Weekend BP: Who are you rooting for?

I’m not gonna bring up Dusty Baker’s team blowing a five-run lead in the World Series I’m not gonna bring up Dusty Baker’s team blowing a five-run lead in the World Series I’m not gonna bring up Dusty Baker’s team blowing a five-run lead in the World Series I’m not gonna bring up Dusty Baker’s team blowing a five-run lead in the World Series I’m not gonna bring up Dusty Baker’s team blowing a five-run lead in the World Series I’m not gonna bring up Dusty Baker’s team blowing a five-run lead in the World Series I’m not gonna bring up Dusty Baker’s team blowing a five-run lead in the World Series

Good morning and happy weekend, San Francisco Giants fans! In case you missed it, the 2022 World Series is underway. Soon we’ll have a new champion of the world that, like the old champion, won’t be the Giants, and probably won’t be a team you care about.

Hooray!

But who are you rooting for in the showdown between the Houston Astros and the Philadelphia Phillies? There are reasons to root for both teams. Here are those reasons, as I see them.

Reasons to root for the Astros

• The Astros are managed by Dusty Baker, beloved in San Francisco. Baker played one season with the Giants, and spent the first 10 years of his managerial career wearing the black and orange. He’s now in his 25th season as a manager and, at age 73, is looking for his first championship (first as a manager, that is ... he regrettably won a ring as a player with the Los Angeles Dodgers). Dusty coming back and finally winning would make for a beautiful story.
• The Astros team was put together in part by their former Assistant General Manager, Pete Putila, who recently signed on to be the Giants General Manager. If you’re looking for reasons to feel good about that hiring, Putila’s team winning a championship might help.
• They have Will Smith. I kind of didn’t realize that the Atlanta Braves ever got rid of Smith, but he’s on the Astros now. Still not the most famous Will Smith. Still not even the most famous Will Smith in baseball. But suddenly in a position to win championships in consecutive seasons.
• They have Mauricio Dubón! Be honest: when the Giants traded Dubón, who was out of options, to a really good team, you probably didn’t expect him to stick. But here he is. Not only did he last the whole season with the Astros, but he’s made the postseason roster in every round. Go get yourself a ring, Dubi!

Reasons to root for the Phillies

• They have Zack Wheeler. Unlike the Astros, the Phillies don’t have any former Giants on their roster. But they do have a former Giants first-round pick in Wheeler, and don’t ask Giants fans how they feel about that.
• They’re not the Astros. If you’ve been following baseball for a while you know that the Astros are cheating poops as there’s a drive into deep left field by Castellanos and that’ll be a home run. And so that’ll make it a 4-0 ballgame.