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Houston Astros: Three reasons why team doesn’t need the best AL record

By Kenneth Cline

HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Joe Musgrove
HOUSTON, TX - SEPTEMBER 20: Joe Musgrove /
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Who Said Being #1 Was The Best Feeling?

In my article, I gave out a playoff recap of teams from 2010-2016. On it, I mention that three teams from 2013, 2015, and 2016 were #1 seeds that won the World Series. But I also said that there is no ideal path to take. Whether you’re a one seed or the five seed, you can win it all if you get hot. Baseball in some ways is like hockey to a degree in that lower seeds could upset the higher seeds. Here are seven playoff examples of upsets that happened in baseball.

1906 Chicago White Sox (93-58)

  • Defeated Chicago Cubs (116-36) 4-2 in World Series.

At least we don’t have to worry about being in the same category as them.

1954 New York Giants (97-57)

  • Broked Cleveland Indians (111-43) 4-0 in World Series.

Two words: Willie Mays

1987 Minnesota Twins (85-77)

  • Stunned Detroit Tigers (98-64) 4-1 in ALCS
  • KOed St. Louis Cardinals (95-67) 4-3 in World Series

Dome Sweet Dome!

1988 Los Angeles Dodgers (94-67)

  • Fooled New York Mets (100-60) 4-3 in NLCS
  • Bruised Oakland A’s (104-58) 4-1 in World Series.

Keys to Win: Orel Hershiser pitching and the great Kirk Gibson walk-off magic.

1990 Cincinnati Reds (91-71)

  • Sunk Pittsburgh Pirates (95-67) 4-2 in NLCS
  • Smashed Oakland A’s (103-59) 4-0 in World Series

They were nasty.

2006 St. Louis Cardinals (83-78)

  • Squashed San Diego Padres (88-74) 3-1 in NLDS
  • Eclipsed New York Mets (97-65) 4-3 in NLCS
  • Buried Detroit Tigers (95-67) 4-1 in World Series

Carlos Beltran and Justin Verlander know the feeling.

2011 St. Louis Cardinals (90-72)

  • Embarrassed Philadelphia Phillies (102-60) 3-2 in NLDS
  • Steamrolled Milwaukee Brewers (96-66) 4-2 in NLCS
  • Robbed Texas Rangers (96-66) 4-3 in World Series

Need I say more?

At the end of the day, it’s not easy being number one in October. The only time you feel relieved to be number one is if you win it all. It takes good teamwork, talent, and a bit of luck as well to help you reach the goal.

While we can sit here and debate about whether we should be number one, we have to be aware that everyone has the same chance of winning it all. Las Vegas or other betting sites may have inklings, but they can’t determine heart. This brings us to reason number three.

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