When the playoffs start I generally break teams down into 4 groups. The team(s) I'm rooting for, the teams I wouldn't mind seeing win, the teams I just don't care about, and the teams I don't want to win. Because I'm a hooker with a baseball of gold, few teams fall into the last two categories. I can usually find some reason to be interested in a team and there aren't many dislikable teams in baseball (at least to me). In this year's playoffs almost any combination would have been an ok world series to me, but one of the few (two?) that wouldn't is the one we got. Nice.
I don't care about the Rangers. In theory I should be able to get behind Josh Hamilton, since he appeared in the small Christmas parade that goes right in front of my house before he had his breakout year, but I just can't get up any sort of emotion. I'm not interested in seeing any of their pitchers. There isn't a batter on the team who's at bats are can't miss. They don't compel. Watching the Rangers for me is watching baseball because I want to watch baseball. That's not a bad thing but you hope for something more out of the World Series than "last chance to watch baseball".
Of course that's better than the Cardinals, who were the only team that made the playoffs that would bother me if they won it all. Most of that is because of LaRussa. The guy is an insufferable pain who thinks he's 10 times smarter than everyone. You can't watch him without wanting to punch him in the face. He's the Bill Maher of major league managers. Plus I'm not over the 2006 WS winning team. Those guys represent everything that's wrong with the playoff system. You want to try to find the best team in the league not a mediocre squad that sneaks into the playoffs, gets hot at the right time, and ends up champion because the team they are facing keeps tripping over its own two feet. They even got David Eckstein an MVP! David Eckstein! For being the 4th best hitter on his team during the series and having a misplayed fly ball end up being his "big hit". Forget Maris and Bonds, this team should have an asterisk. At least let enough time pass so I can forget what an abomination that series was before putting yourself back in line to win another championship. (on the plus side - I can get behind Berkman winning a ring and Pujols is appt watching)
Any way so there you go. Go Rangers, I guess.
I happen to like Bill Maher and La Russa is the smartest man to manage the Cards next to the "White Rat." Too bad Atlanta did a poor imitation of the Red Sox and the Philthies got old during five games (actually that was GOOD!!). Texas will be favored because of better starting pitching but if it goes the bullpens, watch out. The Cards have a NATS like pen.
ReplyDeleteThe guy is an insufferable pain who thinks he's 10 times smarter than everyone. You can't watch him without wanting to punch him in the face.
ReplyDeleteyes, Yes, YES!!!
Also kind of agree on the Rangers. It feels like I should like them, but I can't really get any enthusiasm for watching them.
Sec 204 - I kind of think the Rangers starters could be overpraised heading into this. The Rays were a bad offensive team and the Tigers were gimped coming into the ALCS. Meanwhile the Cardinals outslugged the Brewers and outpitched the Phillies. Unlike 2006, the 2011 Cardinals are a good team and could easily win it.
ReplyDeleteWally - of course LaRussa feels the same way about me I'm sure. Look at my face! It's totally punchable!
I hope the Rangers win as well - simply because they haven't. There are some 30+ year fans there still waiting for their first title. 2040 Nats!
Hey, hey...what's all this punching in the face talk! I guess I never really thought about La Russa like that...but a 'Punch Off' between Harper and La Russa? Now that is worth watching! Regardless, I am glad to see McGwire back in baseball, and from the sound of it, the players seem to be benefiting as well.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, every time I see Ron Washington, I think of the white powder on the upper lip, crack-head character on the Dave Chappelle show all scratching his neck and drinking out of a paper bag.
However, if La Russa does win, doesn't that prove he might actually be smarter?
ReplyDeleteFroggy - I'm all for a punch-off. Great idea. I use Juicy Juice and Canada Dry. Beat that TLR!
ReplyDeletebrendan - nah. he's just even. if you rate simply by playoff success he underachieved in 88, 90, and 05. he over acheived in 06 and 11. All in all it's a pretty balanced playoff record.
Agreed. I don't want the Cardinals to win because LaRussa and that whole stupid squirrel thing. Plus they won very recently, and it's no fun when that happens. That should put me in favor of the Rangers, but I hate pulling for the American League over the National League.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty much in "last chance to watch baseball" territory.
Also, OT, and maybe somebody has written something on this somewhere else, but I'm sick of the weird obsession with bushy-bearded relievers. How did that become a thing?