The Chicago Cubs and the Cleveland Indians changed my persepctive on baseball forever
Growing up in Indianapolis the exposure to professional baseball is very minimal. I have never been a big fan of watching baseball, or at least a full game of baseball. Nine long grueling innings that is never really over, until it is over. The 2016 post season changed my perspective on that.
The post season begins and the cubs are on a mission. Deprived of a world series victory since 1908, an organization desperate for a pennant. Quickly moving past the Giants in the first round the Cubs were more than ready to continue their journey.
The Cubs started off their second series of the post season with a win over the Dodgers, looking very solid. The Dodgers still had their secret weapon Clayton Kershaw anxious to get a chance to put the deprived Cubbies to rest.
Just when you thought the Cubs were making their championship run, Kershaw leads the Dodgers to a 1-0 victory. To make things worse for the cubs Jake Arrieta gets out pitched in game 3 by Rich Hill in a 6-0 loss. If you think that was it for the Cubs think again.
On the other side of the league the Cleveland Indians were looking very scary, blowing away a solid team in the Red Sox, then on to the next series making the red hot Blue Jays look like a minor league baseball club. If I were the cubs I would be concerned.
Rather than being concerned the cubs were focused on the Dodgers, especially with Kershaw still to take the mound in game 6. With Hendricks pitching and the series at 3-2 the cubs felt confident. Hendricks has the best ERA in the MLB, and showed that in a commanding 5-0 win over the Dodgers.
Now to the World Series, the series that changed my perspective on baseball. One of the most exciting series in baseball history. Every Inning, every pitch, every hit, every error, and every bad call. This series was nuts. I have never seen so much emotion in players in a professional sport. The respect these athletes have for each other and the game make it almost impossible to hate either team. The cubs deserved a pennant and a lift of the curse, but so did Cleveland or should I say Believeland.
I feel sorry for the people who did not bother to get involved with this series. I have never felt so ecstatic about a championship in any sport and I am not even a fan of either team. This is a series we will talk to our children about, and their children. This is a series we will eventually see a movie or short film about.
So back to the series, the Cubs went down three games to one very fast and had Wrigleyville on edge, but like I have said before if you think that was it for the cubs think again.
The Cubs fought back into the series behind pitchers Jon Lester, Aroldis Chapman, Carl Edwards Jr., Mike Montgomery, Kyle Hendricks, John Lackey, and do not forget the ace Jake Arieta. These guys were the heart of the 3-1 comeback in the series, but lets not forget the field. Baez, Bryant, Rizzo, Russel, Contreas, Fowler, Heyward, Zobrist, and Ross. All names that could be considered as some of the best players in the league. A young strong group of willing individuals were brought together to lift the curse.
The curse was lifted, the Cubs pulled off a miraculous game seven victory in extra innings. The respect I have for the Cubs and their organization could not be described through words. Congrats Chicago the drought is over. Go cubs Go. Thank you for making baseball great again.
