I Love This Game

After the Billy Goat reared his ugly head and the 2008 Brewers died of complications from Happy to Be Here Syndrome (May they rest in peace), baseball fans were captivated with the prospect of the Dodgers meeting up with the Red Sox in the World Series...Joe Torre and Manny Ramirez vs the city of Boston? That's the kind of drama that fans (and network heads) salivate over. I was excited too, talking about the prospect of the Boston brass essentially paying baseball's own Rainman to defeat them in World Series. Joe Torre exacting his revenge on the long-hated Sox (all the while thumbing his nose at the Steinbrenner boys who more or less forced him out the door) would be the feel good story of the year. Plus, what kind of garbage would Red Sox Nation pelt Manny with upon his return to Fenway? It was too juicy NOT to talk about.

But the Philadelphia Phillies had different plans, taking the first two games of the NLCS. Meanwhile, over in Tampa Bay, the Rays continued to urinate on conventional baseball logic, winning Game 2 despite a seemingly demoralizing loss in Game 1. Suddenly everything was turned upside down...Would we ACTUALLY see the Stocker for Abreu (trademarked by Joe Giglio) World Series? But aha! Los Doyers took Game 3 and Jon Lester was prepared to take the mound for the Red Sox at Fenway. It seemed we were back on our way to the high drama we so desperately craved.

But today was a day that no one could have predicted. First, the Rays took the urinating to a new level with their undressing of the Red Sox in front of the Fenway Faithful. They apparently never got the memo that Jon Lester was unhittable and knocked him all around the ballpark, en route to shocking 9-1 victory that no one saw coming. If nothing else, the Rays gave regained home field advantage and spit in the eye of the Green Monster.

Then, as Red Sox Nation was collectively picking their jaws up off the floor, baseball's eyes turned to The City of Angels for a crucial Game 4. The game did not disappoint. Both teams fought incredibly hard. However, it began to look more and more like the Dodgers were going to pull the rabbit out of their hats and change the entire makeup of the series...Until Shane Victorino and journeyman Matt Stairs sent the city of LA and Fox Network exectutives into a deep depression with their 8th inning homeruns. One (admittedly shaky) Brad Lidge save later, the Philadelphia Phillies were one win away from their first World Series since The Joe Carter Incident of '93.

Is the dream of Red Sox/Dodgers over? Absolutley not, you need to win 4 games to win the pennant, something neither the Phillies nor the Rays have done yet. If that does indeed happen, will the television ratings be consideribly lower? You bet...But so be it. The Artists Formerly Known as the Devil Rays and the Phillies would match up pretty damn well. The haven't met this season, so there'd be some intrigue. From a purely baseball point of view, it'd be great.

And as for you people who like some drama sauce on top of your baseball sundae? Look no further than the image of a 40 year old man, wearing his 11th different uniform, leaning against a dugout rail, trying to blink away the tears that come from making the jump from being a way past your prime journeyman to being a hero to a city desperate for one with one swing of your bat.


I love this game, ladies and gentlemen.