NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 31: A general view of the Savannah Bananas Show on Arthur Ashe Kids Day during the 2026 US Open at USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Sunday, August 23, 2026 in Flushing, NY. (Photo by Brad Penner/USTA via Getty Images) | USTA via Getty Images
The Savannah Bananas have taken the baseball world by storm with their wacky version of the game. On Monday, the Los Angeles Dodgers announced that the Bananas will have a two-game series next spring when the Dodgers are away in Washington to play the Nationals.
Uniqlo Field at Dodger Stadium will host the Bananas and the Firefighters for games on April 23-24. Enter into a drawing at bananaball.com/tickets by Oct 31 2026 by 8:59pm PST.
Additional details regarding game times and event information will be announced soon.
In other news in the baseball world, Andy McCullough of The Athletic says that for the Milwaukee Brewers to keep winning, they may trade away many of the players that got them there. That is the antithesis of what the Dodgers have been doing. The Brewers are close to winning their first World Series ever after making the NLCS last year.
In other roster news, the normally cranky Dylan Hernandez of the California Post says that the Dodgers could’ve used a player like Miguel Vargas on their team this year, and maybe going forward as the team needs to turn from it’s ‘old’ roster into using their deep farm system.
ST. LOUIS - OCTOBER 27: The Boston Red Sox celebrate after winning game four of the 2004 World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on October 27, 2004 in St. Louis, Missouri. The Red Sox defeated the Cardinals 3-0 to win their first World Series in 86 years. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Hello and happy Tuesday everybody. Hope you’re doing well. Happy 22nd anniversary of Game 4 of the 2004 World Series: the night where the curse was officially reversed!
Who needs to talk about the Brewers being on the brink of a title when we already did that 22 years ago and when we can take a trip down memory lane?!
Where were you on this day in 2004?
Little 8-year-old me was at my home in Quincy with my mom. My dad was not at home; he was at Busch Stadium, the lucky jerk. I napped before the game to make sure I didn’t miss anything if that night was the night. When Foulke stabbed that ball before tossing it to Mientkiewicz, I was picked up and swung around living room like I was a goddamn ceiling fan. I remember waiting by the house phone waiting for a call from my old man—he said he would call if they won—for what felt like an eternity. It finally rang, and all I could hear was screaming for about two minutes before I could make out his voice (also screaming, of course). I can still remember it clearly.
Share how you celebrated 86 years of hurt being washed away in the comments below.
Colby Shelton brought the boom against Mesa, crushing his second AFL homer and driving in four. | (Arizona Fall League/Instagram)
The Arizona Fall League is underway, and Chicago has eight prospects in the Grand Canyon State, headlined by Caleb Bonemer, 3B/SS/OF (No. 2/MLB No. 27). Rounding out the crew are Mathias LaCombe, RHP (No. 17); Colby Shelton, INF (No. 23); Nick Altermatt, RHP; Jonathan Clark, RHP; Grant Magill, C; Tommy Vail, LHP and Garrett Wright, RHP.
The team added Vail after Pierce George, RHP (No. 18), suffered an olecranon fracture in his pitching elbow. While it sounds like an awful injury, he is expected to participate in 2027 Spring Training. Anthony DePino, INF (No. 21), was also originally on the Dogs roster, but instead underwent shoulder surgery. He should also be ready for spring.
The White Sox prospects are suiting up for the Glendale Desert Dogs (5-13), sharing the dugout with hopefuls from the Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Miami Marlins, and Pittsburgh Pirates.
Chicago ties Los Angeles for sending the most Top 30 prospects (five) to the AFL.
Peoria Javelinas 3, Glendale Desert Dogs 0 (10/21/26 — 6 innings) The rain put an early end to this one, but the Dogs’ bats never really got started in a 3-0 loss to Peoria. Both teams managed four hits before the game was called after the sixth, but Glendale’s were all singles, with three coming in the second inning and nothing to show for them. Shelton had one of those knocks, finishing 1-for-2 with a strikeout. After a red-hot start to the fall, Bonemer cooled off just a bit, going 0-for-3 with two Ks, while Magill went 0-for-2 with a punchout.
Glendale Desert Dogs 10, Mesa Solar Sox 0 (10/22/26) For once, the Desert Dogs were doing the trampling, piling up 10 runs on 14 hits in a shutout of Mesa. Apparently, Bonemer heard me talking about his bat cooling off and took it personally, going 3-for-5 with three RBIs and finishing a double shy of the cycle. His triple to center came off the bat at 106.9 mph.
Magill added a 1-for-4 night, while Shelton went 0-for-3 with a walk and a sacrifice fly. Chicago’s pitching prospects kept up their fall dominance, with Altermatt, Clark and LaCombe each tossing a hitless, scoreless frame. Altermatt and Clark supplied the punchout party, fanning two and three, respectively.
Glendale Desert Dogs 5, Scottsdale Scorpions 4 (10/24/26 — 8 innings) Bonemer’s AFL farewell was quiet at the plate, but his final numbers should make Sox fans feel pretty good about their No. 2 overall prospect. The 21-year-old went 0-for-2 with two free passes and a K in the Dog’s 5-4 win. He wrapped up 13 games with a .286/.364/.633 slash line, a .996 OPS and three homers over 55 plate appearances, and finished tied for the league lead in extra-base hits (nine) and second in total bases (31). The assignment’s main mission was outfield work, and he got it: eight games in center, three in left, and one in right. There were a couple of adventures along the way, including his lone error in the opener and a fly lost in the sun later on, but the reps were the point. Bonemer was the only Chicago hitter to see action in the win.
On the mound, Wright put his spotless ERA through a stress test. A leadoff single in the seventh was erased by a catcher pickoff, but a walk, single and another walk loaded the bases. Wright punched out the next batter before handing the mess to Cristhian Tortosa, who struck out the final hitter to keep Wright’s 0.00 AFL ERA intact. Vail also joined the fall fun, working a hitless, scoreless inning with one walk and three Ks in his debut.
Mesa Solar Sox 13, Glendale Desert Dogs 12 (10/26/26) Shelton kept his strong fall rolling, but the Dogs came up just short in a 13-12 slugfest. The 23-year-old went 3-for-4 with a walk, four RBIs and two runs scored, including his second AFL blast. His three-run round-tripper gave Glendale a 4-3 lead in the first, and his RBI single in the seventh pulled the Dogs within one. That was as close as they would get, though, as Mesa held on for the win.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - APRIL 06: A young fan of the Tampa Bay Rays looks on as a cownose stingray swims in the outfield Tampa Bay Rays Touch Experience prior to the game between the Chicago Cubs and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, April 6, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Mike Carlson/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good Tuesday morning, Purple Row!
Colorado Rockies fans probably associate “Fishin’ in the Dark” with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and TJ Rumfield, the Gold Glove finalist who has selected the classic hit for his walk-up music.
But with the World Series headed to Game 4 down in Tampa Bay, which has actual fish onsite, it seems appropriate to turn our attention there. And in this scenario, the Milwaukee Brewers, with a 3-0 lead, are definitely doing the fishing.
It probably comes as no surprise to learn that Kristie Ackert ranks the Rockies last. She notes improvement since 2025, but until the Rockies are able to address their issues with the rotation, their World Series odds are slim.
Ryan Spilborghs goes solo in this episode, and it’s worth your time. Seriously, if you don’t click on any other link, click on this one. In it, he views the proposed salary cap from the owners’ perspective and argues that it does not work; rather, a cap would shuffle money around. Spilborghs is clear, though: He’s on the side of neither the owners nor the players. Rather, he’s advocating for baseball.
The Penner Sports Group has expanded its portfolio to include a minority investment in Valencia CF. Worth noting, this is one of Spain’s most historic soccer clubs. And, apparently, some Denver Broncos fans aren’t happy about it.
One of the highlights of this year’s World Series coverage has been reading Michael Baumann for FanGraphs. In this article, Baumann examines why these two teams have been successful with a focus on player development.
Yesterday, MLB announced that Francisco Lindor has won this year’s Clemente Award. He is the fifth Puerto Rican player to receive this honor, and his list of initiatives is extensive.
This is a topic Jared Thomas mentioned in yesterday’s Rockpile. MLB is exploring the placement of outfielders in an attempt to increase the number of hits that drop during a game. Given that the Arizona Fall League has traditionally been one of MLB’s testing labs, it’s worth following this story.
If there’s a team that needs to be looking in the mirror this offseason, it’s the Philadelphia Phillies. One of their first moves is to hire the former Red Sox hitting coach, Peter Fatse.
Musical outro
And with that, I’ll turn it over to the Dirt Band.
Myself, I prefer “You Ain’t Going Nowhere,” but that’s probably a bad choice for walk-up music, so I’ll defer to TJ on this one.
Game 3 was an example of how the Brewers take one tiny advantage and turn it into victory. Seven straight hits in the fifth inning gave them an eight-run inning on their way to a 10-1 win. The World Series could end tonight.
I appreciate your reading.
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Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): How About Sonny Gray as a Veteran Rotation Option for the Cubs? “Fast-forward to October, and we’re on the cusp of free agency. There, Sonny Gray should be freely available, and the Cubs will have a chance to pursue the long-appreciated veteran righty.”
Brock Beauchamp (Diamond Centric): DiamondCentric’s 2026-2027 Top Free Agents, Ranked. “We offer the top 50 free agents, but over the coming weeks, that list will continue to grow until it’s well over 100 names.”
Thomas Domol (North Side Baseball): It Might Not Feel Like It, But the 2026 Cubs Had a Good Season. “Perception became the North Siders’ reality this year. Expectations drove a narrative that flipped the Cubs’ 2026 campaign into a failure in the minds of many fans. A closer look reveals it wasn’t one.”
Pure soul and blues power: The CD “Soul Serenade” released by the German-born guitarist Gregor Hilden in intense collaboration with the American singer blues and soul singer Johnny Rogers. It represents a captivating, grooving musical travelogue through black soul and R&B. Exciting vocals, guitar played with power and feeling, a diversity of saxophone parts and a strong, yet sensitive band are what make up this group. The arts section of the Frankfurter Rundschau daily and Jazz Podium both declared Hilden to be “probably Europe’s best blues guitarist.”
Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the content of articles, podcasts, or videos that are linked to in this series.
ST. PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 26: Garrett Mitchell #5 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with William Contreras #24 after scoring in the fifth inning during Game Three of the 2026 World Series presented by Capital One between the Milwaukee Brewers and the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field on Monday, October 26, 2026 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
To whoever said that you can’t rely on stringing together multiple hits to win a World Series game, I have a bridge to sell you. All joking aside, the Brewers just authored one of the most comprehensive offensive performances in a Fall Classic in recent memory, all without the ball leaving the yard. They jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the third, but it was their eight-run fifth that represented likely the final nail in the Rays’ World Series coffin. Milwaukee annihilated the Rays at Tropicana Field, 10-1, to put themselves one win away from their first ever title and on the cusp of becoming the first team to sweep a Fall Classic since the Giants steamrolled the Tigers in 2012.
World Series Game 3
Milwaukee Brewers 10, Tampa Bay Rays 1
(Milwaukee leads, 3-0)
There has been something of a false narrative surrounding the Rays’ play in the business end of these playoffs. Many are quick to praise Tampa Bay’s sound fundamentals when that hasn’t exactly been the case against the Guardians nor indeed in the World Series against the Brewers. Case in point in the bottom of the first, Chandler Simpson reached on a fielder’s choice but then was caught stealing when he over-slid the bag at second to end the inning — already the fifth out on the base paths made by the Rays this series in just two games plus one inning.
They have also suffered a handful of game-altering defensive misplays or simply not converted certain difficult outs you’d still expect them make, and there was another impactful miscue in the third today. First, however, was one of the best defensive plays by either team this series. Simpson immediately atoned for getting thrown out by making an astonishing catch in the second. Garrett Mitchell drew a leadoff walk and Sal Frelick lifted a deep fly ball down the left field line for what looked like a certain RBI double, but Simpson covered a ton of ground before securing the catch and crashing full speed into the wall just to the right of the foul pole.
But then in the third, Chourio lined a first pitch curveball for a one-out single to give him a multi-hit effort in all three World Series games so far. Jake Bauers followed with a five pitch walk to put a pair on for Christian Yelich, the Brewers captain muscling a humpback liner the other way to left for an RBI single to open the scoring. William Contreras then lined a first-pitch heater the other way, and a momentary lapse in concentration from right fielder Victor Mesa Jr. saw the ball clang off his glove as he went to gather, allowing Chourio to score from second (though Contreras did get tagged out in no man’s land between first and second.)
Despite retiring the side in order in the fourth, by the fifth it became clear that Peralta’s command was gone, 35 of his eventual 87 pitches on the outing getting called balls. This came to a head in that fifth inning, where the Brewers strung together one of the most impressive rallies in recent World Series memory. He issued a one-out single to Chourio and then loaded the bases with two outs thanks to a walk of Yelich and an infield single by Contreras. That spelled the end of his start, Kevin Cash calling on Cam Booser as the first arm out of the Rays bullpen.
Booser’s is one of the most inspiring comeback stories in MLB today, retiring in his 20s before returning to pitch almost a decade in the minor believing his shot in the Show would come. This made it all the more inspiring that the 34-year-old southpaw entered this game having not allowed a run in seven postseason appearances as the Rays’ main setup man, but it all went sideways in a manner emblematic of the Rays punching above their weight all year long only to come crashing back to Earth this series.
Brice Turang came up with the bases loaded and clubbed a sharp grounder off Taylor Walls’ glove at short — again, a tough play but one you would expect the Rays infielder to make — allowing Chourio and Yelich to score. Garrett Mitchell and Cooper Pratt then both ambushed first-pitch fastballs from Booser, Mitchell’s going for an RBI single and Pratt’s going for a two-run double. Frelick followed with a double of his own to plate Pratt and chase Booser from the game without the reliever having recorded an out. Cole Sulser was the next man out of Tampa’s ‘pen and the hit parade continued. David Hamilton lined a single to center to score Frelick and Chourio doubled his fourth hit in as many ABs to bring the speedster Hamilton home all the way from first. By the time the dust had settled, the Brewers had sent 12 men to the plate and hung an eight-spot on the board (the most two-out runs in an inning in World Series history), all ten of their runs scoring without the aid of the long ball from the team that had hit the most home runs in this postseason.
Much was made of the Rays unlocking Peralta after acquiring him from the Mets at the deadline, particularly the historic 2.5 mph jump in fastball velocity in the playoffs, but all that velocity doesn’t count for much if you can’t throw the ball over the plate. He ended his outing having given up five runs on seven hits and three walks before Booser allowed a hit to all four batters he faced to put four runs on his card.
While all this was going on, the story could not have been more different for the Brewers starter. Robert Gasser amazed with his five scoreless innings against the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLCS to earn the opportunity to make a start in the World Series. The 27-year-old rookie reprised that gem with an even more spectacular performance tonight.
Following a leadoff single by Yandy Díaz in the first, Gasser set down the next 15 batters he faced in order. Unlike the Brewers, the Rays showed zero intention of working deep counts, and Gasser was able to leverage this to his advantage. Many of his first pitches were off-speed or breaking offering just outside of the zone, close enough to tempt the Rays to chase resulting in a lot of harmless contact early in counts. His fastball may only operate in the low-90s, but with more precise command and sequencing than Peralta Gasser kept the Rays lineup completely off balance.
His streak of 15 in a row retired ended with a walk by Mesa to lead off the sixth, but Gasser erased that base runner three pitches later by getting Nick Fortes to ground into a double play. He threw just five pitches in the second, eleven in the third, nine in the fourth, and 13 in the sixth to leave him with plenty of gas left in the tank, but with a ten-run lead there was little incentive to push things further, instead presenting Milwaukee an opportunity to get some game time for relievers who hadn’t pitched much this postseason including the longest-tenured Brewer, Brandon Woodruff. Gasser ended his outing having pitched six scoreless, allowing a hit and a walk while striking out three on 75 pitches.
Mesa would be the Rays’ last base runner until the ninth, Antonio Senzatela pitching a perfect seventh and eighth before Woodruff wrapped up the final frame — a special moment for a veteran pitcher who has missed significant portions of the last four seasons with major arm injuries. He allowed a run on a one-out single from Cedric Mullins and an RBI double from Díaz to put a bow on the Brewers’ comprehensive victory, 10-1.
Milwaukee can complete the sweep tomorrow night at The Trop, which would cap off one of the most one-sided playoff runs in history, the Brewers 10-1 overall this postseason after tonight’s rout in Game 3. First pitch of Game 4 is scheduled for 8:00 pm ET, though neither team has announced a starter at the time of writing.
TALKING STICK, AZ - OCTOBER 06: Justin Lamkin #47 of the Surprise Saguaros pitches during the game between the Surprise Saguaros and the Salt River Rafters at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick on Tuesday, October 6, 2026 in Talking Stick, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Minor League Baseball via Getty Images)
Lamkin was nothing short of perfect in his latest gem for Surprise. The 2025 No. 71 overall pick retired 13 consecutive batters before exiting in the fifth. During the start, Lamkin showcased his newly developed curveball, which accounted for three of his four strikeouts and has been a weapon so far in the desert. The 22-year-old had posted a 2.04 ERA and an 0.93 WHIP through seven starts prior to injuring his throwing shoulder in late May. Back on the field this fall, Lamkin has been back to his stingy ways and has allowed just one run on one hit over his past 8 1/3 frames spanning two outings.
I reject all discourse about the Red Hot Chili Peppers. This song is fun and this music video is fun. Your song of the day is RHCP with The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie.
The Milwaukee Brewers are just one win away from clinching their first-ever franchise championship, putting pressure on the Tampa Bay Rays as they head into a do-or-die matchup at Tropicana Field on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
The Rays, looking to keep their championship hopes alive, are turning to franchise legend Evan Longoria for inspiration, as he is set to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
The iconic third baseman was selected third overall by the Rays in the 2006 draft. During his decade-long tenure with Tampa Bay from 2008 to 2017, Longoria collected numerous accolades and consistently delivered standout performances both at the plate and in the field.
His impressive resume includes being named the 2008 American League Rookie of the Year, earning three All-Star selections and capturing Gold Glove Awards in 2009, 2010, and 2017 for his impressive defense. Longoria also finished sixth in AL MVP voting in both 2010 and 2013, and he claimed a Silver Slugger Award in 2009.
Longoria’s legacy is also cemented in Rays history. He is honored with a statue outside Gate 4 at Tropicana Field, commemorating his iconic celebration after hitting a walk-off home run in the 12th inning of the final regular-season game in 2011, a moment that propelled Tampa Bay into the postseason.
Now, the Rays find themselves facing an uphill battle, trailing the series 3-0 after the Brewers dominated Game 3 with a commanding 10-1 victory. With their championship hopes hanging by a thread, Tampa Bay will look to rally as they fight to keep their World Series dreams alive.
How will this year's World Series play out? Using the Dynasty League Baseball online simulation, USA TODAY Sports' Steve Gardner and DLB designer Mike Cieslinski will pre-play each game to provide some insight into the key matchups and strategy fans can expect to see in the Fall Classic.
Game 4 in a best-of-seven series is frequently an outlier, especially when it comes to pitching strategy.
Teams may have two, sometimes three good starting pitchers. But what do they do when it's too early to bring back their ace?
In Game 4 of USA TODAY Sports' annual Simulated World Series, the Milwaukee Brewers turned to an old war horse, veteran Brandon Woodruff. Meanwhile, the Tampa Bay Rays chose to go with an opener in lefty Ian Seymour, with right-hander Griffin Jax waiting in the wings.
But pitching strategy ultimately took a back seat to the Brewers' bats as Milwaukee slugged four homers to back Woodruff's outstanding outing in a 9-1 rout.
Rays vs Brewers World Series Game 4 simulation
With three close games packed with stellar pitching already in the books, Game 4 started off in much the same way.
Through four innings, both teams could only manage a first-inning run apiece. Milwaukee jumped on top quickly with Jackson Chourio stroking a leadoff single and coming around to score on Jake Bauers' RBI double. Tampa Bay countered in the bottom of the frame with a solo homer by Jonathan Aranda.
But as Woodruff began to find his groove, the Brewers slowly took control. Joey Ortiz blasted a home run down the left field line off Jax that just managed to stay fair to give his team a 2-1 lead. Garrett Mitchell launched a solo shot of his own to right field in the sixth to double the lead.
And then Bauers blew the game open in the top of the seventh with a mammoth two-run, upper-deck homer to left center that measured an astounding 501 feet to make it 5-1.
Cooper Pratt contributed an RBI single and Ortiz added his second homer of the game, a three-run shot in the eighth, to complete the scoring.
Woodruff, who was just activated for the World Series after missing most of the regular season with shoulder inflammation, looked in early-season form, allowing just three hits over seven innings and striking out seven.
Meanwhile, the Rays hit into three double plays and never had a runner in scoring position until the ninth inning when the game was out of hand.
▶ Wither Woodruff. The Brewers have no idea what they might get out of their former ace, who hasn't pitched in a game since July 4 and was expected to undergo season-ending surgery in August. They added Woodruff to the World Series roster, but would they throw him out there in a pressure-packed situation like this?
Instead, the Brewers could turn to rookie left-hander Shane Drohan, who posted a 4.19 ERA in 124 2/3 innings over 19 starts and 14 relief appearances. Dustin May or lefty Kyle Harrison are also possibilities, as is the dreaded "bullpen game."
▶ Jax to open? The Rays pioneered the concept of using an opener to face the top of an opponent's lineup to start the game. While right-hander Griffin Jax performed well after being converted from a reliever to a starter midway through the season, the Rays do have the option of starting a lefty reliever to try and neutralize the left-handed bats of Brice Turang, Jake Bauers, Christian Yelich and Garrett Mitchell − and have Jax come in to give them bulk innings afterward.
In Sim Series Game 4, the pairing of Seymour (2⅓ IP, 2H, 1 ER) with Jax (4 IP, 7 K) worked reasonably well until the Brewers started hitting the ball out of the park
▶ Matchup plays. There wasn't a whole lot of strategy in a 9-1 blowout, but the Rays decision to start Seymour did result in the Brewers slotting right-handed hitting Andrew Vaughn as the DH in place of Yelich. Vaughn (a .336/.421/.517 hitter vs. lefties during the regular season) went 2-for-4 in this game and scored a run. Yelich would have been a valuable lefty bat off the bench, but he wasn't needed.
▶ Saving the bullpens. The Game 4 blowout gave both bullpens some much-needed rest, especially with a third game in three days coming up. Both managers will need to have one eye on the availability of their best relievers for the following day if they choose to bring them in during Game 4.
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: Antonio Senzatela #49 of the Milwaukee Brewers acknowledges the crowd during the seventh inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Tuesday, Camden Chatters!
The World Series is rolling on, and it’s starting to look like the Rays just can’t hang with the Brewers. The first two games were close, both one-run wins for the Brewers. But that changed last night in a big way. The Brewers had scored double digits by the fifth inning, fueled by eight two-out runs in the fifth. They went on to win 10-1.
Not only was the Rays’ pitching unable to contain the Brewers’ offense, but their own offense was unable to get anything going. They had no hits in innings two through eight! And their defense has looked much worse than I’d expect of a team that made it this far. Last night, they did not look like a team good enough for the World Series. They did look like a team that lost the season series to the Orioles.
One nice thing about the Rays being down 10-0 was that we got to see Cedric Mullins and Jorge Mateo as back-to-back pinch hitters in the ninth. Mullins got the team’s second hit, an infield single. Mateo struck out.
So now the Rays are down 3-0, and the Brewers have a shot at a win tomorrow if they can dispatch the Rays as easily as they did last night. I’m not hoping for a sweep. I want more baseball! Hopefully the Rays can figure out how to win and keep this thing going for a while longer.
If you watched the game last night, you probably noticed the crowd roaring when the Brewers did anything good. It almost felt like a Brewers’ home game. That’s because the tickets for the World Series in Milwaukee this year are the highest-priced tickets in World Series history. Those baseball fans are starved for a championship and are willing to pay for it.
According to The Athletic, the average ticket price for game one in Milwaukee was $2,338. For game three in Tampa? $556. That has Brewers fans flocking for Florida, where the baseball teams are notorious for small crowd sizes.
That article got me wondering how much I would be willing to pay to see the Orioles in the World Series. Would I pay $2,338 for one ticket? I honestly can’t say. Logically, I can’t fathom spending that much money on one ticket to anything. But I also can’t imagine the World Series coming to Baltimore and not going. It would be really cool if I had to make this decision in the near future. Like, maybe, next year?
Links
Podcast: The good and bad from the Orioles infield Mark continued his postseason review by looking at the infield’s performance this season. Once again we all have to thank our lucky stars that we have Pete Alonso
Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! You have five Orioles birthday buddies:
Rubén Tejada (37) is best known for his time with the Mets, but he got into 41 games with the Orioles in 2017.
Jason Johnson (53) spent five of his 11 Major League seasons with the Orioles. He made 120 starts (133 games overall) between 1999-2003.
Pedro Swann (56) was an Oriole in 2003, with eight games and 15 plate appearances.
Eric Bell (63) pitched for the Orioles from 1985-87. He made 29 starts in ‘89, second on the team to Mike Boddicker.
And Del Rice (b. 1922, d. 1983) played in the Majors for five teams over 17 seasons, including one at-bat with the Orioles in 1960.
On this day in 1972, the Orioles traded Frank Estrada to the Cubs for Elrod Hendricks. They had just traded Hendricks to the Cubs two months earlier. It was their second time acquiring Hendricks; they took him from the Angels in the Rule 5 draft in 1967. They would later trade him to the Yankees, re-sign him, release him, and sign him one more time.
Also on this day in 1972, the Minnesota Twins traded Rick Dempsey to the Yankees. Dempsey would later come to the Orioles in the Hendricks trade I mentioned above.
DALLAS, TX - DECEMBER 10: General manager Mike Rizzo of the Washington Nationals gives an interview after winning the number one pick in the Draft Lottery at the 2024 MLB Winter Meetings at Hilton Anatole on Tuesday, December 10, 2024 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
As the Astros continue their search for a new general manager and manager, one familiar name could tell us everything we need to know about the direction of the franchise.
Astros fans, as the long, excruciating wait continues to find out who will be running your baseball team next season, a few things are becoming increasingly clear. First, it appears the Astros are determined to hire their next general manager before choosing a manager. Second, and perhaps most importantly, Jim Crane is still firmly in control of everything happening inside the organization.
And if you look closely at some of the moves already being made, along with the latest name to surface in the general manager search, you might get a pretty good idea of exactly what Crane is looking for.
The Astros have already made two interesting additions to their player development department. Connor Watson, formerly the assistant director of hitting development with the Cleveland Guardians, has been hired as director of hitting. Clayton Thompson, who spent the past three seasons in the Los Angeles Dodgers organization, has also been brought aboard as assistant director of player development.
What makes these hires particularly interesting is that both men previously worked for Driveline Baseball, one of the premier data-driven player development organizations in the world. Driveline has been at the forefront of using technology, analytics and advanced evaluation methods to help players maximize their abilities.
Those additions would seem to indicate that the Astros are moving toward a younger, more analytically driven front office, perhaps one led by an up-and-coming executive who embraces the modern approach to building and developing a baseball team.
But then there’s Mike Rizzo.
The former Washington Nationals general manager has emerged as an intriguing candidate for the Astros’ opening, with reports indicating that he has significant interest in the position and could interview with the organization as early as Monday.
And when you consider everything we know about Jim Crane and the way he prefers to operate, Rizzo might make more sense than anyone else being mentioned.
At 65 years old, Rizzo brings an extensive baseball résumé and a track record of identifying, acquiring and developing talent. He was responsible for drafting franchise players like Bryce Harper and Stephen Strasburg and orchestrating the blockbuster Juan Soto trade that helped replenish Washington’s farm system and reshape the organization’s future.
Rizzo represents something of a perfect blend between old-school baseball evaluation and modern analytics. He’s a baseball lifer who understands the importance of scouting, player development and relationships, but he also recognizes the value of the numbers and technology that have transformed today’s game.
More importantly, he might be exactly the kind of personality Jim Crane wants running his baseball operations.
And I don’t think that should be overlooked.
We’ve seen Crane’s willingness to involve himself in baseball decisions, and there’s little reason to believe that’s going to change. While the Astros have reportedly explored younger assistant general managers around the league, including Milwaukee Brewers assistant GM Matt Kleine, I keep coming back to the same conclusion.
Mike Rizzo seems like Jim Crane’s kind of guy.
He’s experienced, established, respected throughout baseball and probably more comfortable working with an owner who wants to remain actively involved in the decision-making process than a younger executive looking to build an organization entirely in his own image.
That doesn’t necessarily mean Rizzo would be willing to surrender control or simply serve as a figurehead. You don’t build the résumé he has without strong opinions and a clear vision. But there is something to be said for hiring someone who has already experienced the highs and lows of running a major league franchise and understands the realities of working with ownership.
The next question becomes what happens with the managerial search.
You would certainly think the Astros want their next general manager to have significant input in choosing the manager he will be working alongside. That’s the logical approach, and it would explain why the organization appears focused on filling the front-office vacancy first.
Of course, with Crane involved, nothing should be taken for granted.
If Rizzo ultimately gets the job, my expectation is that he would look to keep the majority of this roster intact rather than initiate some massive overhaul. He has enough experience to recognize that the Astros still have a talented core capable of competing, even if there are obvious areas that need improvement.
I could see him making a couple of calculated moves to address weaknesses, improve roster flexibility and position this team to remain competitive over the next several seasons. He’s not someone I would expect to come in and immediately tear everything apart simply to put his own fingerprints on the organization.
And that could be exactly what Crane wants.
The Astros are at an interesting crossroads. They’re trying to modernize their player development operation while also determining who will lead the next chapter of the franchise. The hiring of Watson and Thompson suggests a commitment to analytics and technology, but the potential hiring of Rizzo would bring a proven baseball executive with decades of experience into the equation.
In many ways, that combination could make a lot of sense.
The bigger issue, as I’ve said before, is whether the next general manager will truly be given the authority and freedom to do the job the way he believes it needs to be done.
Because regardless of who gets hired, we already know one thing.
Jim Crane isn’t going anywhere, and neither is his influence over baseball operations.
The question now is whether Mike Rizzo is the man Crane trusts to help guide the Astros into their next era of winning baseball.
And based on everything we’re seeing, I wouldn’t be surprised if he is.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JULY 18: Assistant athletic trainer Chris Conroy of the St. Louis Cardinals attends to pitcher Andre Pallante #53 after getting hit with a batted ball against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on July 18, 2025 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images
With Halloween just a few days away, it feels very appropriate for the moment to pull this dead body of a Cardinals 2026 roster out and start dissecting what lies beneath the skin. Get your scalpels, bone saws, and retractors out, and let’s dig into what we can find!
Offense
This past week, we learned the Cardinals had decided to part ways with hitting coach Brant Brown, and for some, that came as a shock, not only because President of Baseball Operations Chaim Bloom had conveyed that the Cardinals were “status quo” on the coaching staff, but there also wasn’t major fan pushback to have Brown removed from his position like recent previous coaches like Turner Ward or Jeff Albert. However, when you look across the board at where the team ranked in several major offensive team categories, the motivation to part ways and not renew Brown’s contract starts to make more sense. 22nd in team average, 22nd in team OBP, 29th in team OPS, 24th in Home Runs, 28th in ISO, 28th in wOBA, 26th in wRC+, and 25th in O-WAR. They finished in the bottom 10 in most statistical categories. There’s a lot of speculation around Casey Chenoweth, who was promoted this season from the Double-A squad because of his work with Cardinals breakout RF Jordan Walker, that he could wind up being the Cardinals’ next primary hitting coach. I would also expect Brandon Allen to get some serious consideration after being on the staff for several years and having an intimate familiarity with all of the Cardinals’ hitters.
So, what was the “Cause of Death” for this squad? When you have multiple organ failures occur all at once, it’s pretty difficult to identify one main cause; however, I would point to the power. It’s just an indisputable fact that teams that don’t slug the baseball consistently don’t win a ton of games on average in the modern game. When we look at the statistic ISO, or Isolated Power, which is the SLG% – BA, it tells you how often you’re generating extra-base hits and power, not just empty calories from singles. MLB average for ISO is .140, and the Redbirds had 7 players with a minimum of .140 ISO; that list included Baez, Walker, Burleson, Bernal, Urias, Crooks, and Herrera, who came in at exactly the league average of .140. The first 4 names listed are undeniably the Cardinals’ core of power producers. Urias was DFA’d in August, and Jimmy Crooks struck out 32% of his at-bats and struggled to make consistent enough contact for his power to be a relevant element in his game.
Ivan Herrera is one of the more unique cases, given that we know the power potential is real with him, but underlying metrics in terms of xSLG were down .101 points, Hard Hit% down 7.1%, and barrel% down 5%. We saw him trying to make several in-box tweaks to his setup over the course of the 2nd half of the season, and with Rainiel Rodriguez footsteps starting to get louder and louder behind him, the questions of his long-term viability in the organization, especially as he begins his trip through arbitration and his salary continues to grow, are how soon he is viewed as expendable.
Herrera was far from the lone letdown in this regard, JJ Wetherholt was impressive with the power in the 1st half of the season and the tendonitis in his wrist really zapped his impact until it was to the point where he could no longer even swing his bat competetively that the Cardinals forced Wetherholt out of the lineup and onto the IL, despite his persistent pleas to remain in the lineup daily. His and Jordan Walker’s 2nd half power fall-offs really created glaring issues with the squad’s ability to consistently score runs. Nathan Church’s .118 was 28th out of 31 CF with a minimum of 350 PA this season, and Masyn Winn’s was 30th of 33.
Potential internal boosts from guys like Jesus Baez and Rainiel Rodriguez next season should provide this group with the added thump they’re desperate for, though I don’t anticipate those guys being real options until maybe June at the earliest.
Defense
The St. Louis Cardinals have always prided themselves on their ability to play strong fundamental defense and suppress opposing offenses from scoring in lockstep with a pitch-to-contact-heavy approach. Chaim Bloom and the revamped front office group have shifted some of that approach to a more swing-and-miss-heavy dynamic among the pitchers they’re seeking through the draft, in trade, and international free agency. Pairing that with well-above-average to plus defenders on the diamond, along with playing 81 games in the offensive wasteland that is Busch Stadium, one Cardinals source posed the question, “Is run suppression and leveraging Busch Stadium really a bad way to build a ball club?” to me. The Cardinals have won a lot of games in the past with that approach, but my counter to their perspective is that fans come to the park to see offense too. That not just winning, but how you win as well, should be an important factor. Glavine and Maddux watched Big Mac hit balls out of Busch 2 and said, “Chicks dig the long ball,” and they’re right!
But getting off that soapbox, the Cardinals were a very strong team on the defensive side of the ball. The team ranked 3rd in outs above average (OAA), 18th in defensive runs saved (DRS; this one is strange to me), 3rd in fielding run value (FRV), and 5th in D-WAR. Fangraphs also has a metric, rGDP, that measures a team’s 2B/SS combo and their ability to save runs with double plays, and the Cardinals rated out as the number 1 middle infield unit at a +7 in 2026.
Side tangent number 2 on this topic. I know some Cardinals fans have inquired about the idea of moving JJ over the 3rd base, and I’m not at all, and neither are the Cardinals, inclined to consider moving Wetherholt off of a more premium defensive position up the middle. Furthermore, what he displayed this season in tandem with Masyn Winn up the middle has the potential to be incredibly special, foundationally special even.
Winn, Wetherholt, and Starting Pitcher Michael McGreevy are all Gold Glove finalists this season, and there are cases to be made for all 3 to take home hardware.
“Cause of Death” – N/A; this patient is still alive and well and should be for several years to come, barring a catastrophic accident.
Pitching
Let’s start with the rotation and call it like it is. This was a group that was mostly comprised of bridge starting pitchers and short-term placeholders for the inevitable high-upside, high-octane, swing-and-miss-generating demons that are ascending through the minor leagues at a rapid pace. Dustin May was a 1-year flier the Cardinals were able to get the most out of and flip for more high-upside young talent. Andre Pallante has 2 years remaining, and that’s right around when the Cardinals expect to be entering their next contention window. Kyle Leahy is over the age of 30, and while it’s not guaranteed to be an immediate or steep decline in his career, there are historical markers that suggest that he won’t be a focal point of the rotation by that time as well.
Michael McGreevy is a prototypical back-of-the-rotation starter. When he enters arbitration within 2 years, are the Cardinals going to pay him above the league minimum if guys like Hunter Dobbins, Richard Fitts, Mason Molina, Cooper Hjerpe, Tekoah Roby, Daniel Eagan, Teegan Kuhns, Jacob Odle, or Cade Crossland exist? That’s not even mentioning the big elite arms like Liam Doyle, Tanner Franklin, Jurrangelo Cintje, Brandon Clarke, or Yhoiker Fajardo. To go along with a Quinn Mathews who has already emerged from the farm. My answer would be no, and the smart money would be to bet against it. So, I and other Cardinals content creators have been kicking around the idea of when, not if, McGreevy eventually becomes someone the Cardinals can leverage in order to obtain the next needed piece to add to their ever-restocking farm system at a below market level rate with years of team control remaining.
This is the process the Brewers, Guardians, and Rays champion. Cycling young, inexpensive strikeout arms rather than committing 6 years at a 30 million AAV that most couldn’t stomach, with the possibility of a missed season due to TJ or any of the other laundry list of injury pitchers’ experience.
This season, the Cardinals’ starting pitchers had a bit of a mixed bag of results. 12th in ERA, 12th in FIP, 24th in K%, 11th in BB%, 26th in BAA, and 24th in WHIP. These results coincided with pitchers like McGreevy falling off in the 2nd half, Leahy having a weird April and September, Andre Pallante had 3 or 4 poor starts against the Brewers but was terrific against pretty much every other oppononent, Dustin May was dealt mid season and his spot was taken over by Hunter Dobbins whos season was derailed by injury, and then Quinn Mathews had only 1 real non competetive start in the final 2 months of the season but it wasnt enough to raise the tide, and Matthew Liberatore found a way to strike out more batters but had trouble stopping a spiraling inning from going out of control more times than not.
“Cause of Death” – It’s the strikeouts. 3 of the 4 teams that competed for the pennant this season were in the top 5 in K%, the only exception was the Tampa Bay Rays, who still came in at 13th. A lot of the earlier names I alluded to will help infuse the swing-and-miss stuff into the pitching staff over the next 2 seasons.
Now let’s move on to the bullpen, a group that, results-wise, was a bit of a night of the living dead. 20th in ERA, 19th in FIP, 23rd in K%, 26th in BB%, 19th in BAA, and 22nd in WHIP. Fundamentally, this was a bottom-10 position group in the sport, and that’s not good enough. Gordon Graceffo, armed with his new slider, really took some important strides forward this season; the emergence of Luis Gastelum was a fun jolt once he corrected the pitch-tipping issue. Justin Bruihl was solid if unspectacular and a true horse out of the pen. Riley O’Brien has closer-type stuff but clearly had moments that were less than brilliant, to put it kindly. Guys like Cade Winquest, Hancel Rincon, and Max Rajcic were able to show some things in their opportunties. Same with Ryan Fernandez though im not sure what his long term future looks like with St. Louis when they continued to not call him up down the stretch of this season.
Sandro Santana, so much of this guy’s stuff has been made such a big deal of, and for good reason. He has a real chance to make the club out of spring training, and that would instantly be a huge boost to the group going forward. I also think of all the places on the roster that Chaim Bloom might try to strike and improve with a big-league addition this offseason; it’s in the bullpen. So, I’ll be curious to see how this group is reshaped between now and opening day, whenever that is.
‘Cause of Death” – K-BB%, the strikeout-to-walk ratio was horrible, and you can get by with high walk rates if you also strike out a lot of guys, and similar with the inverse, though much tougher, that you can get by with fewer strikeouts if you don’t walk anybody. It’s really hard to have success if you walk too many and don’t strike out enough, especially for all of the high-leverage moments the bullpen has to perform in. This bullpen might as well have suffered from a gas leak because if someone struck a match (did damage), it usually resulted in a blow-up.
So, as the official VEB coroner, this Cardinals 2026 body has been on ice for over a month now, and the diagnosis would indicate that this St. Louis crew suffered significant muscle atrophy and asphyxiation, as the wind that filled their lungs in the first half of the season was quickly squeezed out of them after their failed 5-game series against Milwaukee in early July, and the thump and muscle from the offense in the first half atrophied and weakend due to injury and fatigue that ultimately slowed their offense down to a crawl in the 2nd half to the point it could no longer compensate for a less than stellar pitching staff as a whole.
I also want to add to the “notes” column of the examination chart that, though this team wasn’t expected to survive much of the season, the intention was not to do so but to see how long it could sustain itself under its own power, and we saw some important growth steps from players on the roster. I expect next season’s body of work to hold up much longer than this one was able to. It might even make it the whole season with a timely cortisone shot or 4 in the arm throughout the season to get it there. Alright, enough metaphors.
Ross Newhan smiles in the Dodger Stadium press box before a game between the Dodgers and San Francisco Giants on Oct. 2, 2004. (Alex Gallardo / Los Angeles Times)
The Angels had just reached the promised land, after more than four decades of wandering through baseball’s wilderness. Who better than Newhan, who had been there since Day 1, to write a first-person account of that long and winding road to their first World Series?
Newhan was reluctant. That would make the story about himself, which he despised. The editors prevailed, and within the story he delivered a sentence that struck deep within the heart of every loyal and long-suffering Angels fan.
“I can’t help but feel a sweep of emotions seep through the cynicism and dispassion that is the byproduct of being present for all or part of every Angel season,” he wrote on Oct. 14, 2002.
To this day, the Angels have one guy in the Hall of Fame: Vladimir Guerrero. The Times has two: Jim Murray, the Pulitzer Prize-winning sports columnist, and Newhan.
If Vin Scully provided the voice for the first half-century of Major League Baseball in Southern California, Newhan provided the words.
Newhan died on Sunday, at 89, after what his wife Connie called a “cardiac event.” His reporting — first at the Long Beach Independent Press-Telegram, then over 37 years at The Times — distinguished The Times as a national source for baseball coverage.
Ross Newhan, center, interviews Jim McGlothlin, left, and Jim Fregosi of the California Angels during the 1969 season. (The Sporting News via Getty Images)
Bud Selig, the former commissioner and occasional antagonist in Newhan’s columns, told The Times: “I mourn the passing of Ross Newhan. He was an excellent sportswriter, and I always had a great amount of respect for him personally and for his work.”
In his Hall of Fame acceptance speech, he reserved a special mention for a teacher at Wilson High in Long Beach, the one that envisioned a writer blossoming within a student dozing in class.
“If a high school journalism instructor named John Gartner hadn’t hollered my name and pounded my desk one day, I might still be sitting there asleep,” Newhan said, “with no real clue what I wanted to do in my life.”
Ross Newhan, receives the J.G. Taylor Spink Award from Jane Forbes Clark, chairman of the National Baseball Hall of Fame, in Cooperstown, N.Y., on Aug. 5, 2001. (Associated Press)
In the 1990s, as a young reporter at the Riverside Press-Enterprise, I was among a small group of writers talking with Tony Gwynn, the San Diego Padres’ Hall of Famer. Newhan was there too, and as the group dispersed, he told me: “You ask good questions.”
Talk about inspiration: It was as if Clayton Kershaw had seen a kid throw a curveball and said, “Not bad.”
Behind a gruff and occasionally intense exterior, Newhan had a heart of gold. Mike DiGiovanna, the longtime Times baseball writer, called Newhan “a security blanket” for colleagues needing a fact check, a phone number or an introduction to someone famous.
“He was a giant without the giant ego,” DiGiovanna said.
Newhan trained former Times colleague Jason Reid on how to cover baseball. Reid affectionately called him “Boss Ross.” The two were such relentless reporters that, amid the wild initial days of the McCourt family ownership of the Dodgers, Reid got co-owner Jamie McCourt so frazzled that she actually said this: “This is bad because you guys remember everything and you write everything down.”
Newhan and Reid had reported on concerns with the McCourt financing before the ownership deal closed, and six years before Frank McCourt’s divorce attorney admitted in court that McCourt had put “not a penny” of his own money into the deal. That did not make Newhan and McCourt the best of friends, but neither did it make them bitter enemies.
“He seemed to take a sort of pride in being the guardian of Los Angeles baseball, for lack of a better term,” said Hall of Fame president Josh Rawitch, then the Dodgers’ publicist. “He had an ability to garner respect from people even when he was writing something you weren’t happy about.”
Said Mike Scioscia, on whom Newhan reported as a Dodgers player and Angels manager: “Ross was a true gentleman and had a real matter-of-fact way of asking questions that put you at ease.”
There was nothing flashy about Newhan, not in his writing, certainly not in the way he conducted himself. He let his work and its credibility speak for itself.
Newhan is survived by his wife, Connie; his son, David, and daughter-in-law, Karen; his daughter, Sara, and son-in-law, Mike; five grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
The story about David is the one most often recalled Monday, because it really was a story about his father.
David, the kid that tagged along with Newhan when the Angels held spring training in Palm Springs, developed into a major leaguer. He had joked with reporters that he hadn’t been sure if rumors of his call-up were true because “as everyone knows, you can’t believe what’s in the paper.”
In 2004, as Newhan and I covered a game at Dodger Stadium, David appeared as a pinch-hitter for the Baltimore Orioles against the Colorado Rockies, in his first major league at-bat in three years. Newhan was glued to his laptop, where these words suddenly appeared: “In play, run(s).”
Waiting, waiting, waiting … and then I heard one of the loudest screams I have ever heard. Rawitch heard it too. Everyone in the press box heard it.
“Home run.”
The scream was out of character for a professional writer, entirely in character for a proud father. He aced both, and we’ll miss him.
SURPRISE, ARIZONA - OCTOBER 14: Aidan Miller #4 of the Philadelphia Phillies waits for a pitch during a game between the Peoria Javelinas and Surprise Saguaros at Surprise Stadium on October 14, 2026 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Phillies News:
What prospects could help bolster the Phillies bullpen next season?
ST PETERSBURG, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 26: Sal Frelick #10 of the Milwaukee Brewers celebrates with Garrett Mitchell #5 after after scoring a run during the fifth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays in game three of the 2026 World Series at Tropicana Field on October 26, 2026 in St Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On October 17, 1982, the Brewers beat the Cardinals at old County Stadium by a score of 6-4, taking a 3-2 lead in the World Series and moving one win away from the franchise’s first championship and the city’s first since the 1957 Milwaukee Braves beat the dynasty Yankees to win it all. The Fall Classic shifted to Missouri, St. Louis won Game 6 in a blowout of Don Sutton, and the Cards then won Game 7 on big hits from Keith Hernandez, George Hendrick, and Darrell Porter.
That was the closest the Brewers have ever come to a championship … until today. They have a shot to sweep the Rays and end the 2026 Fall Classic right now. Maybe the Rays have a 2024 Yankees Game 4 in them to keep the series alive, but with one of the more dominant postseason performances this decade, it’s all Brewers right now. Perhaps tonight’s the night at last for Wisconsin.
Today on the site, Peter will recap the blowout in World Series Game 3, Jonathan will review the wreckage of Amed Rosario’s 2026 season, and Kevin will celebrate the 150th birthday of one of the first Yankees/Red Sox standouts (or should we say Highlanders/Americans). Later, Josh will argue against check swing replays and the dogged pursuit of perceived perfection, and Michael will name his 2026 All-Yankees Prospect Team.
Today’s Playoff Matchup:
World Series Game 4 (Brewers lead 3-0)
Tampa Bay Rays vs. Milwaukee Brewers (RHP Griffin Jax vs. TBD)
Time: 8:00 p.m. EST
TV: FOX/FOX One/Fox Deportes
Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL
Questions/Prompts:
1. Do the Rays extend the World Series to a fifth game or does it end tonight?
2. Alternatively if the Brewers wrap this up tonight, who is the World Series MVP?
