Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
In a week when the Vatican announced the launch of its own cricket team, the Cardinals started their quest for a 12th World Series championship.
The analogy with cricket feels appropriate this week as I entered into a debate comparison. One friend likened baseball (being America’s closest equivalent) to a T20 contest, while another suggested it was more akin to the third afternoon of a five-day test match.
However, the suggestion that this is a boring game that rarely extends beyond the US is being dispelled by one of the most intriguing and controversial world finals in history that is captivating fans across the globe.
For a start it is being contested by two of the most historic franchises in baseball, pitting two of the most passionate sets of fans against each other, one of which can hardly believe it made it this far.
Last season the Boston Red Sox finished bottom of the American League East and little was expected of them this year with an aging and injury-prone line-up.
Befitting the unpredictable nature of baseball, despite the latest gadgetry that monitors every pitch and swing while statisticians analyse every data point, the Red Sox appeared revitalised following the city bombing that appeared to generate a togetherness as crowds used the team as a focal point for their defiance.
The side responded by growing beards while David ‘Big Papi’ Ortiz, the only survivor from the Red Sox side that swept the St Louis Cardinals in 2004 to break a bewitching ‘curse’ that had haunted Boston since Babe Ruth left to join the New York Yankees in 1918, has driven the team forward with his powerful hitting.
By contrast, the Cardinals always seem to do well in the play-offs, last winning the World Series, its 11th, in 2011.
All did not look well at the start of the season as they lost their star bat, Albert Pujols, to a 10-year $250m contract. The Cardinals adapted and it has been their pitching performance that has led them to the finals. Adam Wainwright has been the key starter although it’s rookie sensation, Michael Wacha, who has dominated the headlines.
As with many sports where titles are now decided by a separate play-off at the end of a long league season it is rarely the side with the best league record that wins, rather the one that keeps its best players fresh and times their form to perfection.
That’s not the case this year as both the Cardinals and Red Sox won their respective leagues, making this a true contest of the champions, adding lustre to an already compelling season.
The controversy in the World Series started in Game 1. Looking to rationalise an astonishing 8-1 defeat, the Cardinals settled on a mysterious green spot on the inside glove of star Red Sox pitcher, Jon Lester. Having struck out eight batsmen and thrown over 7 scoreless innings, he was accused of cheating by using Vaseline on the ball.
The Cardinals were also incensed when a catch by Pete Kozma was overturned.
Game 3 was no less controversial as Allen Craig of the Red Sox was deemed home, despite having been tagged by Jarrod Saltalamacchia. With the scores level at 4-4 in the final innings it was ruled that Craig had been interfered with by the third baseman on his way home, enabling the Cardinals to win and take a 2-1 series lead.
It’s certainly been a season where the younger, cheaper rosters (particularly throughout the pitching department) have challenged the notion that strength in batting is where to spend.
In many respects it’s a shame that another restored relic, the LA Dodgers, was unable to make it past the Cardinals. In their 124th season they surpassed the payroll of even the Yankees, although were hampered by a number of early-season injuries.
However, this allowed the Cuban-defector rookie, Yasiel Puig to help lead them on a 46-10 streak to help them clinch the Western Division title.
This is the first time since 2009 that the Dodgers made it to the NLCS. Starting pitcher, Zack Greinke, became the first since the 1944 World Series to strike-out 10 Cardinals. Unfortunately, he also became the first starting pitcher to allow no earned runs and still end up losing 1-0 as the Dodgers failed to score in the longest post-season game in their history since 1919.
The Dodgers ultimately succumbed in Game 6 as Michael Wacha shut them out for the second time in the series.
It’s this consistent pitching performance that I believe will lead the Cardinals to the World Series.
