Baseball ‘offs Notes

Some notes following opening game wins by the New York Yankees and the Dusty Baker, managed Houston Astros, as play commenced yesterday in both American League best of five, Division Series.

The Yankees are somewhat remarkably, in a “div” series for the 21st time in 26 possibilities, under the still irksome format, that began in 1995.

They now have either won the series opener or said series 19 of 21 times. (The only exceptions were vs Cleveland in ’07 and Boston in 2018).

Going into this, the Yankees’ 21st such series, they and the game 1 loser (the Yankees in ’96 and ’00 en route to titles 23 and 26 respectively and also in ’01, ’03,’04 and ’17 and their opponent the Angels and Tigers twice each as well as Seattle and Cleveland–the years being ’02, ’05 (Angels), ’06 and ’11 (Tigers) and ’95 (“Sea”) and ’97 (Cleveland)– were both (12-8) in those “div” series. The Yankees, of course now (13-8) in “div” series openers were also in a strike affected, similar series in ’81, in which they won the first 2 and all 3 at home to “5” the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Houston Astros, bidding for a 4th straight ALCS appearance (the record is 5 by their current opponent, the Oakland A’s, (’71-’75)– I add the Yankees made 4 straight ALCS (’98-’01–both the A’s and Yankees won 3 straight titles at one point during that span) and they are facing A.L. top seed, Tampa Bay (Rays) in a bid to make a third ALCS in four seasons) are managed by Dusty Baker.

The number twenty is also applicable in Mr. Baker’s “previous,” as he managed (12) or played in (8) post-season series, in which at one point or sometimes twice, his team played as many as 2 straight road games.

In 15 of those series, 7 of 8 as a player, one team or another won 2 straight in “Baker road games.”

Surely, ” ” apply, but Baker’s Astros are considered the road team in games 1 and 2, being played at Dodger Stadium, the home of the top ranked Dodgers, in this weird baseball ‘offs “season.”