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Cubs Seek First World Series Win In 108 Years

Does having the best record hinder World Series chance?

The Major League Baseball season has officially ended, and the playoffs have officially started with the Wild Card games Tuesday and Wednesday. They were by far the winningest club in the regular season, and - for those concerned with momentum - they were the winningest in the second half and the winningest since the start of August. Other possible opponents include two division rivals, as the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays qualified for the wildcard spots. Random crapshoot? The Cubs signed up for all this and put the bull's-eye on their chests, beginning with last year's joyride into the National League Championship Series - where they got swept by the Mets - and an offseason spending spree on free agents that zoomed toward $290 million and a spring-training circus that featured mimes, zoo animals and karaoke. The Rangers were up 2-0 in last year's series, but had an epic meltdown in the seventh inning of Game 5, punctuated by the mother of all bat-flips from Jose Bautista, to lose the series. Could the Red Sox deliver Ortiz the greatest send-off of all with a 4th World Series ring?

The New York Mets and San Francisco Giants, who finished in second place to the Nationals and Dodgers, respectively, will meet in the NL Wild-Card Game. Also, the Mets' offensive hero a year ago, second baseman Daniel Murphy, is now with the Nationals, remaining a potential nightmare in the NLDS if the Cubs advance and Washington subdues the Dodgers. The team seems to be not well-rounded enough to have consistent success over a period of time, but playoff baseball does not require that of a team.

The Cubs have received droves of attention for having an extended World Series drought while the Cleveland Indians have one of their own. Johnny Cueto, who helped the Royals win the crown past year, pitches for San Francisco.

That series will begin on Friday, Oct. 7 at Wrigley Field for Game One. Texas awaits the wild card game victor, either the Baltimore Orioles (+2000) or Toronto Blue Jays (+1200).

Part of baseball's appeal, certainly, is the seemingly infinite range of possibilities presented with every pitch, but that same quality makes efforting a proper prediction in a scenario like this one a foolish pursuit. Among the teams still standing with World Series aspirations, there are a few with key rookies that could play a major role.

And from this seat, they are the best teams in each league - although the road there will not be easy for either squad.

Joey Bats and the Blue Jays have the home-field advantage after winning Game 1.

All AL games will be played on October 6,7 and 9 with games four and five on October 10 and 12 if needed.

Ringmaster Joe Maddon will now lead the Cubs into what they believe will be a parade down Michigan Avenue.

Texas Rangers vs. Toronto Blue Jays: This should be an exciting series after both of these teams hate each other guts after what happened past year and, of course, you have to give credit where credit is due to Jeff Banister, who cranked out 95 wins for the Rangers this season. It is interesting to note that the Cubs are the 16 team to win 100-plus games since 2000. The Nationals are the opposite, coming off of a recent 3 game winning streak against the Miami Marlins. The Blue Jays not only took the season series against Texas 4-3, but beat the Rangers in a tense five-game division series last fall.

Then, too, there is Bartman, as in the surname of the hapless fan who reached for a foul ball during Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series.

stayontheblack.com

Cubs Seek First World Series Win In 108 Years