The World Series Begins Tonight!

 

You all have no doubt been asking the question "Grandstander, why haven't you been writing about some of the great moments of the 2025 MLB Post Season?"

Well, that's because I've been very busy watching  the 2025 MLB Post Season.  And the NFL.  And the WNBA Playoffs.  And the Penguins season started.  And the NBA.  Oh, and there was that trip to Nashville over the weekend.

You get the idea.

Before getting into the World Series, let me just comment on a couple of things from this MLB Post Season.

First, a comment on a simply amazing Game 5 of the National League Division Series, won by the Dodgers 2-1 in an epic eleven inning game.  It was scoreless through six innings, the Phillies scored in the top of the seventh, and the Dodgers tied it in the bottom of the seventh.  It then went into extra innings, and the Dodgers won when Phillies pitcher Orion Kerkering inexplicably fielded a ground ball with two outs and the bases loaded and, rather than throwing to first base to end the inning, he threw to the plate. The throw was high and to the left, the run scored, the Dodgers won, and the series was over.  As I heard one commentator, I think it was Tim Kurkjian, say that it was a case of the game moving too fast for the young pitcher Kerkering, he got caught in the moment, and just made the wrong play.  I hope that the kid doesn't let it affect him mentally as he moves forward in his career.

Me, my mind flashed back to Bob Moose's wild pitch that ended the 1972 NLCS.  If you know, you know.

Then there was Game Four, the final game of the NLCS, a game that will forever be know as The Shohei Ohtani Game.

You all know what happened.  Ohtani started the game pitching, went six scoreless innings, gave up 3 hits and struck out ten batters.  TEN STRIKE OUTS!  And he hit three home runs.  THREE HOME RUNS!.  It has been called the greatest single game that any baseball player has ever had.

Me, I have no other words for it.

In contrast the Dodgers sweep of the Phillies, the Mariners-Blue Jays series went the full seven games, and it was a Game 7 well worth its name.  Seattle held a 3-1 lead, thanks to solo home runs by Julio Rodriguez and Cal "The Big Dumper" Raleigh until George Springer hit a three run dinger that put the Jays up 4-3.  The bullpen held the lead, and Toronto secured its first trip to the World Series since 1992.

I have no strong rooting interest one way or the other in this Series.  I suppose that as the games progress I may develop such an interest, but until then, I will hope only for a competitive and exciting Series.  I'll also say that I hope that we get to see something historic from Shohei Ohtani, although I don't know how he can top that show he put on in Game 4 of the LCS.  As for a prediction, most of the "experts" out there are telling you that should the Dodgers starting pitchers continue to perform as they have thus far in the post season, they will win in the end.

I'll follow that party line and say the Dodgers win it in six games.