This is the beginning of our 2013 end of the year lists for sports. I know we will do one for MLB, CFB, CBB, NBA, PGA and NFL. I probably will do a top 20 list of overall moments and if we get real frisky, maybe top 20 figures in sports giving away our first annual Tapper of the Year or something dumb like that. Also as always, these are my lists and I can imagine you have a different one, cool story.
We lead off with this video of David Ortiz saying "This is our fucking city" - Easily, the most memorable quote of the Major League Baseball season. David Ortiz said this in Boston's first game after the marathon bombing. Further, they had a '617 Boston Strong' jersey hung in the dugout for the entire baseball season. I have always said sports is a great healer for people and it will always be that way. Sports allows a person to escape from all of the negativity that's going on with your life. Ortiz rallied a city with that quote, and it is one I will never forget. It missed the top ten, but it deserved a mention before we get into the list.
10.) Yovani Gallardo's DUI - This was the start of Milwaukee Brewers bad season when Gallardo got busted with a DUI in April. He did not miss any time, but it still was a significant thing in the organization to begin the year. It coupled with Gallardo getting off to a bad start to the season. He finished strong and while he put people's lives in danger, I am willing to give him a second chance. Big year for Gallardo. Everyone is waiting on him to become an ace, and it just has not happen yet.
9.) Quick rise of Matt Harvey and his injury - The young New York Mets pitcher burst onto the scene in the early part of the season with some dominating outings. I actually was disappointed when he did not face Milwaukee at Miller Park in July because I wanted to watch him pitch, he was that good to begin the year. As a young pitcher, he rarely walked anyone and did not have a ton of blowup starts which we see with some fresh face pitches in the league. Harvey ended up needing Tommy John surgery meaning we will not see him in 2014, but he should be more than ready for the 2015 season.
8.)Pittsburgh Pirates shedding the young brother label - After a couple years of coming close, Pittsburgh finally played a full season and made the playoffs for the first time in 20 years. It seems like the future is never brighter with MVP Andrew McCutchen along with some talented young pitching and a solid bullpen. Pittsburgh figures to contend for the upcoming five years. Pittsburgh's baseball is back, and it is great. I loved seeing PNC Park filled up, and I expect them to have full crowds all season next year. It is weird, but if Milwaukee is not succeeding, I hope for success with Pittsburgh in the National League Central.
7.) Milwaukee's dismal May - Everyone saw the beginning of the end for Milwaukee in May when they went 6-20 for the month. Ryan Braun battled through a thumb injury, Brewers found all different ways to lose baseball games and it made it the most depressing month of watching a sports team in a long time. Although this month made me more at peace when Braun got suspended. If the Brewers were hanging around in sort of contention where one hot streak would put them in the playoff hunt when MLB went with their mafia hit, I would have been much more bummed. The season was lost by June, and hopefully, history will not repeat itself this year.
6.) Senor October's Game 2 Slam - A story on this one.... I flipped back and forth between Game 2, Bar Rescue and the Sunday Night Football game. The SNF game was a wrap as was Bar Rescue so I moved back to baseball when Detroit ended up walking a few guys leading to bases loaded situation for David Ortiz. It seemed like a situation we were all too familiar with when it comes to Ortiz. Sometimes when this happens, they do not live up to the narrative, but not with Ortiz as he blasted a grand slam tying up the game for Boston in the eighth inning. This game seemed lost as well as Detroit taking a 2-0 lead, but Boston came back to win as well as propelling them to win the series.
5.) The A-Rod frenzy - I cannot believe I am rating A-Rod this low, but to be honest, everyone is not surprising from Alex Rodriguez. I think Major League Baseball tried to screw him in the worst way possible, but none of this is really surprising, is it? Rodriguez kept himself in the media, and more that comes out, it seems like people might on A-Rod side of things. This story will not end in 2013, and it will probably be a major story in 2014 as well. I cannot wait to see Rodriguez goes balls to the walls again this year.
4.) Mariano Rivera retires - Yes I have this lower than Yasiel Puig. I mean the impact of Rivera leaving will hurt the game of baseball, but we all knew this was coming at some point. I think Rivera retires last season if he does not get hurt. Mo did not want to go out being injured rather leave under his own terms. It was truly great to see, but a top moment of the MLB season? I would say no but then again, I am not a New York Yankee fan. If I am a Yankee fan, this is my top moment of the year. It all breaks down with who you follow in sports.
3. Puigmania - This guy was an absolute revelation this year. I assume ESPN and FOX will trip over themselves to put Los Angeles Dodgers on television as much as possible this year. Puig is another breath of fresh air to baseball as he brings a new attitude to the game. Honestly, I feel like baseball is WWE in the late 90's when they had all these new badass wrestlers whom were breaking the mold of the common culture which is fantastic. People hate some of his antics, but Puig could not be greater for the game of baseball. What I am not looking forward to this year is people overtly criticizing him all year because you know that's coming as it already started this year.
2.) Boston goes from worst to first and wins the World Series - Baseball can prove to be unpredictable, but at the surface, it seemed like Boston-St. Louis would meet in the World Series when October baseball began this year. This World Series was a bit different than the last time these two teams met in 2004. They had a crazy finish where St. Louis ended up being up two games to one. Boston would battle back to regain the advantage when they returned to Fenway for Game 6 where the Red Sox were victorious. It is their third title in 10 years meaning there is no such thing as a curse anymore.
1.) MLB Suspends Ryan Braun and Milwaukee freaks out - This might take home the top story of theyear for me. This became a huge part of my life in July. I remember going nuts about it as well as having to defend Braun to people whom wanted an apology from him. There are still people out there that will cheer for Milwaukee but not Braun at the beginning of the year. It is terrible, but this is a culture of people acting like children with their athletes. If Braun gets booed at Miller Park on March 31st, 2014, I will be embarrassed to be a Brewer fan. I hope it does not happen. Also stay tuned for a potential 'Rally for Ryan' tailgate on March 31st at Miller Park, I think this is called a tease.Any of them I miss here? Let me know in the comments section.
Charlie.
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