Is There a "Bad" Team to Beat in the World Series?

[Derwood]

I was having a discussion with my best friend the other day, and the topic turns to the Cubs. He says, "If the Cubs win it all this year, I really hope it's against the Red Sox or Angels." I asked him why and he said "I don't want the Cubs to finally win the World Series but allow critics to say, 'Sure they won it, but it took beating a crappy White Sox team to do it.' "

 

It's not something I really worry about (after 100 years, I don't care who they have to beat) but does my friend's "concern" have any legitimacy? If last year's World Series had been the Red Sox' first in 90 years, would people have said "Sure, but they beat an overachieving Rockies team"?

[Little Slide Rooter]

I'll take what we can get. If its the Red Sox, Angels, or White Sox, sweet, if its the Rays or Twins, bring em on, and I wont complain.

[bukie]

I was having a discussion with my best friend the other day, and the topic turns to the Cubs. He says, "If the Cubs win it all this year, I really hope it's against the Red Sox or Angels." I asked him why and he said "I don't want the Cubs to finally win the World Series but allow critics to say, 'Sure they won it, but it took beating a crappy White Sox team to do it.' "

 

It's not something I really worry about (after 100 years, I don't care who they have to beat) but does my friend's "concern" have any legitimacy? If last year's World Series had been the Red Sox' first in 90 years, would people have said "Sure, but they beat an overachieving Rockies team"?

 

Yankees fans may have, but I don't consider it that big a deal. There are some years where any team from the other league is overmatched (and some times they still win, as in 2006).

[ConstableRabbit]

I don't think it's a concern. While I'm irritated we missed out on a chance to have HFA, winning the world series without it would add some "legitimacy".

 

Either way, if we win, I couldn't care less what critics say, unless it's by a forfeit or some other weird occurrence.

[Cynosure]

I don't care what anyone says if the Cubs win the World Series, I'd tke it against the Royals. Screw what the critics say, a World Series win is a win no matter what.

[kjfoster 1553]

I was having a discussion with my best friend the other day, and the topic turns to the Cubs. He says, "If the Cubs win it all this year, I really hope it's against the Red Sox or Angels." I asked him why and he said "I don't want the Cubs to finally win the World Series but allow critics to say, 'Sure they won it, but it took beating a crappy White Sox team to do it.' "

 

It's not something I really worry about (after 100 years, I don't care who they have to beat) but does my friend's "concern" have any legitimacy? If last year's World Series had been the Red Sox' first in 90 years, would people have said "Sure, but they beat an overachieving Rockies team"?

 

I don't care who we beat. If whatever team makes it to the WS (White Sox, Angels, Twins, whoever) and we play and then beat them, it won't matter who the other team was. The only thing that will get coverage (outside of US NeverSellOut) is that the Cubs won the WS for the first time in 100 yrs, NOT who they beat up on to do it.

 

Sox fans will say "Oh, you beat xyz team and they suck" or whatever. But what team are we going to play that they will be able to say that? They wouldn't be able to say it if its any team from the Central, the Rays are tied for the best record in baseball, the Red Sox aren't bad, and the Angels aren't bad.

[Derwood]

For the record, I agree with all you guys. I just thought it was an interesting "concern" to have.

[kujay]

I think 2006 maybe would have been a good example of this if the Detroit pitchers didn't commit about 25 errors in five games.

 

Beating the '06 Cardinals in the WS wouldn't have been the greatest accomplishment.

 

But overall, I agree that I don't care how the Cubs beat. I'm still going to cry like a little girl.

[David]

Honestly, the only "bad" team I could envision the Cubs playing in the World Series is the Rays, and that's because I hate watching baseball games played in crappy stadiums. Twins too, if they managed to make it.

 

Obviously, if they get there I'm not really gonna care that much, but it would suck to finally get there and have to play in the SkyDome or Metrodome (or Tropicana) or something. Domes suck. I despise them.

 

I think it would be pretty cool to play any of the other three teams for various reasons.

[UMFan83]

If all of professional baseball went on strike except the Cubs, and Bud Selig allowed the Owensboro, KY Little League team to compete against the Cubs for the World Series, and the Owensboro team took the Cubs to 7 games and the Cubs won on a forefit because Owensboro got 3 inches of rain the night before and their field was unplayable, I still wouldn't care what people said about our championship.

[David]

...and yea, as far as the "legitimacy" of it is concerned, I couldn't care less. I don't think beating the White Sox would lead to those kinds of issues, though, and it would, at the very least, shut up their fans.

[jersey cubs fan]

There would be no "bad" team, other than for a TV viewer having to watch a game in Tampa.

 

History will remember a team won the World Series.

[BleacherBadger]

There would be no "bad" team, other than for a TV viewer having to watch a game in Tampa.

 

History will remember a team won the World Series.

 

Hit that one on the head. Teams might be remembered in brighter light by being over the top great, but noone discounts a team that won the World Series.

[David]

FWIW, this team is over the top great. It'll take a WS trophy to cement it, though.

[David]

How crazy is it that nobody has made the obligatory post about not talking about the World Series yet...

[kjfoster 1553]

How crazy is it that nobody has made the obligatory post about not talking about the World Series yet...

 

Hey, we expect this to be the year. But, if it doesn't work out that way... [-X Don't think that way.

[jersey cubs fan]

FWIW, this team is over the top great. It'll take a WS trophy to cement it, though.

 

They might win 100 games. If they do that and win the world series, they will be among a fairly large group of really really good champions. But I don't know about "over the top great".

[UMFan83]

Does anyone born after 1980 know how good/not good the Royals team was that lost to the Phillies in the World Series?

[BleacherBadger]

Does anyone born after 1980 know how good/not good the Royals team was that lost to the Phillies in the World Series?

 

What's a Royal?

[David]

FWIW, this team is over the top great. It'll take a WS trophy to cement it, though.

 

They might win 100 games. If they do that and win the world series, they will be among a fairly large group of really really good champions. But I don't know about "over the top great".

 

 

100 wins, a run differential of near 200, and a championship would have to qualify in my book. Especially (but not limited to) within the context of what's being said in this thread...only an idiot would question that team's legitimacy as a deserving champion.

 

This team is very good to great in every facet of the game.

 

I don't know if you'd need them to challenge the win record or something to be considered "over the top great"...??

Edited August 20, 2008 by David

[BleacherBadger]

For the record, I never said this team is or is not "over the top great." I was just making a point of how some teams are remembered with a premium, but no WS winning team is discounted.

[CuseCubFan69]

Does anyone born after 1980 know how good/not good the Royals team was that lost to the Phillies in the World Series?

 

What's a Royal?

 

A Big Mac in France?

 

The Royals used to be very good and I always rooted for them to beat the Yanks.

[David]

For the record, I never said this team is or is not "over the top great." I was just making a point of how some teams are remembered with a premium, but no WS winning team is discounted.

 

I know you weren't. I was just pointing out that they are.

[CuseCubFan69]

Does anyone know what the Cubs record is since they traded for Harden?

[UMFan83]

For the record, I never said this team is or is not "over the top great." I was just making a point of how some teams are remembered with a premium, but no WS winning team is discounted.

 

It's a topic worth discussing, but personally I don't care about being among the all time greats. I just care about winning a World Series. We'll let history take care of the rest. I'm sure the Cardinals fans don't care everytime they rub their 2006 championship in our faces.