Andrew Miller and Corey Kluber as difference makers.
So you guys go ahead and take the Blue Jays. I have the Indians winning this series and then losing to the Cubs.
What says you?
Tap-In Question: What’s your updated World Series prediction?
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Anyone but the Blue Jays. Please god don't let it be the Blue Jays.
50% of my preseason pick remains in play. I hate it.
The other half, San Francisco, has fallen by the wayside. I don't trust Dave Roberts calling the shots in LA, not because I think he is a bad manager, just that he is the most inexperienced of the bunch and, thus, most susceptible to the ghost of Zach Britton. It's impossible not to see the specter of the Orioles reliever hovering over the hyper-aggressive bullpen decisions this October, and it's going to bite someone in their rear end eventually. My money is on Roberts. Therefore, I am adjusting my preseason pick to reflect the current climate: Toronto over Chicago in 7.
Cubs and Indians with the Cubs winning in 7
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I was hoping for the epic match-up of the Red Sox and Cubs but now I'll settle for the Indians and Cubs. Which means now that I've said it here it'll be the Jays and Dodgers.
108 years is long enough for Chi town to wait for another WS!
The problem I have with the Cubs:
The Cubs have pretty much trademarked the term lovable losers. I would like to see them win it all, but it's the way they have positioned themselves that bothers me. A truly great moment would be if they were a 2012 Orioles 'out of nowhere' type team that shocked the world. They aren't. They are a Theo Epstein built superpower throwing big money around who could feasibly win the next 2 or 3 championships. Everyone saw how unbearable the Red Sox fan base became after '04 and '07. There is no doubt that the Cubs fanbase will turn into the same pompous monster. That's why, while I suppose it would be cool to see a Cubs championship, I am loathe to get too excited about it.
Ditto .... hic .....danged fake beer gives me gas.
MR. STACHE!! You always seem to the take the words right out of my mouth ... right before you ameliorate (my word of the day) them into a thing of literary beauty. I concur with your assessment of the dynamics of what happened with the Red Sox fan base over this past 10 years.
All that said, my only remaining baseball wish for 2016 is that ANYONE besides Joey Bats and the rest of those a$$holes from the Queen City wins the world series.
Cubbies in 5, regardless of AL rep. They win all 3 in Wrigley as the DH-less pitchers feebly flail and fail.
It's really time to DH in both or not.
I kinda like the DH being divided, myself. Maybe it's because I'm old school or whatever and like the idea of the NL and AL being autonomous (even though they totally aren't) and am not a big fan of inter league play. And I disagree that it gives any league the advantage. Granted, since 1972 the American League leads the WS count 24-19, but if you factor in that 6 of those wins were by the early 70s Athletics and late 90's Yankees, 2 dynasties that each could be argued as the best team of all time, it's actually closer to a push.
Yeah, I kind of like it too. It's interesting to see how it effects strategy in the NL. Although it's also interesting how it's rare anymore NOT to have the DH in competitive baseball. High schools, colleges, and most pro leagues have it. I think the exceptions are the Central League in Japan and the NL and their AA and AAA affiliates.