The Cinderella World Series

There is a phrase, paybacks are a bitch, and if there was ever a payback to MLB, this year’s World Series was it. They only good to come out of it was that many young Phillies fans were still not tucked in bed when the Philadelphia Phillies jumped joyously on field and were presented the 2008 World Series Trophy.

In a bygone age, my youth long past, playoffs and the World Series were viewable in under 4 hours. The World Series games started at 7:00 in their time zone, not 8:00, which is really between 8:30 and 8:45 due to televised pre-game crap, the TV viewer must suffer through. The games would end between 10-11:00PM, and school children were allowed to stay up and watch. The games did not impact on their being awake in school the next day. How do I know all this, I lived it before Bud Selig and his prime time marketing of MLB.

The 2008 World Series drew an overall 8.2 market share for all the televised games. This is the lowest ratings recorded in the history of the televised World Series. Prior to this the 2006 World Series between the Detroit Tigers and St. Louis Cardinals was the lowest with a 10.1 market share.

But who cares about ratings, the fans care about the game, and really the Rays don’t have a fan base. If it wasn’t for all those other MLB teams, in particular the Yankees, the Rays would have a negative a balance. Those who watched were most Philly Fans.

Now back to the ratings, are they are a big dud for Bud, of course; but considering the lopsided fan base, that the Phillies drew 8.2, that kudos for the Phillies. If a more fan oriented team like the Red Soxs, Yankees or Indians had been the AL opponent, the ratings would have been above 14.

What does that mean for the Rays, it means build on your market. You have a decent team, although no one batted well during the playoffs. But you played in the Fall Classic; the only competition were 2nd place means something; time to analyze your faults and build on your strengths. Despite what the sports pros are saying, about the World Series and the World Series ratings, the Rays are not a bad team.

The Rays now need to market to get fans. Hoisting the American League Championship banner will be the first step. Playing to that banner will be the second. In a league where the majority of the championship banners are held by the New York Yankees, you retired the Yankees from playoff participation for the first time since 1994.

The Phillies have always had a good team, ask all those NY Mets fans. Do they deserve their trophy, yes they do. They kept their eye on the prize. Are the Rays a bad team, no they are not, that AL banner they are designing for their 2009 Opening Day proves it; but unfortunately neither the Phillies or Rays are American sweethearts like the Yankees, Red Soxs, Cardinals or Cubs so the writers have to rate this a lackluster Word Series with stepsisters playing. Poo on the writers.

In my final act of Bud bashing for today, there was the $3,000,000 FOX took and paid a partial sum to MLB to delay Game 5 for the Barack Obama infomercial. Really Bud, can’t you stand your ground. Even Disney passed on the money and showed regular programming at 8:00PM.

Kudos to the Phillies, even more kudos to the Rays, this is was baseball is about, it’s not over to the last out and anything can happen. It’s not the divine right of the Yankees to win all the time and occasionally a Cinderella story unfolds. Most of of all thousands of young Philly Phanatics got to watch their team hoist the World Series Trophy live and not on the morning news because of the game delay on Monday. Only a Fairy Godmother could do that.

What's In a Name?

You have to wonder what effects team names and uniforms have on the players. On a local note I look to the NY Mets and the NY Jets. Both closely linked in a name rhyme game, and both providing more misery and pain then joy and pride to their fans.

Look now at the Tampa Bay Rays. The Rays have languished at the abyss of the American League since their conception in 1998. Now in 2008 with a shortened name and modified uniform, they sit at the precipice of the Big Show, the World Series.

In 2006, the Rays began rebuilding. In 2008 , a new name and new uniform appeared. The changes being prominently marketed with these this team being the new and improved Rays. Who knew?

Is it the name or the new uniform or is it the attitude, the positive attitude. Yes the team is improved, but as the sports has shown you can be the best team on paper and not make the finals. The Yankees were great on paper the last two years. However they missed the Big Show. Why, because the Yankees seemed like not all of them believed.

The Rays will start their final quest for perfection this week, and if I were the Philadelphia Phillies I would worry and lose sleep. The Rays believe, maybe true believers that they are the best team in baseball. A positive attitude can go long for success, as as long as they believe they can succeed, the St. Petersburg Times will be able to showcase another Tampa area resident showing off his World Series Trophy. No not George Steinbrenner, principal owner of the New York Yankees, but Stuart Sternberg, principal owner of the Tampa Bay Rays.

In the minds of the Rays, they have conquered the best baseball has tossed at them. They have risen from the abyss of the AL East cellar to the American League Champs. In the course of that they have run over the almighty New York Yankees and the Boston Red Soxs. They may be concerned about the Phillies, but they have the edge, success and a positive attitude.

That said I predict a great world series, as the Phillies have been absent from the Big Show. Balance that with the we can do do it Rays, and anything can happen.