The 2019 Fall Classic is underway – so how are NAPA-Net readers feeling about the outcome?
Well, the Washington Nationals are up 2 games to 0 over the Houston Astros, and while the series is far from over, at the moment a majority of NAPA-Net reader poll respondents are surely disappointed; 56% are pulling for those Astros, while half as many (28%) are rooting for the Nationals (the rest are either rooting for the end of baseball season, for a team no longer in contention, couldn’t care less about the outcome, or – in a couple of cases, just rooting against the Yankees).
“I am rooting for Astros only because back in April I picked them to win the World Series this year,” explained one reader. “But I would be fine if the Nats win. As long as the evil empire (NYY) is not participating, i can just enjoy the World Series. Every year, I celebrate on the evening when NYY is eliminated from further playoff contention. I have enjoyed this ten years in a row now. In my opinion, NYY not winning has so many societal benefits beyond just baseball.”
A Nats fan noted that they were, “In the hopes they can help carry our ‘Retirement Industry Legislation Torch’ to the White House by bringing the House / Senate and two parties together !! LOL.”
“Life long Red Sox fan, but with a son in the Astros organization (AAA Round Rock Express), I am all in on the Astros !! Go 'Stros!”
“Red Sox Nation!! Born and bred a M@ss---lez” stated another. “I root for 2 teams – the Red Sox and whoever is playing the Yankees.”
Another noted, “In true Boston sports fan fashion, my Sox (still the Champs for another week or so) are out, so I don't really care who wins......as long as it's not the Yankees.” Or, as another commented, “A good baseball day is when the Rays win and NYY loses.”
Not that there weren’t NY supporters; “I have to root for the Astros since they beat my Yankees. I have to know the best team beat them and not the second-best team beat them.”
“Rooting for the Nats, but just a little, because ‘my’ team (up the road) is so sad,” said another.
“Jeez – this is so hard,” explained another reader. “I’m from an American League city so I usually root for the American League team (unless it’s the Yankees or unless the National League team is the Cubs), but this year I’m intrigued by the somewhat Cinderella story of the Nats. But on the other hand, being a Tigers fan I still think of Verlander as ‘ours’ and of course I want him to do well.”
And then there was the reader who was rooting for “None of the above. I’m rooting for a close series that goes at least 6 games and has lots of excitement in each game.”
Series Streak?
Speaking of that, this year I asked readers how far/long the series would go, and while the sense seemed to be that it would be a relatively long series, the outcomes projected were somewhat varied:
46% - Astros in 6
15% - Nats in 6
13% - Astros, but it will take 7 games.
10% - Nats in 5
5% - Nats, but it will take 7 games
The rest chose either the Astros in 4, or the Astros in 5.
This year we asked another new question – the origins of the team readers backed, regardless of their World Series status. For a plurality (41%), it was the team they grew up rooting for, and for another 28% that wasn’t only the team they grew up rooting for, it was also the team that happened to be near where they live now. Roughly one-in-five (18%) are rooting for the team near where they live now (though not the team where they grew up), while for 5% it was a “function of random coincidences.” The rest weren’t baseball fans.
“It’s different than when I grew up,” explained one reader. “Seems there were more career team players – I was a kid in the 70s-80s and loved the Reds. In the 70s most of the teams were made up of the same players year after year. Then trades and free agency made it a jumbled mess. So the make up of the team seems to evolve and change much more quickly. I find I root for individual players more than teams now.”
Or, as one reader noted, “Anybody I got money on!”
Baseball Cinema
And then – because, regardless of your interest in the World Series, the teams competing, or the sport of baseball generally – we asked readers to weigh in on MOVIES about baseball. Starting with which one(s) readers had seen.
92% - A League of Their Own
87% - Field of Dreams
85% - The Bad News Bears
82% - Bull Durham
82% - The Sandlot
77% - Major League
72% - The Natural
64% - Moneyball
62% - The Rookie
38% - Fever Pitch
28% - The Pride of the Yankees
18% - Trouble with the Curve
Also mentioned; Eight Men Out, Angels in the Outfield, the Legend of Sidd Finch (never heard of it? Check out https://www.si.com/mlb/2014/10/15/curious-case-sidd-finch).
Ah – but when it came down to which of those films was the favorite… well, it was a real pitcher’s duel, with both Field of Dreams and Major League (pretty different movies, those), each garnering the support of 18% each. Third place fell to The Natural (13%), while The Sandlot batted “cleanup” with 10%. For those looking to fill out the roster, Bull Durham, Moneyball & the Bad News Bears tied for 7th, with a League of Their Own and Trouble with the Curve rounding things out.
Other Comments
And, as you might expect, we got a number of comments from readers. Here’s a sampling:
“The minimum MLB salary is $550,000 and the top players are making $35 million or more, with an average of over $4.3 million. This means that game admission, parking, food, team apparel and other gear are unaffordable to many fans. It's a shame.”
“When pitchers and catchers report, I dig out The Natural and watch it with my son!”
“The Baseball season is too long. It should end the first week of October.”
“Too many games but nothing better than going to the park, having a beer and watching baseball when the weather is great!”
“I like to root for the underdog; hope the Nationals win!”
“Baseball in person is super fun – on tv super boring!!! I’m sort of a fair weathered fan but probably because until recently my team (Milwaukee Brewers ) we’re more like a AAA team LOL :).”
“Great to see the Nats in the World Series and what the Nats have done for DC”.
“The season should be structured so that baseball is not played in 40 degree weather.”
“Bring on hockey season!! As much as I enjoy the World Series, I more look forward to playoff hockey. Let's not even get on the compensation disparity discussion.”
“Certain rule changes ... robo umps for strike zones (maybe?) ... minimum 3 batters per pitcher unless you are finishing an inning could go into effect next year (good to speed up game with less one batter match ups) ... pitch clock reinforcement, but keep batters in box ... how many times do you have to re-strap your batting gloves, etc. Love the game because there is not a time clock but need to pick up pace.”
“From the start of spring training to the last game of the World Series, what a ride it is for those who love the game.”
“Would love to see them go back to a 154 game season (and I wasn’t alive when that actually happened) with more day games. What's better than a sunny afternoon at the old ballyard??? And no more of this silly defensive shift, and a thousand relief pitchers.”
“October is a beautiful month – MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL, and NCAAF.”
“Baseball is a game of strategy and statistics. If you like both you should give the game a chance and recognize it is as American as Apple pie!”
“I went for a run the other evening, and my hands got so cold I could hardly stop my watch or turn off my light at the end. I don’t know how these guys manage to play ball in this weather! However, from the couch end of things, getting into the Halloween candy early while watching some baseball isn’t necessarily a bad thing.”
“Wait 'til next year....”
Thanks to everyone who participated in this week’s NAPA-Net Reader Poll!
