Last year, the Dodgers defeated a team from the AL East. They face another AL East team this year. Will the result be any different? Probably not, but here's hoping for a great series full of excitement. Since the AL East team I wanted to be here fell short, who should I root for? There are lots of little factors I take into consideration, so who has the edge?
Former Red Sox Players
Blue Jays: Tyler Heineman
Dodgers: Mookie Betts, Enrique Hernandez
|
|
2025 Topps Heritage #487 Mookie Betts (SP) |
If I can't root for my Red Sox, I can at least root for the guys
who used to play for them. The Betts trade continues to haunt Red
Sox fans, while Kiki had a brief 3-year detour to Boston before
returning to the Dodgers. On the other side of the field, Blue Jays catcher Tyler Heineman played a whopping 2 games for the Red Sox last year.
Advantage: Dodgers
Shenandoah Valley Baseball League Alumni
Blue Jays: Trey Yesavage
Dodgers: none
|
| 2025 Topps Now #716 Trey Yesavage |
The Shenandoah Valley Baseball League is a summer collegiate league
that operates in my little corner of the world. I try to go to at
least one game every year in support of my hometown team, the
Waynesboro Generals. Trey Yesavage played for
the team in Charlottesville just 3 years ago, and now he's in the World Series!
Advantage: Blue Jays
University of Virginia Cavaliers Alumni
Blue Jays: Ernie Clement
Dodgers: none
|
| 2025 Topps #319 Ernie Clement |
Go Wa-hoos! Living a short drive from Charlottesville, I've gone to a
few UVa baseball games and try to keep up with them throughout the
season. Former Cavalier Ernie Clement also has the distinction of
being born in Rochester, NY where I went to college! Like most of the
people from that region, he's also a huge Bills fan and
uses the Bills "Shout!" song as his walk-up music!
Advantage: Blue Jays
Championship Drought
Blue Jays: 31 years
Dodgers: defending champions
|
|
1993 Donruss McDonald's Toronto Blue Jays Great Moments #23 1992 World Champions |
When my favorite team finally won the World Series in 2004, it ended
an 86-year drought. As a result, I've always had a soft spot for
teams that haven't one in awhile. The last time the Blue Jays
reached the World Series, I was in high school.
Advantage: Blue Jays
Personal Connection
I have zero connection to the Dodgers, outside of enjoying the blogs
of a few Dodger fans.
Since this is primarily a baseball card blog, I figured this post
should have a card show-off! I decided to pick each team's best card
from the 2025 Topps base set. Neither team has cards that really stand out, but I'm giving the nod to Barnes in all of his catching gear glory.
Growing up in the southern tier of NY State, I was often asked why I
wasn't a Yankees or Mets fan. That never made sense to me, as the
two closest teams to me geographically were actually in Cleveland
and Toronto. I could even get Canadian TV channels on my TV if the
weather was clear enough, and remember watching the Jays play once
or twice. Toronto is also a beautiful city that I've actually
visited once.
Advantage: Blue Jays
Spring Training Adventures
From 2017-2019, I went with my father-in-law and a friend to
Spring Training in Florida every year. I got to see a lot of
different teams over those years, and once got to see
the Blue Jays take on the Pirates.
I got an autograph of a Blue Jays coach at that game (Mike
Mordecai), but a more noteworthy autograph came years before when
I got a ball signed by numerous Astros players. One of them was
current Jay and ALCS hero George Springer.
 |
| That's Springer's auto in the middle |
Advantage: Blue Jays
Best 2025 Topps Base Set Card
|
|
Advantage: Dodgers
Final Talley: Blue Jays 5, Dodgers 2
Oh, Canada!
Literally the worst possible match-up of the teams that made the playoffs.
ReplyDeleteDidn't watch the game last night (came home too late), but I was happy to see the Jays won the game. I think the Dodgers will bounce back (and win it all), but would love to see the Blue Jays stop them.
ReplyDeleteThat Game 3 was awesome!
ReplyDelete