MLB Week in Review (October 13-19)
The postseason is steaming along in what was looked like it was about to be a pretty boring route to a pretty exciting World Series.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were mowing through last year’s champions getting out to a 3-0 lead against the Cubs.
Chicago found their way back for a brief time taking their first win in the series in Game 4 but it didn’t last too long.
It brought some interesting flavour to the NLCS as the Cubs finally made it interesting but it wasn’t enough.
The Dodgers took home the win in Game 5 and they will be headed to the World Series looking for their first title since 1988.
It all seemed to be going the same way in the American League as well with the Houston Astros getting out to a commanding 2-0 lead.
The Yankees had a little more fight though as they began to climb back into the series and eventually took a 3-2 lead.
It was looking like the World Series was going to consist of one of the oldest franchises in the league with history dated back to 1883 and a younger team in Houston that dates back to 1962.
On one side a team with six total World Series titles and on the other a team without a single World Series titles.
Although the Dodgers got a scare they will still have a chance to break their drought and get that elusive title.
The Astros have a little bit different of a battle as they had it in their hands only two games away from making their second ever World Series.
Then they allowed the Yankees to come back into the series and take a lead that has placed them right on the edge.
It has also hurt any momentum that they may have built after their first round and into the first two games.
It may be a debated aspect of any sport but momentum can be a very powerful thing especially in the playoffs.
Momentum is not a tangible thing and it certainly can’t be quantified and for many, that means that it is not real.
If it can’t be counted it can’t exist especially in a sport that loves stats more than any other of the major sports.
So for some, it means that every game is truly a new game and has nothing to do with the game before it or any game in the future.
Momentum can have a real effect on a team and when it comes to the postseason that effect can be a lot bigger.
Momentum is more of a mental aspect of the game than anything else because it doesn’t necessarily slow down the bats or sped up the arms.
What it can do is affect the players and how they feel heading into a game which can make a big effect on the game itself.
Although professional players are usually mentally strong and can overcome some major mental hurdles momentum is a thing that can all of a sudden overcome players.
Teams can take that momentum and make it seem like they are getting all of the bounces making them more confident.
When players are confident they take more chances and when players take more chances they often come out on top more than not.
The opposite effect can happen as well and teams might find it tougher to get those bounces making them less likely to take those risks.
The Astros are now facing that mountain as they had the momentum heading into Game 3 with a chance to grab a very big third win in a row.
That would have put them in the same situation as the Dodgers and given them that breathing room.
When teams have that little breathing room they don’t panic about losing a game because they know they are only one win away.
It can make things easier for the leading team and the Astros had that chance but they let the game slip away and the momentum began to swing.
Everything is in the corner of the Yankees right now as they are flying high after winning three straight.
The momentum is on their side and that is going to make things very tough for the Astros who will need to play loose despite being one loss away from ending their season.
Extra Innings
Tigers Make Decision
There is a clear path for the Detroit Tigers as they are headed right for a major rebuild after trading away their top players. There is not a lot of hope for the team in the next couple of years but with the right leaders, they can make the turnaround more bearable. The team hopes they found their leader in Ron Gardenhire who has reportedly got the job to lead the Tigers in their rebuild. Gardenhire was once the longest tenured manager of the Minnesota Twins and has plenty of experience in leading teams, which Detroit will need going forward.
Beantown’s Man
After the Red Sox parted ways with John Farrell the manager position in Boston became the most desirable job in the league. They seem to have already found their next man though as it is rumoured that Astros bench coach Alex Cora will be named the manager when the postseason is over. After helping the Astros to one of the best records in the league this year, Cora now takes over a ready-made team. The Red Sox have made the ALDS two years in a row and they have a lot of young talent giving Cora a lot to work with but high expectations.
Admitting Fault
John Madden has not had the greatest time with the umpires in the NLCS being thrown out of two games in the five-game series. His final one was due to a strike call that wasn’t a strike call in an inning that had a little of everything. As the Dodgers were rallying in Game 3 the Cubs looked like they struck out Curtis Granderson and the umpire agreed. Then Granderson claimed that he had tipped the ball and the umpires got together to determine that he did tip the ball. The call caused Maddon to run out and eventually get tossed but a day later the umpire admitted that he blew the call and it should have been a strike.
The Sport Addiction 