The Diamond Fan

With the White Sox winning a tense victory over the Twins the field is finally set for the American League playoffs.  In contrast to the National League field, this group is comprised mostly of teams that have had great success recently (with the notable exception of the Rays, of course).

• The Red Sox, White Sox and Angels have all won World Series titles this decade (the Red Sox twice). Between them they have four World Series appearances (all victories), as opposed to none for the four NL playoff teams.
• Between them the three teams have 10 playoff appearances this decade (versus five for the NL contenders).
• Of course, prior to this decade these franchises all suffered from a notable lack of success. The Red Sox “curse” is well known, and the White Sox had not won a championship since before the notorious Black Sox scandal of 1919.  The Angels’ pennant in 2002 was the first ever for the team.

So, while based on recent events the Rays have to be your team if you like to cheer for the underdog, longtime fans of the other three teams may rightfully feel they still have some making up to do for long years of championship drought.

I just hope the Tampa Bay fans show up to see their excellent young team compete in what should be an exciting playoff. The Angels-Red Sox matchup is one of the best first round pairings ever.

We will have to wait for the AL Central race to sort itself out before the playoff field is completely set, but now we at least know the parings for the National League.  A few random thoughts:

• Whoever wins the LCS and goes on to the World Series, it will be something of a novelty.  The most recent of the four franchises to make it to the World Series was the Philadelphia Phillies of 1993, who lost the series to the Toronto Blue Jays in six games.  A listing of the four, with year of last appearance in the World Series (and last WS win):
  • Philadelphia Phillies 1993 (1980)
  • Los Angeles Dodgers 1988 (1988)
  • Milwaukee Brewers 1982 (the Brewers have never won a series; Milwaukee last had a WS champion in 1957)
  • Chicago Cubs 1945 (1908)
• The Cubs and Phillies both made the playoff field last year (both lost in the first round), but during the nine years of the Aughts so far (2000-2009) there have been only five appearances by these franchises in the playoffs: the Cubs twice (2003 and 2007), the Dodgers twice (2004 and 2006), and the Phillies once (2007).  Only one (the 2003 Cubs) advanced beyond the first round.
• This is the fifth time (of 14) since the Wild Card was instituted that the NL Wild Card has come from the Central Division.  Not counting the strike-shortened 1995 season, only one time has a team won the NL Wild Card with fewer victories than the 2008 Brewers’ 90 (the 2006 Dodgers, who won 88).  Several other Wild Cards have gotten in with just 90 wins, most recently last year’s Rockies.

So while the Cubs (”cursed” and without a championship in a century) will rightfully be the sentimental favorites, whoever wins out to the World Series it will represent a breakthrough for a franchise that has had very little success in recent years.

Should be fun!