Grumpy Old Man Rant About the World Series

[DOUGHBOYS]

I feel that this years two best teams made it to the World Series. That hardly ever happens. Usually, a team will get hot in the playoffs and get into the Series because they were simply hot at the right time.
Most baseball fans are disappointed still, in the level of play from the Red Sox and Cardinals.
I blame Major League Baseball.

In effect, what MLB has done over the years is turn an NFBC game. An experts game. A game intended only for the best....
into a Yahoo Kid's League.
Back in the day, baseball was eight, then 10 team leagues. Winner goes to the World Series. Losers go home.
Money has changed that. Playoffs keep fans coming to ball parks. Fans coming to ball parks means more money.
The circle of life for professional sports.
Now, fans want their cake and eat it too. They want Boston and St. Louis to be as good as they were during the season.
These teams, counting spring training have been in over 200 games.
Of course the product is watered down by the time the World Series comes around.
The season alone is a marathon, the playoffs, a gauntlet.
Then, we expect to see the absolute best play in the World Series.
As seen, that ain't gonna happen.

The Yahoo Kid's of the world are drawn to simple games that they may have a chance of winning. The playoffs do the same for places like Cleveland, Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Tampa, etc.
Fans of these teams are very similar to Yahoo Kids.
Boston and St. Louis were much better teams than fringe playoff teams. But, as if a 162 game schedule isn't enough to prove this, they have to go through the rigamaroll of doing the same thing during the playoffs.
In the end, only MLB wins.
They get all the extra money paid by fans or Yahoo Kids who are fooled into thinking that simply being a playoff contender somehow makes them better. When in actuality, the memory of that team fades like a 12th place participant on 'The Voice'.

In the NFBC, we play mostly 15 team leagues. The winning of those leagues is an accomplishment. I never feel the same sense of accomplishment in finishing second or third and I don't want no 'Wild Card' status to make me feel better that I was close or made the playoffs.
Coincidentally, there are 15 Major League teams in each league.
Wouldn't you just love to see the winners of these leagues battle it out right away?
Adrenaline flowing. Our best vs. your best.
A Champion's Match instead of a Yahoo Kids play in.
We would see better baseball.
But, that is the NFBC in me talking. Now, it is about giving everybody a chance. All sports are ok with playing a Yahoo Kids style of game, as long as it makes more money.
And it does.

The World Series has retained its name. It's a cool name.
The Series itself though, is just the ending of other series of games.
It is not our best vs. your best anymore.
It is two beaten up teams who have played way too many games. And those folks who don't watch much baseball during the year, but turn on their tv's simply because it is the World Series don't feel compelled to keep watching.
They even know it is a watered down product. It's not the best baseball to watch.
Two survivalists by now.
They should have seen them a month ago when they were at their best.
Everybody should have.

[Fourslot40]

Ok Dough... Question for you. How can Wacha be stretched for so many innings in his young career, but Shelby Miller is not even used in the postseason? I could see if they were saving his arm, but the strong September by Miller and chin-turning to Wacha innings doesn't make sense.

Will say this though. As strong as Wacha was this season, I think there is a legitimate concern about his draft stock with the amount of innings thrown this season. Would be interested in your opinion.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Ok Dough... Question for you. How can Wacha be stretched for so many innings in his young career, but Shelby Miller is not even used in the postseason? I could see if they were saving his arm, but the strong September by Miller and chin-turning to Wacha innings doesn't make sense.

Will say this though. As strong as Wacha was this season, I think there is a legitimate concern about his draft stock with the amount of innings thrown this season. Would be interested in your opinion.

In my mind, Wacha was their best pitcher over a short period of time. Once the Cardinals reached the post season, they closed their minds and were only thinking Wainwright, Wacha, Lynn, rinse, repeat. It was good enough to get them to the Series.
I feel Wacha will be way over drafted after all the hype during the off season.While Wacha showed brilliance over a short period of time, it's easy to forget that it was a short period of time and that it came in a National spotlight.
The hype will be that he 'came through' (barring the last game) when St Louis needed him most. That should mean little to fantasy owners. James Shields still has the name 'Big Game' James Shields....Hardly anybody remembers why.
Our memories should be that short for Wacha.
And you're right, it could just as easily have been Shelby Miller who got on that post season roller coaster, but was never given the chance. St. Louis enhanced Wacha's draft slot with their decision and reduced Miller's. For those that liked Miller more than Wacha, the Cardinals did them a favor.

Off subject, the Cardinals showed other teams this year, that speed is not a necessity from the lead off spot. Someday, other teams will get that message. Matt Carpenter was awesome hitting in the lead off spot. He didn't need to run.
He hit.
Isn't that more of a concern than speed? It should be.
Torii Hunter should be a leadoff hitter over Austin Jackson.
Chris Johnson should have been tried there in Atlanta.
The Twins have things ass backwards and Joe Mauer should be their lead off hitter, while Dozier should be there third hitter.
Sometimes, speed at the top of the lineup works like Carl Crawford or Dexter Fowler or Choo, but I'll never understand why speed is AUTOMATICALLY thought to be associated with the leadoff spot.
Not now. Not in this day and age.
What good is Billy Hamilton's speed at the top of the order if he doesn't hit? And even if he does get on and steal a base, it makes the pitching around Joey Votto, just that much more easier.
The game has evolved. Pitching is now designed to stop the 'big hitter' in the lineup.
Speed at the top of the lineup worked for one team this year. The Red Sox.
It worked for them because they had SO many weapons batting behind Ellsbury.

Getting back to Choo, as long as he is with the Reds, Votto becomes an after thought as a first round pick for me. Choo hit .215 vs lefties last year, which means most of his damage came against right handers...which includes 27 doubles and 16 stolen bases. Those are open bases for pitchers, especially right handers, to pitch around Votto.
And I've stated ad nauseum that Votto will gladly take those walks.
Of course, this can all be tolerated if the Reds just moved Votto to where he should be hitting in the lineup, which is second.
Even if Choo doubled or stole a base during Votto's at bat, they would be less inclined to pitch around Votto with no outs.

Rant over.
We are in the 38th round of our draft. Every starting player in baseball has been rostered and we are to the 'backup' players.
You know, the part where you ask yourself if Aaron Crow or Kelvin Herrera has a better chance of Closing next year if something happens to Holland or if Austin Romine is really a thought in the Yankees plans.
My favorite part of the draft. The players look so unassuming now, but turn out to be life savers (hopefully) during the season.
Man, I love this hobby.