“Shook:” The Seattle Mariners.

Stupid: Sportscaster Joe Buck asking Tony Womack if he was hugging his mother during a post-game interview. Womack was hugging his wife after singling in the series-clinching run against St. Louis.

Essays (Choose 2):

You will have a window of time equal to two FOX commercial breaks to complete each essay (roughly 20 minutes per question). Be clear, write neatly and include examples to support your argument.

1. Discuss, in abstract, the theory of “inevitability.” Tie it specifically to the role of the Yankees in the postseason. Include in your discussion a survey of recent Yankees playoff history, incorporating “clutch” and the return of their offense against Oakland.

2. If Miguel Bautista pitches like he did against St. Louis in Game 3 (6 IP, 2 ER, 3 H), will the Braves win one of the first three games against the Diamondbacks? Discuss the likelihood of Randy Johnson turning around his awful postseason career (2-7, with seven losses in a row) against a surging—but bad—Braves team.

3. Are we forced to look at the Mariners differently after their nailbiter of a first round against the Indians? Could it perhaps be the case that the Indians were not given enough credit for going into the ALDS as one of the best teams in the pros?

(Extra Credit)

Who was the team of the 1990s? Consider the Braves (nine NLCS appearances in 10 years, and one World Series title), and the Yankees (six straight playoff appearances, four titles in five years). Take into account Professor Steinbrenner’s bias when answering the question.