So, MLB collectively breathed a sigh of relief when the two juggernaut franchises of the league (the Yankees and the Dodgers) advanced with relative ease to face off against each other for the 2024 World Series title.
We avoided the hapless Cleveland Indians in the series (quick: name 3 players on the Indians right now without looking at baseball reference) and we avoided a subway series that would actively alienate most of the baseball world. Instead, the WS broadcasters get a dream lineup of super stars on both teams, so we can fawn over the pending FA to be Juan Soto, or the 10-win Aaron Judge, or the every-once-in-a-while I blast a ball 475 feet Giancarlo Stanton from the Bronx bombers. They also get Shohei Ohtani, who gets to the series in his first year away from the hapless Angels franchise.
They’ll get dueling unanimous MVPs and what should be an offense-first series thanks to the steady decline of starting pitching in the league.
We also see, first hand, the power of payroll this year; both teams are top 5 in payroll (Dodgers 2nd, Yankees 5th) as were fellow playoff teams Philly (#1), San Diego (#3) , Houston (#4), and Atlanta (#6). Most of the rest of the playoff field were in at least the top half of payroll.
I know this blog is named after pitching … but nobody can really get that excited about the pitching matchups we’re gonna see. Maybe we get Cole vs Yamamoto in game one, but everything after that is TBD.
Are you excited for Yankees-Dodgers?
Well, MY “dream” World Series would involve the DC nine, and the guy in the photo still playing for them, but yeah, what we’re getting this year is a lot more interesting than Rangers v. Snakes. (And yes, I would have been one who would have cursed if the Mets made it.)
Soto’s dagger against Cleveland reminded me of his moonshot against Kershaw that may still be in orbit. And with every postseason game in Dodger Stadium, I still think of Howie sending the locals streaming for the exits. As epic as his foul-pole clanger was to take the lead in Game 7 of the World Series, his slam in Chavez may be my favorite Nat dinger of all time.
Five years seems so long ago . . .
And yes, the pitching situation has gotten crazy. Including the playoffs, the Dodgers have had 18 different guys start games this year. That sounds like something an expansion team would do.
KW
22 Oct 24 at 8:20 am
it’s a dream matchup for Fox, for sure. watching Soto is always a treat. now if Smoltz somehow comes down with a case of laryngitis I’ll be a happy camper.
FredMD
22 Oct 24 at 8:34 am