The aggregate years between World Series wins in the American League East is lower than any of the six divisions in major league baseball.
Starting with the Boston Red Sox (3) and the New York Yankees (7), the total is 84.
The last Toronto Blue Jays crown was in 1993 while the last Baltimore Orioles’ title was in 1983.
The Tampa Bay Rays, who began play in 1998, have never won a World Series.
Playing as members of the one eighth A.L. East which began completed season play in 1995, teams are (8-3) in the World Series highlighted by the Red Sox being (3-0) and the Yankees (5-2).
I saw a nice Michigan fan, call her “Lady L,” and I told her that Michigan had pulled out an overtime win vs Northwestern.
She said that she did not follow the Michigan basketball as she would football.
I added the obvious reasons as football has a meaningful, much shorter regular season.
Now Michigan has upset Indiana (what did Indiana have at stake?) and likely will be in the NCAA Tournament or certainly has a shot.
I do not know “Lady L” that well but happened to see her before three or four of the Michigan wins en route to the 2013 NCAA Finals.
Who knows in the wide open NCAA, things might get interesting for “Lady L,” and other Michigan fans, less basketball intense or otherwise.
There is no disputing the greatness of former St. Louis Cardinals’ pitcher Bob Gibson.
Additionally I recall fondly when starting pitchers finished games and the stories about Gibson and doing so are legendary.
One additional fly in the ointment that already had two big ones vs Gibson.
Again he was great, going (7-2) in World Series games winning two 7th games, I believe (7-5) and (7-2) but he did lose #7 in 1968.
I knew he gave up a huge home run to Mike Jorgensen, that was a key blow in the Pittsburgh Pirates and not Gibson’s Cardinals winning the N.L. East in 1974.
Now I have just learned what I should have known which is Gibson gave up a 2 out, 2 run home run to Tom Tresh (his rating went up in my book) to tie game 4 of the 1964 World Series.
Some perspective is that Gibson allowed just those two runs and St. Louis won the game with Tim McCarver’s three run homer in the top of the 10th the deciding blow.
Bob was great, arguably ahead of Tom Seaver, clearly behind Sandy Koufax as the best pitcher in say 50 years, but that home run by Tresh which easily could have cost the Cards the Series, does diminish the still awesome, all time rating of Bob Gibson.
Then again, we all should have such a “diminished” rating.
What a sight! The great Bob Gibson, pictured above, pitching.
Here are some early thoughts on the American League East.
The defending champion Toronto Blue Jays are potentially very good but I say not as good as expected.
New York (Yankees) to be about the same and their old rivals, the Boston Red Sox not as good as people expect.
Baltimore and its over rated manager Buck Showalter have not won a World Series since 1983 and do not scare too many people this time around.
Tampa Bay (Rays) who knows?
Who really knows in any case? That is why they play the games.
While Yale won the regular season Ivy League title and will make its first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1962, it is very likely Northwestern will again fail to make the field.
An overtime win by Michigan vs Northwestern all but assures the factNorthwestern still has never made the NCAA basketball tournament.
Will Wichita State make the field despite a loss in the Missouri Valley Conference Tournament?
That question and others will be answered when the field is announced this Sunday.
I look forward to the announcement but can wait until the next day to find out the “411” as the kids call it.
Beano Cook could not wait and often left a message on my voice mail saying get back to me right away concerning the tournament.
In the coming weeks as part of our ongoing nostalgia posts, I will reflect on Beano’s unique insight and comments about an event he saw grow beyond words in his time attending it.
Much has happened since Yale last played in the NCAA Tournament, some major events involving U.S. Presidents affiliated with Yale.
Driving home, sitting in traffic and “flipping” the stations, avoiding sports talk and hearing certain things.
Someone with the last name GILT, hopefully is not hurt, after being shot through the seat by her 4 year old son with a gun that was around in the vehicle.
Gilt is a big guns advocate. Her name is operative and here is hoping the punishment is not severe, but the lesson is learned.
Knowing the fervor with which guns are revered, even something like this will not change the ways.
At least do this regarding leaving guns where children can get them.
The Washington Capitals will almost certainly gain the top mark in the NHL for the first time in their 41 completed seasons in the NHL.
They made a decent run in the NHL playoffs last year, losing in 7 games in the quarterfinal series to the New York Rangers as Derek Stepan’s overtime goal in the 7th game was decisive.
Last year the Rangers had the top record in the league and faced Washington after the Caps won a home seventh game from the New York Islanders.
This year it may well be a Capitals vs the winner of the Rangers/Islanders series in the NHL quarterfinals.
It was a fun night, highlighted by some very informative trivia at a meetup organized by “Bob’s Westchester Singles Group,” at the Garth Road Inn last night.
I met some new people and was part of a trivia team that did well, but faded in the end, short of the top finishers.
Questions were provided by Bob and the event hosted by Mike was a great deal of fun, with 5 rounds of trivia questions with some prizes awarded.
It is a really good way to meet new people and get involved with a team trying hard, but not overwhelmingly so, to register answers in a fun environment.
Garth Road Inn at 96 Gath Road in Scarsdale, New York is a great place with food, drinks and ambiance that is top notch.
Add trivia and meeting people and I highly recommend it on upcoming Tuesday nights beginning around seven thirty.
Click below for more information. There will be trivia nights each Tuesday at The Garth Road Inn.
*BOB’S *WESTCHESTER SINGLES GROUP*
The National League East is considered to be a tight race between the defending N.L. champion New York Mets and the Washington Nationals.
Last year, the Nationals were considered overwhelming favorites in the division but it was the Mets who won it pretty easily.
The Florida Marlins are the third choice in the division.
Both the Philadelphia Phillies and the once powerful Atlanta Braves are considered long shots.
Eventually I will give my predictions on all the baseball divisions but not the bogus wild card race.
The Detroit Tigers’ last two World Series victories came in Presidential election years, 1984 and 1968.
In 1984 the club managed by George “Sparky” Anderson roared to a (35-5) start and never looked back to win the A.L. East and eventually the ALCS and World Series.
Their victory in 1968 was stirring in that the city had been divided by race riots the year before, a season in which the Tigers’ bid that eventually fell short in a great American League pennant race, helped heal the city.
Volatile 1968 was a united effort in the city of Detroit. So many years later, amidst the horrors that took Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy, there is some positive memory involving Al Kaline, Mickey Lolich and 31 game winner Dennis McLain and the Tigers winning it all.
Andy B Sports 