Five things to look forward to in the 2008-2009 baseball season.
I miss the baseball seasons where the most important games were played on a diamond and not in a court. So here’s to the first auspicious season of America’s favorite pastime in the aftermath of an era littered with bored politicians, wimpy liars, and too much of baseball’s steroid-reeking version of Bennifer — “Barr-ger Blemens.” Let’s take a look at five things any baseball fan can come to appreciate this season.
The possibility of a Red Sox Dynasty.
These days, the Red Sox are more appealing as a whole than ever before. Blessed with boyishly charming looks (Jacoby Ellsbury), wise veteran leadership (Mike Lowell, Jason Varitek), and godly star talent (Josh Beckett, Big Papi), it’s no wonder that the Red Sox are so popular, and more importantly, so unbelievably good.
Don’t expect that success to vex away any time soon. After demolishing the Rockies to win a second World Series in four years, the Red Sox are odds-on favorites to repeat as World Champions. Youthful talents Dustin Pedroia, Clay Buckholz, Jon Lester, and Jacoby Ellsbury head into this season more experienced, while the proven veteran stars in the lineup remain intact to lead the team once again. Manny is finally happy in Boston, the Asian duo of Dice-K and Okajima look to continue their dominance, and ace Josh Beckett — get this — expects to elevate his game from last year when he went 20-7 with an impressive 3.27 ERA. Scary, huh? 29 other teams feel the same way.
The 100th anniversary of the Chicago Cub’s World Series drought.
As a hardcore Cubs fan, I said it last year, and I’ll say it again this year: this is our year. Of course, some Cubs fans in heaven have prematurely claimed the very same for 100 agonizing years. The Cubs haven’t won a World Series since 1908, and since 1945, a mere goat and its ridiculous curse has been the bane of the Cubs’ existence.
The Cubs are bound to break the Billy Goat Curse soon, and based on this team’s pure talent, it could very well be this year.
The Cubs upgraded in the offseason by acquiring prized Japanese outfielder Kosuke Fukudome, whom they hope will be the second coming of Ichiro. His ability to get on base will complement the Cub’s power trio of Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee, and Aramis Ramirez, who should all hit 25-plus home runs. On the pitching side, big Carlos Zambrano looks to have a Cy Young–quality season, now that his contract is settled and he no longer makes ridiculous guarantees of winning the World Series. For the Cubs, the key to a World Series victory will be the production of the lineup’s unproven youngsters, Soto, Pie, and Theriot, and the consistency of the back end of the rotation. Manager Lou Piniella will chuck his fair share of bases, but it’ll be up to the players to break the curse once and for all. The possibility of success is certainly exciting: After all, who wouldn’t want to see a Cubs–Red Sox Series?
A Renewed Rivalry in New York.
As much as Yankees and Mets fans hate to admit it, both teams have really underperformed in recent history. With the league’s highest and third-highest payrolls respectively, the Yankees have not won a World Series in eight years, while the Mets underwent the second worst collapse in baseball history according to one analysis.
Both teams, however, have reloaded fiercely, and each has an equally good chance at being the best team in New York. The Mets win the award for the best offseason acquisition in Johan Santana, a dominant left-handed ace who has struck out more than 230 batters in each of the last 4 years and recorded a cumulative ERA of 2.89 in that period. He’ll lead a rotation of young but maturing stars in John Maine and Oliver Perez, and a wily pair in Cy Young winner Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez.
The lineup should be just as explosive this year with Jose Reyes leading off and Wright, Beltran, and Delgado returning to power the 3,4,5 spots.
The Yankees, on the other hand, are looking to new and fresher faces to make a difference. The lineup will remain fairly similar with aging stars like Rodriguez, Jeter, and Posada, but the rotation will likely receive a boost from young talent in Chamberlain, Hughes, and Kennedy. Former player Joe Girardi takes the manager’s reins after the departure of the much more experienced and famous Joe Torre. Few players in the clubhouse, however, are worried about the change. After all, if Girardi could lead the Marlins — with their low salary — to a World Series ring in 2003, he certainly has the ability to make the richest team in the league successful.
An underdog in the World Series, and an All-Star Game that actually means something.
For the past six years, a wild card team has made it to the World Series, starting in the 2002 World Series when both the Angels and the Giants were wild card teams. Look to see another dark horse challenge a proven contender when the lights come on in October.
For those who can’t wait until the main dish, mid-July offers a fabulous appetizer: the All-Star Game. Unlike the NFL’s Pro Bowl and the NBA All-Star Game, MLB’s All-Star Game actually means something, as the winning league earns home field advantage for the team that represents them in the World Series. Seeing the best players in the game play to win is a blessing for not only the sport, but dedicated fans who get to see — in person — dream lineups that usually only exist when they cheat at their PS2 baseball game.
Walk-off home runs, no-hitters, bench-clearing celebrations, beautiful National Anthems, hot dogs and popcorn, and clear October skies.
Thank God for baseball.
Hao Meng (haomeng@fas) ’11 makes the best PS2 Baseball lineups, but they tend to look a lot like the Red Sox.
Of course you realize...
Joe Girardi was sitting in the loser's dugout in 2003 when Jack McKeon managed the Florida Marlins to a World Championship.
The only things of note in Girardi's one year with the Fish was a losing season and leaving a physically devastated young pitching rotation behind, and of course alienating everyone he worked with in the front office and around the team.