This time of year, it’s common for fans of the Pirates, Reds, and Royals (or any other losing team) to pick a playoff rooting interest. For small-market baseball fans, often it’s whoever is playing the Yankees* or Red Sox. *The baseball God have rewarded us this year.
In some ways, picking an alternative rooting interest is selecting the lesser of the available evils. In some cases it is participating in a feel-good story (i.e. last year’s Rockies or the 2008 Rays).
Below is my Evil Ranking for 2008. Currently there are seven teams guaranteed a playoff spot so I’ll rank those. Number 1, the most evil, is the team that I will be most rooting against. Number 7, the lesser of all evils, is the team that I hope wins the whole freakin’ thing. FYI – if the Twins get in they would rank very low on the evil scale (probably 7), the White Sox, however, would rank middle to high (3-4).
First of all let’s start with tonight’s one-game playoff between the White Sox and Twins. No doubt, I’m rooting for the Twins. They play baseball the way the game should be played – and without the high payroll. Although Ken Griffey Jr. is one of my favorite players of all-time, I can’t bring myself to root for the White Sox and their clubhouse of hot air.
1 –Boston Red Sox. In my opinion they’re a B-version of the New York Yankees. They pay out ridiculous contracts to free agents (i.e. Dice-K) and perpetuate the out-of-control economics of contemporary baseball. Their fans are just as annoying as Yankee fans. Casual baseball fans consider their caps fashionable. I would like to see former Pirate, Jason Bay, succeed but not with the Red Sox.
2 – Chicago Cubs. Alfonso Soriano and Carlos Zambrano are a disgrace to the game. Wrigleyville is nothing but a large frat house for rich yuppie graduates from Big 10 universities. They are the NL version of the Yankees and Red Sox. I hope they wait another 100 years.
3 – LA Dodgers. I’m rooting against any team with Manny Ramirez on it - the guy doesn’t deserve to wear a major league uniform. LA fans don’t care about baseball – they would arrive in the fourth inning and leave in the seventh for a World Series game.
4 – Philadelphia Phillies. I really can’t bring myself to root for a team from Philadelphia but I do like Charlie Manuel (a native WVian) and Chase Utley.
5 – [insert city here] Angels. This team plays baseball the right way. They take infield practice and get this... practice base-running!
6 – Milwaukee Brewers. Small-market. Jason Kendall, ‘nuf said.
7 – Tampa Bay Rays. What’s not to like about the 2008 Rays? In spring training they pick a fight with the Red Sox. In the regular season they win the NL East. Young, energetic, small-market - it gives Pirates, Reds, and Royals fans hope for the future.
Update 10/1/08 - 8:15am (ET)
Check out Jeff's post over at Redlegs Rundown. He seems to have the same rationale as me: Red Sox and Cubs are evil, Go Rays!
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
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5 comments:
Tough choice between 1 & 2. Cubs and Red Sox and kinda the anti-christ to the faithful of BCB. Gotta like the Brewers. CC is such a big hearted player and Ryan Braun, after 'bout a 60 yr absence, has brought the Hebrew Hammer back to the big leagues.
I think I am a good testament that Dodger fans are real fans.
You don't see this as often as you used to. But if you dealt with traffic for one day in LA, you would understand why they leave early. The parking lot at Chavez doesn't help either, and there is no other sensible means of transportation to the stadium. With the new upgrades coming to the stadium, the LA metro is expected to add a stop at Dodger stadium. If that happens I would not expect a lot of fans to be leaving early.
I could never bring myself to leave a game early but for some people if they don't leave before 10 they won't get home until well past midnight.
Of course I will be rooting for my Dodgers, but out of the AL I am pulling for the Rays. Me and BJ went to middle school together. And overall they are a fun team to watch.
I was rooting for the Twins to beat out the Sox. I also went to the same high school and middle school of one of their players, Mike Cuddyer. He was a real nice guy then, and he continues to give back to the program at Great Bridge High School. Its too bad that Jr and AJ combined for that great play.
Langston,
Good to hear. I do know a couple of other good Dodger fans, so I guess I shouldn't lump you all into one category.
Yeah its a lot like the stigma placed on Boston fans for being fair weather fans. Not all Boston fans are but the majority is.
I feel what you're saying. You really just have to pull for the Rays because as a Reds fan (for me anyways), they're the closest thing to the Reds being in the playoffs.... a much better version of the Reds that is.
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