A Look at Baseball Postseason Play by Roman Gregroi The Playoffs are here and Major League Baseball has never been more exciting. Even when Roberto Clemente smashed a tall one off Babe Ruth in the final game of the 1950 World Series, the element of surprise has never played this big a role in who is going to win. Start out with two teams who shouldn't even BE in the playoffs (the Denver Dominoes and the Vancouver Condo Committee), add a couple of unforeseen injuries that have sidetracked two legends (Grant 'Jicama' Jimenez of the San Diego Padawan Learners, out with a busted hand; Jake Jerrold of the Hawaii Hey Theres, still out with a bad hangover), and you have the perfect recipe for October Soup!
It's amazing to think that one of the favorites to win this year wasn't even a major league team last time around, but since the Bad News Bears were finally incorporated into the league, ticket sales and heart-pounding baseball action have both been through the roof. How can anyone resist when every game is advertised as "The Bad News Bears Go to St. Louis," "The Bad News Bears Go to Seattle," etc? Not to mention that they have a star in pitcher Jose "Bad Burrito" Torta, whose staggering .001 ERA this year is leaving everyone scraching their heads.
Future Hall of Famer Ollie Toes couldn't be having a more dreamlike final season to his career. After announcing his retirement, his team (the Oakland Oakland Public Libraries) went on a tremendous winning streak that left them champions of the American League Northwest Division. Now if they can stand up to the fierceness of the Minnesota (formerly the Minnesota Twins) and brute slugger Percival P. Pfiffy IV (on track to beat Hank Aaron's all-time home run record in only his first season), they might well have a shot.
So when all the dust settles, look for this race to be anyone's game. You're bound to see some bouncing balls flying over the wall as the plate-slidin' heroes get their chance to shine. It is only fitting that in this anniversary year, the World Series is dedicated to the professional baseball players who died aboard Flight 93. This was ATA Flight 93; it had nothing to do with the World Trade Center. Most of the players died of food poisoning (though two were murdered). |