OpinioNet Contributed Commentary - Timothy Rollins
Date: October 12, 2000
"Beneath the Surface" The Boys Of Summer Are Back
The surprise players in the season just ended are the Chicago White Sox who had the best record in baseball and the St. Louis Cardinals, who are making their first trip to the post-season since 1996. The White Sox made their first trip to the playoffs since 1983. Seattle and Oakland joined the party from the American League as well as San Francisco from the National League West.
What surprised me was the speed with which some of the favored teams made early exits. The Chicago White Sox, who had the best record in baseball, as well as the perennial National League powerhouse Atlanta Braves were both swept in three games straight by the Seattle Mariners and the St. Louis Cardinals respectively.
Because the New York Mets drew the San Francisco Giants in the opening round of the playoffs, there was talk about a possible Subway Series. That would be contingent on both New York teams advancing past the wild card round into the League Championship Series. The Mets went to Pac Bell Park in San Francisco to take on the Giants and dropped the opener. They went on to win the next one there as well as two in Shea Stadium to win the right to take on St. Louis in the National League Championship Series.
One of the more fun battles was between the New York Yankees and the Oakland Athletics, which went the whole five games before being decided. Because the San Francisco Giants were playing the New York Mets in the opening round, there had been talk about another possible Bay Bridge World Series like the one they had in 1989 – that one was delayed by a few days because of a serious earthquake. Oakland went on to win that one in an anti-climactic fashion. Some referred to it as the "Who Cares?" World Series due to the earthquake and its attendant damage and loss of life. With the elimination of San Francisco by the Mets, the Bay Bridge Series possibility died quickly, and the other shoe dropped when the Yankees took out Oakland on Sunday night.
The next round of the playoffs – the League Championship Series games may not be as smooth sailing as the first round was. The fact that the Yankees had to go the full five games before beating Oakland shows a vulnerability that Seattle may be able to exploit for their own advantage if they are wise and patient. Because Seattle was the wild-card team from the American League, the series will open up at Yankee Stadium in New York. As the wild card team in the National League, the New York Mets will have to travel to Busch Stadium in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals. Both of these matchups should be exciting to watch.
One of the things the sweep of the Atlanta Braves by St. Louis may have accomplished is that they are showing chinks in their armor. Their lineup is getting older, and while Ted Turner and Bobby Cox have built a superb team of top-notch talent, it may have run its course. Let’s take a look at the Atlanta Braves for a moment. In 1990, they finished dead last in the National League West. The next year (1991), they were in the World Series against the Minnesota Twins, to whom they lost. In 1992, they lost the World Series to Toronto in six games. In 1993, they lost the NLCS to Philadelphia. In 1994, there was no World Series. In 1995, they won the World Series, but for the most part, nobody outside of Atlanta cared that I knew of, except the isolated fan here and there. In 1996, they lost to the New York Yankees. In 1997, they lost the NLCS to the Florida Marlins and the high-priced ringers that then-owner Wayne Huizenga brought in to buy himself a World Series ring. In 1998 and 1999, they lost the World Series again to the Yankees, losing last year in four straight.
In light of the upsets in the first round, we need to remember that anything goes at this point. On any given night, you never know what can happen and it will be well worth keeping up with the games to see exactly who makes it to the Fall Classic.
Having lived in New York, I would be less than honest if I failed to admit that I relish the possibility of a Yankees-Mets World Series. Not only would it be a ratings blockbuster nationwide as well as in New York, it would be something I wouldn’t miss for the world.
Play ball!
Copyright © 2000 by Timothy Rollins. -Published with permission
Author: Timothy Rollins
The boys of summer may have been a little late coming out to play this year, but when they were ready to play serious ball, did they ever come out with a sense of purpose and mission. The regular 2000 baseball season cruised along with the expected front-runner New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves – after all, these two had played in last year’s World Series. The New York Mets, who made the playoffs last year, were also in the hunt as the National League wild-card team.
Tim Rollins
Photo courtesy of
Beth Rollins
With that sweep by St. Louis, the managerial magic of Tony LaRussa may be back, and it may provide Mark McGwire the chance to play in another World Series. Say what you want about his past steroid use, he remains to this day as one of the best players in the game. This could be the dawn of a new era in St. Louis and would give their fans reason to be dancing in the streets.
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