Baseball Irony: Rangers Doom Astros?
I'm sure that others have picked up on this long before it occurred to me, but isn't it ironic that a member of the Texas Rangers ball club has possibly doomed the Houston Astros, if the latter team makes it to the World Series?
If you recall, the Rangers' Alfonso Soriano was the MVP of the All-Star Game back in July, leading the American League to a blowout 9-4 victory over the National League team. That victory in turn clinched home field advantage for the American League in the World Series. And, of course, Houston is in the National League.
Houston is a pretty good road game team, ending up seven games over .500 for the season in away contests. But they are on fire at home, having won something like 21 of their last 22 games in Houston.
Boston ended up only five games over .500 on the road, but they were 55-26 at home. Only the Yankees had a better home field record.
So, if Houston makes it to the Series (and that's a big "if," of course), they will have to play four games in Boston. That's an uphill battle, and if they lose it, you can look back to the performance of some pesky Texas Rangers on July 13 to find the seeds of the defeat.
Update: Michelle over at A Small Victory has a great t-shirt to commemorate the Yankees' historic collapse. Tip of the BoSox cap to Scott at The Fat Guy for the link, and for some great insights to the game and series. I get the feeling that Scott may be ordering a gross of the t-shirts to give away at his next music festival.
The possibility of an Astros/Red Sox series has me wondering ... how many of the "experts" out there predicted THAT?
As for me, I'm still waiting for the day when the Pirates return to baseball glory .... stop looking at me like that ... I mean it ... it could happen .... really!
Jeff, I did find one guy who [claims to have] picked the Red Sox and the Cubs for the World Series. However, I couldn't find any links to preseason odds for both teams (bookies don't seem to want to cache such data, for some reasons).
As for the likelihood of Pittsburgh making the Series...I predict that will happen the same year the Midland Appraisal District decides to rollback our property taxes! ;-)
Posted by: Eric at October 21, 2004 03:38 PMMy recollection is that the Astros were a top choice to have a good shot at the post-season, slugging it out with the Cubbies. The Big Surprise is STL. Unless I misrember.
The Bucs will be good again, by force of Willie Stargell's will, if nothing else.
Posted by: Scott Chaffin at October 21, 2004 04:35 PMEric and Scott, I agree the spirit of Stargell might be what's needed.
But, maybe something else, too.
There was short story by W.P. Kinsella in the collection, "Dixon Cornbelt League," where Roberto Clemente - alive and aged only a few days - comes ashore on a makeshift raft, on a Caribbean beach ... about twenty years after his plane was lost at sea.
[sigh] One can only dream :-)
Posted by: Jeff at October 21, 2004 05:10 PMGo, Cards!
Posted by: Larry S. at October 22, 2004 09:03 AMLarry, I'm happy for you...but I'm still going with the AL! ;-)
Posted by: Eric at October 22, 2004 10:10 AMAbout the publisher
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That's my Rangers! Like cockroaches -- it's not what they eat, it's what they fall in and mess up.
Posted by: Scott Chaffin at October 21, 2004 11:48 AM