2018 World Series: Joc Pederson & Ian Kinsler

Joc Pederson, Los Angeles Dodgers & Ian Kinsler, Boston Red Sox

On Saturday, October 27, I woke up, turned on some cooking shows and blogged about Max Muncy, my MLBoyfriend for the epic Game 3 of the World Series. Then, I turned on the news and suddenly felt a bit bad about posting about a cute baseball player. It was a feeling I had been struggling with throughout the week as the World Series competed for attention against so much terrible news of shootings and pipe bombs. This little blog seemed frivolous in the face of some much hate and violence. However, I remembered that I named an MLBoyfriend the day after the Pulse Nightclub Shooting. If those who try to spread fear keep us from enjoying things that bring us happiness, they've won. There is also precedence for me choosing an MLBoyfriend based his stance on a social issue such as LBGTQ+ rights or gun control. So....

I'm naming the two Jews who played in the World Series as my last MLBoyfriends of 2018 as my small but heartfelt statement against anti-semitism.

I don't catch Dodgers games that often, but every time I do I always think Joc Pederson has real MLBoyfriend potential.

Pederson has some pretty impressive career stats. He's hits some impressive home runs including four home runs in his six World Series starts in the past two years. His solo homer was the first run scored in the epic Game 3 this year.

Joc Pederson is also totally adorable.

My feelings towards Ian Kinsler are a bit more complicated. In his twelve seasons in the majors, he has spent seven with teams I hate, six with the Texas Rangers and this one with the Boston Red Sox.

Kinsler's stats are good--you don't last that long in baseball without putting up decent numbers.

Kinsler did have a costly error the infamous Game 3 of this World Series. Even when I'm cheering for the other team, I always feel a little bad for players who have the bad luck of having an error at the worst moment. So, Kinsler gets sympathy points. Plus he looked really good in his post-game interview discussing his role in Boston's loss.

Ian Kinsler has always been goodlooking, and, like a fine wine, he's getting better looking with age.

Congratulations, Joc Pederson! You are my 2018 World Series MLBoyfriend.

Congratulations, Ian Kinsler! You are also my 2018 World Series MLBoyfriend.

You two also have the honor of being the final MLBoyfriends of 2018, As with all my picks, I hate to see you go, but I love to see you walk away.

Speaking of other MLBoyfriends, here's a special bonus butt: Alex Bregman, another hot, Jewish baseball player.

World Series, Game 3: Max Muncy

Since Game 3 of the World Series was the longest postseason game in history*, I figured it deserved special attention. So, this is really more of a MLB One-Night-Stand than an MLBoyfriend--but 7 hours and 20 minutes is very good for a hook-up. Who better to win the title than the man who brought the game to completion, Max Muncy? His walk-off home run in the 18th inning won the game for the Dodgers.



Of course, there were lots of crazy things that happened in such a marathon game. However, the fact that Max Muncy was the hero may be the craziest. Deadspin summed it up best in their headline of my favorite write-up of the game: Fucking Max Muncy Won The Longest World Series Game In History.

Also... What an incredible Cinderella story!

League Championship Series: Christian Yelich & Justin Verlander

I kept putting off naming both Christian Yelich and Justin Verlander my MLBoyfriend this season because I figured I'd always have another chance. With both the Brewers and the Astros eliminated from the postseason last week, it's now or never.

Christian Yelich is very likely to be the National League MVP and has clearly had several great weeks this season. He's also cute as a button.

Yet, somehow, I never selected Yelich as my MLBoyfriend.

Even more shocking, in the three years of this blog, Verlander has never made the cut. He's one of the best pitchers in baseball, and he was especially strong in the first half of this season. He also cuts a fine figure.

Although, to be fair to myself, I have expressed my fondness for Justin Verlander elsewhere.

Congratulations, Christian Yelich! You are my MLBoyfriend of the week.

Congratulations, Justin Verlander! You are also my MLBoyfriend of the week.

All I can say to both of you is: Better late than never.

ALDS: George Springer

Oh, hey there, George Springer. Welcome back to MLBoyfriend. I forgot how good you are in the postseason.

Today, Spinger was definitely in his October form. He may have struck out at your first two at bats, but he more than made up for it with two home runs.



Springer now has the most postseason home runs in the Astros franchise history.

Week 27: Joe Mauer

Since this may well be my last chance to name Joe Mauer my MLBoyfriend, I'm going to take it. 

Joe had a very good week at the plate with a .379 average, .903 OPS, two RBIs and nine runs. On Tuesday, September 25, he reached base for the 3,073rd time breaking Harmon Killebrews on-base record for the Twins.

But, of course, it was Joe's emotion final game of the season--and, quite likely, career--that won him the MLBoyfriend title. If it was, indeed, his last game, the Twins and their fans gave him the perfect send off including a brief return to the catcher's position.



You may have noticed that I've been calling him "Joe" rather than by his last name which is my usual practice in this blog. That's because Joe and I have a real history together. He was my MLBoyfriend once during the first year of this blog and again this year.  He also shared the title with the rest of the Twins starting line up after they had an incredible game that I got to witness in person last year.