Knowing that I’m a huge Yankees fan, a lot of sarcastic folks have been asking how I felt about the White Sox winning the World Series.
My answer: I love it. If someone other than the Yanks had to win, at least it was someone in pinstripes.
[Their win also meant Boston sat home this year. All true Americans have to love that.]
And in truth, I’ve always been a bit of a White Sox fan. I even took my father down to a game in Chicago a few years ago. I like their park, their history, and the way they never tolerated failure, or used a ‘curse’ as an excuse for it.
As an added bonus, they also aren’t the lousy, much hated Cubs.
Still, this affection met with the strong disapproval of my brother-in-law. “Milwaukee used to be in the American League Danny. The White Sox were our sworn enemies!”
[To which I replied: “We once fought a war with Japan, but the last time I checked you drive a Nissan.”]
Chicago’s victory was a pleasant end to a great season of baseball.
True to my word I boycotted my hometown Brewers after ‘04’s ‘last straw’ heartbreak, save for that one trip to see the Yankees. They flipped me the bird in the best way possible, ending a consecutive streak of losing seasons that stretched over a decade.
J.J. Hardy and Rickie Weeks looked pretty good in their first year in the bigs. my team favorite Bill Hall had a breakout year, and the pitching staff continues to perform above expectations.
In the AL East, despite a disastrous start and pitching injuries that would have buried a lesser club, the Yankees fought back and took the division crown. Sure, they bowed out in the first round of the playoffs, but I’ll tell ya what: I cried when they took the division.
I didn’t cry when my kids were born, for Pete’s sake.
It meant more to me than the championship years at the turn of the century. Everyone had written them off for dead, but they’d scratched and clawed their way to the top on the backs of guys like Shawn Chacon and rookie Robinson Cano. That’s my team, baby. I didn’t think their pitching was strong enough to survive October, and it wasn’t, but I loved ‘em anyways.
In the AL Central Minnesota finally took it on the chin, and good riddance. Cleveland shocked me though; they just might be back to mid-90’s form.
The NL West was a joke, though thankfully Steroid Barry sat out most of the year.
Like most people, I was surprised to see the Braves take the NL East.
Like most people, I wasn’t surprised to see the Braves lose in the playoffs.
I’m ecstatic that the Astros made it to the big show, primarily because of manager Phil Garner. He deserved better talent than what Milwaukee gave him to work with, and I’m glad to see him doing well.
All the better that they got to the Series by wiping out the detested Cardinals and their incredibly overrated manager.
For AL MVP, it has to be A-Rod. Not because he’s a Yankee, but because his numbers, when combined with stellar defense at third base, put him heads and shoulders above David Ortiz.
In the NL, the MVP should go to Andruw Jones. Pujos deserved it in past years, but take away Jones and the Braves go nowhere.
Cy Young? I’d go with Roy Oswalt and just about anybody from Chicago’s staff.
What a great year for baseball. And best of all?
Only four more months before Spring Training . . .
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