World Series 2015 Reaction

I thought 2014 was pretty memorable, and historic. But 2015, topped that by miles.

From my favorite player, Alex Gordon’s super human foul ball catch, more epic comebacks, our Swiss Army knife Ben Zobrist, and lastly Michael Jackson dance moves on the mound from Yordano Ventura, when he uses that big sweeping curveball to make hitters look foolish.

Unlike last year, this year was all about unfinished business. They were on top of the baseball world from beginning to end and out to prove they were no fluke.

And then once we hit the playoffs, the Royals toyed with the Astros. After the eighth-inning of ALDS Game 4, IT WAS ON! I would never mock anybody, but I wondered if the Royals were like, let’s spot them some runs so they can feel good about themselves. Haha. Or maybe it was the karma the Texas Governor brought upon them when he prematurely posted on social media about an Astros series victory. Then Kendrys Morales' homer sealed the deal on our way to advancing to the ALCS in the next game.

That brings us to the glorious World Series Game 5. The Mets left Matt Harvey in for one inning too long! Finally! After years of suffering as a Kansas City sports fan from the Chiefs, and Royals.

Kansas City is title town USA.

Brad Freeman’s All-Time Lifetime Baseball Team

My all-time baseball team during my lifetime.

Starting Lineup:

LF: Rickey Henderson (Oakland Athletics)

CF: Ken Griffey Jr. (Seattle Mariners) *favorite non-KC Royal position player

RF: Tony Gwynn (San Diego Padres)

3B: George Brett (Kansas City Royals) *favorite KC Royal position player

SS: Cal Ripken Jr. (Baltimore Orioles)

2B: Roberto Alomar (Toronto Blue Jays/Baltimore Orioles/Cleveland Indians)

1B/DH: Frank Thomas (Chicago White Sox)

C: Ivan Rodriguez (Texas Rangers)

Batting Order:

1. Rickey Henderson

2. Cal Ripken Jr.

3. Ken Griffey Jr.

4. Tony Gwynn

5. Frank Thomas

6. Albert Pujols

7. George Brett

8. Ivan Rodriguez

9. Roberto Alomar

Bench:

OF: Ichiro Suzuki (Seattle Mariners)
OF: Carlos Beltran (Kansas City Royals/Houston Astros)
1B/DH: Albert Pujols (St. Louis Cardinals)
C: Buster Posey (San Francisco Giants)
OF/IF: Ben Zobrist (Tampa Bay Rays/Kansas City Royals) *26^th man during double headers

Starting Pitching Rotation:

1. Randy Johnson (Seattle Mariners/Arizona Diamondbacks) *favorite left-handed starter

2. Roger Clemens (Boston Red Sox/New York Yankees) *favorite right-handed starter

3. Pedro Martinez (Boston Red Sox)

4. Greg Maddux (Atlanta Braves) *favorite member of the 90s Atlanta Braves rotation

5. Curt Schilling (Philadelphia Phillies/Arizona Diamondbacks/Boston Red Sox)

Bullpen:

Nolan Ryan (Houston Astros/Texas Rangers) *can be a 6th starter/long reliever

Jesse Orosco (New York Mets/Baltimore Orioles)

John Franco (New York Mets)

Billy Wagner (Houston Astros)

John Wetteland (Texas Rangers/New York Yankees)

Dennis Eckersley (Oakland Athletics) *Set up man

Mariano Rivera (New York Yankees) *Closer

I’d feel this post would be incomplete if I didn’t give honorable mention to being able to watch the last 2 dual sport athletes that last played. They played both professional football and baseball. Deion Sanders with the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds. As well as Bo Jackson with the Kansas City Royals.

Unfortunately, kids specialize by elementary school for health and financial reasons. Making the 2-sport athlete an astonishing feat, that may be unattainable ever again, and a relic of the past.