So, it will be the Tigers vs. the Cardinals in the 2006 World Series. Another year without the Phillies there, but I can take some solace in knowing that the Mets will not be there either.
As I watched the Mets' Carlos Beltran strike out - looking - on three straight pitches - with the bases loaded - in the bottom of the 9th - I thought back to something that ESPN Radio's Mike and Mike talked about on Thursday morning's show (both picked the Mets, BTW). They talked about how Game 7 would be a game of moments, moments that could determine how a player is ultimately remembered.
Their examples: Bill Mazeroski, whose 9th inning home run in Game 7 gave the Pirates a World Series win over the Yankees. And, Bill Buckner, the Red Sox first baseman who let a ground ball go right through his legs in the 10th inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series vs. the Mets. The error allowed the Mets to score the winning run, and the Mets went on to win Game 7. The error overshadows the 21-year career of a player who (according to Wikipedia) had more than 2,500 hits, stole bases, and made only 128 errors. Moments.
Last night:
Bill Mazeroski = Yadier Molina
Bill Buckner = Carlos Beltran
By the way, the ground ball that Buckner missed in 1986 was hit by Mookie Wilson of the mets. 20 years later, Mookie's son Preston is playing for the Cardinals. Just saying.