Baseball Update
There have been 24 best of three baseball entities, twenty the bloated 12/8, now through five seasons (2022-2026), and four all N.L. , with the pennant on the line, two beyond glorious and exciting those in ’51 and ’62 and the other two in ’46 and ’59, with the latter’s game 2 a virtually forgotten classic game, and the game 1 winner has won 23 of those 24.
Only the 2025 Yankees, who this season 9’d in both home game, to eliminate the Red Sox for a 6th time ( I count ’49 as it was one game for the pennant and ’78 when it was an unscheduled one game ‘off for the “div’—Boston finally “returned the favor,” doing so down (3-0) in a best of 7 ALCS in 2004 and again in a “div” series in title winning 2018 and a one game 10/8 in 2021) lost game 1 and won a best of three baseball entity.
Elsewhere, only Atlanta/Philadelphia, “Atl” won and now will face L.A., went to a decisive third tilt. 14 of the 20 and all-time 16 of 24, were 2 game sweeps.
Both San Diego, though last year a (2-1) loser in an all Wrigley Field 12/8 with the Cubs and Chicago White Sox, (for so long the “other” “Chi” team (Doug is in the “Windy City” this weekend), continued streaks in dispatching the aforementioned Cubs and Astros.
Each won (2-0), the Padres now (5-0) all-time in home ‘offs tilts vs the Cubs (they came home down 0-2 in the last best of 5 LCS period as eventual champion Detroit had completed a somewhat tough 3 game sweep of the K.C. Royals 2 days earlier in the last A.L. such, and won all 3 stretching the Cubs pennant drought to 39 years, having last won one in ’45. Both the pennant drought at 71 years and the title drought at 108 years ended when the Cubs titled in 2016) while the Chi Sox, (they won their last 8 ‘offs tilts consecutively, starting with a home #2 win in the ALCS after then Illinois Senator B.H. Obama threw out the ceremonial first pitch) swept the then N.L. Astros in 4 straight games in the 2005 World Series to end an 88 year title drought a year after the Red Sox ended one 86 years in duration), made it (6-0) vs Houston in post-season, winning their first ‘offs entity since that ’05 World Series triumph.
Next in the 4 “div” series “best record in baseball,” Milwaukee, a 1969 A.L. expansion team as the Seattle Pilots, faces the San Diego Padres, a ’69 N.L. expansion team. Neither has ever won a baseball crown/World Series.
A.L. top seed, but slight series underdog vs the Yankees, who have won 27 but none since ’09–for them a long time, Tampa Bay (Rays) also have nary a title in their previous 28 seasons (’98-2025).
Elsewhere as stated above, two time defending champion L.A. Dodgers face the Braves while the Guardians nee Indians, meet the White Sox.
Higher seeds, the Rays, Guardians, Brewers and Dodgers have home advantage in the upcoming best of 5 entities, with all 4 series commencing (weather permitting) tomorrow.
Pictured above with a Cleveland cap, is Al Lopez.
Thoughts turn to Mr. Lopez, the Senor, as only twice were the vaunted Yankees denied the A.L. flag from ’49-’64 and Lopez first with the 111 wins Indians in ’54 and then with the ’59 White Sox(The “Go Go Sox” with among others, Luis Aparichio and Nelson Fox) was the pennant winning manager.
Now as they battled, not head to head and after announcements concerning the year before, for World Series entry 106 years ago, it is “Cleve” (the Browns are (3-1) vs “Chi” in a baseball “quarter,” the first post-season clash between the two franchises.
