The Possible Dream

O.J. Simpson is skittering along to his first thousand yards of the fall, the Steelers' Front Four have begun chewing up opposition quarterbacks, and Oklahoma already seems a sure bet for the Orange Bowl. The nation's ballparks have been invaded by autumn, and the 1975 major league baseball season ought to be over. Not quite. The big games that count most are just about to begin. This weekend the divisional play-offs open with the Pirates playing the Reds in the National League. Oakland, champions in the American League West, had to wait for torrential rains on the East Coast to stop to find out that they would oppose Boston. As the race in the A.L. East squished to a conclusion, Boston finally buried the Orioles. The two pennant winners will square off for the championship--and the victors' share (estimated at $20,000 per player) of World Series loot.

Heir Apparent. In the National League, the Reds v. Pirates promises to be an artillery Shootout. Cincinnati will roll out Siege Guns Johnny Bench and Tony Perez, each of whom has pounded home more than 100 runs this season. Even Lead-Off Batter Pete Rose, who once again delivered more than 200 hits, added some 70 RBIS to the Big Red barrage. Cincinnati's not-so-secret weapon is Second Baseman Joe Morgan. He leads the team with a .323 batting average, and has filched more than 60 bases to boot.

The Pirates pack more power. They top the league in walloping balls over outfield walls. Slugger Willie Stargell is still on hand, but his heir apparent already looms large in the person of Dave Parker; the 6-ft. 5-in., 225-lb. crusher paces the team in home runs and RBis. The players often on base when Stargell and Parker come to bat are Manny Sanguillen and Rennie Stennett. Sanguillen tends to swing at everything--and rarely misses. Stennett tied a major league record recently with seven straight hits in the 22-0 demolition of the Chicago Cubs.

Pitching is something else. Neither club has a 20-game winner. Lefthander Jerry Reuss is the best of the Pirates, and Don Gullett can go the distance for the Reds. But he probably won't. Cincinnati Manager Sparky Anderson is so quick to yank starters that he is called "Captain Hook."

In the American League the A's are not fretting, no matter whom they play. Oakland has won the last three World Series, and Insatiable Owner Charlie Finley is hungry for a fourth. Reggie Jackson, Gene Tenace and Billy Williams are all regular home-run producers, and Claudell Washington hits consistently. When they reach base, the A's tear around like speed freaks, and Finley has "designated runner" Matt Alexander in reserve. Oakland does not hit for high averages, but the bats boom when it counts.

But Boston fans are talking tougher than they did after winning the "impossible dream" pennant in 1967. They are cocksure that their Sox can break up Finley's A's. The Red Sox have hitting and the advantage of playing the first two games in friendly Fenway Park with its short fences. Catcher Carlton Fisk has returned to the lineup and helped replace the hitting previously provided by injured Leftfielder Jim Rice. Rice drove in 102 runs and might have been a shoo-in for Rookie of the Year--were it not for Centerfielder Fred Lynn, who has done everything for Boston but solve the school crisis. He led the league in doubles, runs scored and slugging. He is also likely to be the first rookie ever to win the Most Valuable Player award.

Big Payoffs. Boston Starters Rick Wise and Luis Tiant, the Cuban contortionist, can pitch tough and count on Dick Drago to bail them out of trouble. Oakland's Vida Blue and Ken Holtzman get stronger support when Rollie Fingers, Jim Todd and Paul Lindblad come in from the bullpen.

Since the play-offs began six years ago, performance has usually followed form. So the chalk players are confident that Oakland and Cincinnati will pick up the big payoffs. But this may not be the year for betting on favorites. Cincinnati has won all season long, but Pittsburgh has won in the clutch. And the Pirates could continue in the playoffs. If it is to be upsets all the way through, the Sox should take Oakland and not stop till they scuttle the Pirates in the Series.

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