Wow, what a series!
The Blue Jays showed resiliency, grit, toughness and talent in winning the American League Championship Series at home on Monday night. They are one of only four teams to ever lose the first two games at home in the best-of-seven series and come back to win.
This series had a bit of everything: drama, comebacks, great plays, controversy, strikeouts, and anxiety. In the end, it was the heart and soul of the Blue Jays who ultimately came through in the clutch to send the team back to the World Series for the first time in 32 years.
George Springer’s big three-run homer in the seventh inning of Game 7 brought the Jays back from a 3-1 deficit. There is no more fitting hero than the man the Jays signed in the off-season of 2021 to lead them to the playoffs and win once there.
The homer was reminiscent of the one Kirk Gibson hit as a member of the Dodgers in the 1988 World Series. Gibson had two injured legs and was called upon to pinch hit against Athletics closer Dennis Eckersley in Game 1 of the World Series.
Springer was drilled with a 95-mph fastball on the knee in Game 5 and had to leave the game. There were questions about whether he would be able to play in Game 6. Of course, nothing could deter Springer from leading the Jays, just as he had all season.
The Jays won Game 6 without much help from Springer. But in Game 7 he showed why he is a great leader. It inspires everyone when the most passionate player performs at the highest level.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was named ALCS MVP after hitting .385/.484/.846 with three home runs against the Seattle Mariners. He also played exemplary defence and ran the bases well.
Guerrero has matured into a great leader and teammate. It is now his team. He has accepted the responsibility that comes with being one of the highest-paid players in the game. He hustles and he cares.
What I appreciate most about Guerrero is that he doesn’t celebrate himself. He celebrates his teammates, but I want to celebrate him. Guerrero plays to win, and he is a winner.
Schneider survives the scrutiny
Jays’ manager John Schneider has run the full gamut of cheers and jeers with his decision making this postseason.
It’s not easy being a major-league manager. Every decision you make gets scrutinized and debated by fans and the media. Of course, the manager has more information than what is publicly shared to inform each of his decisions. So, the critics don’t always understand the reasons for the moves.
I’ll admit I didn’t understand why Schneider went to Brendon Little in the eighth inning of Game 5. I’m not sure why he was hesitant to use Jeff Hoffman for two innings in that game. I also wouldn’t have used Hoffman for two innings and 35 pitches in Game 6 with a 6-2 lead because of the risk of fatigue for Game 7.
But it all worked out, and that is what the manager ultimately has to do: win.
Ohtani and the Dodgers on deck
Now the Jays have a few days to prepare for the Los Angeles Dodgers as they get ready to host them in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series in Toronto.
Wait, it is really true: Shohei Ohtani is on a plane headed to Toronto. He is accompanied by his 25 teammates and the entire L.A. Dodgers travelling party.
Make no mistake, the Blue Jays have their work cut out for them. Although they had a better regular-season record than the Dodgers, by one win, L.A. is as strong as they have been this season.
They suffered a number of significant injuries, which led to what some thought was a disappointing 93-69 finish. They did win the NL West, but with a $350+ million payroll, they had higher expectations.
But as September rolled around, they got most of their main players back on the field. They are 9-1 in the postseason so far. They swept the Cincinnati Reds (2-0), won three of four against the Philadelphia Phillies (3-1), and swept the Brewers (4-0) in the NLCS. It has been quite an easy road for them to get to the World Series. They have been sitting and waiting to see who they would play since last Friday.
The Dodgers have tremendous starting pitching and a huge edge in that component of the game over the Blue Jays. Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and Ohtani give the Dodgers four aces to cover all seven games of the World Series, if necessary. The starting pitching for the Jays is more of a containment-type staff as opposed to a shutdown staff like the Dodgers.
The bullpens are a bit dicey on both sides. The Dodgers have more postseason experience in their pen. Roki Sasaki has emerged as the Dodgers closer and he is dominant when he is on top of his game. But he has shown that he can get rattled if things don’t go right.
The Jays’ left-handed relievers will be critical in the World Series as they try to neutralize Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy. Hoffman has thrown his best in September and October. I would give the Dodgers a slight edge in the bullpen.
Offensively, the Dodgers outscored the Jays by 27 runs on the season while hitting 53 more home runs. But the price the Dodgers paid for those home runs was striking out 254 more times than the Blue Jays. The Jays are a better contact-hitting team than L.A. but the Dodgers have more power.
The Jays have scored 71 runs in 11 postseason games, while the Dodgers have scored 46 runs in 10 games. The Jays (.292) are the best at hitting with runners in scoring position, while the Dodgers (.277) were third. The Blue Jays get a slight edge offensively due to the length and depth of their lineup and their ability to grind out at-bats and put the ball in play.
Defensively, no team compares to the Blue Jays. They are solid at every position. If Bo Bichette’s knee has healed enough to play shortstop, it hurts the Jays defensively, but they still have the advantage over the Dodgers.
Neither of these teams is prone to beating themselves, but the outfield defence of Dodgers corner outfielder Teoscar Hernandez is the most glaring weak spot on either club. Mookie Betts has really developed into a quality shortstop for the Dodgers.
The superstars for each team are playing at a high level. Ohtani won the NLCS MVP while Guerrero won in the ALCS. Betts and Freeman are among the best hitters in the game. Springer and Ernie Clement are as hot as any hitters in the game. The Dodgers get an edge in star power.
Schneider is learning the rigors of postseason baseball, but Dave Roberts has much more experience and is better prepared to handle the pressure of the World Series. Roberts has the edge over Schneider.
Overall, the Dodgers are the better team on paper, but the Jays are playing excellent baseball now. It’s difficult to predict a winner.
Did you know that this is just the fifth time since the LCS expanded to a best-of-seven format in 1985 that one team swept the LCS while the other went the full seven games? In each of the previous four instances, the team that went the full seven games in their championship series went on to win the World Series. That bodes well for the Blue Jays.
My prediction is that the Dodgers will in six games. Ohtani, Betts, Freeman and the deep starting rotation will be too much for the Jays. The Dodgers will be the first repeat champions since the Yankees in 1999-2000.
