After years of doing this, I think the novelty has worn off. That is, finding the products that will be sold if a team wins.

Yes, MLB has pages up for both the Sox and Indians as AL champs. They have to do this to prepare for what happens, as either team could win. It's not like they're advertising it early. They just have to have the page prepared, just in case. (Hey, doofuses--make the pages un-find-able by even the dumbest internet "hacker" to avoid the yearly controversy.)

What I don't like about it, though, is how it reminds me of just how uniform this whole set-up is. I loved it when all the teams had their own independently-run websites. Now you have everything all the same. If the Red Sox win, they'll wear the same caps the Indians would've worn, only with a tiny Sox logo stamped in the little space instead of an Indians one. And it's getting worse and worse. Look at these hats. The biggest thing is "League Champs." You have to squint to see which team it is. Why don't they hire people to make championship logos that are unique to each team? I know they have to have a logo for the World Series. Fine, put that in, maybe small and in the corner. But you're never going to get, like, a big red sock as the theme of the hat or shirt.

Fortunately, there are companies out there that make products that are unique to the home team.

Speaking of that, I try to avoid products that are made for multiple teams, with my team's logo stamped on. Even those shirts that say "I root for two teams..." Some of them are made by companies that do it for any set of rivals, and just switch the teams around depending on where they're selling them. Now, the motto which claims I root for two teams, the Sox and whoever plays the Yanks, is one I was brought up with, but if I'm going to get a shirt with that motto on it, I'm going to make it myself, or get it from a company that only makes Red Sox shirts. Think about doing stuff like that. If you want.

And remember, if you end up going to mlb.com to buy the AL Champs hat, know that the copy that says "The Red Sox are the 2007 American League Champions! Commemorate the milestone in this women's version of the locker room cap worn by the players after the clinch!" was written way before it actually happened. Kind of makes it seem, I don't know, stupid, eh? Stupid mlb. Terrible job as usual. (But, of course, I still buy the stuff because I'm always really proud of the team and want the championship stuff right away.)