6ix Baggers — №78: Bichetteless
The Blue Jays' star shortstop has been out since early September, and as Game 1 tips off tonight, he's still not in the lineup—here's what's going on.Retry
Dear Drink Carters and part-time playoff curious baseball fans
We’re here. The ALCS. The CN Tower vs. The Space Needle Series. Two teams who entered the league in 1977.
The Seattle Mariners have never been to the World Series. Not ever. In nearly five decades, they’ve never even sniffed one. Tonight, they get another shot. The Toronto Blue Jays haven’t tasted the world series since back to back wins in 1992 and 1993.
After Friday’s 15-inning marathon that didn’t end until the morning, the Mariners stumble into Toronto on one day of rest with their pitching staff held together by duct tape and a prayer. Three starting pitchers threw in relief in Game 5. Their bullpen could be cooked.
On the Jays side, the Blue Jays, meanwhile, are rested, rolling and just hung 34 runs on the Yankees in four games. The real headline is that Bo Bichette still isn’t in the lineup. Meanwhile starters Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt replace Tommy Nance and Justin Bruihl on the pitching staff.
Aida at the Skydome (1991)
Yes, Rogers Center has seen two World Series before. An all star game. 2 Grey Cups. Wrestlemania VI. In 1989, just months after the SkyDome opened, someone had the absolutely genius idea to stage a spectacle of opera there. The biggest staging of Aida anyone had ever seen.
Over 1,250 performers. Four elephants. Two lions. Eleven horses. Two camels. A 45-foot Sphinx that weighed eight tons. You can still get a copy of the program.
But the whole thing was weird from the get go. And worse, multiple people died during the staging of this show. If you want the whole story, you gotta read Adam Bunch’s tale.
But for one brief, insane moment in 1989, Toronto staged the most ridiculous opera in history. In a baseball stadium. With elephants. Wild.
The longest night
If you’ve ever seen Ken Burns’ “Baseball,” you already hear the music and you know these title cards. If you haven’t, this won’t make any sense—but last night’s game was the kind of thing Burns will spend 20 minutes on in the next iteration. Fifteen innings. Nearly five hours.
The longest winner-take-all game in playoff history. Even as, “Some baseball fans watched what they called a “playoff classic” in Seattle last night (and this morning). I watched two teams that can’t hit.”
Here’s how he might tell it.
Retry
[Soft piano]
FADE IN: Black and white photograph of T-Mobile Park
NARRATOR: Twenty-four years is a long time to wait.
In the sixth inning, Tarik Skubal threw a fastball 100.9 miles per hour. He screamed. He stomped off the mound. Thirteen strikeouts. Two hits allowed. He looked like a man who could not lose.
The Tigers led, 2-1.
Leo Rivas had spent nine years in the minor leagues. On his 28th birthday, in his first playoff at-bat, he was a pinch-hitter for a pinch-hitter.
His single tied the game.
And then... nothing. For nine more innings.
There was a 14th Inning Stretch. They used 15 pitchers. Starting pitchers became relievers for the first time in their careers. The 3-4-5 hitters went 0 for 33. George Kirby said it felt like his start had been three days ago.
In 1995, Edgar Martinez hit “the double”. Ken Griffey Jr. scored. Seattle wept with joy.
Thirty years later, in the 15th inning, Jorge Polanco came to the plate. Bases loaded. Full count.
He yanked a changeup through the right side.
47,000 people at Safeco Field will remember where they were and what it felt like.
Twenty-four years is a long time to wait.
But sometimes... sometimes it’s worth it.
FADE TO BLACK
Baseball will break your heart
The fact that JT Realmuto is signaling to throw the ball to first is incredible.
Walkoffs
A few more quick fastballs for you to enjoy until our next edition.
Was not expecting Genghis Khan to win the World Series. But here we are.
The shamelessness of this water brand jumping on this line. Shameless.
That time James Caan coached little league. Incredible vibes.
$865 for 500 Level ALCS tickets is ridiculous. I got into the queue at 99,347. And as expected I did not get tickets.
A couple of classic baseball beer ads
You know, for the effort. A couple of beers.
But this is the kind of player based ad I’m here for
This 1962 Camel neon in Times Square with Roger Maris is incredible. An American hero, literal MVP—telling you to smoke Camels because they’re smooth and satisfying, which is exactly what you want from the guy who just broke Babe Ruth’s record.
RIP Mike Greenwell
I was a fan of Mike Greenwell the moment I got this Fleer card in 1991. The Green Monster has always fascinated me ever since. And Greenwell could hit and play defence under it.
A 2x All Star and career .303 hitter with an .831 OPS who would play his whole career with Boston, be runner up for AL MVP in 1988 and never strike out more than 50 times a season. He wsa the real deal. And even had one of those class posters.
Greenwell passed away after a battle with cancer. Guy was a legend.
See you next week for The Drink Cart’s Wednesday and Friday editions and who knows, maybe another baseball one after game 2. That is not a threat. Or is it?