An ’80 NLCS Redux, (Phils/Astros) In The 2022 World Series

It will be a redux of the classic 1980 NLCS, won by the Phillies en route to the first of their 2 titles, as the 2022 World Series matches the Philadelphia Phillies and Houston Astros.

Both teams clinched their LCS yesterday with comeback wins, NLCS MVP Bryce Harper’s none out 2RHR B8, lifting the Phils, now (6-4) in NLCS after losing their first 3 (’76-’78), (4-3) vs the San Diego Padres and ALCS MVP Jeremy Pena, whose 18th inning HR lifted Houston (1-0) to wrap Seattle in the “div” round, hitting an early game tying 3RHR in a (6-5) win at the Yankees.

Houston is (7-0) this post-season and (4-0) in ‘offs entities vs the Yankees (a 5/4 game in ’15 and LCS wins in ’17,’19 and ’22) after a 4 game sweep in the just completed ALCS.

Philly has won 9 of 11 (those #’s-the win yesterday yielded it), this post-season, as they handed San Diego their first NLCS loss (2-1). The game 4 winner in a Phils’ LCS is (9-0) (Cincy which had the title with the 7-0 mark Houston now has, swept the Phils in a best of 5 NLCS in ’76) and is (6-1) in previous Phils’ World Series.

The Phils are (2-5) in previous World Series, losing in 5 to Boston in 1915, in 4 to the Yankees in 1950, in 5 to the Orioles in 1983, and in 6 to the ’93 Blue Jays and ’09 Yankees, the ’93 World Series ending on Joe Carter’s 3RHR that transformed a 1 run Philly lead into a 2 run, repeat title victory for the Toronto Blue Jays. They beat the Royals in ’80. K.C. had not won a title at that point and it was the last World Series that matched 2 teams that had not won a crown.

Adding to it, (notes have been limited but now that it is over the air World Series, they will abound here), they beat, the still nary a title Rays in ’08.

The Red Sox had 3 titles after beating Philly in 1915. They won again in 1916 and 1918, went 86 years without another, however, have won 4 after that. The “3” year title winning Orioles (same calendar ’83) and ’93 (last non Yankees team to repeat as W,S. champions) Blue Jays have not titled since.

Then there are the Yankees. They will have the most titles long after I do not know what, however have won just one pennant in 19 seasons (2004-2022) matching the just one pennant before their glory in 19 seasons from (1903-1921). They won the pennant in ’21, there was no World Series in 1904 but as the Highlanders they lost the pennant, I believe on the season’s last day and have not won a World Series since 2009.

Jeremy Pena, the 2022 ALCS MVP, pictured above.