So many years ago (38), that sadly, it did matter, then a bit earlier in September, as is the case this weekend, the New York Yankees journeyed to Boston, trailing the Red Sox in the A.L. East standings.
As is the case this year, games were played on Thursday and Friday nights and Saturday afternoon. Then the Sunday game was in the day as it should be, now in typical, boring fashion, it is on Sunday night.
In 1978, the Yankees ripped the Red Sox in all four games, to pull even in the A.L. East standings. There was no wild card presence.
The Yankees went on to win it all, but not before winning a game that can never take place again, a one game playoff for the right to move on winning an entity, sans the bogus “safety net” of a wild card presence.
So far in three games, the Red Sox, now likely one eighth A.L. East winners, have severely damaged what were already unlikely Yankees’ playoff aspirations, winning the first three games.
This year’s problem is not that I do not care, but the reasons why.
One is the presence of monolith, ESPN, a year away from its little noted birth birth, when the Yankees won in 1978. Now it is a monster, sports nuts as I once sadly was, created. They are without imagination, witness another Yankees/Red Sox Sunday night tilt tonight.
I have yet to confirm ESPN will televise a proposed “rib eating” contest between the Yankees and Red Sox, but if it is a Sunday night, do not bet against it.
Click below to view Bucky Dent’s key home run in the 1978 A.L. East one game, unscheduled playoff. Though it truly still hurts, credit to the fine broadcaster, Bill White on his call of Mr. Dent’s epic home run.
Bucky Dent’s HR in the AL East Playoff Game
So far this season and it will continue indefinitely, I am not aware of WFAN Radio Mike Francesa’s predictions.
I hope he does well but on my honor without knowing, say he will do poorly on his predictions this season.
After losing twice going vs Alabama, once by a half point, I was correct on the Miami Dolphins plus the points vs the Seattle Seahawks. They nearly won the game.
Next I predicted the New York Jets to win at Buffalo vs the Bills, by 6 points. The Jets won by seven points.
Tomorrow some NFL predictions.
About buying, in a post tomorrow.
In addition to the current and very likely eventual top two seeds in each league (Cubs, Rangers, Nationals and Indians) I will “give” at least a playoff spot if not the N.L. 3 seed to the L.A. Dodgers whose 3 seed lead is 4 games and qualification lead is 7 games.
The other “3” seed leader, the Boston Red Sox have a 2 game lead over two fellow A.L. East teams, the Toronto Blue Jays and Baltimore Orioles.
In turn, both the Jays and O’s have 3 game leads for qualification.
In the N.L. the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets have respective 3 and 2 game leads for tournament qualification.
The Jays, Dodgers and Mets made the tournament last year.
Cubs’ manager Joe Maddon, has guided the Cubs to the best record in baseball but that means little once the tournament commences, in the Cubs’ case in the quarterfinals, at home, on Friday October 7th.
I think for the first time in a long time, if not all season, there is currently two games of separation for playoffs qualification in major league baseball.
Almost certainly, things will change a bit but I am, often at my own peril, “a wood man” i.e, the lead, thus I will talk of the ten projected playoffs teams compared to those who made it last season.
Agreed it is dangerous and foolish and I am not declaring the race for playoff qualification over but the ten teams in as of today were all teams I projected to be in weeks ago.
Only half of the ten projected/currently ahead teams made the playoffs last season.
The top ranked Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers each qualified last season as wild card teams while the two other virtually certain playoff qualifiers to this point, current 2 seeds, the Cleveland Indians and Washington Nationals, did not qualify for the baseball tournament.
Next a look at the six other teams currently qualifying for the layoffs with the all important proviso, “if the season ended today.”
Flying under the national radar of Cubs’ publicity and my focus on the Cleveland Indians, are the current American League one seed, Texas Rangers, a franchise as is of course the case with the Cubs and Indians that has a history of frustration, trying to win The World Series.
Tonight at 8 P.M. Eastern time, tune in to Decades, for a Dick Cavett Show from 1985.
Mr. Cavett’s guests are/were three extraordinary comedy writers, Larry Gelbart, David Lloyd and Pat McCormick.
It was tremendous, fast paced, hilarious viewing.
No spoiler but Jackie Gleason’s name does come up.
I met and interviewed Mr. McCormick, who was a truly nice and “joke a minute” (no spoiler, but that is evident in the Cavett Show airing tonight) guy.
He relayed the story of when Mr. Gleason ordered every item on the menu, when Pat was invited out by Jackie.
If you miss the 8 P.M. show on Decades try again at 2 A.M. Though at times there is variation I can answer that ever present female voice over in the affirmative regarding how to watch Decades.
Beep your horn when you see me, if you know what I mean.
Pat McCormick, pictured above.
Last night the Chicago Cubs clinched first place in a regular season entity for the 16th time.
Though the team has not won a pennant in 71 years, they have won 10 National League Pennants, most notably four in five seasons a feat only the New York Yankees have exceeded, from (1906-1910.)
Additionally, the Cubs won two one quarter division titles, doing so in 1984 and 1989.
This year’s lopsided victory in the N.L. Central is the Cubs’ fourth one eighth divisional crown, all from the N.L. Central.
The AFC West has a corresponding baseball team for all four of its members and it is very likely, none will qualify for the upcoming baseball tournament.
That includes the defending World Champion and two time American League champion, Kansas City Royals, who are likely out of contention.
Meanwhile the Kansas Chiefs are not alone among AFC West teams, as the other three definitely will not have their baseball counterpart in the tournament.
San Diego (Chargers) with the Padres, the Oakland Raiders, with the A’s and the NFL Champion Denver Broncos, with the Rockies will all be playing football with no tournament baseball in its city/area.
At the moment, the AFC West cities house the current baseball and football champions. It is very likely that will not be the case much longer.
Yesterday the Baltimore Orioles won (1-0) in Boston to move within one game of the host Red Sox in the A.L. East. The O’s (pun intended), are ahead for playoff/tournament qualification at the moment.
The (1-0) scores certainly evoke memories of the 1966 World Series.
After winning game 1 vs the defending champion, Dodgers by a (5-2) score, the Orioles, aka O’s, won the next three, by shutouts.
The last 2 wins in Baltimore were by (1-0) scores, first Wally Bunker outdueled Claude Osteen ,then in #4, Dave McNally, did the same, vs Don Drysdale.
In game 2, a young future Hall of Famer, Jim Palmer won vs another, Sandy Koufax, in his last game as he was forced to retire due to an arthritic elbow.
Years later, Davey Johnson, then the New York Mets manager, who recorded the last hit vs Koufax, joked to me, that is why Sandy retired.
Yesterday, just three weeks shy of the exact fiftieth year anniversary of their World Series opener, also on a Wednesday, (October 5, 1966), both the Los Angeles Dodgers and Baltimore Orioles secured low scoring, road, shutout victories.
The low scoring is in keeping with the 1966 World Series especially on the part of that event’s losing team, the Dodgers.
In fact the two runs L.A. scored yesterday in a (2-0) win at New York vs the Yankees, that makes it very likely the Dodgers will face the Washington Nationals in the upcoming baseball tournament quarterfinals, equals their total for the entire ’66 W.S.
L.A. scored 2 runs before the third inning ended, in the Wednesday opener loss in 1966, before being blanked by relief pitcher Moe Drabowsky, the rest of the game.
Their scoring drought continued and in my next post, comments regarding the Orioles and Dodgers both then (1966 W.S.) and now as each team is at least a tournament contender.
Surely somewhere there was a headline: “Moe Mowed the Dodgers” Oh did he, allowing but one hit and fanning 11 in 6 and two thirds brilliant innings of relief pitching that set the tone for L.”A.” doom.
In the 2015 NFL regular season, the Buffalo Bills coached by one time New York Jets’ coach Rex Ryan defeated the Jets in both games, one a Thursday night tilt the other in the January 2016, 2015 “reg” finale which coupled with a Pittsburgh Steelers’ win that day, ended the Jets’ hopes of making the NFL playoffs.
Tonight in a Thursday night tilt, I believe still on CBS and I guess with the all powerful, (not as powerful this year with the Supe to be televised by Fox), “Pooh,” aka Jim Nantz presiding, the Jets visit the Bills.
The game is considered even and I believe this time the Jets will get few breaks and win.
Jets 23 Bills 16.
Andy B Sports 