Some MLB fans hope to see the Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays compete for their first World Series title, but a former star believes the matchup would hurt the game. Many viewers want the lower-budget Brewers to thwart the Los Angeles Dodgers' quest for a threepeat. That would set up a frugal Fall Classic matchup regardless of whether the Rays or Cleveland Guardians win the American League pennant.
An inexpensive champion could help quell cries for a salary cap with a potential offseason lockout looming, but Anthony Rizzo also sees the downside of the Brewers playing the Rays in the World Series. "It'd be (expletive) terrible," Rizzo said on his Ross and Rizzo Unfiltered podcast with former Chicago Cubs teammate David Ross. "It would be amazing, and it would be terrible." Rizzo isn't worried about the quality of baseball.
The former All-Star first baseman, who helped the Cubs snap a long title drought in 2016, would like to watch the two teams that prioritize pitching, defense, and putting the ball in play. However, Rizzo theorized that small-market clubs competing for the Commissioner's Trophy could have unintended consequences. Other teams could use their success as an excuse to tighten their budgets.
"I love the old-school, bunt a guy over, get a guy over," Rizzo said. "The fundamentals, right? But if the Rays and the Brewers are in the World Series, every single owner is going to say, 'Why can't we be them?' And they're not going to want to spend any more money, because every other owner is already saying, 'Well, why can't we just be like the Rays?
They make the playoffs every year. They go deep every year.' 'Why can't we be like the Brewers? They have a $100 million payroll.' We have a $300 million payroll?
We have a $250 million payroll? So that's why I would hate it, but the product of baseball -- and seeing two teams that have never won a World Series win their first championship -- would be awesome." The Brewers opened the NLCS with a Game 1 victory Sunday night and host the Dodgers on Monday at 5 p.m. The Rays and Guardians begin the ALCS on Monday at 8 p.m.
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