While many associate October with fall, pumpkin spice lattes and Halloween, it means one thing to MLB die-hards: the postseason.

Even if one isn’t a huge baseball fan, everyone should watch the MLB playoffs. 

Because baseball requires strategic thinking, it’s an interesting and exciting game for spectators to follow. Math teacher Michael Giardi, an avid Red Sox fan, is among these fans. “I enjoy October baseball because it puts the spotlight on what’s best about baseball, the thousands of real time decisions being made at every moment of the game. It becomes a game of chess,” Giardi said. Throughout the game, fans are constantly on the edge of their seats. There’s never one pitch that’s not impactful. “There is a different feeling to playoff baseball. Something about watching your team leave everything out on the field and make their way to the World Series is very exhilarating,” junior Colin Dhaliwal, also an avid MLB fan, said.

“There is also a totally different feel when you are at a stadium watching the game. The entire stadium hangs on to every pitch because it feels like it matters that much more. I’ve been to the Redsox playoff games where a concrete stadium is shaking because of how loud it is. Everyone’s on their feet for the whole game and it is truly something special to see. There isn’t anything like October baseball,” Dhaliwal said.

Picture this: the stadium is shaking beneath your feet. The sound of spectators cheering fills the air. Fans are excitedly waving orange towels. Everyone should experience these sensations of a playoff game.

Winning the World Series is an unbelievable feat, but it’s not just the “stars” that carry the team to victory; it’s a full-team production. The defense has to be immaculate, making every single play without error. All players must perform well, regardless of their line-up position, in order for the team to win a World Series. In fact, it’s sometimes the unknown guys or the “no-namers” that help lead a team to victory. For example, David Freese, a former underdog, helped the St. Louis Cardinals win the World Series in 2011. According to Baseball Reference, he had a .397 batting average, five home runs and 21 RBI’s in just 18 games. For those that don’t understand these numbers, all you need to know is that they are ridiculously good. Most players don’t even hit above a .280 average. 

Another big MLB fan, math teacher Kevin Campion, spoke about his thoughts on the MLB playoffs. “I think baseball involves more precision than most sports. Because of this, it doesn’t take much for things to go wrong and makes me stress [out] and hang onto every pitch, especially during the playoffs,” Campion said. He noted that the pain of a loss can only be met by the relief and joy of a win. “The season is such a marathon that it feels like there is more riding on the ‘win or go home’ games,” Campion said. 

The playoffs have arrived, and they should be a blast. Everyone should watch!