I Guess I'll Watch

 

This is not the most fun matchup of the several we were promised. It was looking like it could be Mariners-Brewers, or Tigers-Phillies, or Cubs-Mariners. And ultimately, we have Dodgers-Jays. The two teams that beat my favorite teams, squaring off in a World Series.

If anything...I kinda wanna see how this goes down.

Because there's two real outcomes here. There's the boring outcome, where the season-long fear that the Dodgers could buy a World Series comes to fruition anyway and we're left with a locked-out 2026 because no rich person ever learns their lesson. Or we get the fun outcome, where a team led by a native son trying to prove himself, backed up by a murderer's row of fun role-players and rookies, outdoes the Goliath. That's really where we're at, overspending vs. overbuilding. This Jays team is the culmination of a farm system build that began in 2019, nearly failed, was nearly split up THIS YEAR, and suddenly hunkered down and became truly great. If Guerrero leaves, then Bichette leaves, and this team never gets past the Yanks and Sox. Maybe Schneider gets fired, maybe Springer never has the comeback season, maybe Scherzer doesn't lock in. So much of this season was a chain reaction of events leading directly back to the team listening and re-signing Guerrero. It seemed like an odd move at the time, but deep down they knew that a World Series was still possible.

And that's how the Blue Jays made it to a World Series without Bo Bichette, Jose Berrios or Anthony Santander. They locked in so hard that they outdid even a hot-as-hell Mariners team. Vlad Jr. and George Springer dug deep and got them here. And everything that had struggled before, like Scherzer, the rotation, the outfield defense, even Jeff Hoffman, locked in even further. 

That is a fantastic story. The Jays, in a different draw of cards, could have been out in August. But they made it to a World Series. It's a much better story than 'the Dodgers bought a ton of contracts, then they all got hurt, then they all got healthy and suddenly a team with 9 starters, three hitters that specifically only do well in October, and the best player in baseball history, is in the World Series'. If the Dodgers win, great, they deserve it, it's incredible...but you understand how that's way less interesting, right? 'Well they were the best team, so of course they won'. What kind of story is as simple as that? Where's the conflict? Yes, the middle of the season was still kind of rough, but they only lost 1st place for a couple seconds because the Padres absolutely gave up every time they were in position to overtake first. The Jays, meanwhile, blew past the Yankees for the division, stayed ahead of them in September and embarrassed them in October. THAT is a story.

This is going to be a very cool World Series, one that could have a very fun outcome. The Dodgers winning would cement this organization as Belichick levels of unfair, even if you can call them the next great baseball dynasty. But a Blue Jays win, after all this? Wouldn't that be something? 

Championship Series' Day 6: What A Concept

 

Mariners fans had been waiting a while for THE Eugenio Suarez performance they'd been promised. He'd been so good in Arizona and was much less consistent in Seattle, and was constantly in position to succeed in October with this team and just couldn't. Tonight, however, Geno gave the Mariners fans a rare home playoff win with a two-homer night, including a grand slam. This is Eugenio Suarez. I dunno why he took this long to get here. But there he was.

You're seeing the best of this team finally showing up. Getting the Jays in trouble when the 'pen comes in. Pitching Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo and keeping things close. Randy robbin' a homer. Andres Munoz making the case for his own October supremacy. Cal Raleigh tying the game. Geno is the cherry on top. The Mariners always worried me heading into October, as they've always talked a big game but never committed, and now they have the team that can commit. Their best starter right now is the one guy who struggled all year, and the guy who put them in winning position is the guy that was striking out for most of September.

The Mariners are one game from their first ever World Series. They just have to win one game in Toronto. Yes, they've won two already...but you can never count this Blue Jays team out. 

So to recap: one win from their second consecutive World Series berth, the Dodgers put Shohei Ohtani on the mound, and he proceeded to go 6 innings of 2-hit ball, striking out 10, while also hitting THREE HOME RUNS. How can anyone compete with that? The Brewers have a lot of great things, but they don't have a guy who can shut you out AND hit three home runs against you. They don't even have a guy who can shut you out OR hit three home runs against you for this series. 

The Dodgers had all of the pieces. It took them a while to fall into place but there was the hope that they would in October, and they have. The starting pitching was incredible this series. The bats were all awake. The bullpen behaved. In this Brewers series, they barely showed weakness. Game 1 was it, and then they completely plowed ahead, only unlike last year's World Series they left no room for the Brewers' mercy. They exploited the Brewers for what they were: a very lucky collection of young and talented people who all got hot at the right time...but that time wasn't now. 

The Dodgers are now the favorites to win the gold. They are now the alpha. Which means everyone's gonna pray for an upset.

The ultimate flaw of the Brewers' season is that they had enough to get past the Cubs, but not enough to get past the Dodgers in October. Once again, this is the one hurdle they could not pass. 

I have no doubt, though, considering how young this team is, that they will be back. Chourio is only getting stronger, and has already proven himself as a postseason favorite. You can already see Chad Patrick and Jacob Misiorowski keeping October offenses down. Turang, Frelick, Collins and Durbin are gonna be at this for a while. Getting rid of some of the flashes in the pan and continuing to farm this team up using the excellent farm system is gonna lead to a very sustainable, very competitive team. And plus, they've got leverage over Craig Counsell. 

Jays-Mariners resumes in a couple days. The Jays are up against the wall, which is where you really don't want them. 

Championship Series' Day 5: In Danger of Losing Me

 

I really thought this Dodgers-Brewers series was going to be close. What a fool I was to judge these teams by how they played during the regular season. Because it's clear that doesn't matter anymore.

The Dodgers have gamed the system. They have the single best October team in the game, and it doesn't matter how well they've done during the regular season. They were good in the first six months, won the division, but they had injury issues and obvious flaws. Right now they have an obvious flaw, mainly that in pitching Shohei Ohtani as often as they are, the Dodgers are making it more difficult for Shohei Ohtani, their best hitter, on hitting. I also think the fact that the bullpen has been so inconsistent that the man they are paying to close games is done for the year and the man they WERE paying to start games is so bad at starting that he's better off in the ninth...that's a problem. I don't know if taking one of the best Japanese pitchers of his era, Roki Sasaki, and making him a career closer because he hasn't cracked 6-inning starts in America yet, is a mistake. It's like using Excalibur as a letter-opener. 

And with all of that, and the fact that the defense isn't where it should be...they're still in position to make it to their second World Series in a row. Because nobody could stop them. Not even the two best teams in the NL.

The Dodgers are just excellent at employing people who are best suited for October. And that's why they've been so good, because Enrique Hernandez, Teoscar Hernandez, Tommy Edman, Max Muncy and Blake Snell have gone 'well, it's October so I guess we should start playing well now'. Again, regardless of how things went during the regular season.

That is how you know that the playoffs are too long and too expanded. It used to be 'let's take the best teams in both leagues and see if they can do an extra series, and then one big one against each other'. Now it's become a seventh month to the season with entirely new rules and expectations. Clearly Dave Roberts has figured out how to manage a seventh month because he's one of the only people who realizes that that's what it is now. Every other manager is still acting like the playoffs are what they were, an extra week or so to wrap up the season. And that's why they're all losing. Because they aren't preparing like the Dodgers are. This has become a marathon, and this whole Dodgers team is made up of career sprinters. 

How do you compare that to a very young, very wet-behind-the-ears Brewers team? Of course they're losing! They're playing by the old rules! The Dodgers have a four man rotation plus three extra starters that play relief, their best hitter also is one of their best pitchers, and the contact game has been off the charts because it hasn't needed to shift fully to a power game. 

The Dodgers are gonna make it to another World Series, and probably win. From how they're built now, they won't run out of steam until mid-December at this rate. 

Meanwhile, the series which is on an actual even playing field isn't exactly pleasing me either, because the Mariners have blown their two game lead by watching two great starters, coming off of two great starts, backpedal while the lineup once again fails to show up. The Detroit series was close. This series is also close. The Mariners can't crack the Dodgers' level of consistency because, again, they packed for a three-hour tour. 

I can't say I'm not blown over by Max Scherzer having an ace moment even as his career winds towards a finish. Scherzer's one of the oldest pitchers in the game, he's a lock for Cooperstown, and everything since 2021 has been frosting. He didn't even make the ALDS roster because the Jays didn't think they needed him. They did. He went 5 and 2/3rds, only allowed 2 small runs, K'd 5 and was dominant, as he was tasked to be. The Jays needed an ace moment after Yesavage and Gausman didn't work, and they got one. The offense did the rest, and the usual suspects, like Springer, Guerrero, and the surprisingly-hot Andres Gimenez, made it another blowout. 

The M's are in danger of losing their leverage, and need to win Game 5 to ensure some semblance of superiority heading back to Toronto. Will this finally be the Bryan Woo game? Or will the decision to limit his output haunt Dan Wilson forever?

Championship Series' Day 4: Waking Up

 

You didn't seriously think the Jays were gonna go down without a fight, did you? After scoring 10+ runs against the Yankees in the first two games? Absolutely not.

I think the reaction to the quiet bats in the first two games of the ALCS got to the Jays' head. So of course, Game 3 you have Vlad Jr., Alejandro Kirk, Andres Gimenez, George Springer and Addison Barger all going yard, totaling 8 runs against George Kirby and 14 runs in general. You rile them up, they let loose. This was a cathartic game for everyone worried the Jays would waste their offense on the Yankees series. Absolutely not. This team can still come through and chase the Mariners even if they strike first. This is a game where the Mariners got production from Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena, and it still felt futile because the rest of the team didn't do a great deal. 

The key to this was also the best starting performance for Toronto of the ALCS so far, courtesy of Shane Bieber, still capable of going through in big games. After the Julio homer he locked in, going 6 innings and only giving up 5 hits while striking out 8. It was the dominance they needed to keep the M's from coming back or making this one interesting. No matter how well Max Scherzer can do tomorrow night [and...honestly the jury's still out], Bieber noticed a needed win and made things interesting in Seattle.

I still think the M's have the right amount of leverage, and could strike back big time in Game 4. I think this'll be the one where they let Bryan Woo at 'em.....right???

Championship Series' Day 2: Home Field Advantage My Foot

 

The Mariners really are about to head back to Seattle having taken two from the Jays in Toronto. That was always the best case scenario but I didn't figure the Blue Jays were gonna make it that simple for them. Trey Yesavage worked the last few times, yet here the M's had no problem with him. Wild!

The fact that the Mariners scored TEN RUNS against the team that was batting around the Yankees like it was no problem last week is insane to me. And that it's coming from all over the lineup. Naylor, Julio and Polanco are responsible for some big power moments, but how about J.P. Crawford? Dude knocked in 2 RBIs in the 6th and 7th around all the chaos. The Jays got only 5 hits off of Logan Gilbert, for 3 runs, and couldn't do a damn thing against the Mariners' bullpen. You can see Guerrero quieting down again. It's really down to guys like Nathan Lukes right now, and if the Jays wanna stay in this, they need the full-team effort that was the edge over the Yanks. 

Cause if not, this'll be their third ALCS in less than 15 years that they won't be able to get past. Even if this team is still young, you want to take these opportunities. The Mariners, meanwhile, look good and hopefully will get even better once the rested starters kick in.

So this is gonna be very controversial, but...even if the Dodgers still won that game, I think the moral victory still goes to Milwaukee. For a couple reasons. Firstly, all anyone's gonna be talking about is that Sal Frelick throw to home for a double play. That's one of the coolest things I've seen in a while. Secondly, the only runs the Dodgers scored came on a solo home run and a bases-loaded walk. And thirdly, the game ended on a bases-loaded strikeout from the Brewers' best contact hitter. The Dodgers got lucky. They won a game like this against the Phils where they sort of figured out a lead and the Phils let them. Tonight it happened again.

What's very important is that the troubles for the Dodgers began, once again, when the starting pitcher left the game. Blake Snell had a beautiful night, he only allowed 1 hit in 8 innings, and struck out 10. Perfect stuff. But once they bring in Sasaki, then Chourio sac-flies a run home, two runners are on, then Treinen walks Wild Bill. You saw the Dodgers avoiding their bullpen at all costs before, and this is why. The Brewers can figure out the Dodgers' bullpen, and with a single reversal of fate, or maybe a centimeter or so over, Turang could have ended the game a different way. It was a very relieving end to the game for the Dodgers. If that's an HBP, Andrew Vaughn comes up with the bases loaded, tie game, and then things get interesting. Cause he's just gotta put it in play, and he can do that now that he's out of Chicago.

So this tells me that the series is gonna be very tight, and the Brewers ultimately have the Dodgers' number, and can make it unbearably scary for a team that wants everyone to think it's got it all figured out. I still think they can turn things around and make for some really close games throughout this. It's not settled yet, and the Dodgers are only gonna make it a runaway if they continue to keep this lineup at bay.

Game 2 in Milwaukee tomorrow will be interesting. Assuming Peralta's up, or possibly even Quintana.

Championship Series' Day 1: Ample Setup

 

In 2024, the Mariners' rotation of Logan Gilbert, Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Bryan Woo and Bryce Miller was the single best in baseball. Unfortunately, the team forgot how to hit, and thus the best pitched year in the team's existence [since, say, 2003] was wasted. 

Then earlier this year, the lineup, led by Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena, jumped back into form and led the AL East for a while, even though the rotation was hampered by a ton of injuries. Woo and Castillo were there all year, and Gilbert joined up eventually, with Kirby and Miller missing swaths of the year. By August, when the team had already added Naylor and Suarez, Kirby and Miller were back, and the rotation finally clicked into place again. Yes, the bats were gonna be the headline, but this rotation was good again, and helpful again. Losing Woo right before the playoffs was disappointing, but the other guys were able to step up and hold the line. 

Flash forward to the other night. The Mariners win over the Tigers in a 15-inning team effort, but in doing so, completely exhaust their entire pitching staff. Kirby, Gilbert and Castillo all pitched multiple innings and ruled themselves out for a potential Game 1 of an ALCS, as did many bullpen guys. The next stage would be there, but winning Game 5 was more important in that moment. So when they actually won, the decision to pitch Bryce Miller on three days' rest was, inevitably, a risky one. The Jays had plenty of time to rest their starters, and in addition they added two more, Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt, to the mix. The Mariners would be going into a tough matchup with one of their main assets, their pitching, equalized. 

That they won Game 1 is proof that the rotation is amazing again. Everything that happened last year and this spring was buildup to this moment: the rotation can win games as much as Jorge Polanco can. 

Bryce Miller, when the team needed him to, pitched a beaut, going 6 innings and only giving up 2 hits, including a leadoff homer to George Springer. He locked in, leaving many outs to the defense, and only needed to strike out 3. It also helped that Gabe Speier didn't tie the game, and that Polanco was able to add insurance runs rather than force a stalemate, but Miller stepped up and earned the win, on a night where he could have been exploited by a tough, even Mariners team. 

It may only be Game 1, and the Jays may have yet to bring Trey Yesavage or Shane Bieber out, but the Mariners have already proven that they have enough to outlast the Jays in tough pitching battles like these. It's only gonna get tighter once the good starters have their full rest. Game 2 will be Logan Gilbert on short rest after he pitched a couple innings. We'll see if he has a similar performance to Miller. 

Division Series' Conclusion: Two Different Types of Close Games

 

I watched...fourteen of fifteen innings of last night's Mariners-Tigers playoff game. That was honestly all I could take. Honestly, one of the best pitched games I'd ever seen. Literally every pitcher each team brought in was dominant. Both Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo were unbeatable in relief. Jack Flaherty got out of a ton of scrapes in extras. Both bullpens were tight; Bazardo, Melton, Munoz, Vest, all brilliant. 

But what infuriated me to the point of turning it off before the walk-off was the fact that literally any time there were runners in scoring position, someone capable of batting them in would get up and do absolutely nothing. The Tigers' guys were understandable because they're not known for power. But the Mariners' core could have ended the game at any time, and Raleigh, Arozarena, Rodriguez, Polanco, Suarez and Naylor were inconsolable, and had so many missed opportunities in extras. Yes, the bullpen was difficult, but...say, for instance, that Polanco DOESN'T end the game with a walk-off single. Then every missed chance those power guys had would look even worse. And everything the fans are saying about what should be done about the Yankees and Phillies who didn't hit would be repeated with some of those guys. 

But yes, the M's waited for a reliever they COULD hit off of, and Jorge Polanco cracked one off of Tommy Kahnle to end it...in the fifteenth. Now, the bad news is the M's have next to no pitching left, and have to start Bryce Miller tomorrow which, uh...didn't go too well in Game 4 to be honest. And its short rest. But the good news is that if the heart of the lineup shows up, the Mariners very well could get past this Jays team, and are in sight of their first-ever World Series berth. It may seem difficult, but it can happen. They just need to tap into what made them winners here. The ability to outlast the inevitable.

The Tigers will be back with a team that can hold onto momentum better next year. The fact that they managed to persist long enough to regain momentum in October is admirable. They need to learn from September, though, or else it'll stop them from the big prize.

As for the Brewers...well, they managed to not crater after starting the series 2-0 and seeing the Cubs tie it. Teams have fallen victim to that before. The Brewers, even in a bullpen game, stayed strong and shut down a fairly unpredictable Cubs lineup. You can boil it down to Jacob Misiorowski if you want but it's really not that simple- Megill, Uribe and especially Chad Patrick were just as integral.

And again, one of the heroes of this team was Andrew Vaughn, a guy who was too mediocre even for the White Sox, got pawned off for Aaron Civale, then suddenly found his swing in Milwaukee and usurped Rhys Hoskins for the starting 1B spot. Tonight his homer broke the tie and sealed the game [though Turang's later homer also helped]. That someone like Vaughn can be a success for a team like the Brewers is pretty exceptional, and proof that this system really has something going. 

The Brewers have again triumphed over Craig Counsell, which is pretty wild to think about. In an NLCS against the Dodgers, they may be a sneaky favorite to win regardless of the momentum the Dodgers have built over this playoff season [predictably]. The Dodgers have Ohtani, but the Brewers are even, amazing on defense, practically unhittable and have answers for everything. It may go all 7. 

The Cubs were a long shot to outlast the Brewers, but I admire that they got close. Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki, Matthew Boyd and Kyle Tucker have proven themselves admirable October pieces, and I know the majority of them could help this team get back to October next year. I also think the bullpen was a big part of why they persisted, though it consisting mainly of 30somethings like Colin Rea, Drew Pomeranz and Brad Keller does put its sustainability into question. I think the Cubs have enough to keep competing, and hopefully PCA figures out how to avoid that 2nd half crash out going forward.

Jays-M's tomorrow. Rooting for Seattle but honestly I could live with Toronto winning. 

Division Series' Day 6: How to Tie [and How Not To]

 

We're talking about two teams that started off an NLDS 0-2 and needed to win their way back to a tie or a victory. One of them did it. The other couldn't. 

It shouldn't be that shocking that the tighter matchup of these division series's is the divisional one. The Cubs and Brewers have been going back and forth all season. The Cubs had the division in the first half, then Milwaukee came blazing ahead and became a truly fantastic team to take the 1 seed. They won the first two games, and somehow the Cubs were able to take down not only Quinn Priester but Freddy Peralta, one of the toughest pitchers in the majors this year. Ian Happ's three-run bomb silenced any chance of an easy waltz to the NLCS for the Brewers, and the Cubs' pitching, including an excellent start by Matthew Boyd [his second strong postseason in a row] and some great 'pen work by Daniel Palencia and Drew Pomeranz, quieted a truly tough lineup. The extra homers from Kyle Tucker and Michael Busch, off Robert Gasser, were enough to cut out the tension for Cubs fans. Though I do think the umps screwed over Carson Kelly. The ABS system's gonna be nice, but how are we gonna hold them accountable for saying a home run's a foul.

It really speaks to how unpredictable this season has been that the two NLDSs to go all five games were Tigers-Mariners and Cubs-Brewers. The Dodgers and Jays were quicker, but the more fun teams took the whole week. 

While I was able to get through this season without the Astros ruining my playoff year, there is still the matter of just how well the Dodgers have continued to play in October. There are specific players, like Teoscar Hernandez, Kiké Hernandez, Max Muncy and Blake Snell now, who will do next to nothing during the regular season, make the postseason roster and become amazing. Kiké Hernandez may be one of the best October performers ever, which shouldn't cancel out his .200 average during the regular season but it's still gotten this team two rings. Tonight, all the Dodgers needed to win was a bases-loaded walk and a bases-loaded pitcher error. There were no traditional RBIs. In a series where the Dodgers have rallied late on multiple occasions, it just took Andy Pages landing a ball in the right place and that was it. Yet another NLCS, and a chance at a second World Series. It's not set in stone yet, as either NL Central team could really chase them, but with this series they've finally made up for their numerous regular season shortcomings...which is maybe a clue that the expanded postseason gives lower seeds an unfair advantage. 

I mean, once again the Phillies got a first-round bye and couldn't save the momentum. They've gotten kicked out in the 2nd round with teams way better than the ones that made NLCSs, and it's because this playoff schematic doesn't always help a great team stay great. Unless you're somebody like the Dodgers or something, the first round by is gonna slow you down, and the Phils did not show up much in this series at all. Harper, Turner and Bohm were nowhere to be found. Schwarber hit two bombs but not when it counted. Castellanos was somewhat helpful here and there but a defensive liability. Harrison Bader looked good but that injury really killed us. And ultimately, Orion Kerkering could not handle this moment, and panicked in a moment where another pitcher [possibly even Luzardo] could have had the reflexes to send the game to a 12th inning. But it shouldn't have come down to him in the first place because the Phils should have just outhit a team that was practically standing in place. 

That may have been our last shot. A lot of people are leaving, the remaining guys didn't all step up this year, and Harper's leaving his peak. I don't know if we compete next year. The Mets, Braves and Marlins will all have better teams, and I don't know if we will. We could have had something this year, and we simply chose not to. 

Game 5 of the ALDS tomorrow in Seattle. With both my teams gone I'm ride or die for the Mariners. 

Division Series' Day 5: Keeping Me On My Toes

 

I really thought the Mariners were gonna go with a bullpen game and opening for Kirby or something like that, but they had faith in Bryce Miller. Not 2023 Bryce Miller.....current Bryce Miller. So if you wanted to know why their series is 2-2, that's why.

Look, the Tigers are just a good team. You can't keep them down. Just when you think they've quieted down they blow back up again, and like the Jays anybody can be the hero at any time. Torres, Dingler, Jahmai Jones, Greene, McKinstry, most notably Javier Baez, who was responsible for FOUR runs. You forgot how good this guy can be in October because it's been so long. This was both on the Tigers' offense and on the Mariners' bullpen, who turned sour after a relatively strong series. 

Now, Game 5 in Seattle is gonna be tight as hell. Both teams want it. I wanna say Seattle has the leverage but the Tigers might go with Skubal again. It's gonna be wild no matter what happens.

The Brewers are clearly the better team in their matchup. They proved it during the regular season. The trick now is making sure their mistakes don't come back to haunt them. And somehow earlier today, Quinn Priester was the mistake. He's had such a great season, and has been such an integral piece of this team's success this year...but his first October start was not great. The 4 runs the Cubs won on came against Priester. And even if the Brewers end up winning this series, the fact that Priester was the low point here is gonna be a major takeaway going forward.

Still, it was nice for the Cubs to get a win. Happ scored a playoff run, and I'm mostly happy he got to see a team hit October again. Michael Busch is definitely a top-tier postseason performer and I hope he gets more opportunities to share it. PCA was right about the refs. Palencia closing over a full season would be great. I'm not sure how much hope I have that they'll win Game 4, but they've at least proved they can upset this team without getting completely owned.

And speaking of getting completely owned...

I had a feeling this series might go this way, but not that it would be so embarrassing. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. owned the Yankees. The splitters owned the Yankees. The rotation, and even the bullpen in this game, owned the Yankees. And as good as Judge and somehow Ryan McMahon could be, the Blue Jays can get production from EVERYBODY. Ernie Clement, Nathan Lukes, Addison Barger, Myles Straw. Pretty much anybody can be the hero in Toronto, and the Yankees have multiple people who simply couldn't in this game. And thus...the Jays, with a very good team, advance, and the Yanks don't. Can't make it any clearer than that. The Jays were the better team, and they had the momentum.

The Yankees only get further next year if they stop fooling themselves. Deluding themselves into thinking that things that have not worked before will eventually work is not the way to go. Sometimes you have to let somebody go rather than let them let you down again. That could go for Volpe, for Boone, for lots of people. The fanatical approach will get the team nowhere, especially with the AL East looking to be even more competitive next year. 

The Jays have a serious shot at a World Series. If the Tigers win, it's a 75% chance. If the M's win...little closer to 50/50.

This one I actually saw coming. I knew the Phils weren't gonna let THAT be the end of it. They'd come this far, they'd gotten the okay to wear the baby blue throwbacks on the road. They were gonna make it count.

I don't care if those are Kyle Schwarber's last two homers in Philly colors, he made 'em count. He's one of the best power hitters of his era, and he's done so much for us, including this. It happened after a lot of hemming and hawing from fans, but it still happened. Also props to Ranger Suarez [AND AARON NOLA] for holding down the best offense in the NL, and Brandon Marsh, J.T. Realmuto, Trea Turner and Alec Bohm for providing strong run support. This was the effort we'd been waiting all series for, and even if another game like it doesn't happen, we still won this one and earned it.

Tomorrow I think a series ends, and one goes to Game 5. I have my guess of which that is. I'd rather not be proven wrong, but I'd be fine with happy Cubs fans even if my Phils go down as well.

Division Series Day 4: Hope???

 

I have already accepted the possibility that both my teams could go down in this round. It's very likely. The Phillies aren't playing well at all, and the Yanks still have the odds against them. If that happens, I'm very surely going to root for the Mariners all the way. Several reasons behind that. My uncle's a lifelong Ms fan, it's a hard luck club that's never been to a World Series, and it was cemented by this game because MAN this team is awesome. 

When J.P. Crawford can break a tie with a homer...that's how you know this team is different. When Logan Gilbert finally clicks into place after struggling most of the year. When the game is sealed with yet another Raleigh homer. There's something infectious about this team, and given the right momentum, which they're clearly gaining, they could do something incredible this year. I'm honestly hear for it. Not that the Tigers winning wouldn't be exciting, but the M's are just the better team, and they clearly deserve it more.

Still not a runaway, and the Tigers could come roaring back in Game 4 like they did in the ninth, but I'm very much behind Seattle at this point.

As for the other guys who won tonight? I have no idea how it happened. I was half-expecting to eulogize them tonight. The way Vladdie got ahead of us again, the way the umps wasted our challenges. It just looked like it wasn't gonna happen. After the 4-run third, my dad gave up. 

...meaning he missed the comeback. Oh man, I don't know what he's gonna think when he hears.

With Bieber not 100%, we were always a threat to come back. With the Jays bullpen as flighty as it's been, we were always gonna chip away. We just needed the right timing. And tonight, Aaron Judge had the right timing. He's been very good at the plate this postseason, but the long ball hadn't shown up yet. Tonight it did. A massive 3-run bomb that tied the game and cemented the comeback. It was everything I'd dreamed of, and it was absolutely huge. Louie Varland may never live that down. And then the runs kept coming, with Chisholm, Wells and Rice adding to the fun. Then somehow the Yanks' pen clicked as well, with Devin Williams and David Bender completely silencing the Jays by the end, including a brutal whiff of Guerrero. 

Even through this, the Jays did a lot right, like catching Judge in a rundown, or some plays Varsho had in the outfield. But tonight, the errors by Barger, Schneider and multiple outfielders were enough to blow the game. For once, the Yankees were capitalizing on opposing errors. And for once, everything came together for this damned, doomed Yankee team.

Winning 1 against this Jays team was a triumph. Now they're scared. Now it's not guaranteed anymore. Tomorrow night might be Schlittler against low rest Yesavage, and that could be interesting. Maybe we can hit his splitter if the pressure's on. Maybe...there's still a chance.

[As for the Phils? I dunno, man. I'm not sure if they have a comeback like this in 'em. Would love to be proven wrong though.]

Division Series' Day 2: I Am Tired

 

So it's not looking terribly likely that the Yankees will be showing up at all this ALDS. The offensive rally that they couldn't muster yesterday was reserved to the point in today's game where it was already out of reach. After getting shut down by Kevin Gausman, the Yankees now were shut down by Trey Yesavage, a guy with even less games under his belt than Schlittler and even more outright dominance. The 22-year-old went 5 innings, struck out 11 and allowed no hits. Yes, the bullpen gave up seven runs, but the Yankees had already given up 13 by that point so it wasn't a big loss.

At the very least, I'd like if if the Yankees offense could do at least something in Game 3 in the Bronx. I knew we had our work cut out for us playing the Jays, but the home crowd at least suits us better against these guys. Besides, we've got Rodon on the mound, at least give him something to get excited about.

Now...Skubal I predicted going a while without letting anybody through. Luis Castillo I did not call. I'm grateful for it, as the pure lights-out ability Castillo has does manage to show up every so often, even if he was a bit more spotty this year. Castillo only allowed 1 hit in 4 and 2/3rds innings, and was dominant on a night where Jorge Polanco figured out how to break through Tarik Skubal. Twice.

Last year I was really thinking Polanco to Seattle was a dumb move, but I think it was just 2nd base that cursed him. Once he moved over to DH he got so much better as a power bat. He's been having to play 2nd more often just because...Ben Williamson can only do so much, but he's found his sweet spot again, which is great. And he was undoubtedly the hero in this game, though Julio and Cal did combine doubles to sink the win late. 

Very happy the M's pulled this one out. Gilbert v. Mize in Detroit is gonna be interesting.

The NL ones are tomorrow. Hoping for both of those to be evened. The Phils need to remind people why they got that 1st round bye.

Wild Card Series Day 3: Scores Settled?

 

A lot of 'was this trip really necessary?' outcomes for the wild card round. Lot of teams just beating the lower seed. The only 'upset' came from the team that had led the division the whole year beating the team that won it in the last few games. Still some intriguing baseball games to get us there but it's very much calling into question of the reason for expanding the playoffs, aside from 'to give teams the ownership group likes a chance'. Though...considerably less of that than in 2020 or 2022. A lot like Survivor instituting a final four tiebreaker to ensure the winner they want only for the people they like in the last several seasons to be shit at making fire.

The Tigers were able to win against the Guardians in October, after...not really being able to do so in September. They did it with contact, like RBIs from Wenceel Perez, Kerry Carpenter, Spencer Torkelson and Riley Greene. The only real long ball was an inconsequential one from Dillon Dingler. The Tigers did almost spoil their win once or twice, and Spencer Torkelson's defense at 1st allowed 2 more runs to score, but they finished off Cleveland simply by being a better-developed team than them, and promptly punched their ticket to Seattle. Right now the Mariners are the favorites, which is a weird thing to say considering how well the Tigers were playing in June, but with Skubal on the mound anything's possible.

The Guardians were over a dozen games out of 1st at the beginning of September and still made the playoffs. That alone is an accomplishment. They were able to take the division with a wildly depleted team, led by a ton of rookies and unsung guys, and still pose a threat to the Tigers in a wild card series. That they didn't completely get the job done is sad, but understandable. The heroes yesterday were guys like George Valera, a rookie outfielder responsible for a rare earned run for Cleveland, and Chase DeLauter, the rookie prospect who got his first hit in the postseason, and Brayan Rocchio, who finished the season making up for all the time he wasn't hitting in the first 5 months. They will be back stronger, better developed and more commandingly. 

The Cubs were the better team heading into their wild card series and were able to stave off the Padres after all, despite...being the Cubs. A lot had been made about their rough postseason luck since 2017, and they were able to erase that thanks to a home crowd, a better team and a commanding start from Jameson Taillon. If Seiya Suzuki, Pete Crow-Armstrong, Nico Hoerner and Michael Busch are gonna be great playoff pieces, they might be in for a long run. And if Jamo's a valid October option, only allowing 2 hits in 4 innings, they might have the starting depth after all. Cubs-Brewers has the potential to be the tightest series of the four, as the Brewers don't want you to know that they've actually lost steam since their insane August. Could go either way honestly. 

As for the Padres...they got here, and they fought hard, but if Tatis and Machado aren't gonna hit then there's no point in showing up. At the end, the Padres were starting fights with the umps, saying they took the series from them. No. The Cubs were better and you couldn't hit them. Don't try and blame the system. One of the few Padres to actually show up this series was Freddy Fermin, the catcher they traded for to ensure they actually had a decent option back there. Fermin went 4-for-11 this postseason, hitting .364. The goal is for the rest of the team to show up as well. Jackson Merrill getting a late homer isn't gonna be enough. Next year it may be tougher for them to catch the Dodgers unless they really put the effort in.

As for my Yankees...what else can you say but 'wow'? Cam Schlittler getting Game 3 was a risk, and it paid off in dramatic fashion. The man went 8 innings, striking out 12, allowing no runs and no walks. It was a masterful performance, made even crazier by the fact that Schlittler was nearing 100mph for most of the night and was hitting 97 in the 8th. Nobody could hit this guy, and nobody could hit the bullpen either. The Yankees won this game by completely silencing a very tough Red Sox team, and remembering to contact-hit when they could. And again, the guys we got midyear, like Amed Rosario, David Bednar and Ryan McMahon, were the true difference maker. Very proud of these guys, and hopefully they can regain momentum in Toronto.

Connelly Early didn't do terribly badly himself, he struck out 6 through 4, but the problem with the Sox starting Nathaniel Lowe and Romy Gonzalez is that the errors that the Yankees' infield worked to avoid are gonna happen. That 4th inning illuminated just how unfit defensively this Sox team was for this moment, and they failed Connelly Early. The Red Sox were very close to winning this series and shocking everyone, and for the first time since 2003 they simply couldn't stop the Yankees. 

I assume they'll be back, bigger and badder, with their big 3 next year, and that'll be...fun. For now, we've got 4 fun looking series scheduled for this weekend. Still a lot of teams I really enjoy in the mix, so I'm enjoying this. 

Wild Card Series' Day 2: So It's Gonna Be One of Those

 

I'm honestly happy the wild card series' aren't gonna be simple this year [for the most part]. Better for baseball. 

The key for the Tigers was getting the Skubal game down. Cause that was the only game where they really had a leg up on Cleveland. Casey Mize is good, but he's not Skubal good, and the contact game came raining down on him today, including big moments from Brayan Rocchio and George Valera, plus a very impressive three-run bomb from Bo Naylor, hoping to meet his brother in the ALDS. Tanner Bibee wasn't too bad either, only allowing 1 run and 5 hits in 4 and 2/3rds innings. This was the exact kind of game the Guardians should have won, and it allows for an even more exciting Game 3. Flaherty v. Cantillo. That'll definitely be interesting. 

Okay, so clearly the heroes of the Padres game were people like Dylan Cease and Manny Machado, but ultimately this game will be known as the Mason Miller game. He came in, faced five batters and struck out every last one, turning a lead into a commanding lead. The Cubs are a very tough team, and for this Padres squad to silence them, including a rare spotless inning from Robert Suarez, means that the Cubs may not have the cakewalk they were thinking this'd be. The Padres' lineup can strike back, and this game 3 is gonna be a matchup between Yu Darvish and Jameson Taillon. Yes, Yu has been shaky this year, but he's also clicked into place when the Padres have needed him. And is Jamo an October weapon? I suppose we'll find out.

This Yankee win was such a relief. I was so worried that the score staying tied would indicate an inability to capitalize on big moments, but then it dawned on me that all the Red Sox runs were scored by Trevor Story. The Yankees win belonged the whole team, from Ben Rice and his 1st inning bomb to Carlos Rodon and his strong start to Austin Wells who had the big RBI to Jazz Chisholm whose slide cemented the win. And the relief pitching, including Fernando Cruz and David Bednar, got us out of a lot of tight scrapes. No matter what happens next, and considering the lack of Boston rotation depth I'm mildly optimistic, we were able to win a game like this and make this a 3-game series after all. I'd really like it if we won tomorrow, but not getting swept is a true plus. 

If any of these wild card series' was only gonna last 2 games, it was gonna be Dodgers-Reds. Yes, the Dodgers have had bullpen issues...but they're the Dodgers. They're gonna win big.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, in just his second season, has become a postseason icon for the Dodgers, tonight went 6 and 2/3rds innings, and struck out 9, only allowing 2 runs and 4 hits. You NEED a rock like that in the postseason, and so far the Dodgers have had two of 'em starting games, Yoshi and Snell. We haven't even gotten to Glasnow yet. The offense did their thing, with some hard work from typical October heroes Kiké Hernandez and Mookie Betts. The key was small-balling past the Reds' pitching rather than going full power, and it's proof that there's still variety in this lineup. 

The Dodgers will head to Philly as the underdogs, though not by much. This is still a very tough team, and the Phillies aren't without flaws of their own. The Dodgers could find their October magic against the Phils...or, alternatively, the Phils could slay the curse of the 1st round bye and ascend to greatness yet again. It's their choice.

And since we've got to eulogize someone here...

Getting to the playoffs alone was a reward in itself for the Reds. They outdid the odds, outfought the Mets and earned October. This Dodgers series was always gonna be a tough hurdle, and it shouldn't encourage them from trying again next year. Unfortunately the only Red to truly show up tonight was rookie Sal Stewart, who singled in 2 runs early, the only crack in Yoshi's armor all night basically, then tried to get things going in the 8th with another RBI. Everybody else was silenced, and even Zack Littell struggled against a truly tough lineup. They should be happy to have made it, and shouldn't beat themselves up for not outdoing the Dodgers in LA in October. 

Tomorrow we break three ties. Pulling for my Yanks but, as it's a tough Boston team IN Fenway...prepared for either outcome. 

Wild Card Series' Day 1: Who You Came For

 

The Tigers have a lot to prove since blowing the divisional race to Cleveland, and I think starting their Wild Card series by putting their ace out there and shutting the Guardians down was the correct course of action.

Everyone's expecting this series to be close. Judging from the fact that Gavin Williams was similarly working, aside from his run, it's going to be. If Skubal didn't show up in this first game and give the Tigers a head-start, this wasn't gonna be productive at all for Detroit. That's the one one-up card they have, if that fails there's no point. Skubal went 7 and 2/3rds, struck out 14 and only allowed 1 hit. It's a truly sensational opening performance from THE guy for the Tigers, and it speaks louder than the small ball that ultimately won it.

I'm intrigued to see how the Guardians do against a pitcher that isn't Skubal tomorrow. I'm guessing the playing field will have been evened.

The combination of a Wrigley home crowd and a pitcher who's notoriously worse on the road spelt doom for the Padres immediately. Nick Pivetta against the Cubs faithful was gonna lead to an outcome like this. And though the Padres bullpen did their best to work around it, it's clear this Padres team cannot outhit the Cubs this year.

The Cubs got production from Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly, and power production at that, in addition to contact dominance from Nico Hoerner. They outpowered San Diego, the better power team who got nothing done against Matthew Boyd. The only Padres run was scored on a PCA error. Boyd himself kept the balls close and didn't overheat. I did not think this Padres team could be contained this easily, but there you have it. What's more, the team's usual closing option, Daniel Palencia, was in to relieve Boyd in the fifth, meaning the save went to Brad Keller, which was a pretty cool touch. 

Look, man. I don't care who you are. If your goal is to hit two different lefties throwing 100mph for 9 innings, you can't get too mad if you're not able to. That's insanely difficult. The Yankees have struggled against Crochet all year, and they haven't had much luck off of Chapman either. I applaud them for even being able to get hits off of Crochet at all, and the AV homer was a very big moment. Now...that was the extent of it, and there was a lot of guys left on, which is infuriating, but...Chapman's tough, man. He used to get bases-loaded saves with the Yanks all the time. Just give you the sliver of hope and then go in for the kill. 

The Yankees tried. But this game was gonna be the tough one, even with Max Fried having a similarly strong night. They figured out the flaws in the bullpen, and Yankee-killers like Masataka Yoshida and Alex Bregman found those puncture points. I can't say much else, man. We knew our weaknesses, and they knew 'em, and they found 'em and won. All you can hope for is that it doesn't happen again. 

This is the kind of playoff game you'd have expected from the Dodgers going into the season, with no knowledge of how disappointing much of the season would be. A huge offensive explosion against a great pitcher, double-homer days from both Ohtani and Teoscar Hernandez, some full-lineup padding, even bit players like Rortvedt and Call getting in on it, and a masterful ace performance from Blake Snell. This is what the Dodgers wanted this season to lead to, and the fact that they got a game like this even after the tumultuous year before it speaks so much to their organizational depth and forward thinking. They can build a great team and it'll be so great that even injuries can't kill it. That's the Dodgers.

Snell, by the way, erased any angst from his mostly-lost season by being his usual, dominant self, going 7 strong with 2 earned runs and 9 Ks. This is the Blake Snell that the Rays loved giving the ball to back in 2020, and the Blake Snell that eventually became a hero for San Diego. And here he is, doing exactly what he's supposed to.

The Reds did show some fight late, which makes me think Game 2 could be a little closer, and the Dodgers' very atrocious bullpen did nothing to especially quell things. But if the Dodgers start rolling now I don't know if anyone will be able to stop them.

Mickey, Jackie, Reggie, Fernando and The Present.

 

Three generations of my family, at least, have witnessed a Yankees-Dodgers World Series. The exciting matches in the 50s, the back-to-back battles in the 70s, the last minute rematch in 1981. Some of the greatest MLB players in history have played in Yanks-Dodgers World Series'. It's just as important as baseball itself. Brooklyn vs. The Bronx. LA vs. New York. East vs. West.

So going my near three decades without witnessing one myself feels a little unfair. Could you imagine a late-2000s version of this battle? A late 2010s version? A late 80s version? It's been a little while, that's for sure. But, after the Dodgers held off the Mets in 6 games, that's what we're getting again. This week, we're getting the ultimate Yankees-Dodgers series. Judge v. Ohtani. Cole vs. Yamamoto. Teoscar vs. Giancarlo. The most expensive Yanks-Dodgers World Series to date.

To be honest, this could go either way. The Dodgers have a killer lineup, where not only the big guns can kill you, but the lower lineup guys like Kiké Hernandez, Tommy Edman and Will Smith can too. Tommy Edman won NLCS MVP solely because he had important hits in nearly every game of the series. Nobody has been a better addition to this team than Edman, and all he cost was Miguel Vargas basically. So if Betts, Ohtani and Freeman fail, they've still got him. What could kill this team is the lack of pitching depth, especially in terms of starters. The bullpen is pretty good, but this team has gotten very lucky.

Whereas the Yankees have the better pitching, the better clutch hitting and the more accurate stars...and with them I'm just worried that they're gonna be too tired to leg it out for 4 more wins. The Guardians series really took a lot of energy out of them, and hopefully they still have some left for, I dunno, the toughest team in baseball. Everyone's underestimated the Dodgers, and they could be the latest and greatest.

I think it could go either way. But whatever happens, it's good for baseball, and it's certainly good for me.

As for the Mets...what a season they had. They could have been dead midyear and they hit a second wind, became incredible late in the season, snuck in very late and outdid some of the giants of this season. Unfortunately, the Dodgers figured out their starting pitching, the lineup trailed off save for Vientos, and in the end they weren't a match for them. I think the Mets have a ton to be proud of this season, and possibly a lot to build off of for next year. It just was going to take more to get over this Dodgers team, ultimately.

Alright, World Series in a couple days, and I've still got a team to root for. This is gonna be fun. 

Championship Series' Day 7: Juan Shining Moment

 

Never a dull moment, right? 

If the Yankees were gonna make their first World Series in 15 years, it wasn't gonna come easily. The 2009 playoffs seem like a cakewalk compared to this. Every game against the Guardians has been an absolute war. The second you're calm, they pull something, and it's something ridiculous you weren't expecting. And it's always people like Brayan Rocchio or Bo Naylor or Pedro Avila. And then we can do something but is it gonna be enough? Is the other shoe gonna drop like it always does? Are we gonna be embarrassed while everyone that wants us to watches laughing?

This time, though, after so many close calls and so many moments the umps took from us, all it took was Juan Soto, two men on, and the right placement. Watching that ball travel further and further back was an incredible moment. You hoped it was enough, even if you weren't sure. And then when it landed, and the realization set in...the incredible exhale.

This was already a great game for the Yanks, thanks to Carlos Rodon, Giancarlo Stanton, Jake Cousins and the defense, but those two runs stopped it from being great. It once again needed late theatrics, and after Game 3 I wasn't sure if that could happen. The Guardians are famously better clutch hitters than us, and you know they were waiting for the right pitch. In another universe something goes wrong, Thomas or Noel does something. But it didn't happen. The Yankees really outlasted, outhit and outthought the Guardians, which is something I was never quite sure we could do.

And now we're in the World Series for the first time since I started the blog. Either we're seeing a rematch of the 1970s World Series', or we're seeing a rematch of the 2000 World Series. Either one would be awesome. We have better pitching than both. But...we actually made it. I kept thinking we'd get in our own way more often than not, but...we made it. 

And now we've gotta win #28. Stranger things have happened, right?

As for the Guardians...look, they didn't make this series easy for us, and I'm thankful for that. The one thing that gave us the win was figuring out their bullpen, and everything else stymied us still. The lineup is impossible. The starters, like Boyd, Bibee on three days rest and somehow kinda Gavin Williams, were still tricky for us, as they were for anyone. Bo Naylor was the big hitter tonight, dangerous pretty much anytime he was on. There is depth to this team that makes me think they'll be at this for a while. 

I think there's a definite path for the Guardians to continue at this pace, and potentially get further in the future. Ramirez is around for a while, this infield might be as well, and the rotation is only gonna get stronger. And if Yanks-Guards is ALREADY tense...it might get even more tense as we go.

Alright, that's one spot down. Today we possibly see who gets the second one. Good luck to both!

Championship Series' Day 6: Back in the New York Groove

 

Yes, I watched it. Yes, I watched all of it.

The thing about this Yanks-Guardians series is that whoever wins is gonna need to lie down for a while afterwards. This is not a quaint series. Yanks-Royals was quaint comparatively. This is a bloodbath. There was only one real score change but the tension and drama made this quite the watch.

And it boils down to the Guardians not being satisfied with just throwing it in. This is a great clutch team, and even when you think the game's been decided they can fight back and make you regret it. I got so worried Jhonkensy Noel was gonna go yard again tonight but thankfully Dugie saved it. I got so worried Mark Leiter was gonna blow the game but he got this team out of quite the pickle late. I got worried every time Fry got up, or even Rocchio, because this team is capable of so much the second you count them out. There were so many points in the ninth where things could have gone wrong, even down to Berti bobbling the ball on the last out, but it all wrapped up cleanly.

It all came down to the fact that the Yankees have completely figured out the Guardians' bullpen. Tonight they got to Cade Smith, thanks to a moonshot from Giancarlo Stanton. And they did more with Clase, all those theatrics in the ninth courtesy of Volpe and Verdugo and Torres. They didn't do badly against Gavin Williams either, with Soto and Wells going yard off of him. The Yankees hitting has figured out the Guardians' pitching, and that's why they're 3-1.

Here's what's damning. Tomorrow, Tanner Bibee will be pitching Game 5 on very short rest. This organization doesn't have great luck with starting their best pitcher on low rest, and people who were around in 2016 can tell you all about that. This thing could turn again at the drop of a hat, but there's a chance we get this done in Cleveland. It's in sight. Not definite of course, but the Yankees can see the next stage.

I'm hesitant about the Yankees getting it done tomorrow because the Dodgers sure couldn't today. Jack Flaherty had such a great start in Game 1, and so they brought him back and the Mets killed him. So many Mets got a handle on Flaherty's stuff, including Pete Alonso, Jeff McNeil, Francisco Alvarez, Francisco Lindor, and of course Starling Marte, who had a ton of really helpful RBIs throughout. David Peterson was still somewhat roughed up today, but he did way better than Flaherty, and provided the exact kind of stability the Mets needed with Senga resting.

The Mets somehow have enough life still in them that they can chase the Dodgers, a game away from the World Series, for a 12-6 victory. Even as the Mets' rotation begins to struggle a bit, they still have more going on than the Dodgers' rotation, and that could keep them alive for longer than anyone might think.

For Game 6, back in L.A., I assume we'll see Manaea and Landon Knack. Which, again, doesn't bode very well for the Dodgers. But at the same time...with the team the Dodgers have this year, you never know what kind of mound performance will be enough to get it done.