From pitchers and catchers in February to Halloween and into the month of November. Approximately 33 spring training games then 162 regular season and 18 post season games and It all came down to one game. It can’t get get any better than this. Will this wild series go down as the best or even one of the best? Maybe.
Last year was one for the ages and no matter what the outcome is here tonight it had us on he edge of our seats for a solid week. Last year was historical and with a game 7 extra inning win for the Cubs after 108 years of frustration, it seems like it should be the best. But hold on here, unless you were a Cubs fan you could care less about last year.
This year matched two teams with over 100 wins each. Both rely on analytics and both are young and loaded with talent. How will it end? Well it started and ended in the first two innings as the Astros scored first and never looked back.
Series MVP George Springer welcomed Yu Darvish in the top of the first with a leadoff screaming liner down the left field line for a double and scored on a throwing error by Cody Bellenger. When the Astros added a second run on a fielders choice, I thought I saw the “Fat Lady “ get up to clear her throat. In the top of the second inning Springer blasted a 432 foot homer to center to give the Astros a 5 to nothing lead and forced the “Fat Lady” to get dressed. Darvish either had problems with the balls or was scared to death to be pitching in a World Series.
His 1.2 innings pitched in both games 3 and 4 where he gave up a total of 9 runs was the one big thing in this series that killed the Dodgers. Even Cody Bellenger with 17 strikeouts in 27 at bats and Justin Taylor batting .160 contributed to win two different games.
Clayton Kershaw came into the game in the third inning and gave the Dodgers 4 scoreless innings then Kenley Jansen and Alex Wood brought it to the ninth without giving up a run to the power house Astros. Too bad the Dodger offense couldn’t score more than one run.
The Dodgers went down quietly in the bottom of the ninth as Charlie Morton shut them down over the last 4 innings, not allowing a baserunner over the last 3 innings to bring this fall classic to an end. A gem by the new Champions.
The first six games were amazing but this last one of the 2017 series was hands down the least exciting and was like a jet fighter coming in for a soft landing after being in death defying dog fights for a week. There were a record 25 home runs hit this week and it showed us what baseball wants to be. Big long “Statcast” missiles have taken over and dominated the game.
Seeing starting pitchers removed after giving up one or two hits showed us that the bullpen is how you win games now. We saw moves made by both managers, who are heavily into analytics, go against everything we thought we knew about this game. We learned that no matter what is done to change this game of ours, they can’t change the fact that it will always be about the players and that will never change.
Every year the players give us a regular season followed by a World Series to remember. We get to see these amazing athletes performing unbelievable things that at times leave us spellbound. So thank you Dodgers and Astros and Congratulations to the city of Houston and the Astros who after 56 years are now out of this world “Champions!”
Only 105 days until pitchers and catchers.