When the San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night, it set up a decisive game seven on Monday night in San Francisco. The League Championship series have been a far cry from the Division series, where all four series went the full distance of five games each. Still, one Game Seven is better than none at all.
The Yankees flameout, on the heels of the injury to Derek Jeter, robbed us all of any kind of drama in the ALCS. The Tigers never trailed, not for a single pitch, and it was a rare takedown for the Yankees to experience. The feel-good story of Raul Ibanez, and the tragedy of Joe Giradi, weren’t enough to overcome the fact that the Yankees are, year in and year out, the Evil Empire of professional baseball. To see them get exposed, as they were by the Tigers, gave the rest of us an almost perverse thrill, whether we are willing to admit that or not.
But the NLCS has followed up on the previous round of the post season. The come-from-behind Giants who stunned the Reds, and the unbelievable Cardinals who sent the Nationals into the offseason, have set the stage for what could be — and should be — a barnburner of a game for the right to face the Tigers in the World Series.
Here’s hoping for a game for the ages on Monday Night.