Night Owl Cards

Twenty-five years ago today, the Dodgers won their most recent World Series title (yes, I will be continuing on the postseason theme for a couple more posts -- you expect me to open Topps Update or something?) I wish I could tell you exactly what I was doing on Oct. 20, 1988, but I can't even tell you if I was watching the game. (My records show that I had a story published in the Niagara Gazette on Oct. 21, 1988, so it's possible I was working that night -- although it was a high school football preview story so it could have been done in advance). But everyone knows what happened that game . It was the night that Orel Hershiser solidified his Bulldog reputation, pitching his second complete-game win of the World Series in Game 5 and clinching MVP honors. While reviewing this game, I couldn't help but think of last night's game between the Tigers and Red Sox. For the second time in the ALCS, Detroit starter Max Scherzer's magnificent performance melted awa...

I want the Rangers to win the World Series. It's been that way since the postseason field was settled, and it's not changing now. My appreciation for the Cardinals hasn't been this low since Herzog and the mid-1980s. Is it my imagination or is Albert Pujols cranky and dismissive in EVERY interview? Meanwhile, there are number of Rangers players that I like. Every team should have a Michael Young. Not even Nelson Cruz's disturbing obsessively groomed facial hair will get me down. But really, when you get down to it, I view this year's World Series in terms of one issue. Nolan Ryan, the Rangers' owner, president and CEO, has encouraged the Rangers' starters to turn to themselves for confidence. Imagine that. Don't look in the dugout, don't look to the bullpen, don't look at your pitch count. It's all on you, man. And it's worked (well, except for the ALCS, maybe). The Rangers are in the World Series a second straight year. Meanwhi...