Homers, splitters, fresh arms and bench spending: The enduring MLB lessons from Dodgers-Blue Jays World Series

Here is something for Mets and Yankees fans to consider: What if you were Blue Jays fans?

Would you have slept yet after Game 7? To be so close. To see so many ways it could have — and probably should have — gone the other way.

Toronto reminded me so much of Arizona in 2001. The Diamondbacks probably should have won that World Series seven games to none. Yet, with one inning left in the season, the Yankees were winning Game 7 by a run with Mariano Rivera on the mound with a streak of 23 straight converted postseason saves. A dynasty nevertheless ended that night.

The Blue Jays outplayed the Dodgers in at least four of the first six games, arguably in five. They outplayed the Dodgers for eight innings of Game 7. They were — in theory — champions with three outs left in the season with the ball in the hand of closer Jeff Hoffman, who had allowed one run and no homers in his nine previous postseason games this year. He then allowed the most unlikely Dodger to homer — Miguel Rojas — to actually homer. Prior to Saturday, the ninth-place-hitting utilityman had one homer all season off a righty pitcher.