Tuesday, November 05, 2019
Back to Houston
The World
Series headed back to Houston Tuesday night. It was a most unexpected
turn of events. The Astros started Justin Verlander, their main
cheerleader when he is not on the mound, and the Nationals countered
with Steven Stasburg, another of their aces.
The
Washington Nationals had won the first two games of the seven game
series on the road in Texas. It came as a complete shock to most of
the baseball world. It was not supposed to happen that way.
The next
three games were to take place in Washington. The expression “licking
their chops” comes to mind. The players on the Nationals had to
convince them selves that it was important to remain focused, and not
to become over-confident. That is simply something that is easier
said and done, especially when they took the field for the third
game. There were greeted by a house full of adoring fans. They
twirled their red flags above their heads.
It was a
nostalgic homecoming as well. The team had been repositioned to
Washington from Montreal, and Expo fans were seeing the first World
Series game for the team. The memories of the days and nights in
Montreal came flooding back; Le Grand Orange, Dennis Martinez, John
Bocabella, Rock Raines, Gary Carter, and Rowland Office. (Only
because it is his birthday!). Almost an endless list of cherished
memories to us from Jarry Park and the Olympic Stadium.
Nationals
fans were about to experience a rude awakening. Not once, not twice,
but three times did the Astros pound the Washington pitching to win
the games in the American nation's capital. Even the presence of
President Trump, who faced an unruly crowd, could not help the home
town team overcome the surge of power from the Houston bats. “Lock
him up,” they chanted.
As a
consequence, for only the third time in baseball history, the road
team has won the first five games of a World Series. Both teams boast
great pitching. And yet, pitching has not been the key focus of this
year's fall classic.
Even the
experts are divided on who would carry the trophy at the end of the
Series. The panel on the Fox network consists of Alex Rodriguez,
Frank Thomas and David Ortiz. They have entertained differing
opinions from the start of the Series. When asked to pick the winner
of each game, they remain divided, moreso as the Series progresses.
A recent
blurb brought to my attention was that on Sunday we experienced a
“Sports Equinox”. On that day, we had the World Series, NFL and
CFL football, NHL hockey, and NBA basketball. Needless to say, my
fingers were sore at the end of the day after pushing the buttons on
the remote.
It is
becoming a little cool for baseball, and that will wrap up just
before the first of November. I agree. Something should be done about
that. Now the focus changes to hockey, which has been full of
surprises at this point in the season. Can you say “Buffalo”? The
Raptors will have their hands full following the departure of Kawhi
Leonard. And, ho hum, the New England Patriots have not yet lost, and
seem to be headed to yet another SuperBowl. Brady has distinguished
himself as the greatest quarterback of all time. Ouch! It hurt to
write that.
Adding a
little more salt to the wound. Tiger Wood just won another PGA event.
So much for my predictability when it comes to sport.
James Hurst
October 28,
2019.
# posted by James Hurst @ 9:19 AM 
