Who Do You Root For In The Baseball Playoffs Once Your Team Is Out?

So I have no team to pull for in the baseball playoffs. My team, the Oakland A’s, were out of contention even before John Edwards.

The last time I rooted for the Dodgers was the summer of 1988 when I thought it would be fun to have a “2nd team.” That fall Kirk Gibson forever altered any Dodger Blue affiliation, and it taught me a hard lesson about having a 2nd team.

I would love to root for the Cubs but that would be like hoping for lightning to strike.

(Which reminds me, have you heard of the 1700-1700 Club? Cubs manager Lou Piniella & Dodgers manager Joe Torre are the only men in baseball history to have more than 1700 victories as a manager & more than 1700 hits as a player)

I hate Boston and the Angels are my team’s division rival so that will never happen.

I once pulled for Harvey’s Wallbangers, but to be honest I don’t think I could name three of the Brewers players. I have absolutely zero interest in the Phillies, plus they beat out the Mets (who are my friend Ralph’s favorite team).

The White Sox have A.J. Pierzynski who is an ass, but they do have Griffey Jr. who I’ve always liked. Tampa Bay plays in an awful stadium that my hero Bill King (of “Holy Toledo” fame) hated, but they do have that Petaluma connection (Jonny Gomes), and this will be their first post-season game in franchise history.

WAIT!

Who beat out Boston for the AL East title?

Who knocked the NY Skanks out of the playoffs?

Sold!

It’s official, for the month of October I’m now a Tampa Bay (no longer Devil, now just) Rays fan.

Go Rays

Bill

P.S. I just found a nice copy of the 1974 All Star Game on DVD for those interested in a trade