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The Spectacle Blog
It was not until after I arrived in New York on Friday night by way of bus that I learned the Yankees had beat the Orioles 3-1 in Game 5 of the ALDS to advance to the ALCS against the Detroit Tigers. The ALCS commences tomorrow night here in NYC.
I would have much preferred to see the O’s & the A’s. After all, the Tigers and Yankees have faced each other in the ALDS in 2006 and 2011. Since 1995, the Yankees have been in the post-season every year (save for 2008). So there was no palpable excitement in the streets. The same could not be said for Baltimore or for that matter Oakland. But, oh well, c’est la vie.
When I arrived at my Dad’s place, the Nationals had just scored an insurance run on a Kurt Suzuki single to give them a 7-5 lead in the bottom of the eighth. The Nats were three outs away from going to the NLCS. But I had a feeling they weren’t going to get them and did not hesitate to tell my Dad.
The feeling intensified when Nats closer Drew Storen loaded the bases by issuing back to back walks to Yadier Molina and David Freese. The Nats were still one out away. But Daniel Descalso hit a rocket off Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond’s glove which tied the game at 7-7. Pete Kozma then hit a two run single to give the Cards a 9-7 lead and proved to be the difference. The Cards will host the San Francisco Giants in Game 1 of the NLCS on Sunday night. It is the third time they’ve faced each other in the NLCS. They did so in 1987 and in 2002. The Cards won in ‘87 and the Giants won in ‘02.
I did not realize that the Nats had a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning. A lot of teams would have packed it in psychologically but the Cards really seem to thrive when dance on the precipice.
The Nats fans reminded me of Red Sox fans circa 2003 or 1986. Only this time Davey Johnson was on the wrong end of the stick.
They also reminded me (and my Dad) of Montreal Expos fans after Rick Monday homered for the Dodgers in Game 5 of the NLCS off Steve Rogers in relief.
I am sure some Nats fans will say things might have been different if Stephen Strasburg had been allowed to pitch. But he couldn’t have stopped Storen from not being able to close the deal.
I think the Yankees will beat the Tigers in six while the Cardinals will best the Giants in seven. So that would mean the Yankees and Cardinals would face off in the World Series for the first time since 1964.
The Yankees and Giants haven’t been in the Fall Classic in fifty years. That was the World Series where Willie McCovey lined out to Bobby Richardson for the final out in Game 7 at Candlestick Park.
The Tigers and Cardinals last faced each other in 2006 and previously faced each other in 1934 and 1968. Amazingly, the Tigers and Giants have never faced each other in a World Series.
Three of the four teams in the LCS have won the World Series in the past three seasons - the Yankees in ‘09, the Giants in ‘10 and the Cardinals in ‘11. The Tigers last won it all in 1984.
I have a funny feeling the Cardinals are going to repeat. After doing what they did tonight, I can’t see any team getting past them.
View all comments (12) | Leave a comment
More Blog Posts by Aaron Goldstein
http://spectator.org/blog/2012/10/13/yankees-reach-alcs-cards-break
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JohnD| 10.13.12 @ 9:16AM
The real losers are the fans. Basltimore and Washington had excited crowds hanging on every pitch, and Camden Yards was the loudest baseball crowd anyone has ever heard, according to the announcers (just like we are next door at M&T Bank Stadium). There was an exciting atmosphere in both parks that made for great baseball.
Now, we have the entitled fans of NY, Detroit, St. Louis, and SF, watching their team in yet another (ho hum, yawn) post season just like the last decade. We can watch them sit silently watching yet another post season appearance of their team, something they are entitled to after all.
Baseball season is over. The Post season is just another repeat of last year, and the year before that, and the year before that, and he year before that, and so on. Expect half empty stadiums like in Atlanta a few years back after 15 straight post season appearances. There is no novelty in the MLB post season anymore, just a repeat of the last decade or so, same teams, same bored fans, nothing new to see.
JP| 10.13.12 @ 8:29PM
Not even the players get as excited about the World Series as they do the signing of the Big Contract.
There are 2 seasons in MLB. The regular season and NFL season. The MLB Post-Season goes on too long, features too many teams, and ends when the NLF season is just getting interesting. Of course, this could be remedied by adding more double headers in the regular season, reverting back to the 2 division leagues, and getting rid of the Wild Card.But Bud Selig and the owners will never do that. My thinking is they will not be happy until they play the World Series in January.
Indy| 10.13.12 @ 8:39PM
Entitled Fans? Sorry, those teams had to win to make the playoffs. St. Louis fought back from being down 0-6, the Nationals blew it. Baltimore had a great season, I was glad to see them make the playoffs but in the end, the games were played and they lost.
JohnD| 10.13.12 @ 9:20AM
I sould have just said that now the MLB post season is just like the last 15 MLB postseasons, only more so. We are shuffling the same deck of cards again that we have had for the last 15 years. Same teams same players, same fans for whom this is no novelty or accomplishment, just another typical October.
Thank God for the NFL that lets all teams compete.
Sjccoach| 10.13.12 @ 9:20AM
The Nationals lost a very winnable game because Mike Matheny outmanaged Davey Johnson. Gonzalez and Storen were left in the game too long while too many arms were left unused in the bullpen. The only one who hiccuped tonight, to quote Davey Johnson, was Davey Johnson.
JohnD| 10.13.12 @ 10:06AM
Well, bottom line, its 4 teams who have won World Series in the last 5-10 years, so there is no novelty, no excitement, no cinderella story, nothing new.
I'm done watching, as I have seen this story before with the same teams, same matchups, and whoever wins it will just be yet another WS championship to go with all the others already won. Boring and stale. When is kickoff.
Paul Zummo | 10.14.12 @ 9:42PM
Yeah, if only it could be as fresh and exciting as the NFL, where there are fresh faces like the Giants, Patriots, Steelers and Packers winning.
Bob S| 10.13.12 @ 11:54AM
I think that's what I was trying to get at in the other post. Tigers-Yankees? Been there, done that. Orioles-Athletics? Now there's a series I want to see.
I also really would've liked to see the Nationals advance. As it is now, the championship series are boring. There's no one I want to root for. Are we gonna see the Cardinals in the World Series AGAIN? Are we gonna see the Yankees in the World Series AGAIN? It's boring.
rightasrain| 10.13.12 @ 2:08PM
Not if you're a Yankees fan.
Indy| 10.13.12 @ 8:40PM
Yes indeed.
JP| 10.13.12 @ 8:24PM
At least the Cards are making the Nats miserable and not the Cubs.
Paraphrasing Professor Doofenschmirtz, "Curse you, St Louis Cardinals"
PCPSmokerII| 10.14.12 @ 3:06PM
I'm a Reds fan, but after seeing the Cards destroy the Nationals, I can only see cardinal red all over the World Series trophy.