Looking for the positives of a showdown that should rightfully star the Chicago team we hate and the Chicago team we really hate:
At least the Red Sox didn’t make it. There is no talk anymore of “new dynasty” or “Red Sox magic” or whatever the folks out east were ready to invent to explain why a veritable American League All-Star team would run over everyone else en route to another title; this alone makes this series watchable.
The White Sox are somehow the best Chicago baseball team of 2008. You want to know how much regular season records mean? Ask the 100-win Angels. So what are we left with? Head-to-head matchups, where the Sox and Cubs split the season, and postseason success. Not only did the Sox actually win a game, they did it against the eventual pennant winner, and there’s probably some kind of begrudging dignity in losing to a champion or something. However, with the Phillies’ mauling of the Dodgers, the Cubs’ initial destroyers stayed around for all of eight games making the Small Bears, officially, the worst team in the playoff pool. Awesome.
The Phils, they’re just like us. Perpetual loser of a franchise. Tough city. Angry, devoted, often stupid but always intense fans. Tampa Bay is a feel-good story, and probably the better team, but all that aside you know who to root for.
Prediction: Philles in six.
3 Comments
Are you crazy? The Rays are the superior team and also beat tougher teams to get there. Tampa wins in 5 games at the most.
Not looking like a good prediction so far Bob. I think Rays in 7. But I’m getting worried after they went 0-11 with RISP in game one. That hadn’t happened to them once this post season so far. Hopefully it won’t happen again.
Just to clarify: I agree the Rays are actually the better team. But I like the Phillies, mostly for non-baseball reasons. Forget the underdog, I’m pulling for the loser.