Tonight I was pulling for the Washington Nationals to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in their National League Divisional Series rubber match. But, congratulations go to LA for taking the game and the series, advancing to the National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs.
Congratulating LA sort of sticks in my throat. The Dodgers were my Cincinnati Reds' National League West rivals back in the 1970s. I remember staying up late to listen to radio broadcasts of hotly contested and consequential games the Big Red Machine had with the Dodgers, also a very good team in those days.
A few years back, I went to a Boys and Girls Club regional meeting where the Dodgers first baseman from that era, Steve Garvey, spoke. I admit that I listened intently. After the event, I approached him and said, "I wanted to meet a guy who used to give me fits as a Reds fan." We talked for a bit and Garvey said, "Those were some amazing games!" They were.
We've had some amazing games so far this post-season. The 2016 Dodgers were impressive tonight.
But I wonder of they can handle the Cubs, who, this year, I believe, has been the best team in baseball.
I would love to see a World Series involving the Cubs, a franchise that hasn't won a World Series in nearly a century, and Cleveland, a franchise that last won the Series in 1948. And, of course, it would be great if the Tribe could bring a second major sports championship to Cleveland this year, after the Cavaliers became champions of the NBA in June.
Cleveland will be playing the the Toronto Blue Jays for the American League Championship Series and a chance to go to the World Series.
PS: I loved seeing former Reds player Chris Heisey smash a pinch hit home run for the Nationals tonight, the first player to do that in team history, going back to 1969, when the franchise began as the Montreal Expos.
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