I want to say a few words about the forthcoming 2024 MLB post-season although a pall has now been cast by the passing of Pete Rose.
The sad news notwithstanding, the game must go on.
This year's edition of the post-season is a mixture of the old and the new.
American League
AL East - New York Yankees
AL Central - Cleveland Guardians
AL West - Houston Astros
AL Wild Card Teams - Baltimore Orioles, Kansas City Royals & Detroit Tigers
After missing the post-season a year ago, the Yankees rebounded with an MVP season from a healthy Aaron Judge. The Guardians also missed the post-season last year but regained their form under new manager Stephen Vogt. After a slow start under new skipper Joe Espada, the Astros rebounded and overtook the Seattle Mariners shortly after the All-Star Break. It is Astros' 8th consecutive post-season appearance and 9th in 10 seasons.
The Baltimore Orioles make the post-season for the second consecutive year albeit settling for the first AL Wild Card berth after winning the AL East a year ago. The Kansas City Royals make their first post-season appearance since winning the World Series in 2015. A year ago, Matt Quatraro's squad lost 106 games and now play October baseball. Equally improbable are the rise of the Tigers who are making their first post-season appearance since 2014. On August 10th, the Tigers were 55-63 and 10 games in the AL Wild Card standings. The Tigers roared back going 33-13 over the past seven weeks overtaking the Minnesota Twins to earn the third and final Wild Card berth.
The Yankees and Guardians earn byes in the first round. The Wild Card round will see the Orioles host the Royals while the Astros host the Tigers. The latter series is particularly interesting because Tigers manager A.J. Hinch will face the team he managed to the 2017 World Series and from whom he would earn a yearlong suspension for his role in the team's sign stealing scandal. A triumph for the Tigers against the Astros would represent something of a redemption for Hinch. The winner of the Tigers-Astros series will face the Guardians while the winner of the Orioles-Royals will face the Yankees in the ALDS matchups.
National League
NL East - Philadelphia Phillies
NL Central - Milwaukee Brewers
NL West - Los Angeles Dodgers
NL Wild Card Teams - San Diego Padres, Atlanta Braves & New York Mets
This is the Phillies' third consecutive post-season appearance under manager Rob Thomson, but their first NL East title since 2011. Meanwhile, the Brewers have earned back-to-back NL Central titles and three division crowns in the past four seasons. However, it is the first title under new skipper Pat Murphy after Craig Counsell jumped ship to the Chicago Cubs in the off-season. The Dodgers continue to win division titles with or without Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers have won 12 NL West titles in the past 13 seasons and also represents their 9th consecutive post-season appearance under skipper Dave Roberts.
After a disappointing 2023, the San Diego Padres have returned to the post-season this time under manager Mike Shildt who was abruptly jilted by the St. Louis Cardinals following the 2021 season after making three consecutive post-season appearances in four years. Both the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves punched their way to the post-season today after splitting a doubleheader in Atlanta which was delayed as a result of Hurricane Helene. Unfortunately, this left the defending NL champion Arizona Diamondbacks as the odd team out. It is the Braves 7th consecutive post-season appearance under manager Brian Snitker although the first time they haven't won the division since 2017. Like the Padres, the Mets had a disappointing 2023 season but rebounded this year under new skipper Carlos Mendoza.
The Phillies and Dodgers have earned byes. The NL Wild Card matchups will see Brew Crew host the Mets while the Padres host the Braves. The winner of the Brewers-Mets matchup will face the Phillies while the winner of the Padres-Braves matchup will face the Dodgers in the NLDS matchups.
Finally, let's take a look at some potential World Series rematches with the year the two teams last faced each other in brackets.
Houston Astros vs. Philadelphia Phillies (2022)
Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves (2021)
Houston Astros vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (2017)
Kansas City Royals vs. New York Mets (2015)
New York Yankees vs. Philadelphia Phillies (2009)
New York Yankees vs. New York Mets (2000)
New York Yankees vs. Atlanta Braves (1999)
New York Yankees vs. San Diego Padres (1998)
Cleveland Indians vs. Atlanta Braves (1995)
Detroit Tigers vs. San Diego Padres (1984)
Baltimore Orioles vs. Philadelphia Phillies (1983)
New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1981)
Kansas City Royals vs. Philadelphia Phillies (1980)
Baltimore Orioles vs. New York Mets (1969)
Baltimore Orioles vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (1966)
Cleveland Indians vs. Brooklyn Robins (1920)
Of course, some of these matchups have occurred more than once all involving the Yankees. The Yankees have faced the Phillies twice (1950 and 2009), the Braves in the World Series four times (1957, 1958, 1996 and 1999), and the Dodgers 11 times (1941, 1947, 1949, 1952, 1953, 1955, 1956, 1963, 1977, 1978 and 1981). FOX must be salivating at the thought of a Yankees-Dodgers World Series. I think they will be considerably less enthusiastic about a first time matchup like the Tigers-Brewers although the Harris and Trump campaigns might like it because Michigan and Wisconsin are crucial swing states.
Mind you, I don't think I'll watch any of it. But I'll keep my eye on proceedings from a distance and acknowledge them for posterity's sake.
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