The purity of baseball

Odes to the pastoral nature of baseball are too numerous to list here.

In the closing innings of this bitter, rancorous overly personal presidential race,
it is nice to watch something that doesn't smack of polls, talking head idiots on the 'news' outlets, etc.

See the ball, hit the ball, catch the ball, throw the ball, and run like the wind!
Pretty basic stuff, whether you are coaching four year old T-ball or the Tampa Bay Rays.

I have always loved post season baseball, even though it falls in the middle of football season.

Each swing of the bat can not only change the entire outcome of a game, but of a series.

I will never forget Reggie Jackson's unmatched performance while wearing Yankee Pinstripes in his first World Series with that team.

Three first pitch swings of the bat, and three home runs!

No one before or since has come close to matching that perfomance.

There is nothing quite so tense in all of sports than a hot hitter facing a flame throwing relief pitcher in the late innings of a playoff game.

I still remember watching the 1960 World Series between the Yanks and the Pirates with my Dad, a confirmed Yankee's fan.

With one swing of the bat Bill Mazeroski won that series for the Pirates in the bottom of the ninth of the final game.

And you still see that faded old black and white video from the fifties of Bobby Thompson's ninth inning home run "Shot heard round the World" to win the NL pennant, and the radio announcers famous call-
"And the Giants win the Pennant! The Giants Win the Pennant!"

Who will be this years hero or heros?

My money is on the Rays.

The worst team in major league baseball last year, they won 97 games to win the AL East, the toughest division in Baseball this year.

Everyone loves an underdog, unless of course they are playing your hometown nine.

Last night they once again made hash of the defending champ Red Sox vaunted pitching staff, winning 13-4 to go up 3 games to one in the ALCS.

Their manager, as the announcer put it "Looks like an English Major!"
His style is quiet and motivating, believing that inspiring his players to sacrifice and play team ball beats cursing and screaming and throwing things in the dugout.

It sure seems to be working!

The Phillies need only to win tonight to lock up the NL slot in the Series, and the Rays only have to win one out of the last three games, two at home to go for their first time ever.

Nothing beats watching the World Series on a crisp fall night!

Pop some corn, brew some tea, maybe drink some brew(skies) and let's go Rays!