When I was a wee lad in the 1960s, the Stooges were on TV in Baltimore three times a day. I wouldn't miss a single one, and the local stations would never disappoint me. When I went to school, everyone there knew exactly what to say when someone would mention Niagara Falls. Between local Stooges, we could usually pick up Channel 5 in DC so we could get interstitial Stooge fixes. Anyone my age from there was steeped in Stoogiana, and my wife's eyerolling notwithstanding, it is an integral part of me thanks to the environment in which I grew up.
This is a roundabout way of saying that even though I left Baltimore more than 35 years ago, succeeding administrations that were not Don Schaefer turned the city into a shithole, and the Evil Irsay (cursed be his name) single-handedly destroyed the greatest football team-fan love affair that ever existed, I still love Baltimore for what it was and still bleed Orioles Orange.
It was a marvelous evening.
Welcome to the site. I think you are our first diehard O's fan, at least that I remember. You must have some fond memories of those O's back then (3 AL Pennants in a row 1969-1971 and a championship in 1970). Palmer, and the two Robinson HOF'ers (Brooks and Frank) must have made for one hell of a time to grow up an Orioles fan.
That was the way baseball should be played, an excellent game to make up for the travesty of the NL WC. Now for my picks...
ALDS
Baltimore over New York in 4. The best time to get rid of the Bronx Plague is the first round and there is no fuckin' way I'm picking the Yankees. Going purely with my heart here but I do believe the Orioles are more than capable of pulling off an upset and that the upset would not be as big as some people might think (the O's split the season series with NYY).
Detroit over Oakland in 5. This was a very difficult pick but I think Detroit's weak season record is a mirage and they are better than their 88 wins suggest. I'm not knocking Oakland and I wouldn't be shocked if the A's won, but as the old saying goes the cream rises to the top and with Justin Verlander and triple crown winner Miguel Cabrera for starters Detroit is "creamer". It's the time when elite players step up.
NLDS
Washington over St. Louis in 3. The Nationals, even if they are sitting Strausburg for some stupid reason, are a much better team and St. Louis didn't impress in that WC win. Let's hope the Nats don't shoot themselves in the foot and can get rid of this, to be blunt, shitty Cardinals team that would actually drive people away from watching the World Series were they somehow to make it.
Cincinnati over San Francisco in 5. I think this will be the best DS and it was the toughest to call personally. With an inexperienced Nationals team or a shitty Cardinals team awaiting the winner, whomever it is might be the pennant fav.
Before I forget, how shitty is it that the lower seeds get to start the DS at home?
