A couple of days ago, I made the case the presence of the Houston Astros and the Milwaukee Brewers in the MLB post-season made a mockery of baseball on account of their losing records.
This morning I got up early to do my laundry and then applied for jobs into the early afternoon.
With the weather not being so nice, I decided I would watch some post-season baseball.
But the first AL Wild Card game was the Minnesota Twins facing the Houston Astros. Given that I think the Astros are a mockery to baseball I shall not confer legitimacy by watching them. As it happens, the Astros bested the Twins 4-1 and could advance to the ALDS with a victory tomorrow in the best 2 out of 3 Wild Card format.
Instead, I watched Game 1 of the AL Wild Card game between the Chicago White Sox and the Oakland Athletics. Chisox starter Lucas Giolito retired the first 18 batters he faced before he gave up a single up the middle to Tommy La Stella in the top of the 7th. Last month, Giolito threw a no-hitter against the Pirates and he not only had a chance to replicate the late Roy Halladay who threw a perfect game during the 2010 regular season and a no-hitter in that post-season for the Philadelphia Phillies. Had Giolito thrown a perfect game he would have the first to do it during the post-season since Don Larsen threw a perfect game in the 1956 World Series for the New York Yankees against the Brooklyn Dodgers. It would have been a fitting tribute as Larsen passed away on New Year's Day.
While Giolito didn't make history, but he did lead the White Sox to a 4-1 victory in his post-season debut.
At this hour, the Tampa Bay Rays (who won the AL East for the first time since 2010) are hosting the Toronto Blue Jays in their AL Wild Card pitch and later this evening the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians will face off in the fourth and final AL Wild Card playoff.
Tomorrow, post-season action begins in the National League Wild Card with NL East winner Atlanta Braves facing the Cincinnati Reds, the NL Central champion Chicago Cubs hosting the Miami Marlins (who are making their first post-season appearance since 2003), the St. Louis Cardinals vs. the San Diego Padres (who are making their first post-season appearance since 2006) while the Los Angeles Dodgers, who have won eight consecutive NL West titles, face the undeserving Brewers in the final NL Wild Card series.
There are some potentially interesting World Series match ups.
We could conceivably have an all Florida World Series (Rays vs. Marlins), all Ohio World Series (Indians vs. Reds) and all California World Series (A's vs. Dodgers or Padres) not to mention the first World Series between the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs since 1906. We could also have the first New York Yankees-Los Angeles Dodgers Fall Classic since 1981. I've been thinking a lot more about a Yankees-Dodgers World Series since the passing of Jay Johnstone who earned World Series rings with both teams and hit the key HR in the '81 Series.
I still dread the thought of either the Astros or Brewers making the World Series. The only circumstance I could accept the Astros in the World Series is if the Dodgers had the opportunity to avenge their defeat in the tainted 2017 World Series.
There would also be a feel good story if the Cleveland Indians won their first World Series since 1948 or if the San Diego Padres won their first ever World Series title. Then there are the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals having the chance to win World Series after overcoming COVID-19 outbreaks.
I'm trying to find silver linings here. Lucas Giolito helped part the clouds for a couple of hours today.
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