final four like none before

this year marks only the second time that three of the four teams remaining in the baseball postseason are expansion teams, and it is the first time that two of the teams are from the 1977 expansion. ten years ago, the toronto blue jays (1977) faced the kansas city royals (1969), while the new york mets (1962) faced the chicago cubs.  this year, we have the blue jays facing the seattle mariners (1977), while the milwaukee brewers (1969 as the seattle pilots) face the los angeles dodgers.

there aren't really too many connections between the dodgers and brewers this year, with only a handful of players left on either team from the 2018 squads that faced off in that year's nlcs. here's a 2022 topps meijer purple parallel featuring pitchers that were brewers and dodgers

but have since moved on. this matchup also makes me think of the late don sutton who pitched in the world series for both clubs as well as guys like lance rautzhan, al downing, greg brock, rick dempsey, and willie randolph who suited up for both teams as well.

speaking of moving on, i will admit i was rooting for the tigers to advance to the alcs, but instead zack mckinstry

and his teammates are moving on to the offseason. 

the alcs will feature the two teams that were added to the american league in 1977

and i am hoping for the canadian team to return to the fall classic for the first time since 1993. 

there is the possibility, however, that we will have only the second world series in the division era that guarantees a first-time champion should both the brewers and mariners advance (1980 was the first). what a series that would be, with ultimate seattle bragging rights at stake.

i know it's hard to root for the dodgers with the stories that the other three teams can write with a world series win this year, but i am going to do so anyway.