Keep the brooms out – apparently the sweeping is not over

Full disclosure. Last week, after three of the four wild card series resulted in sweeps, I predicted that no more sweeps would take place in the 2023 MLB playoffs. Put simply, I was wrong. Two of the four five-game division series also found one team without a single victory.You may find this hard to believe, but I have been wrong before.The two series that were swept involved the Texas Rangers vs. the Baltimore Orioles and the Arizona Diamondbacks against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Texas went into Camden Yards and won the first two on the road before returning home to win Game 3. Likewise Arizona beat the Dodgers in the first two in Chavez Ravine and then went back to the home turf to complete the sweep.I might have imagined both scenarios if it had been the other way around, but that's not what happened. The two series got my attention for a variety of reasons and I would like to share some thoughts with you.In May, Anita and I continued our "Ballparkin" trips with a visit to Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. The Rangers new digs are pretty cool and I learned a lot about the team on a sunny afternoon. It helped that I sat right in front of a young man who was a die hard Rangers fan. He filled me in on almost every player on the roster.Though they lost that day, I followed them throughout the season. I was impressed with their bats andknew if their pitching held up they would have a successful campaign. Once they got into the playoffs another factor became apparent. Rangers manager Bruce Bochy has won some 13 series in a row. His composure in the dugout can't be ignored.Perhaps one other factor should be considered. My presence at a Rangers home game this year could be important, don't you think? Well, I don't either. No one in the Rangers organization knows me or had an inkling that I attended a game. Good luck charm? Not likely.Will the Rangers get to the World Series? Maybe. Will they win the World Series? Perhaps. Do I think they will? I'm not going there. I learned my lesson last week!Here's another coincidence. The team that beat the Rangers the day I was there? None other than the Arizona Diamondbacks. Though I did not come out of the park that day thinking that Arizona was for real, look what they are doing now.So how does Arizona sweep the mighty Dodgers? Here's a thought. They played better. This explanation is never enough for the fans of the losing team. Someone on their squad had to be the reason for the defeat. OK, I will play that game. Let's start looking for scapegoats.One could suggest that Mookie and Freddie going 1 for 21 was a major cause of the Dodger defeat. You could also think that dreadful starting pitching was the culprit. Lance Lynn gave up four home runs in the third inning of game three (first time in MLB history) before being lifted and if I told you he was the most effective L.A. starting pitcher in the series, would you believe me? He did get to the third inning. The other two starters didn't make it to inning number two!Perhaps we should look at Dodgers star Clayton Kershaw. Many people consider him the best pitcher in Dodgers history, which is impressive when you consider the likes of Sandy Koufax, Don Drysdale, Don Sutton and Orel Hershiser. His regular season stats are better than his postseason ones, but what happened to him in game one was completely unexpected.I actually can commiserate with Kershaw on his outing as I too was a pitcher at several levels. Am I going to compare myself with Clayton Kershaw? Yes… I am.My pitching began in Little League and continued with Pony League, high school, American Legion, college and for several years with the Tiffin Elks during my 20's. So I have some experience, but ala Kershaw? Well, yes. Let's take a look.When Clayton Kershaw took the mound against Arizona I'm guessing he had no idea what was about to happen. After facing five batters he had given up five hits and five runs. Ouch. He would get an out and then give up another run on two hits before being mercifully lifted. One third of an inning and he leaves behind 6-0. The Dodgers would not recover.So where do I come in? At Hiram College we took a spring trip to Jacksonville, Florida every year. We would play teams like Jacksonville University, Navy and several MAC schools. We did not expect to win, but would be working on timing both at the plate and in the field. We also expected to have fun off the diamond. We seemed to accomplish that last goal.By the end of the week in Florida my freshman year all of our pitchers had sore arms. We still had a game to play so Coach Proverbs asked for a volunteer. I had pitched in high school so my hand shot up as if to say "pick me, pick me." I got the nod against Bowling Green.I too remember the first five batters in that game. I actually got the first two out before walking the 3 and 4 hitters. BG's fifth hitter was Bob "Bo" Hill who would eventually become an NBA head coach with the Pacers, Spurs and Knicks. He was also a pretty good baseball player.I got the best of him on this occasion as I induced him to hit a routine fly ball to left field. I'm walking off the mound thinking that I just may become a college baseball pitcher. As I looked toward the outfield I was shocked to see that our left fielder had no clue where the ball was. It landed some 10 feet from where he stood.So it was back to the bump. I only needed one more out. How tough could that be? Turns out a lot tougher than I thought. I don't recall much about the rest of the inning except that several balls were smoked and there may have been an error and additional walks. Before I could record that last out Bowling Green had scored 11 runs. That's right. ELEVEN!It was embarrassing and I can say that it was the only inning I ever pitched in college. I could also tell you that it was not my most embarrassing moment on the diamond during that freshman year. See me, ask me.When I say I can commiserate with Clayton Kershaw I mean it. The moral to this story is that bad performances happen in sports. But when they happen to someone else it is so much easier to deal with!