New York Post columnist Mike Vaccaro ranked the "root-ability" of the eight teams most likely to make the baseball playoffs - that is, the likelihood of an impartial fan to cheer for any of them, from bottom to top:
8. Yankees: When you lead the world in haters, it's because you lead the world in championships, and who wouldn't make that trade? Nobody hates the Padres or the Mariners. Unless you bleed pinstripes, it is physically, emotionally and mathematically impossible to root for a $200 million payroll. It just is.
7. Red Sox: Think of them as Yankees Lite.
6. Braves: When you consider how little the city of Atlanta seemed to appreciate the staggering, uninterrupted 15-year run the Braves had from 1991-2005, it seems a little unfair that they have such a wonderful team again while Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Baltimore suffer.
5. Rangers: The Metroplex did us all a solid by snuffing the Heat in June. Accept the nation's thanks and move along.
4. Phillies: They are an impossible team to hate, because they play the game the way you wish your team would play the game, no matter who your team is, and that's the only reason they aren't swimming with the Yanks and the Sox.
3. Diamondbacks: It's a wonderful worst-to-first tale, but the fact is many still are bitter that they were a playoff team in their second year of existence and a champion in their fourth. Where is the pain?
2. Tigers: Because, let's face it, who needs a bigger shot in the arm than Michigan?
1. Brewers: For one thing, Milwaukee is one of the seriously underrated fun cities in the country. For another, Nyjer Morgan might get thrown at in every World Series plate appearance. And it's been 54 years since Richie Cunningham's hometown ruled the baseball roost. It's time.
First of all, the Brtaves had a string of 13 division titles. My Phillies won in 1993. Atlanta is an awful sports city. They do nt support their teams.
I agree roughly agree with this guy. However, we all know who I'll be rooting for this year. We only have two championships in 128 years of baseball. I will not deny that the Brewers are playing good baseball. But don't get in our way.
It'll be the Phillies against the West division winner and the Brewers against the Braves. That ought to be a good series.
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Stop trying to be what you see. Be what you ought to be.
There is still time in the year. The Philiies have what seems like a ton of games to play. They lost their only two days off this month by having to reschedule rainouts. And ih yeah, they were robbed by the umpires Sunday afternoon. They should've won that game.
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Stop trying to be what you see. Be what you ought to be.
Well good luck to you Fuzzinator. But we're coming for you in the NLCS! We haven't given up hope yet on the possibility of finishing with a better record than you guys and securing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. I really think the strain of this last month is gonna be rough on your guys. That's a long time to go without an off day this late in the year.
We'll see. The important task at hand is showing the Braqves why the Phillies have the division lead. Hopefully, the Phils will finish the series strong at home tonight. Then the next monster task for the weekend will be your Brewers. In a four game series you know you are seeing all the big men. Beware.
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Stop trying to be what you see. Be what you ought to be.
On one hand I want to kick your butt. On the other hand, you're too good of a team to think we could take 3 of 4 from you now and then win a short series in the playoffs too.
So if we do poorly against you I'll actually be ok with it, feeling like we'll use it as motivation to step up more in the playoffs.
Good luck to you though, may the second best team on paper win!
We haven't given up hope yet on the possibility of finishing with a better record than you guys and securing home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. I really think the strain of this last month is gonna be rough on your guys. That's a long time to go without an off day this late in the year.
