Bandwagon Jumping

With the Indians eliminated from playoff contention, it’s only natural as baseball fans that we would jump on the bandwagon of one of the remaining teams. Or, as is the case for a few of us, we jump on a bandwagon only to watch that team crash and burn, jump on another bandwagon and watch it crash and burn and then continue this painful process until the only team left standing is the one team we really didn’t want to win the whole damn thing. We might be magical. Anyways, for this week’s Wroundtable question I asked the staff: Which team’s bandwagon have you jumped on and why. This is what they had to say.

Michael Chaney: Since I was previously going to answer with either the Pirates or the Athletics and they were both eliminated, I think it’s probably time to give a new answer. With that being said, I’m pulling for the St. Louis Cardinals. Even though they beat the Pirates, I have a lot of respect for them. GM John Mozeliak oversees what is probably the best-run organization in all of baseball. Many of the team’s players are homegrown, but with a passionate and caring fan base, the team can afford to add external improvements to the roster when necessary (which it doesn’t usually seem to be). The Cardinals have a small army of pitching prospects in the minor leagues, and let’s not forget that they have Oscar Taveras waiting in the wings as well. Being an Indians fan, I generally don’t like it when the same teams make it this far in the playoffs every year (which the Cardinals do), but for a team like the Cardinals I can live with it. I’m also a huge stickler for organizations that are run well, and the Cardinals seem to do a great job at filling that description.

Oct 7, 2013; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; A general view of a base with the postseason logo before game four of the National League divisional series playoff baseball game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Ed Carroll: I haven’t jumped on any specific team’s bandwagon (but was rooting for the Tampa Bay Rays after they eliminated the Indians), but now I’m really not crazy for any of the remaining teams. I suppose if I had to pick I’d want a Dodgers-Tigers World Series (with Detroit winning), but I don’t HAVE to pick – so I won’t. I really just want 14 awesome baseball games in the respective LCSes, and then seven awesome World Series games. I want 21 more baseball games in 2013. Is this too much to ask?

Jeff Mount: I went to high school in Pittsburgh, so I’ve been on the bandwagon as it drove into the ditch the past 21 years.  The way Wainwright looks in game 5, I may have to make a new choice.  The next bandwagon i jump on will probably be a hockey team.

Nick Houghaling: For this post-season, I’ve chosen to hop on the bandwagon of all remaining NL teams (what can I say? They’re all so lovable) and the Oakland A’s. I feel as if the Athletics are destined to win this year, thus prompting Michael Lewis to write Moneyball II: A New Hope. Eventually, of course, a movie will be released staring Brad Pitt & Jonah Hill. I figure this is as good a time as any to get my ideas out there for the film.

First of all, the film will mirror real life for the most part. However, there will be two major changes. Number one – Jonah Hill’s character, Peter Brand, will be the GM of the Detroit Tigers. He betrayed Billy Beane and built a team in Detroit while spending an excess amount of cash on free agents and extensions. This will heighten the drama of the Tigers/Athletics series.

Second, no matter the outcome – Athletics win it all, Athletics elimination – the movie will end with a new owner buying the club, giving Beane a vast amount of funds in which to acquire talent. The film ends on a somber note with Beane thinking to himself – what am I becoming? Am I like those other GMs I outsmarted before?

This sets the tone nicely for Moneyball III, in which Beane’s attempts to create a successful team by overspending fails miserably. He’s fired by the A’s, and nearly quits managing for good. Until one day, Peter Brand apologizes to him and they rejoin forces one final time to win it all…with the Cleveland Indians. They hoist a World Series trophy at the end of the season.

Come on, this would be dramatic as hell. Columbia Pictures, you know you’re interested!!

Oct 5, 2013; Oakland, CA, USA; Postseason sign before game two of the American League divisional series playoff baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and the Detroit Tigers at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports

Merritt Rohlfing: I’m kind of split on this one, but it helps because I have a rooting interest of sorts in each series. I wouldn’t much mind if the Red Sox or Cardinals went all the way. The Cardinals because I like Carlos Beltran and Yadier Molina‘s bold neck tattoo choices, and anyway I’m quite envious of them as a franchise. There will be a day the Indians will be at least a pale reflection of St. Louis, it’ll just take time. Living in Chicago and growing to despise the Cubs’ monetizing losing as they have, a Redbirds’ win would be a nice little cherry on top. I might even go up to Wrigleyville to watch them clinch.

The Sox are a bit of a hometown team, being a New England boy. Every time they win my father gets a little more unsettled, having been a Boston sports fan (besides the Celtics) for decades. The not losing big time is still strange to him, and I relish those strange texts that will come. Plus they’re just a cool team. Pedroia, Gomes, Napoli and the other bearded ones all look like extras from The Departed, and I like Dustin’s laser shows. On top of it all is David Ortiz, the progenitor of the home run pose it seems. The man just likes to admire his bombs, and I admire him for that. Oh, and screw the Tigers, I hope they get bludgeoned.

Brian Heise: The Pirates.  Crap. The Rays. Double Crap. The A’s. I give up.

Actually, no I don’t. With my top three choices after the Indians all watching from home with the rest of us, I guess I have no choice but to send yet another aspiring World Champion’s title aspirations crashing and burning to the ground. So with that in mind… Let’s go Dodgers! Sorry, Los Angeles. When the Cardinals ultimately send the Dodgers packing you know exactly where you can send all of your hate. Straight to my twitter timeline… which for the record is @EdTheRevelator. Don’t ask questions. Just trust me. That’s where you want to send me all of your hate tweets.