My 2019 Analyses for the Potential World Series Matchups 10/15/19

Hey baseball fans!

We are down to our final four teams for the 2019 MLB season! However, instead of giving my predictions for the remainder of the playoffs, I thought it would be more appropriate for this blog to go over the potential World Series matchups and talk about why they matter historically.

Astros vs. Nationals
This World Series matchup would mark just the second occurrence in baseball history of an all-expansion team World Series. The Astros joined the MLB in 1962, then known as the Houston Colt .45s, and the Nats joined in 1969, then known as the Montreal Expos. The first all-expansion World Series took place in 2015, featuring the Royals (est. 1969) and the Mets (est. 1962). This would also be the first AL West vs. NL East World Series since the establishment of the Wild Card in 1994.

Yankees vs. Cardinals
At five times, this matchup is the third-most frequent World Series matchup of all time, sitting only behind Yankees vs. Giants (seven times) and Yankees vs. Dodgers (eleven times). However, with 38 combined championships, this is the most decorated matchup a World Series could possibly see.

Yankees vs. Nationals
If the Yankees face the Nationals in this year's World Series, they will have faced all but two NL teams in the World Series (the Brewers and Rockies). This would also be the first New York vs. DC baseball championship matchup since 1933, when the New York Giants beat the Washington Senators (present-day Minnesota Twins).

Astros vs. Cardinals
The only other major American sports championship to feature a former division rivalry was Super Bowl XLVIII, which saw the Seahawks (formerly in the AFC West) beat the Broncos (currently in the AFC West). The Astros and Cardinals duked it out almost 20 times a year from 1994-2012 in the NL Central, but their rivalry faded when the Astros moved to the AL West in 2013. This matchup would reignite that rivalry in a big way.

Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

The Flip: Jeter's Magical Play Versus the A's 10/7/19

Hey baseball fans!

The MLB postseason has officially kicked off! I'm going to save my playoff predictions once we get to the Championship Series, but let's talk about one of the best Division Series moments of all time: Derek Jeter's flip in 2001 against the A's.

In the season following a half-decade of Yankees dominance that included four championships in five years, the Bronx Bombers continued to thrive, winning the 2001 AL East title with 95 wins, but were not favored to win it all. That distinction belonged to the Mariners, who broke the Yankees' three-year AL single-season wins record with 116 W's in '01. The Athletics made it in as a Wild Card with 102 wins, while the Indians snuck into the playoffs with 91 wins and first place in the AL Central. Because the Mariners and A's were in the same division, the Yanks had the honor of facing Billy Beane's squad in the ALDS, while the Tribe and Seattle squared off in the other series.

It looked like the A's would end the Yankees' reign of superiority, as they quickly went up two-games-to-none in the best-of-five series and were only losing 1-0 entering the bottom of the seventh inning in Game Three in Oakland. Yankees ace and Hall of Famer Mike Mussina was in the midst of a gem, when Terrance Long came up to bat with two outs and Jeremy Giambi (yes, Jason's brother) on first base. Long smashed a grounder down the first base line that went all the way to the right field corner. Yankee outfielder Shane Spencer fielded the ball cleanly, but overthrew his cut-off men. Meanwhile, Giambi, as slow as he was, rumbled around the bases. It looked like he was going to score, which would've tied the game, until Derek Jeter came out of nowhere, streaking across the infield, fielding the ball on a hop, and flipping the ball effortlessly to catcher Jorge Posada. Giambi didn't bother to slide, making Posada's tag that much easier. The Yankee lead was preserved and the score would stay at 1-0 for the remainder of the game.

Had Jeter not made his spectacular play, the A's could've won Game Three and effectively the series. Instead, all of the momentum shifted to the Yankees, who came back from the 2-0 deficit and eventually made it all the way to the World Series. They would end up losing the seven-game Fall Classic to Arizona, but Jeter's flip has still remains as one of the most legendary fielding plays of the 21st century, thus far. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

My 2019 MLB Historical Postseason Preview 9/28/19

Hey baseball fans!

The final series of the regular season is here and we have our official ten teams for the 2019 MLB playoffs, which means it's only appropriate for me to give some historical perspective on what the 2019 MLB postseason could mean for baseball's present and future, but especially its past.

Yankees vs. Twins: Part 6
For the sixth time in the 21st century, the New York Yankees will face the Minnesota Twins in the MLB postseason. Each time this matchup has occurred in October in the past, the Yankees have won the series. This includes four ALDS series victories (2003, 2004, 2009, and 2010) and a Yankee Wild Card Round win just two years ago, meaning that the Twins are out for revenge. If they make it to the World Series, it will be their sixth AL pennant in franchise history (including the times they were the Washington Senators) and could lead to their fourth World Series title ever and first since 1991. The Yankees, meanwhile, have made 40 pennants and won 27 World Series, the most US sporting championships ever, three ahead of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens.

A Pennant in Each League
The other AL divisional winner is the Astros, who could win their second AL pennant ever, having won the World Series in 2017 against the Dodgers. When they made the 2017 Fall Classic, they became the first team to win an American and National League pennant, having played in the NL from 1962-2012 and winning the 2005 National League pennant. The Brewers are the other team in baseball to have switched leagues, moving from the AL to the NL in 1998. They last won a pennant in 1982, meaning that if they make the World Series, they could become the second team to win a pennant in each league.

The Rays and Nats: The Losers
The Tampa Bay Rays and the Washington Nationals have never won a World Series, two of the three teams out of this year's ten to fall under this dubious category (the other being the Brewers). The Nats actually haven't even been to a World Series before (the other MLB team that hasn't reached the Fall Classic is the Mariners), while the Rays haven't made it since their five-game Series defeat in 2008 to the Phillies. A championship for either squad would break some interesting geographic droughts: no Florida team has won the World Series since 2003 (Marlins over Yankees) and no DC team has won the World Series since 1925 (Senators, aka Twins, over Giants).

Non-Aquatic California Droughts
The A's and Dodgers haven't won the World Series since the late 1980s. The Dodgers have lost each Series of the last two years, while the A's haven't even made the World Series since 1990, when they lost to the Reds. If the A's win the World Series, they will become the third MLB team with double-digit championships and will move into sole possession of second place in the AL in the category, while the Dodgers could move into sole possession of second place in the World Series appearances category for all of Major League Baseball if they make the 2019 World Series. If they lose it, though, they will become just the second franchise in baseball history to lose the World Series in three consecutive years (the first being the 1911-1913 Giants).

Braves vs. Cardinals: A Historical Matchup
Two of the six original MLB teams in this year's postseason bracket (the others are the Yankees, Twins, A's, and Dodgers) will most likely battle it out in the National League Division Series this year. The Cardinals last won the World Series in 2011, while the Braves last won in 1995. A victory for the Cardinals in the 2019 World Series would put them in a tie with the Giants for the second-most World Series championships in the 21st century with three, while the Red Sox are leading the category with four. The Braves are looking to become Atlanta's first sports champion of the 21st century, as the Atlanta Hawks and Falcons haven't won their respective championships in a while, if not ever.

Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

My Top 5 Favorite Current Baseball Stadiums That I've Visited 9/16/19

Hey baseball fans!

We are two weeks away from the postseason, but we are also two weeks away from the Rangers' last home game at their current stadium, Globe Life Park in Arlington. Now, I've never been to this stadium, but I certainly wish I had visited! One of the items on my life's bucket list is to visit every baseball team's home stadium at least once. I've already been to 13 different stadiums (not counting the Old Yankee Stadium) and, because I'm almost halfway there, I figured I'd give you guys my opinion on my favorite ballparks I've visited.

But first, numbers thirteen to six:
#13: Guaranteed Rate Field, Chicago (White Sox)
#12: Angels Stadium, Los Angeles (Angels)
#11: Fenway Park, Boston
#10: Yankee Stadium, New York City (Yankees)
#9: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City
#8: Nationals Park, Washington DC
#7: Citizen's Bank Park, Philadelphia
#6: Rogers Centre, Toronto


#5: Citi Field, New York City (Mets)
Yes, Citi Field trumps Yankee Stadium. Don't get me wrong, I love watching my Yankees in the Bronx, but Citi Field has a much better vibe and better attractions. The apple that pops up for Mets homers is always endearing and the blue and orange coloring, representing the flag of New York City and the Mets' uniforms, is a cool aesthetic.

#4: Oracle Park, San Francisco (then AT&T Park)
The home of the Giants will always be AT&T Park to me, but I'm sure older baseball fans will say it will always be Pacific Bell Park. Either way, I loved walking around the concourse, seeing McCovey Cove in right field and the giant glove/slide in left field. But I think what really makes this stadium great is the fans. Look at the yearly MLB attendance rankings. San Fran always gets huge crowds, even when they aren't the best team.

#3: Wrigley Field, Chicago (Cubs)
The most classic of National League parks sure does live up to its reputation in real life. The ivy along the outfield is awesome, along with the stands on the buildings across the street. Knowing its history made it even better, though, as it's the oldest park still standing in the NL. Here's something cool: while at Wrigley, I saw my very first inside-the-park home run by Tony Campana of the Cubs.

#2: PNC Park, Pittsburgh
PNC Park is objectively one of the best stadiums in Major League Baseball, as it seems to be towards the top of everyone's "Favorite Stadiums" list. Walking along the Roberto Clemente Bridge was awesome and the feel within the ballpark was too. I happened to go when the Pirates were doing really well, so the environment was also insane, as MVP candidate Josh Harrison was a key part in the Pirates' tight win against the Reds that day.

#1: Camden Yards, Baltimore
The architecture really makes Camden Yards the best ballpark. It's got Wrigley's ivy, Ebbets Field's iconic right field scoreboard, and has plenty of other landmarks too, like the warehouse just outside the stadium. It's got the overall best atmosphere out of any park I've been to and, if you don't believe me, go to Baltimore and see the O's play here. It's truly mesmerizing.

What do you think of this list? 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."

Nolan Ryan Never Pitched a Perfect Game 9/4/19

Hey baseball fans!

Yes, Nolan Ryan pitched seven no-hitters during his Hall of Fame career, but you, along with around 7 billion people, have as many perfect games pitched as Nolan Ryan has at zero! This post is inspired by a recurring joke I have with my baseball fan friends, so it's time I share it with you in the form of some fun facts!

Same amount of World Series rings as Ted Williams: Williams may be "the greatest hitter that ever lived" (according to people who are wrong), but he played for the Red Sox in the middle of the Curse of the Bambino. Thus, no rings. He can, however, hold his 1946 World Series appearance over all of our heads, but his Sox lost the '46 Fall Classic to the Cardinals in seven.

Same amount of MVPs as Derek Jeter: Derek Jeter is one of my all-time favorite hitters. He's sixth on the all-time hits list and brought the Yankees five rings. However, Jeter never won an MVP Award during his entire 20-year career. He came close, though, placing in the top five three times.

Same amount of Cy Young Awards as Phil Niekro: Phil Niekro was one of the most durable pitchers in all of baseball. The knuckleballer and Hall of Famer pitched for 24 years in the majors, yet he never won a Cy Young Award, despite finishing in the top six for the award in five seasons.

Same amount of batting titles as Craig Biggio, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Rickey Henderson: All three are members of the 3,000 Hits Club. All three are Hall of Famers. All three are baseball legends. But, all three never won a batting title.

Same amount of home run titles as Frank Thomas: Frank Thomas was one of the most prolific hitters of the 1990s, slugging his way to five straight All Star Games from 1993-1997 as a member of the White Sox. His 521 home runs are tied for 20th-most on the all-time list, yet somehow, The Big Hurt never led either the AL or the MLB in home runs in any season.

See? You put up Hall of Fame numbers just by being a human being. You just have to look at Hall of Fame benchmarks a little bit differently. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

The 2011 AL "Wild" Wild Card Race 8/25/19

Hey baseball fans!

We're coming down to the final month of the 2019 MLB regular season and playoff seedings are starting to shape. However, as the great Yogi Berra said, "it ain't over 'til it's over." About eight years ago, a comeback in historically one of the most competitive divisions in MLB history shocked the sports world, making the 2011 AL Wild Card race one to remember.

It was September 1, 2011. The Red Sox were nine games up on the Rays in the American League Wild Card race, with the Yankees leading the AL East. The Sox were expected to do well in 2011, having acquired veteran All Stars Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford (from Tampa) in the offseason. The Rays were three years removed from their first AL pennant in team history, with much of the same core still on the roster, including all-time great member of the Rays, Evan Longoria, and the since-added 2010 AL Cy Young runner-up, David Price. Boston had actually led the AL East for much of the year, only to relinquish it to the Yankees late in the season. But as I said before, by September 1, they had the only AL Wild Card spot pretty much locked up. Remember: the Wild Card Game wouldn't debut until 2012, so there was one Wild Card team per division at this point in the history of baseball.

But the Red Sox caught the injury bug and had massive pitching issues during baseball's final month. Meanwhile, the Rays soared into autumn, with the help of hitters such as the versatile 2015 World Series MVP, Ben Zobrist, Melvin Upton Jr., Casey Kotchman, and Matt Joyce, among others. Their pitching was also incredible. Price, James Shields, and Jeremy Hellickson all had ERAs south of 3.5. By the time the final series of the season arrived, the Sox still controlled their own destiny, but would need to come up clutch against the Orioles to seal the deal. Elsewhere, the Rays would have to take down the division-winning Yankees if they wanted a chance at the World Series for the second time in franchise history.

It came down to Game 162, with both teams tied at 90 wins. The Yankees looked to be ending the Rays season, leading 7-0 entering the bottom of the eighth at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg. The Red Sox, playing in Baltimore, also had a lead entering the later innings at 3-2. In Tampa, the Rays magically scored seven runs in the final two innings, thanks to a three-run shot by Longoria in a six-run eighth and a game-tying solo shot by Dan Johnson in the ninth. In extras, Longoria finished off the game with a walk-off homer in the twelfth that just snuck over the left field wall, giving the Rays 91 regular season wins. The Sox and O's had been in a rain delay, so whatever happened in Camden Yards was out of the Rays' control. But miraculously, the Orioles scored two in the ninth, the second one on a botched sliding attempt by Crawford in left, giving the Orioles the win and the Rays the AL Wild Card spot.

So, what does this show you? Anything can happen when the playoffs are on the line. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."

Commerce Comet Comin' In Hot! 8/9/19

Hey baseball fans!

Mike Trout just celebrated his 28th birthday! I know I'm the one guy who doesn't want to include him in the conversation for "Best Hitter Ever," but it's only because he hasn't played that long. But if he continues at his current pace, he will surely have a better career than the hitter who is always compared to him, Mickey Mantle!

Hall of Fame centerfielder Mickey Charles Mantle played from 1951-1968, all with the Yankees. In fact, he's on the Yankees' Mount Rushmore, along with Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and Joe DiMaggio. Not only is he good enough to be alongside those greats, but his career overlaps DiMaggio's (1951), whose career overlaps Gehrig's (1936-1939), whose career overlaps Ruth's (1923-1934). Mantle and DiMaggio played in the outfield together during the 1951 World Series, when Mantle injured his knee while moving away from a Willie Mays fly ball that DiMaggio was ready to catch. It was the start of a string of injuries that prevented Mantle from becoming one of the all-time greats. He actually played his entire career with a torn ACL! But let's get to the numbers he did put up.

During his prime from 1951-1964, Mantle had a .309 batting average, along with 32 homers, 93 RBIs, and 144 hits per season. His career batting average dipped to .298 by the end of the '60s, but Mantle still finished his career with 536 homers and 1,733 RBIs. He was the sixth member of the 500 Home Runs Club and that home run mark currently sits as the 18th-highest mark for an individual hitter in baseball history. Mantle was also a master of OBP, leading the league in walks five times and on-base percentage three times. His .421 career on-base percentage is good for 18th on the all-time list.

But Mantle was all about the dingers. He hit 30 or more homers in eight straight seasons from 1955-1962, with a couple of milestones along the way. In 1956, Mantle led the league with 52 homers, 130 RBIs, and a .353 batting average, his only career batting title. In other words, Mantle hit for the Triple Crown in '56, winning his first of three AL MVP Awards and his fourth of seven World Series championships with the Bronx Bombers. In 1961, Mantle and teammate Roger Maris took part in a historic race to catch Babe Ruth's record of 60 single-season home runs. Mantle finished with 54 out-of-the-parkers, while Maris topped the record, hitting 61 homers. Mantle still finished second in MVP voting that year, also leading the league in slugging at an astounding .687 mark. In fact, Mantle is 18th (again with the "18!") on the all-time slugging percentage list with a lifetime slugging percentage of .557.

Mantle got his nickname, "The Commerce Comet," from his fiery bat and his hometown of Commerce, Oklahoma. Mike Trout is from Millville, New Jersey, which explains his celestial nickname, "The Millville Meteor." I'm excited to see what Trout can do for the next several years, but for now, let's admire the statistics of the greatest guy to wear the #7 in Yankees history. Thanks for reading this post and I hope you enjoyed it. Check back soon for more of "all the buzz on what wuzz."