Hey sportswriters: you can write about the morose TV ratings for the World Series the same day you tout your dwindling circulation. I don't care who won't be watching the World Series; I'll be watching and that's all that matters to me.
Here's another tip for sportscasters, sportswriters and assorted analysts: stop "handicapping" the World Series. it doesn't matter what characteristics each team has; there's no guaranteeing they will come to the fore in a short series against an unfamiliar opponent in bad weather at the end of 180 games of play.
The Rangers can bash, but that doesn't mean that they won't bat .142 with two homers in a six game stretch. Chris Carpenter and Jaime Garcia can pitch, but they've each scuffled through two bad outings before and might do it again. Albert Pujols and Josh Hamilton are former MVPs, but David Freese and Nelson Cruz could steal their thunder. You just never know.
In the end, no one can possibly make an informed prediction about the outcome. St. Louis got to the series with rejuvenated starting pitching in the NLDS. In the championship round, their rotation came uncorked and had to get bailed out by a suddenly transcendent relief corps. Who had that parlay? Texas pounded Justin Verlander and couldn't solve Doug Fister. Go figure.
So spare us the empty predictions. No matter what you guess you're wrong, even if the outcome is correct. Because any suggestion that the result can be fore-ordained is inherently wacky.
That said, I'm pretty sure my Nationals will not be hoisting any trophies this year.
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