Baseball Playoffs -- Large vs.Small

This is a completely different take on my normal posts.  I want to talk sports other than politics or philosophy.   It is towards the end of September and the playoff teams are are starting to line up.  As as the title of my blog states... "Large and Small of it All", we have large market teams and small market teams going to compete for a title.  (I know a little weak on the topic relation, but I love baseball.)



Comerica Park -- Detroit, MI
Home of the Detroit Tigers

In the American League, we have perennial teams like the Yankees, and Red Sox (the Large Market) against teams like Detroit and Texas (Small Market).  Not really hard to lay that one out, but anyone who knows me, knows that I am a HUGE Tigers fan.   And this season could really not be more perfect for a town (Detroit) that is trying to rise from the ashes of economic ruin.   The Tigers have been a bright spot in a year that has seen empty neighborhoods being bulldozed, double digit unemployment, housing values dropping by up to 50% in some neighborhoods, and generally decaying infrastructure.   The Tigers have been the antithesis of this.  The ball park is always clean and shiny, the players always ready to play and the crowds large.  Maybe to forget the problems, or to find something good to root for.  Either way, the results are a team heading for the playoffs very hot. 

Texas is the team that was in the series last year, and is gunning for a repeat.  While not from a small market, the team is from an area where Football is king and baseball is just something to do in the summer when you can't play football.  The team there is solid and it is hard not to root for Nolan Ryan, the GM of the team.  So for the purpose of this article, I will call Texas a small market team, because of the sport following in the area.

Then you have the Yankees and Red Sox.  Teams that are the icon franchises of the league.  The Yankees are the team everyone loves or hates.  There is no in between.  They have the highest payroll in baseball and just seem to reload by free agent year after year.  That is the definition of  Large Market.  Then there is the Red Sox, since curing the curse a few years ago, they have become another version of the Yankees.  They have history and large payroll to add to their following.  Most Yankee haters are usually Red Sox faithful.  Another major market team.

So the playoffs in the American League are the big guys against the little guys.  At the time of this writing, it looks like the Tigers will get the Red Sox, and the Rangers will get the Yankees.  Depending on your take of rooting for an underdog or the favorite, the playoffs in the American League have some great intrigue.  Of course you you know who I am rooting for.



Now on to the Senior Circuit, the National League.   As far as regular season records, you have the Phillies and then everyone else. As I said, you have the large market, Phillies, who are shooting for a second straight World Series pennant.  Currently the NL version of the Yankees.  Big payroll, lots of free agents and a perennial powerhouse at least the last 5 years. Then you have the revamped Atlanta Braves, who have a strong history of playoff appearances and is probably one of the most overexposed teams over the years due to the broadcasts of TBS. They qualify for the large market team category.  The small market players are the Arizona Diamondbacks.  A worst to first kinda story with Kirk Gibson at the helm. It is hard not to like them.  Then last but not least you have the Brewers.   A small market team who has suffered years of disappointment, but now is in position to get to the series.  Another feel good story.  The large against the small again.  In this case, I will probably have to root  for the D'backs, just because of Gibby's history in Detroit.

So, there is plenty of new intrigue in the baseball season and it will soon play out in the next few weeks.  Get some popcorn, a hot dog and batter up!!