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ESPN ranks White Sox - Padres as the most fun WS matchup


VAfan

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Here are 10 reasons this is the World Series we want in 2020:

10. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Luis Robert: Seeing the two most dynamic players in the majors on center stage would be the perfect finish to this bittersweet season. Colleague Sam Miller just ranked them as the first (Tatis) and third (Robert) most exciting players in the game (with Juan Soto squeezed in between).

9. New aces. Chicago's Lucas Giolito has solidified himself as one of the best starters in the majors, averaging 12.2 K's per nine innings and holding batters to a .187 average. Meanwhile, Dinelson Lamet has become perhaps San Diego's No. 1 starter, relying on a fastball that averages 97 mph and maybe the most unhittable slider in the game. He's averaging 12.0 K's per nine and has lowered his ERA to 2.12.

8. Crafty veteran starters. Dallas Keuchel (6-2, 2.19) and Zach Davies (7-3, 2.69) show that you don't have to light up the radar gun to succeed.

7. Slugging first basemen. Jose Abreu and Eric Hosmer have been overrated at times in their careers, but both have been bashing in 2020. Abreu leads the majors in RBIs, and Hosmer has knocked in 32 runs in 31 games.

6. Bold moves deserve to be rewarded. The White Sox made their big splash in the offseason (Keuchel, Yasmani Grandal, Edwin Encarnacion), and Padres GM A.J. Preller followed up a busy offseason with a hyperactive trade deadline, acquiring Mike Clevinger, Mitch Moreland, Trevor Rosenthal and Austin Nola.

5. Tim Anderson. Worth the price of admission.

4. Old-school second basemen. Rookies Nick Madrigal and Jake Cronenworth are throwback-type players in that they actually like to put the ball in play. Chicago's Madrigal is already showing that he is the best contact hitter in the game (albeit with little power), and Cronenworth, who came to San Diego from the Rays in the offseason, is the likely NL Rookie of the Year, hitting above .300 with extra-base pop.

3. New Padres uniforms. Love 'em.

2. It has been a long time since these teams were good. In some ways, this would remind me of the 1991 Twins-Braves World Series, when both teams went from worst to first place. This would be a similar case. The White Sox were 72-89 in 2019 and last finished over .500 in 2012. The Padres were 70-92 in 2019 and last finished over .500 in 2010.

1. They're the most exciting teams in baseball. They're young, flashy, full of confidence and absolutely fun to watch. With everything going on, watching baseball hasn't always been as enjoyable this year as it normally is. This is the World Series we need to remind us how much we love this game.

 

Here's the link.  https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29900872/2020-world-series-matchups-love-hate-see

I'd have to agree with this choice. 

Edited by VAfan
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Just now, Quin said:

To be fair, this World Series would be tight.

Dane Dunning vs. Manny Machado is the angry, alliterative matchup the postseason demands.

Two weeks of reliving the Tatis/Shields deal in addition to how often that happens here anyway sounds more miserable than dealing with Cubs fans in a Cross Town series.

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