Random Thoughts About the World Series
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The World Series is over. And with it, the 2016 MLB season is in the books. We have a world champion that hadn't been crowned in 108 years with the Cubs, knocking off a team who hadn't won the crown in 68 years in the Indians. Of course, if you go on ESPN, all the experts say this was the greatest World Series ever, but I am not one to say nonsensical garbage (okay, I am), but I like to use some depth to the discussions. So I am putting out my random thoughts of the World Series on here, some opinionated, others not so much.
Rizzo pretty much represented the Cubs fans with his emotions in Game 7.
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
1. THE CUBS EARNED IT. I will go out and say this was the best team we have seen in 18 years, ever since the 1998 New York Yankees. They clicked on all cylinders all throughout the season. And they did it in so many ways. They had great veterans in Lackey, Lester, Montero, Zobrist, and Fowler while you had superstars in the making for Rizzo, Hendricks, Bryant, Baez, and Contreras as well as having the previous Cy Young rolling with Arrieta. It was a great balance and just dominated all in their path. And they were that team that could withstand a star player being injured the entire season (Schwarber) and another star just being completely inept (Heyward-though his clubhouse leadership was applauded by his teammates). It was a great thing to see on the North Side. And they won in so many different ways. I think it would have been a tough out for any team.
Cleveland kept on fighting all game 7 and all season.
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2. THE INDIANS WERE THE SECOND BEST SQUAD: Any other team in the NL (Dodgers, Nationals, Giants) that faced the Tribe in the World Series, Cleveland hoists the trophy instead. Great lineup (maybe not as strong as Chicago's but nobody is), great staff, great pen, great manager. And the one thing that could have changed even this series was had Danny Santana been healthy down the stretch, who knows? But the Indians will be back again and will be on top within 3 years.
The World Series matched up the two best managers over the past decade.
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3. THERE IS STILL IMPORTANCE OF GREAT MANAGERS: Let's call it for what it is: Terry Francona and Joe Maddon are the two best managers in all of baseball by a wide margin. I get many like to put guys like Bruce Bochy and even Dave Roberts now especially with the "new age" of advanced metrics and whatnot. But these two could take pretty much any team and make them to a world championship contender. And they both did. Now does that mean they didn't have their share of mistakes? Of course not, but the moves they made put their teams in the best of positions all season. It is why by the midway point I wasn't surprised this would be the World Series match-up we saw (though I blindly stuck with my pick of Rangers/Giants).
It will be 69 years next fall before the Indians can call themselves the kings of the hill.
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
4. INDIANS GOT DOUBLE-WHAMMIED: With the Cubs winning, the MLB drought falls to the Indians as now it is 69 years without a championship for the Tribe. And Cleveland thought the curse was broken with the Cavs. Oh, by the way, Pittsburgh & Baltimore, you're next in line.
5. MLB NEEDS TO SEVER TIES WITH FOX: Again, this comes back to my All-Star rant. But really it felt at times it was one major shill for the station for their January shows coming out. And while Joe Buck wasn't utterly godawful calling this series, there were more than a few times that it even felt like John Smoltz wanted him out of the booth whenever they talked about the upcoming NFL games as Buck's tone came off as "I'd rather call NFL games than sit up here, even if it is the Cubs." And it seemed like Buck just has to make his presence known. I think that is why fans have just grown a disdain to Buck over the years (myself included). We didn't see Vin Scully back in the day do that nor did Jack Buck either. Make life easier and have MLB go back to NBC, ABC, or CBS and get a different crew. And for the pre-game table discussion with Rose, ARod, and Thomas? Pass.
Let the debate begin.....
6. GREATEST GAME 7 EVER? MAYBE. GREATEST WORLD SERIES EVER? NOT EVEN CLOSE: I'll admit, the 7th game of the series was awesome as you had some great moments in it. You had Corey Kluber (more on him in a few) dealing. You got David Ross playing his last game and hitting a HR. You saw the Indians fight back from 6-3 in the 8th when Rajai homered to tie it off of Chapman. You had big moments from both sides. Maddon and Francona trying to outduel each other. It was magnificent. That said, save maybe Game 5, none of the games were really nail-biters. So that said, I'd still say the 1991 World Series with the Braves and Twins get the notch over the Indians and Cubs. And even the 2001 Series with Arizona and the Yankees was better. And that World Series Game 7 I probably have to give the notch ahead of the Cubs/Indians. But very close.
Corey Kluber earned his spot as an elite pitcher this October.
Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
7. COREY KLUBER SHOULD BE IN THE TOP ECHELON OF GREAT MLB PITCHERS: People will rip Kluber for his Game 7 performance, but if not for him, Cleveland wouldn't have even made it to Game 7 with his gems earlier in the series. The guy dominated and had a great year this year outside of it. He has been one of the best pitchers since he won the Cy Young in 2014.
A regular season game with the Indians. Plenty of empty seats, even when the team was winning.
8. INDIANS FANS PACKED THE PARK OR CUBS FANS JUST MADE SURE TO SEE HISTORY: Even the months leading up to the playoffs, Cleveland struggled at the gates. But of course, while the media talk was on the Cubs, they talked about how great a sports city Cleveland was. I still don't see it. They really turned out when the Indians got far. I don't, nor have I ever necessitated Cleveland into a sports city. And how Game 7 went, you saw A LOT of Cubs fans there that made as much noise as the Cleveland fans.
So who takes the title?
9. THE NEW LOVABLE LOSERS ARE.....................? The Detroit Lions or the Cleveland Browns? With the Cubs winning, that moniker is off. Both teams pretty much can make an argument. In MLB's case, does it become Tampa Bay?
Great MLB season. Look forward to 2017!
-Fan in the Obstructed Seat
