There have been thrilling and exciting moments that have filled the Major League Baseball playoffs this year, unlike a few in recent years. Grand Slams, clutch hits, phenomenal pitching, and great plays can sum up the major headlines. The matchups have been otherworldly, going deep into the series to decide who moves on. Electrifying finishes have encapsulated the postseason feel that never seems to disappoint. These games are played during the month of October, and there’s nothing quite like playoff baseball in the sports world.
Even if you aren’t a fan of baseball, there’s always a way to be excited and drawn into the game, each one filled with can’t miss moments. So far in these playoffs, the shining stars of the baseball world have indeed seized their moments and taken the stage. Fans have been both exhilarated and disappointed. The atmosphere at every game is like no other as the crowd gets into the game, the tension rises, momentum shifts, and players get flustered.
This postseason, the Detroit Tigers headlined the playoffs early on when pulling off the upset against the Houston Astros before losing in the next round. A few division leaders like the Phillies and Orioles were eliminated early on, which shocked the baseball world. The New York Mets also gave a few teams a run for their money, playing the best they have all year before losing in the championship series. Sometimes all it takes is for a team to figure out the best ways to win, like starting pitching being able to last long in games, the bullpen dominating, and the offense coming alive and stringing huts together when it matters most. The pressure is always on, and how players are able to handle that contributes to how well they perform.
In the later rounds, the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers played best series in these playoffs. The Dodgers would go on to win five games. Several players like Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado got heated in this series, which, coupled with some fans interfering, caused trouble and rallied the Dodgers. Ultimately, in the end, the Padres offense couldn’t respond, which ended up killing their chances of a championship. Both the offense and defense need to come alive when it comes down to winning games, and pitching is the most important thing in the playoffs for silencing the opposition in high-stress situations—all things that the Padres lacked when they needed it.
Popular, highly valued teams like the Dodgers and Yankees are the teams that most baseball fans tend to root against because they are able to afford top players to sign them, which helps them create teams full of stars. These teams are both very dominant and play very well, which frustrates many fans. Before the season started, both of these teams were projected to play in the World Series, and that’s exactly what they will be doing starting this week.
Unlike other sports, baseball is very particular. It is an art that needs to be specialized and mastered to be exceptional in one’s skill. It is one of the only sports where if you fail at hitting 3/10 at the plate or only get a hit three times out of ten batting appearances, you are considered one of the best in the game, let alone hitting a 100-mph fastball consistently and with success. This game has an incredibly high level of difficulty.
Jackson Thomas (12), a baseball fan and senior at Gig Harbor High School, described the sport as not only physically taxing but also mentally demanding. “It takes a lot of work to be good at the game,” he says. “It also is a game where you fail more than you succeed.” When it comes to watching the games and especially the playoffs, Thomas emphasized that “Baseball is such a different environment, and as a fan, you constantly have to be paying attention because one swing of the bat and it can be a whole new ballgame.” More specifically for games in the playoffs, he says, “I like playoff baseball because it’s the best of the best teams and they’re all competing for a trophy, and sometimes unsuspecting teams can make a deep run.”
Another baseball lover, Mason Sams (11) talked about his love of the playoffs and discussed the excitement the games bring. “I think there’s a lot more tension knowing one pitch could change the course of the whole series and there are a lot of different moments that have you on the edge of your seat,” he says. “I like the format of the playoffs as well because it makes for better games and rivalries, which happen faster because the opening rounds are fewer games than the later rounds. Lots of people think it’s a slow and boring sport, but playoff baseball is totally different because it’s filled with emotions and drama.”
Camden Bentley (10), a baseball fan, stated, “There are brand new stars and crazy upsets, along with an electric crowd. Most people think it’s boring, but there are newer and exciting players that the MLB has never seen before and can do things no one else has ever done.”
The sport of baseball is a unique game and is an art that captures the hearts of many fans across the country and world. People say the sport is romantic, and when you think about the moments in the sports history that have altered franchises, how can you say it’s not? The underdog teams and players going to compete are just so beautiful to witness. If you aren’t a fan of baseball or don’t watch the playoffs, you are missing out, and it’s never too late to turn on the TV to watch these games for yourself in October to experience history.