Roger Lajoie operates Triumph Sports Communications, a leader in providing editorial, broadcast and public relations services.

Roger's weekly sports column "The Rog's Rant" is now available here every Monday.

The Rog's Rant

Baseball has the best playoffs of all

I am a huge baseball fan, make no mistake about it.

I've worked with the Intercounty Baseball League Toronto Maple Leafs for 29 years, I grew up watching the Montreal Expos at Parc Jarry and I've been to six World Series and seen countless hundreds of major league baseball games over the years. So yes, I'm a baseball guy for sure.

But that said, there are a lot of things about baseball that I don't like at all. The games are way too long, the pace is often way to slow, there are too many terrible pitchers in the game these days, and there are far too many meaningless games played throughout the course of the year because of the length of the schedule.

However all of those complaints are for the regular season only. Post-season baseball is absolutely terriifc in my eyes.

Baseball playoff games are long, with most of them averaging close to four hours. But after 162 regular season games, we're finally down to the last few teams and games of the season, making each game vital. And because all of the games are so important, they could go on all night as far as I'm concerned. Everything is magnified in the post-season, so taking a long time to get through each inning isn't a problem at all...in fact it just magnifies the excitement.

The pace is still slow in the playoffs, but each at-bat and pitching change is so vital that the slower pace just adds to the atmosphere. There's also something about baseball being played in cold weather too - in the intense heat of summer the game really drags, but in the chill of fall there's something romantic about the game being played outdoors in the chilly night air (which is a good thing this year because the World Series could go until November 1 this year for the first time!).

There are still too many crappy pitchers in baseball in the post-season - especially in middle relief - but most of them don't make it into the games. With everything on the line, teams don't generally throw their worst two or three pitchers in the playoffs as the bullpens get shortened, making it all the better as far as seeing quality pitchers is concerned.

And the best part is that there are no meaningless games. Baseball is all about who the starting pitcher is, so every game is vital. After 162 games in a season, it's down to a best-of-five and just imagine the San Diego Padres and Colorado Rockies in their one-game showdown with a playoff spot on the line! It doesn't get much better than that.

It doesn't get much better than baseball in the post-season either. Tense, meaningful games, pitching staffs shortened, with all games played in the cool fall air - just about perfect in my mind.

All playoffs and all sports are great in the post-season, but baseball's playoffs are the best. Just eight teams, all short series, as the entire long, long season comes down to just a few games. I'm getting a chance to be at the World Series again this year and I can't wait because it'll be great once again I'm sure, pretty close to perfect.

And if by some chance it's the Chicago Cubs against the Boston Red Sox...well than you can remove the "pretty close."

It'll just be perfect.

Comments on Terry Fox Run column of Sept. 10:

"My mother died of cancer Roger and your column moved me greatly. I too have been in the Run for many years since then and I'm always inspired remembering Terry Fox." - Vince in Toronto

"We may see another Terry Fox in our lifetimes. I doubt it though, because his is a once-in-a-lifetime story." - Patrick in Toronto

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