Watching the World Series last night, there was certainly a lot to unpack.  With the game time temperature being over 100 degrees, it was easily the hottest temperature for a World Series game.  What ensued from there was a very played, very enjoyable, and very interesting game.

Chris Taylor hit the first pitch from Dallas Keuchel for a home run.  This was the first time that has happened in a World Series since Alcides Escobar hit an inside the park home run off Matt Harvey on a ball that Yoenis Cespedes still hasn’t bothered to chase after.

Staying on the Mets related front, Curtis Granderson was removed from the World Series roster, but Chase Utley was kept on it.  Of course, this means we will have to keep an eye on Carlos Correa‘s legs should Utley make it on base.  Considering he’s gone 0 for his last 21 postseason at-bats, it does not seem like Houston will have a problem on that front.

There was also seeing Justin Turner hitting the game winning home run in the sixth inning was enough for the Dodgers to pull out the 3-1 victory.  This was just another reminder that the Mets had no need for the man who just tied Hall of Famer Duke Snider of “Willie, Mickey, and the Duke” fame for the most RBI in Dodgers postseason history.

That was enough because we got an old fashioned pitchers duel between Keuchel and Clayton Kershaw.  After an Alex Bregman fourth inning homer, many questioned whether we would see the return of the Kershaw who struggled in the postseason.  It didn’t happen.  Instead, Kershaw was Kershaw allowing just three hits over seven innings while striking out 11 Astros.

It was a great and rare 2 hour and 28 minute baseball game; not just World Series game, but baseball game.  It truly was a joy to watch except for the encroachment of the commercial breaks.

On three separate occasions during the telecast, Joe Buck broke from the action for a quick commercial break.  One was for Wendys and the other two were from T-Mobile.  Now, this didn’t happen while a ball was in play, but rather in between plays.  That’s typically the time for John Smoltz or whoever the color commentator is to give a quick quip or analysis.  At times, that’s when the sideline reporter is given the opportunity to provide insight or a sentimental story on a player:

@buck couldn't go to @Ken_Rosenthal for a relevant report due to a @TMobile commercial run during an inning.

— Mets Daddy (@MetsDaddy2013) October 25, 2017

How did MLB allow this to happen?  We didn’t see this at all during the games broadcast on FS1 this postseason.  We don’t see Fox do it to their other sports, especially not football.  In baseball’s biggest showcase, they’ve allowed Fox to broadcast intrusive commercials during game action.

What makes this all the more egregious is there are longer commercial breaks for nationally televised games.  Fox has an extra window to get in commercials.  There are plenty of other areas to get adverstising dollars.  Certainly, every Mets fan is aware of the Cholula hot sauce gun readings during Mets games.  If you’ve listened to a game on the radio, you’ve heard Howie mention it’s the 15th batter of the game necessitating we do a quick GEICO mention.

The point there is while it was an intrusion, it didn’t take away from the game action.  It was handled by the announcer who could then quickly throw it back to the game.  You didn’t have that with the odd split screen, you know, in case you actually wanted to watch the game.

Believe it or not, this was a bad omen.  It could very well be the beginning of much more instrusive commercials during not just nationally televised games, but also regionally televised games.  Once teams get the sense this is either permissible, or that fans have become apathetic to it, it’s going to happen.  And that’s a very bad thing, especially for Mets fans who tune into games partially to hear Gary Cohen, Keith Hernandez, and Ron Darling.

In the end, the lasting image of the 2017 World Series may not be a Turner homer or Kershaw finally being Kershaw in the biggest stage of all.  Likely, it’s going to be a T-Mobile commercial.