BALTIMORE -- I know, I know. It can be painful to watch the postseason, especially if your favorite team has been been out of it for weeks. But as Orioles fans wait for the Hot Stove season to heat up, there's no reason you can't enjoy parts of this year's World Series presented by YouTube TV. With Game 1 set to open in Los Angeles tonight, here are four reasons to tune in to the best-of-seven set between the Astros and the Dodgers.
Justin Turner
Remember him? Maybe not. Turner, who has developed into a leader on the Dodgers and one of the faces of the organization, was acquired by Baltimore in a 2008 trade with the Reds. Turner came along with utility player Ryan Freel and infielder Brandon Warring in exchange for catcher Ramon Hernandez. Turner played for the O's from 2009-10 and appeared in just 17 games before he was designated for assignment in the spring of '10 and claimed by the Mets.
Include - Html: :: World Series schedule and coverage ::
Turner is one of baseball's great success stories, a late bloomer who finally hit his stride. A non-factor in Baltimore, he can barely go out in L.A. without being mobbed, a product of his on-field surge (and that beard).
Worst to World Series
Orioles fans should at the very least appreciate what the Astros organization has been able to do over the past few years. Houston was probably one of the worst-performing franchises in the late 2000s, winning fewer than 57 games for three consecutive years and snapping a six-year streak of losing seasons in 2015 (which marked their first playoff appearance in a decade).
No, it wasn't as long-suffering as the Orioles' 14 consecutive losing seasons prior to 2012, but Houston's turnaround has legitimized the Astros organization again (and not to mention help galvanize the city).
There's an O's angle … kind of
This is the first time two teams with at least 100 regular-season wins have faced each other in the World Series since the Orioles (108) and Reds (102) in 1970. The first time prior to that? Just the previous year, when the O's -- winners of 109 games -- faced the Mets (100). Houston had 101 regular-season wins this year, while the Dodgers had 104.
The aces clash
Tired of watching uninspiring starts from the O's rotation this year? For a baseball fan, matchups like Tuesday's -- Dallas Keuchel against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw -- are a dream.
Will they each go the distance? Probably not. But watching Keuchel and Kershaw carve up opposing hitters is a good reminder of just how fun starting pitching can be. And maybe another reminder of how important it is for the O's to go out and add some rotation help if they want to be serious postseason contenders.