World Series preview

 

If I were NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, I'd pay close attention to this year's World Series, which begins tonight at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Yes, they're still playing in a bubble because of COVID-19, because they don't have a choice.

For the Los Angeles Dodgers, they're still trying to win their first Series since upsetting Oakland in 1988, avenging a defeat in the 1974 Series. Adding Mookie Betts hasn't hurt, of course, and they can always, if they haven't done it already, send thank you cards to AL Champion Tampa Bay for eliminating Houston from the picture. Takes away a lot of unnecessary drama.

The Dodgers' offense is just fine, thanks. Rookie catcher Will Smith will never be confused with the Atlanta pitcher of the same name, whom the new iteration of the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air took deep in the NLCS, or the original Fresh Prince, for that matter (and I'm shocked there haven't been enough references to that popular 90's series, other than that Will Smith's solo hit, "Getting Jiggy With It", playing into a commercial break the other night), but this has been a coming of age period for him. The same can be said for Tampa Bay's Randy Arozarena, whom the Rays heisted from St. Louis in the off-season. Sports card speculators are going batshizzle insane, I'm sure, over these guys.

However, the Rays' offense is more than just Arozarena, although you can't tell by the anemic batting averages, and the fact that outfielder Kevin Kiermaier has been hurt. Tampa took advantage of Manuel Margot's familiarity with his former home park in San Diego (Margot & Hunter Renfroe were traded from San Diego in the off-season) in the ALCS, but now, they're back in an AL park they haven't seen this season. 1B Ji-Man Choi returned from injury, and gave the Rays an extra weapon.

Clayton Kershaw gets the game 1 start for LA, but if past history is any barometer, it's not an automatic win. Renfroe & Margot are familiar with Kershaw, of course, and both could be factors. 

Since Sunday, I've gone back & forth on this series. The popular trend the last few years is for long title droughts to end. Tampa has waited 12 years to get back to the big dance, while the Dodgers squandered recent opportunities, and they will argue that, yes, they were screwed by Houston and perhaps Boston in 2017-18. Problem is, the Rays are hungrier and younger. Big difference.

The pick: Tampa Bay in 7.

Of course, I could be wrong.