ESPN Still Upset About Non-Manny/Sox Series

It’s been about a week since the Phillies roared into the playoffs with a 4-1 series win, but ESPN can’t stop talking about (who else?) Manny Ramirez. A relevant chap to mention during this World Series contest he is not involved in! No, really. Check out Tim Kurkjian’s first paragraph to his World Series preview:

It’s not the Red Sox-Dodgers. There’s no story that has the sex appeal of Manny Ramirez returning to Boston. The matchup will be a ratings disaster, most say. But there’s no denying that the Tampa Bay Rays and the Philadelphia Phillies are the best teams from their leagues, and they belong in the World Series. It will be fun to see new, young faces in new places. Get your cowbells and white hankies ready. It’s going to be wild.

What a great, absolutely nonsensical opening. It’s not the matchup that everyone wants to see, and nobody will watch it, but the two best teams are meeting in the World Series this year. Also, I must have missed that “Most say World Series to be ratings disaster, worse than ‘McEnroe’” story in the paper this morning.

And, yes, apparently this series is going to be great because of “new, young faces” and “cowbells and white hankies.” Despite having who he writes are the best two teams in baseball, apparently.