World Series Chatter

I know, between the Cubs signing a new manager, the threat of an A-Rod sighting every night on North Halsted and quietly staring at two-year-old pictures of Dave Roberts and Kevin Millar, it's been pretty quiet here at Siberian Baseball.

That doesn't mean I'm not watching, though.

After the rollercoaster ride that has been the 2006 playoffs, it's been a good run and not just because the White Sox highlights will soon be wiped clean from Fox promos. So what are we left with?

Two teams that wouldn't have been odds-on favorites to win if you visited Vegas at the beginning of the season. Know what? It's pretty fun that way.

I found myself taking a while to warm to the playoffs this year once the Twins and Yankees made their quick exits. Without teams to love or hate, it leaves you in a strange position.

As much as it stung to see the Red Sox make a quick exit last year, having the White Sox make their run made things interesting. This year has seen moments where I'm unsure if I should cheer for one side or the other - finally choosing to cheer against the Cardinals and wondering if the Cubs/Sox split back home is coming down on the same lines with Cubs fans wanting the Cards to tank and Sox fans praying for the Tigers to tank.

In all, it's been an entertaining series - though with the Twins long done, I have a hard time finding folks to talk baseball with - with the requisite number of unlikely heroes, Tony LaRussa and Scott Rolen's lovers' quarrel and questions about what is wrong with Albert Pujols (uh, no one wants to pitch to the guy, so he never has a chance to bat with runners on?).

Whle I think the series will be lost to the ages except to Tigers and Cardinals fans, it's almost nice to have a down year. After the Sox of both colors ending decades of futility, this series seems pretty muted.

That's OK, though - we all know the Cubs are saving something special for 2008. Anyone can have an off century.