Last year, some of us got all googly-eyed at the potential of seeing a World Series where Manny Ramirez would go against the very same team that traded him just a few months prior. It had all the makings of the perfect media circus.
But then it never even happened.
This year's World Series might not live up to those lofty expectations, but here are some possible scenarios that could provide the most drama.
Yankees vs. Dodgers
Naturally, this World Series matchup would draw the most media attention. Joe Torre facing off against his former team, hoping to stick it to the empire that built him up and tore him down.
It would be a series that the media would love to get their hands on. It would also feature the two best teams in their respective leagues competing for the Commissioner’s Trophy. Manny Ramirez would also draw lots of attention in New York thanks to his many years in Boston as a Yankee killer.
Angels vs. Dodgers
Most baseball purists are praying for this one to come true. While a “Freeway Series” really only appeals to those living in southern California, I think that an Angels-Dodgers World Series would feature the best starting pitching out of all the possible combinations.
Another prevalent storyline would be Mike Scioscia managing against the very team with which he spent his entire playing career. It wouldn’t be a very flashy World Series, but it would still be very entertaining.
Yankees vs. Phillies
This is where as a pseudo baseball writer, you really have to start digging deep to create compelling story lines for a World Series. There isn’t any bad blood between the Yankees and the Phillies, so it’s very difficult to see how these two teams would fare against each other.
My best guess is that the New York Yankees themselves would create drama stemming from the A.J. Burnett-Jorge Posada feud. Either that or another spill-happy fan pours beer on Shane Victorino at Yankee Stadium, and he climbs into the stands to take the law into his own hands.
Angels vs. Phillies
Out of all the potential World Series combinations, this one appears to be the least appealing to the masses. There is so little dirt on the Angels and Phillies that I had to use Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon to connect these two teams.
It turns out that both Mike Scioscia and Charlie Manuel were both on the American League coaching staff for the 2002 All-Star Game. Talk about beef!
Conclusion
Ultimately, it really doesn't matter what the back story is on any of these teams. Good clubs will prevail and sometimes you don't even need a huge buildup to create a great story in postseason baseball.
I just hope that the games speak for themselves.
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