October baseball in 2008 did not live up to Fall Classic standards. I’m happy to flip the calendar over to November and forget the feeble excuse for a World Series ever took place.

In his never ending quest to be the worst commissioner in the history of sports, Bud Selig made a mockery of baseball’s magnum opus. Starting one game two-plus hours late, in the rain, was a poor decision. Starting another game with heavy rain expected, then making them play until the game was tied before calling it, even worse. Did Selig not have access to weather forecasts?

I guess when you’re talking about the same guy who called the All-Star game a tie and sat back while players pumped illegal steroids into their bodies, screwing up the World Series is right in his wheelhouse. Not that it’s his fault who made it to the finals.

The LA Times reports:

The 2008 World Series averaged an 8.4 rating nationally and attracted, on average, 13.6 million viewers. That makes it the lowest-rated World Series on record, according to Nielsen Media Research data. For comparison sake, last year’s Fox broadcasts of the four-game sweep of the Rockies by the Red Sox generated a 10.6 average rating and drew 17.1 million viewers.

It should be no surprise to anyone that Tampa Bay versus the Phillies didn’t enthrall the nation. One group of fans (lotta culture!) is passionate but the others? Bandwagoners for the most part. The rest are tucked safely away in bed after the early-bird special at Shoney’s.
Enough said, I’m glad the Rays lost. We all knew they’d collapse sooner or later, right? I am putting it in writing for all to see: they will not win 80 games next season.
On to the Varitek saga, Manny’s free agency, and Red’s off-season promise to build a Red Sox puppet army.