Why Sox

Congratulations to the White Sox for winning their first World Series in 88 years. Although I managed to watch my share of playoff games (generally as a diversion), I'm not much of a baseball fan anymore.... meaning that if Major League Baseball were to disappear, I probably wouldn't miss it a bit. From a larger perspective that's a shame, since I got my start in the bleachers at the Polo Grounds watching the hapless NY Mets in the early 1960's, and I would still consider myself extremely well-versed in baseball history from its beginning through at least the 1970's. The game changed and so did I.

In any event... I'm sure I couldn't have named a single White Sox player before the playoffs started, but I'm not unhappy that the Sox won. Although I thought that I would be neutral on picking a favorite, it became clear that I just don't like the Astros, never did. (And honestly, it had nothing to do with Texas or Houston or the Bushes. The Bush connection is a good reason not to like the Texas Rangers.) Don't like Roger Clemens. Great ability, no doubt, but I wish he'd retire for good. When he threw that splintered bat towards Mike Piazza in the 2000 World Series, I turned off the TV for good that year. My New York Mets were in the World Series and I turned off the TV. That's how disgusted I was.

So the White Sox won after 88 years and last year the Red Sox won after an 86 year drought. What team is next in this trend? The obvious answer is the Cubs, who haven't won since 1908. But I think it would be much more fitting if the Cubs won in 2008, the 100th anniversary. (Regrets to Cubbies fans who are absolutely desperate for that win, but a banner year in 2008 would ramp up the celebration level by a magnitude over the whole season.)

Eliminating the Cubs from contention, who's next? Not the Astros, who haven't won in their 44 year history. It's the Cleveland Indians, who haven't won the Series since 1948. Even the Rangers, who started life in 1960 as the Washington Senators, have gone longer than the Astros without a Series win.

OK, don't like the Indians? Let's try a different trend line:

2004: Red Sox
2005: White Sox

Red, White.... Aha! The universe is telling us that the 2006 series of this uniquely All-American game will be won by the Blue Jays!

Wait.... The Blue Jays are from Toronto, Canada. Oh, dear....