7 Historical Facts about the 2017 World Series 10/22/17

Hey baseball fans!

Yes, I'm upset that the Yankees lost to the Astros in the ALCS, but the World Series is upon us! It's the 'Stros vs. the Dodgers in the 113th edition of the Fall Classic. Before the series starts, however, here are seven facts that'll give the matchup a little more meaning.

Fact #1: 
Much like the last couple of Fall Classics, the 2017 World Series is heavily focused on drought-ending. The Dodgers haven't won a World Series since 1988, while the Astros haven't won a single World Series in their 56-year history. Houston actually did appear in a World Series back in 2005, but they were swept by the White Sox. Speaking of which...

Fact #2:
The Astros are the first team in baseball history to win both the AL and NL pennants. The only other team that could also do it would be the Brewers, but they haven't made a World Series since their switch to the National League back in 1998.

Fact #3:
It's only the second World Series ever in which California and Texas, the two biggest U.S. states in terms of population, are represented by at least one team each. The first time this occurred was back in 2010, when the San Francisco Giants won in five games over the Texas Rangers.

Fact #4:
We could possibly see the hottest World Series game ever in terms of temperature. The hottest World Series game on record is a 94-degree Game One of the 2001 Series in Phoenix, but Game One of the 2017 Series has a predicted first-pitch temperature of 95 degrees.

Fact #5:
Because the Astros and Dodgers used to be in the same league and division, they've played a fair amount of games against each other. LA holds the edge, however, having won 388 of their 711 head-to-head matchups.

Fact #6:
In their Major League playing careers, the managers for LA and Houston, Dave Roberts and A.J. Hinch, respectively, combined for 55 career home runs in 17 MLB seasons. Not a lot of power from the skippers, I see.

Fact #7:
The Dodgers, in terms of win-loss record in the World Series, are actually ranked 19th amongst all qualified teams, with only 45 wins in 105 World Series games played. The Astros, on the other hand, are tied for dead last in the category, having been swept in their only World Series appearance thus far.

Who's winning this series, Dodgers or Astros? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

Analyzing the Potential 2017 World Series Matchups 10/15/17

Hey baseball fans!

We are down to the final four! Yes, the American League and National League Championship Series are finally here, which means we have ourselves four potential World Series matchups. In this post, I'll be looking at each of these matchups with a historical perspective and stating which World Series matchup I'd like to see the most, starting with number four.

Number Four: Astros vs. Dodgers
Historical Significance: These teams were National League competitors for ages before Houston switched over to the American League in 2013, but it's not like they were heated rivals, as they were in different divisions. What makes this matchup interesting is the potential drought-ending. LA hasn't won or been to a World Series since 1988 and the Astros haven't won a World Series at all, their last appearance coming in 2005, where they were swept by the White Sox. It would kind of have the feel of last year's World Series, but on a smaller scale.

Number Three: Yankees vs. Cubs
Historical Significance: These two teams haven't met in the World Series since 1938, but in both times this pair squared off on baseball's biggest stage (1932 and '38), Lou Gehrig and the Yankees swept the Lovable Losers easily. From the Cubs' last pennant to their World Series championship in 2016, the Yankees have won 17 World Series, but obviously it would be the Cubs trying to repeat as MLB champs. Both of these franchises have incredible histories with some incredible Hall of Famers and, down the road, if this World Series matchup were to happen this year, we could be seeing a lot of future Cooperstown inductees.

Number Two: Astros vs. Cubs
Historical Significance: No, these teams have never met up in the World Series because Houston has never made the Fall Classic as an AL team. Instead, these two ball clubs were NL Central rivals for almost 20 years. What's interesting about these teams is that when I was first getting into baseball, both of these teams were absolutely abysmal, each losing 90+ games consistently, while teams like the Phillies and Braves were winning 90+ games (how weird is that?). But ever since Houston switched leagues, these teams have become juggernauts and this World Series matchup would pit potential dynasties against each other. In my opinion, if this World Series were to take place, the winner will turn into a force to be reckoned with for the next five or more years.

Number One: Yankees vs. Dodgers
Historical Significance: Legendary moments have occurred when these teams face off in the World Series, mostly because this matchup has occurred so many times in the past century. The Yanks and Dodgers hold the record amongst all baseball teams with 11 World Series meet-ups. In those meet-ups, the Bronx Bombers hold the advantage, winning eight of them. However, the Dodgers won their first World Series ever in franchise history in 1955 versus New York and also beat them in 1963 and 1981. Snider vs. Mantle or Judge vs. Bellinger? Seriously, this could be one fun World Series.

Which of these World Series matchups would you want to see the most? Leave your thoughts in the comments section below. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

My 2017 MLB Postseason Predictions 10/5/17

Hey baseball fans!

Even though I'm in college, what would October baseball be without some BwM MLB postseason predictions? So, without further ado, now that the Wild Card round has concluded, here's how I think the 2017 playoffs will go.

ALDS Series 1: Yankees vs. Indians
Winner in X games: Indians in five
Why? There's only one AL team that can beat the Indians and it just so happens to be the Yankees. Cleveland and New York had the best and second-best run differentials this season, respectively, so these teams give their pitchers plenty of run support. But Cleveland is just too good. If it goes to a fifth game, Corey Kluber is scheduled to pitch, so mark that down as a New York loss.

ALDS Series 2: Red Sox vs. Astros
Winner in X games: Astros in four
Why? Houston is way too dominant at the plate. Sure, their pitching has slumped this season, but they had the best team batting average in baseball this regular season by a long shot and the Sox can't send Chris Sale to the mound every day.

NLDS Series 1: Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers
Winner in X games: Diamondbacks in five
Why? LA is not the team that it was in the middle of the season and we all know how Clayton Kershaw performs in the postseason. Sure, the D-Backs barely have any playoff experience, but the Dodgers don't have much non-choking playoff experience in recent memory. In short, I'm giving this one to the boys in Arizona because of  a well-rounded pitching staff and a strong lineup filled with plenty of MVP candidates that hasn't quit basically all season.

NLDS Series 2: Cubs vs. Nationals
Winner in X games: Nationals in five
Why? It's about time the Nats lift the Washington sports choking curse and this is the year to do it. With an absolutely insane starting pitching staff, a revamped bullpen, a healthy Bryce Harper, and a weakened Cubs team from last season, this is the year for the Nationals to finally win in the playoffs.

ALCS: Astros vs. Indians
Winner in X games: Indians in six
Why? The Yankees are a balanced team and that's why I think they'll go toe-to-toe with the Tribe until the end of their ALDS, but the Astros don't have pitching. Cleveland is just too powerful on all fronts.

NLCS: Diamondbacks vs. Nationals
Winner in X games: Nationals in seven
Why? What a series this would be: two really good expansion teams who've never enjoyed a lot of success in the playoffs. But there is one constant for pennant winners that'll be true again in this series: pitching wins championships. The Nats will outlast the D-Backs because of their All-Star caliber starters, but it'll definitely be a close series overall.

World Series: Nationals vs. Indians
Winner in X games: Indians in five
Why? Plain and simple: World Series jitters in DC. If this World Series were to happen, it'll be exactly like the 2015 Fall Classic: a pennant winner of the previous year avenging their heart-breaking World Series loss by obliterating a team that is just happy to be there. I guess the Mets and Nationals will have more in common than just being in the same division together. Congrats, Cleveland.

Do you agree with my World Series picks? Let me know in the comments section below. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."