Baseball is Back

Patrick: Let’s do it, fellas! Baseball is upon us, and I know I’m ready. How are y’all feeling about it?

Russ: So, I’m happy to see baseball again. There isn’t much going on right now, so it’s kind of boring, so I say “Play ball!”

Donald: Sir Russ, now you do know we still have the NBA, Tiger’s back playing, and… March Madness is right around the corner….

Russ: Good point. All true… but the NBA season is nearly over, and the All-Star play kinda bummed me out a bit. Tiger’s back playing, but, remember, golf—well, at least golf I will watch—isn’t constant and, of course, while March Madness is the greatest anything in the world, I’m still looking forward to an entire season of Major League Baseball.

Patrick: And I recently realized that this is the first full season we’ve had in the last three years—well, four counting this one. COVID impacted baseball as well as other sports with delayed and cancelled seasons, limited or no fan attendance, postponements, and other restrictions in 2020 and 2021. And then we had the lockout in 2022.

John: Good point, Patrick. Unfortunately, not only COVID will bring down our season: The Cubs and the White Sox are not even close to a championship, perhaps not even close to a playoff berth. The Cubs are still in rebuilding mode, and the White Sox can’t find what direction they want to go in. Half-rebuild/half-reload just won’t work.

Patrick: So, who’s winning this year?

John: In the National League, the teams with the best chance of winning the 2023 World Series are the Los Angeles Dodgers, the San Diego Padres, the Atlanta Braves, the Philadelphia Phillies, and the New York Mets. In the American League, it’s more top-heavy, so only the Houston Astros, the New York Yankees, and the Toronto Blue Jays have a realistic shot at winning the Series.

Donald: About the Cubs and White Sox, I believe we can be competitive. More effort and both of these teams could be on the path to success. Just heard on the news this morning there’s room for hope.

Russ: Well, Don, as you know, we never know who’s going to win. Everyone starts off tied for 1st place and, last season, the favorite—the Dodgers—didn’t even make it to the World Series; the Phillies triumphed, beating out 3 100-win teams in the Mets, Dodgers, and Braves. This season, I predict the St. Louis Cardinals are coming out of the NL Central, the Mets out the NL East, and the Padres out the West.

Patrick: Good choices. And the American League?

Russ: The White Sox out the AL Central, Astros out the West, and the Yankees out the East. It’ll come down to the Mets and Houston.

Patrick: All I know is I don't want to have to suffer through that defeat at Guaranteed Rate Field last year—

Russ: The last game of the season, mind you.

Patrick: Yes. Before we sat down, the score was 6-0 Minnesota Twins.

Russ: It was a good time, though. Not working…just relaxing and enjoying the game and hoping our squad doesn't get shut out.

Patrick: Right! All right, fellas, any final thoughts?

Donald: I’m excited to see what goes down this year. Find out what’s really going on.

Russ: Houston over the Mets in 6. That’s a stacked team.

John: Wow…good call, Russell. I have Houston defeating the Mets in 6 as well.

Patrick: In that case, I have to rock with my guys and call it the same. Good deal, fellas.

Any comments or suggestions? Email pedwards@streetwise.org

Vendors Russell Adams, John Hagan and Donald Morris chat about the world of sports with Executive Assistant Patrick Edwards.