MLB Playoff Takeaways: Championship Series

Photo by Godofredo A. Vasquez from the Associated Press

It looked like we were destined for a rematch of last year, but that’s not what ended up happening.

What did happen, were incredible series that both went 7 games.

So let’s get into it.

Rangers defeat Astros 4-3

There’s a phrase used today.

I won’t use the exact phrase, because it’s vulgar, but it is well used.

The phrase is “mess around and find out.”

In game 5, Adolis Garcia hit a 3 run home run to give the Rangers a 3 run lead.

The next time he was up, the Astros threw 99 miles per hour at his ribs on the first pitch.

Something people have deemed “unintentional,” but something I have seen them do 3 separate times as a Mariners fan.

Garcia, understandably, was very upset by it and got in their faces and was ejected.

Later in the game, Altuve hit a 3 run home run and the Astros won the game.

Afterwards, Martin Maldonado said that the worst thing Garcia did was “wake up the Houston Astros.”

So, let’s summarize.

The Astros threw at him, and then blamed him for getting in their faces and waking up the Astros.

What happened next?

In game 6, Garcia hit a grand slam to blow the game open, and in game 7 Garcia hit two more home runs as the Rangers won 9-2 and 11-3 to win the series.

Mess around and find out.

Diamondbacks defeat Phillies 4-3

The Diamondbacks only won 84 games, and now they’re in the World Series.

Baseball. Is. Weird.

But the one takeaway I noticed of this Diamondbacks team is how well they’re set up for the future.

This team has so much crucial young talent.

Corbin Carroll, Gabriel Moreno, Gerlado Perdomo and Alek Thomas are all 23 years old or younger. They’re set up for future success.

But how do you set that team up for current success as well?

You mesh that young talent with veteran talent.

Guys like Ketel Marte, Tommy Pham, Evan Longoria and newly acquired closer Paul Sewald.

It’s the perfect balance, and you’ve seen how well it works this postseason.