Hello everyone, and welcome back to Baseball Bash! Since my last blog, the World Series was decided and won. We will talk about that, along with what’s next for the upcoming MLB season.
For one, the World Series ended. And while many(including me) did not like the outcome, the Houston Astros won the Fall Classic in 6 games(my prediction was right!). The biggest reason why they won in such an almost dominating fashion was easily due to the pitching. They saw that offense wins games but defense wins championships, and what
they were able to do in the World Series with their pitching is a testament to why they won. The Astros, in fact, only used 11 pitchers throughout the entirety of the series, which is impressive given the fact that the series lasted six games. The most impressive performance was perhaps by Framber Valdez, who also had 25 straight quality starts in the regular season(pitching at least 6 innings and allowing three earned runs or less), who allowed only 2 earned runs over his two starts in the series.
That being said, there is a lot to be excited about when it comes to the Philadelphia Phillies. One thing that stood out to me especially as a Penn Stater was the enthusiasm and excitement around this team. While I am a New York sports fan given I am from New Jersey, I was able to gain some perspective from the many students here from the Philadelphia area and even elsewhere who were really excited to see one of their teams in a championship series, including some of the friends I have made here. I couldn’t help but root for them as well for that reason. While they might’ve not prevailed in the World Series, there is certainly many things to be optimistic about when it comes to the future of this squad. One amazing story is that of manager Rob Thomson, who took over the team only this year and was able to create such an impact that led to the turnaround of the Phillies this season and make it as far as the World Series. On top of that, the Phillies barely made the playoffs, and the fact that they upset all of the teams they played before the World Series is also massively impressive. Also, that impressive offense headlined by Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and JT Realmuto is so good that the whole team can be built around them.
Closing Thoughts
This season of Major League Baseball was really fun. One example of this was Aaron Judge setting the AL single season home run record, which dominated the airwaves and was able to bring more attention to baseball. As a Yankees fan, this was special for me, and I hope him nothing but the best if he decides to walk this offseason. The other story is of the Phillies, who as mentioned above, defied all expectations to come within two games of winning the World Series. One thing to look forward to this upcoming season will be the rule changes and how they affect games, especially the pitch clock and permanent ban of the shift. Until then, my friends.
Even though I’m a Mets fan (huge rivals with the Phillies), I still wanted them to win over the Astros. However, they could not get anything going when down (except in game 1), and gave up runs at the worst possible time. Either way, with the Phillies and Mets having a big off-season to take care of, and the Braves already with a championship roster locked up, the NL East looks like it can win pennants and championships for years to come.
Considering that one of my best friends from high school is an enthusiastic Phillies fan, I also sensed a lot of the excitement going around during this World Series. However, I was completely unaware of the crucial role that Houston’s pitching played in earning them the championship. I will be curious to see how they preserve this strategy going forward, especially with Verlander leaving after this season.
I don’t usually pay too much attention to baseball, but with all of the Phillies fans up here it was hard to avoid. Most of the people I’m friends with here are from Philadelphia, so I definitely heard a lot about the World Series this year. I was extremely disappointed in the outcome, but I’m impressed that the Phillies were able to make it to the World Series in the first place. I think what you said about the pitching is very correct in that the Astros’ ability to consistently throw strikes definitely set them up for success. The Phillies didn’t have that same consistency, and it definitely hurt them.
I have never watched baseball, but I was semi-invested into this matchup because my roommate is one of those “30 minutes outside of Philly” people. I do remember the Astros’ cheating scandal in 2017, so I was disheartened as a non-baseball fan to see them win. Let’s hope there’s no cheating involved here. It’s impressive that the Phillies got this far, so their future certainly looks really bright if they can build off of this momentum. I’ll definitely start following baseball, and I hope that there’s no lockout anytime soon.
It’s a shame the Phillies lost, but you are certainly correct about the enthusiasm surrounding their future. They are currently linked to both SS Trea Turner and SP Carlos Rodon, and I could realistically see them nabbing both if the opportunity presents itself. Additionally, GM Dave Dombrowski hinted at Owner John Middleton’s willingness to spend money (as long as it doesn’t go over the second ‘penalty-wall’ of the luxury tax. This means that the Phillies could feasibly sign Turner, Rodon, and fill out their bullpen in order to become bona-fide contenders for the next few seasons.