It’s time for the 2015 Wisdom and Links Playoff Preview, where I will look at the postseason in a rather unique way: best theme song. Now, no team in this year’s MLB playoffs has a theme worthy of “Orioles Magic”, AKA the Baseball Team Theme Song By Which All Others Are Judged (or, as I like to call it, the BTTSBWAOAJ), but there are still some damn good team theme songs (some teams, in fact, have multiple ones!), including one or two that are perhaps inner-circle in the Baseball Team Theme Song Hall of Fame.
And this ONLY INCLUDES songs specifically written with the teams in mind. “New York, New York” and “I Love LA” don’t count.
So, let’s count it down:
DEAD LAST: Any team without theme songs
The Cardinals, as far as I can tell, totally lack an official song, unless you count embarrassing rap tributes to Red Schoendienst. There are fan songs and the like, but those don’t count. The Royals also lack an official theme song, at least as far as I know. If I’m wrong, please let me know.
11: OK, Blue Jays
That this song is in such a bad place in the power ratings is not a judgment on the song itself (I mean, it’s nothing special, but…), but rather a personal reason. You see, my first time at a MLB game was in Toronto. And I was a little kid, and really wanted to sing “Take Me Out To The Ballgame” at a MLB game. Hey, I was, like, seven or eight.
But, nooooo, the Blue Jays just played this song. No “Take Me Out The Ballgame”.
And for disappointing me when I was a young child, your theme song is at the bottom of these power ratings. I hope you are happy, mid-to-late 90s Skydome stadium operations guy.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qag6w_Tp50A]10: Here Come The Yankees
First off, it blows my mind that the Yankees would have a theme song. They’re the freaking Yankees, what do they need a theme song for, especially one that is sort of whimsical like this? And, while we’re at it, why do they play the Jedi theme from Star Wars for themselves and play The Imperial March for the opponent when lineups are being announced? I mean, seriously, embrace the hate. Darth Vader was almost everyone’s favorite character. The Empire was badass! Stop pretending, embrace the Dark Side!
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51Uaor3RBcE]9: Ode to The Texas Rangers
The theme of the Rangers from 1975-1980. Let us never speak of it again.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8Y6lgn-AiQ]8: A New Pirate Generation
I don’t know if they still play this, but if they do, this is a case where they probably would be better served if they just stole some Pirates of the Caribbean music or something. It does nothing for me.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgZdikn6sf4]7: Go Go Astros
This song is notable because it provided Houston native and ESPN personality Robert Flores’ catchphrase about how a team is “Burning with desire, breathing orange fire.” I never knew that until today. Huh. Sadly, aside from that great line, it’s a bit lacking.
Just my opinion.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvSXJ4_g228]6: You Gotta Believe
The 1990 Pirates had a theme song, and even had a brief documentary segment about the making of it. What’s interesting about this is that it’s basically asking everybody to remember all of those years they sucked and how everything is going to be better now, blissfully unaware how many years of utter futility will ensue after 1992.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AwX8MGYDYI]5: The Baseball Boogie
The 1986 Dodgers had a theme song. It was this. You are now forever scarred. Thankfully, I don’t think the Dodgers play this anymore, and I’d like to think only this video exists of the entire ordeal, with the rest shot into the sun.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XWQ1K4SVbA8]4: The D-O-D-G-E-R-S Song
While I don’t think it’s played anymore, this 1960s song by Danny Kaye is worth noting because it’s basically just a big long song about the Dodgers beating the Giants in a game. It also namedrops Vin Scully, a good thing to have in any work of stage, screen, sound or holodeck.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sGhaPurfYEA]3: Let’s Go Mets
The 1986 theme song for the Mets gets bonus points for the wacky video.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ymixm6PtVBA]2: Go Cubs Go
Steve Goodman’s tune is quite the earworm, and it’s upbeat and optimistic mood fits the horrible optimism that Cubs fans probably have at any given moment before they are inevitably crushed.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9XtDyDUjIU]1: Meet The Mets
This, of course, basically has to win by default. It’s the first one most people think of when they think of baseball team theme songs. Even if it was a really bad song (and it isn’t- it’s still fairly catchy), it would be the top of these power ratings.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zTLmDuhV3AQ]–
LINKS!
Andrew Keh on High School baseball in Korea
Jeff Passan on how much Harper hustles
Ted Berg on Max Kepler, who could become MLB’s first true European star
Jesse Spector tells Bud Norris (and people like him) to grow up
Barry Svrluga on the fall of the 2015 Nationals (go to the end of the article to see all three parts)
SELF-PROMOTION OF THE WEEK: Two things. First off, the latest BREAKING OOTP shows us a strange world where the Nintendo-Owned Seattle Mariners had Mario and friends playing for them and I did another look at the best unofficial t-shirts, this time just focusing on playoff teams.
–
I think the Yankees and Cubs will win the Wild Card games. I know, that’s deep analysis. Until next time.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
