I'm going to watch the Yankees with an emotional commitment. I'm a longtime fan and it's a habit, a pleasure, a hobby.
But this Game Five was not exciting.
It's a typical 2020 all-or-nothing stylistic disaster.
- 17 innings pitched.
- 6 hits.
- 3 home runs (all cheap-o).
- 100% of the runs scored on home runs (did I mention they were all cheap-o)?
- 24 strikeouts.
Remember when baseball players displayed various offensive skills?
Remember when the game was dynamic?
Remember when ... I don't know quite how to explain this ... when players were different from one another?
One guy had a good eye and could steal bases; another guy swung for the fences but struck out too much; another guy was good in the clutch and could hit the ball to the opposite field; you could identify players by unique batting stances.
There are some exceptions, of course. DJ LeMahieu and Tim Anderson come to mind.
But 2020 MLB is a league of 500 Danny Tartabulls.
A parade of indistinguishable .220 hitters who try to hit a home run every time up and, due to small ballparks, juiced balls, and endless 95 MPH fastballs supplying the power, they are able to do so every 15 at-bats or so.
Gary Sanchez hits .150 and Freddie Freeman hits .350. So Freeman is undoubtedly better. But they both have the same power numbers, because just about everyone has the same power numbers.
If you aren't striking out, you're hitting a home run.
Fly balls are home runs, and home runs are upper-deck home runs.
Game Five wasn't a classic at all. I'm not lashing out just because my team lost.
It's supposed to be exciting when you reach the late innings of a Game Five and the score is tied.
This was just a tedious exercise of waiting to see who was going to get one over the fence first.
It was the Rays this time.
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