World Serious

After a couple of questionable coaching decisions, there were a lot of people who were sleepless in Seattle after Monday night’s game seven in the AL championship series. The Mariners looked like they were going to get in their first World Series ever after winning the first two games in Toronto, but then lost 4 out of the next 5 to send the Toronto Blue Jays to their first fall classic in 32 years. When George Springer hit a 3 run bomb in the 7th inning and sprung around the bases (pun intended) you couldn’t help but think of Joe Carter, who hit the game winning home run for Toronto over the Phillies in the 1993 series.

This will be the first World Series played by teams representing foreign countries - Canada and Los Angeles. There were many noteworthy plays leading up to this matchup, but my favorite was Max Muncy’s 409 foot almost grand slam that wound up as a double play “groundout”. I can’t really do justice describing it, but if you haven’t seen it, look it up. You’ve never seen anything quite like it.

The best pre-game feature for me was an interview with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. They showed several pictures of Junior as he grew up watching his Hall Of Fame Father. He said all he ever wanted to do in life was be like his Dad. If you love family and baseball, you might have gotten a little emotional hearing Jr talk about his love and respect for Sr. Vladdy stated that his biggest goal in baseball is to win a World Series ring and give it to his Dad. I hope he gets a chance.

I believe there are millions of others who will also be pulling for Toronto. After all, you have all of Canada and at least half of the people in the United States who want the Blue Jays to win, or more accurately, want to see the Dodgers lose. Not since George Steinbrenner controlled the Evil Empire known as the New York Yankees has there been a team as polarizing as the current Los Angeles Dodgers. They are now the team that you either love or hate. Their payroll is “only” around 350 million, but remember Ohtani’s contract is largely deferred. He will have to get by on a paltry 2 million a year for the next 10 years. After that, he will receive 68 million a year for the following 10 years. Of course he can supplement his salary with endorsements, so he should be able to get by. This structure allows the Dodgers to postpone a sizable portion of their luxury tax and pay higher salaries to other players. Even with this shrewd strategy their projected payroll taxes are estimated at 200 million, more than the total payrolls of 18 other major league teams.

Los Angeles has superior pitching depth. They certainly should. Their top 4 starters earn from 28.2 to 55 million, leaving this year’s prize signee Roki Sasaki in the bullpen with future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw. Speaking of projected HOF members, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman are in the lineup with Ohtani, not to mention solid players like Will Smith, Max Muncy , and Teoscar Hernandez. Stacked.

It would be a huge upset if LA loses this matchup, but there is a reason that they actually play the games. Sometimes the favorite loses! Maybe Springer has some more magic in his bat, and Guerrero continues his phenomenal hitting, and Alexander Kirk comes up big. Or role players like Daulton Varsho, Nathan Lukes, Ernie Clement and Addison Barger become unexpected series heroes.

So what do you think? I believe that the Dodgers will win in 5 games. But I really want to be wrong!

That’s one man’s opinion - what’s yours?