CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 16: A general view of seating prior to game four of the American League Championship Series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field on October 16, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
I need an offseason project considering the offseason is going to last a year or two. So here's my crack at a top 40, individual write-ups to follow. pic.twitter.com/GUpvpwxtuN
Rain Postpones ALCS Game 4 Amid Controversy Regarding Timing of Decision Game 4 of the ALCS will now be played today, instead of last night. MLB knew this to be the likely outcome long before they finally announced it. Do better MLB. Game 5 will now be played on Sunday, wiping out the day off for travel.
Five More Players Elect Free Agency Five more players who played in MLB this year have elected minor league free agency, according to the transaction tracker at MiLB.com. These players were all outrighted off teams’ 40-man rosters and have played seven-plus seasons in the minors, so the elections are mostly formalities.
Digging Through a Weak Free Agent Market Between the impending lockout and this particularly dismal free agent market, Mike Hazen is going to have his work cut out for him.
Friday’s postponement of Game 4 of the ALDS between the Rays and Guardians in Cleveland was the first postseason game postponed since Game 4 of the Cubs/Nationals NLDS at Wrigley Field in 2017. More on that below.
MLB handled tickets for the postponed game in an odd fashion. Here’s what they said in a press release about the postponement:
Fans with tickets to the original ALCS Game Four on Friday, October 15th may use those same tickets for ALCS Game Five on Sunday, October 17th at 5:08 p.m. (ET). Gates will open at 2:30 p.m. (ET).
Fans with tickets for the originally scheduled ALCS Game Five on Saturday, October 16th do not need to take any action. That game will now be played as ALCS Game Four. Gates will open at 5:30 p.m. (ET) for the 8:08 p.m. (ET) first pitch.
So if you held a “Home Game 2” ticket for Guardians/Rays Friday, you’re now going to be able to go to “Home Game 3” on Sunday — and now those who thought they were going to Game 5 on Saturday are now going to Game 4.
Before Friday, the most recent postseason postponement was Game 3 of the 2022 World Series between the Astros and Phillies in Philadelphia. That year’s WS schedule was pushed back a day as a result. Here are some other significant postseason postponements over the last few deecades.
Look at the playing dates for the entire 1962 World Series. There’s a four-day gap between Game 5 and Game 6, and even in 1962 it didn’t take that long to get from New York to San Francisco. Three days of rain in the Bay Area pushed Game 6 back, and that was after Game 5 in New York had been postponed by rain there. That meant just two Yankees starters, Ralph Terry and Whitey Ford, threw games 4 through 7. Terry wound up throwing a 1-0 shutout in Game 7 to win the series for the Yankees.
This is, of course, one of the most famous games in baseball history, won by Carlton Fisk with a 12th-inning home run. But rain in Boston had postponed this game three times, giving the teams four days in between Games 5 and 6. Luis Tiant, who started Games 1 and 4, thus came back for Game 6, though he was long gone from the game by the time Fisk won it with his homer.
The Mets, as you know, won Game 6 with a miracle 10th-inning rally. They didn’t get the chance to win the World Series the next day, though, as rain in New York postponed Game 7 for a day. The Red Sox took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the sixth, but back-to-back three-run innings won the game, and the Series, for the Mets.
Just as Game 3 was about to begin at Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the Bay Area was hit by a major earthquake. Here is ABC-TV’s pregame show. At about 4:35 into this video, you can see the feed simply drop out and be replaced by a still frame, with Al Michaels speaking by phone:
The 1989 World Series was delayed by 10 days, and then the Athletics completed a four-game sweep by defeating the Giants in Games 3 and 4 at Candlestick Park.
This wasn’t a postponement, but rather a game suspended due to torrential rain and wind in Philadelphia. Since the suspended-game rules of the time did not permit for a game to be suspended if it wasn’t tied, the teams played until Melvin Upton (then known as B.J. Upton) scored to tie the game 2-2.
RAYS 5TH: Baldelli reached on an error by Rollins; Jimmy Rollins fought with the rain and gusting wind trying to catch the ball; Bartlett grounded into a double play (second to first) [Baldelli out at second]; Kazmir struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 0 LOB. Rays 1, Phillies 2.
RAYS 6TH: Iwamura was called out on strikes; Crawford grounded out (first unassisted); Upton singled to shortstop; Upton stole second; Pena singled to left [Upton scored]; Ruiz allowed a passed ball [Pena to second]; Longoria flied to center; game suspended due to heavy rain and winds at 10:39 PM; resumed at 8:40 on 10/29; the first suspension in World Series history; temperature at the time of the resumption was 44 but it was dry; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB. Rays 2, Phillies 2.
This led to the rule change providing that every postseason game must go at least nine innings and if any such game is interrupted by weather and cannot be completed on the day it’s started, it will be suspended, no matter what the inning or game situation.
“I thought the 2008 World Series game I participated in was the worst. It just got surpassed,” Maddon said. “This is not baseball weather. The elements were horrific to play baseball in. That is the worst elements I ever participated in in a baseball game. Ever.”
The postponement of NLDS Game 4 between the Cubs and Nationals was the first postseason postponement for the Cubs in the divisional play era.
It was played the next day and the Cubs lost 5-0, with Stephen Strasburg striking out 12. The teams then traveled to Washington for Game 5, a wild contest won by the Cubs 9-8. But the rainout had cost the teams an off day for travel, and then the Cubs had to travel to Los Angeles to begin the NLCS two days later — a trip interrupted by an unscheduled stop in Albuquerque because of a “health issue,” later determined to be José Quintana’s wife falling ill on the flight.
Would the 2017 NLCS have gone differently for the Cubs if not for the rainout and that diverted flight? Obviously, we’ll never know.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 22: Kodai Senga #34 of the New York Mets walks through the dugout after the Mets defeated the Texas Rangers 6-3 at Globe Life Field on September 22, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
At the start of every season, we do a ‘Bold Predictions’ piece here on Amazin’ Avenue. Last year, my bold prediction was a sub-2.50 ERA for Kodai Senga. My thought process, at the time, seemed sound:
With stronger up the middle defense, a potential six-man rotation, and a coaching staff more aligned with the front office, things seem like they may be working in Senga’s favor. Already this spring, Senga’s velocity is back up to the high 90s, and his ghost fork is diving out of the strike zone like it did in ‘23. If he can stay healthy, Senga is poised to have a monster season.
Welp.
Senga’s actual 2026 ERA was nearly three times the ceiling I set for it, finishing the year with a 7.34 mark. To say that everything went wrong for Senga is somewhat underselling just how terrible of a year he had, almost from the very beginning.
After two fine starts, in which he allowed two earned runs apiece over six and five and two-thirds innings, respectively, Senga’s season hit the skids in spectacular fashion. We all know that early season rate stats are never reliable, but let’s keep using ERA as the benchmark. After his second start, his ERA was 3.09. After his third, it was 7.07 and it never went south of that number again all season.
That is especially remarkable because, . But after his last start, his ERA was at a season high 10.08.
Senga spent six weeks or so on the Injured List with both spine inflammation and ulnar nerve irritation. When he came back, things didn’t exactly get better. He made three more starts before being demoted to the bullpen, and gave up thirteen earned runs, five home runs, and ten walks in those 12 and two-third innings.
So what happened? Well, the short answer is that his stuff somewhat disappeared and his walk rate ballooned. He was still getting strikeouts, and at a fairly similar rate, but what was gone was the weak contact that made him such a valuable member of the rotation. When Senga was getting hit this season, he was getting hit hard. He was bottom 5% in the all of baseball in wOBA against and walk rate.
The good news for the Mets was that once he moved into the bullpen, and especially since he was made the de facto closer with Devin Williams on the shelf, his performance not just leveled out, but he showed real skill at the role. He had just two truly bad outings as closer, while racking up eight saves. Simply put, in short bursts, Senga was good.
It is hard to lower your ERA out of the bullpen due to the natural innings limits that exist, but Senga dropped his ERA nearly three runs in his three months out of the bullpen. Once he made the switch to the bullpen, he gave up just nine runs in 30 and a third innings pitched, lowering his ERA from its season high 10.08 after his last start.
If Senga is comfortable with a bullpen role, this appears to be the way that the Mets can salvage the final year of his contract and give the team some more stability from the starting rotation. If not, it’s going to be another rollercoaster of a year for Senga and the Metropolitans.
In my defense, Senga’s ERA once he made the switch to the bullpen was 2.05. So, from a certain point of view, I nailed by bold prediction.
Red Rolfe Third Base Player for the New York Yankees Holding Bat (Photo by George Rinhart/Corbis via Getty Images) | Corbis via Getty Images
“They talk about all the other fellas on that team, but I notice the man who hurts us when it counts is that third baseman. There is a real ballplayer.”
The Athletics entered the 1930s as the class of the American League, winning their second straight World Series title in ‘30 and taking the pennant again in ‘31. But the decade would belong to another team, one that rebuild itself after the departure of the game’s brightest star. Led by Lou Gehrig and Bill Dickey and, later, Joe DiMaggio and Joe Gordon, with Red Ruffing and Lefty Gomez in the rotation, that incarnation of the Bronx Bombers won four straight championships to close out the decade. But, when asked to identify the most dangerous player on the club, legendary A’s manager and owner Connie Mack named none of those Hall of Famers. Instead, it was the team’s cerebral, ultra-consistent third baseman who Mack feared most.
Robert Abial “Red” Rolfe Born: October 17, 1908 (Penacook, NH) Died: July 8, 1969 (Gilford, NH) Yankees Tenure: 1931, 1934-42
Growing up in New Hampshire, Red Rolfe quickly distinguished himself in both academics and athletics. He earned acceptance to Dartmouth, where he performed well enough to draw the attention of several big-league teams. Mack offered the youngster a tryout, but he ended up signing with the Yankees, who pitched him on the potential to play alongside Gehrig and Babe Ruth.
Rolfe would get his chance before long, appearing in a single game as a defensive replacement a few months after his signing in 1931. He’d spend the next two years with the Double-A Newark Bears, consistently hitting for average while continuing to hone his defensive skills on the left side of the infield. He wouldn’t return to the Show until ‘34, when he broke camp with the Yankees. Rolfe’s first year in pinstripes was a mixed bag, as he dealt with maladies and a position switch from shortstop to third due to a lack of arm strength. Still, he immediately impressed some of his more seasoned teammates. “I never saw a kid with so much spirit and desire to learn as Rolfe has shown me,” said Gehrig. “When you start to discuss things, this Rolfe sticks his ear right into your tonsils. He wants to know everything. I think he’s a natural.” The two Ivy League men would become close friends, bonding over a shared appreciation for cribbage and literature.
If ‘34 was a step forward, ‘35 would be Rolfe’s breakout. He hit .300 and, while he was yet to show much power, he made up for it with his acumen. He was a progenitor of the shift, keeping detailed notes on opposing hitters’ tendencies and implementing his findings on the field. The following season went even better, as the third baseman hit .319 with an MLB-best 15 triples while settling into the two-hole. He also got his first October action and made the most of it, hitting .400 in a six-game victory over the rival Giants.
The Yankees settled into a familiar rhythm through the rest of the decade, winning four straight titles. And, while not able to compete with the fame of some of his teammates, Rolfe became a bone fide star, earning four straight All-Star berths and twice receiving down-ballot MVP votes. His career year came in ‘39, as he slashed .329/.404/.495 while leading the league in hits (213), doubles (46), and runs scored (139).
Red Rolfe, 10 year career with Yankees, retired in 1942. Big member of 1939 Bronx Bombers hitting .329 w/ 46 doubles pic.twitter.com/LLp8ME4x3u
Rolfe’s performance took a downturn after that stellar campaign. A series of health issues, including a tonsil condition, a vision issue, and intestinal colitis, sapped him of much of his strength. Rolfe hit just .250 with little pop over the next three seasons as he saw his playing time decline. He had one more shot at playoff glory in ‘42, his final season, and made the most of it, hitting .353 in an eventual loss to the Cardinals.
Rolfe retired after that season to take a coaching job at Yale. In ‘46 he returned to the Yankees as a coach, and his longtime manager Joe McCarthy began grooming Rolfe to succeed him at the helm. But McCarthy found himself out of a job after the Yankees were sold to a new owner. Rolfe was forced to leave the only pro team he’d ever known, joining the Tigers first as farm director and then as manager. He took home Manager of the Year honors in 1950 as a previously moribund Detroit squad ended the season just three games back of the pennant.
That success proved unsustainable, though, and Rolfe was out by ‘52. He returned to his alma mater, Dartmouth, where he served as athletic director until health issues forced him to resign in 1967. Two years later, the man who had struggled with his health throughout his playing career died at the age of 60 from kidney failure.
Red Rolfe’s statistical impact is clear and impressive. But his impact on the Yankees and the game of baseball extend far beyond that. “Red was often sought out by teammates for help with income tax filings, advice on investments, counsel on their bridge game, and even their domestic difficulties,” said the Sporting Newsupon Rolfe’s retirement of his role as the consummate teammate. McCarthy, who managed for 24 years and won seven championships, called his protégé “one of the greatest third basemen of all time.” And he accomplished it all while dealing with health issues that would have led many others to walk away from the game. All this paints a clear picture of a player who, if you’d had the chance to watch him play day in and day out, would have been a beloved favorite, the kind of player who transcends on-field performance through strength of character. Or, in the words of the great Connie Mack, a real ballplayer.
See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.
LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 13: So Taguchi #99 of the Philadelphia Phillies at bat during Game Four of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2008 MLB playoffs on October 13, 2008 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In recent years, the Phillies have expressed a desire to sign a player coming to Major League Baseball from Japan. It makes sense considering the many Japanese imports who have succeeded recently. Just last season, Munetaka Murakami provided the White Sox a huge boost, while Kazuma Okamoto was a strong contributor for the Blue Jays.
Munetaka Murakami hit 35 home runs in his first MLB season.
Despite the Phillies’ efforts – most notably, making a strong at pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto – they have been unable to convince any Japanese player to choose Philadelphia as their American baseball city.
The Phillies have made an offer to the top free agent pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto according to @MattGelb
I’m told the Phillies believe they are in the running along with Yankees, Mets, and Dodgers https://t.co/Ne5ZDgmqpG
They may run into the same problems they have in the past: There is a natural bias by Japanese players towards western teams. There is also a sentiment that because the Phillies don’t have much of a tradition with Japanese players, players are wary of how they would be received.
The Phillies know what they’re up against when trying to sign Japanese talent: no direct flight between Tokyo and Philadelphia, a lack of a legacy in the country.
But they’ve revamped their scouting operation in Japan. Now, can they break through?https://t.co/ZVXvMwCjAj
The Phillies can’t do much to change the location of the city. But as for the lack of tradition… I will try to aid them in their recruiting efforts by highlighting some of the Japanese players who have played for the team in the past.
First up, a member of the 2008 World Series champions: Outfielder So Taguchi
After beginning his baseball career with the Orix Blue Wave of the Japanese Pacific League, in 2002, Taguchi decided to try his luck in America. In 2022, he joined the St. Louis Cardinals. He spent his first couple of years as a bench player, but was given a full-time role from 2004 to 2007 and played acceptably well, including some postseason highlights.
OTD: 10/13/06
So Taguchi begins the 9th inning with a pinch-hit, go-ahead solo home run to put the Cardinals on top in Game 2 pic.twitter.com/AIzfAGO4Y1
In December 2007, the Phillies were looking to put the final touches on a roster which they hoped could contend for a World Series. They signed Taguchi to a one-year deal to serve as a reserve outfielder. During the season, Taguchi was mostly used either as a pinch hitter or a defensive replacement for Pat Burrell in left field.
There were a few highlights along the way, such as a game-winning double against the Mets in July, and a 3-5, 3 RBI effort on the final day of the season.
— Philly Sports By Number (@philly_number) April 11, 2023
While his postseason accomplishments were minimal, after Brad Lidge secured the 27th out of game five of the World Series, Taguchi could be seen on the field, celebrating with his teammates.
The lesson to be learned is this: If you are a Japanese player who wants to experience the joy of winning a World Series, you should do as So Taguchi did: Choose the Phillies!
Andy Hunter’s match report from the Hill Dickinson is here, and you can find it below.
Chelsea have returned from the international break with an authority that augurs well for Xabi Alonso. A brace from Pedro Neto condemned Everton to an inaugural defeat of the season as the visitors climbed to fourth on the back of their first Premier League clean sheet since January. A head injury sustained by Emi Martínez, who was carried off on a stretcher after seven minutes of treatment, was the only concern from a mature display in the Merseyside sunshine for Alonso’s team.
There were goalkeeping issues at both ends of the field with Jordan Pickford unconvincing for the second week in succession as David Moyes’ side suffered self-inflicted wounds. But Everton could have no complaints about the merits of Chelsea’s victory given their contrasting performances in the second half.
CLEVELAND, OHIO - OCTOBER 08: Devin Carter #99 celebrates with Mike Conley #45 of the Boston Celtics during the first quarter of a preseason game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Arena on October 08, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Celtics defeated the Cavaliers 124-113. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Devin Carter’s lone preseason appearance was enough to impress the Celtics, apparently. According to HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto, Carter’s Exhibit 10 training camp deal is being converted to a two-way contract.
The Boston Celtics are converting Devin Carter to a two-way deal, league sources told @hoopshype. Carter averaged 8.9 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists in 18.4 minutes during 38 games for the Sacramento Kings last season. pic.twitter.com/CZJQfZb4F6
The former Providence College standout wasted no time making an impression last Thursday in Clevleand in the preseason opener. He gave the Cavs the work. Carter poured in 17 points, ripped down five rebounds, dished five assists, and swiped two steals in 25 minutes off the bench.
This wasn’t just the typical “guy who’s been in the league a few years feasts on inexperienced players in the preseason” type of statlines, either. Carter balled out against the Cavaliers’ regular rotation, and did it in a way where it’s not hard to imagine him making an impact for Boston somewhere down the line.
He pushed the pace in transition, did a great job of getting himself to the rim, and used his gratiutous six-foot-nine-inch wingspan to create chaos on defense.
Many fans were left wanting more, but unfortunately didn’t get it. Carter missed the final three games of Boston’s preseason slate with an illness, and was never heard from again.
His future with the team felt murky after the rest of the Celtics’ Exhibit 10 players got the start in Friday’s preseason finale against the Phildelphia 76ers and held their own against Philly’s regular starters (minus VJ Edgecombe).
Murky no more.
The former 13th overall pick spent his first two NBA seasons with the Sacramento Kings. He appeared in 74 total games where he averaged 6.4 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.9 assists while shooting 40.1% from the field and 27.4% from deep.
Sacramento traded Carter along with a second-round pick to the Atlanta Hawks this summer, officially finalizing their stamp of disapproval — which we’ve all learned is actually a good thing (thanks for Neemi). The Hawks waived Carter shortly after, then he found his way to Boston.
The Celtics now have all three of their two-way spots filled as Carter joins Dillon Mitchell and Amari Williams in the G-League swing crew. This doesn’t necessarily mean all three players will remain on two-ways for the entire season. Boston can waive any of them at any time free up a slot.
By converting Carter to a two-way, rather than a standard contract, Boston avoids creeping any closer to the luxury tax threshold. They remain $1.7 million below the tax line.
Pedro Neto’s goals bookended the second half and earned Chelsea a rare victory at Everton
Everton kick off, and launch it long. Martinez claims the punt.
Before the kick-off, everyone takes the knee. It’s the first of two weeks of the Premier League’s No Room For Racism campaign. Challenge it, report it, change it.
Mets relief prospect Ryan Lambert enjoyed another successful outing in the Arizona Fall League on Friday.
Lambert shut the door on a commanding seventh victory of the exhibition season for the Surprise Saguaros, cruising his way through a perfect top-half of the ninth. The hard-throwing right-hander struck out the first batter he faced with a 97 mph fastball on the corner of the zone, then needed just five more pitches to get through the rest of the inning.
Lambert now has a total of five punchouts and he’s allowed just one baserunner, while not giving up a run across his first three appearances to open Fall League play. Though it’s still an extremely small sample size, it’s certainly the start the 24-year-old was looking for coming off his forgetful season at the Triple-A level.
After a breakout 2025 minor league campaign Lambert was expected to work his way into the mix as a big-league bullpen arm, however, that did not end up being the case.
He ended up having to miss some time to injury and battled ineffectiveness throughout the year, pitching to an ugly 7.71 ERA and 9.98 BB/9 across 23 Triple-A appearances.
So now instead of building off an opportunity to show if he could help the Mets in the midst of a meaningless season, Lambert enters the year as a bit of a question mark for the organization.
The big right-hander continues to showcase his big-time fastball velocity on the radar gun, but if he can’t consistently keep his stuff in the zone, he'll really limit his success. That's been the case throughout Lambert's minor league career, averaging an impressive 13.5 strikeouts per nine innings, but also walking a ton (6.7).
Continuing this strong start to fall ball and building some confidence would be huge for Lambert heading into what's shaping up to be a big offseason for him. With the Mets' bullpen still having a handful of openings, perhaps he'll be able to work his way into the mix with a strong spring training showing.
Watford out of bottom three after beating Charlton 2-0
Middlesbrough 2-2 Cardiff; Millwall 2-2 Lincoln
Watford lifted the pressure on Alessio Dionisi and quelled their supporters’ rebellion against the owner, Gino Pozzo, with a deserved 2-0 win against a sluggish Charlton side.
After shipping nine goals in calamitous defeats by Burnley and Cardiff, Dionisi’s side had slumped into the bottom three and the fans had turned their anger on Pozzo. But goals from Luca Kjerrumgaard and the substitute Jordan Zemura – the Zimbabwe defender’s first for the club – extended Charlton’s worrying run to eight games without a win as the Addicks were booed off at Vicarage Road.
Less than three weeks into the campaign, the Philadelphia Flyers (0-6-3) may be playing for their season, and getting their first win won't be an easy task having to host the red-hot Ottawa Senators (6-2-0) at the Xfinity Mobile Arena at 7 p.m. on Saturday night.
If they can't get it done, well, they'll be on the wrong side of NHL history with a 10-game losing streak to start the season.
Of course, these two teams already played once this season, with the Senators escaping with a narrow 2-1 win over the Flyers last Thursday.
The Senators lost top winger William Eklund to a lower-body injury in that game, and it was recently announced that Eklund will be out for 10-12 weeks after undergoing ankle surgery.
So, Ottawa will be without one of their most talented players, but so will the Flyers, who incidentally lost Travis Konecny to an injury in last week's game as well, even though he toughed it out and played the full game.
In addition to Konecny, the Flyers are still without defensemen Rasmus Ristolainen and Cam York, pending an official status update from the Flyers and/or head coach Rick Tocchet.
Assuming the Flyers make no further roster moves, they will face the Senators on Saturday with an unchanged lineup yet again.
Saturday night's Flyers game can be found on NBC Sports Philadelphia, TVAS-D, and Sportsnet 1.
Flyers player to watch
Jamie Drysdale has been unusually quiet this season, having not recorded a single point in his nine games played thus far. He's also second on the team in average ice time, getting 22:06 a night, even with David Jiricek overtaking him on the top power play unit.
The Flyers have placed an emphasis on defensemen jumping up into the play in recent games, with Travis Sanheim and Oliver Bonk making impacts in that aspect in the game against Seattle on Tuesday night.
The 24-year-old Drysdale has just nine shots on goal in nine games this season, but scored a career-high eight goals on 101 shots in 78 games last year.
Like Sanheim and Bonk, the Flyers badly need Drysdale (and Jiricek) to begin getting involved, too, otherwise they will continue to be one of the worst offensive teams in the NHL.
Savannah Bananas players celebrate after defeating the Firefighters during a Banana Ball game at Kauffman Stadium on May 23, 2025, in Kansas City, Missouri. (Emily Curiel/The Kansas City Star/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
Power & Light, in fact, never has generated the revenue to meet debt obligations. As the Kansas City Business Journal put it in April, annual “bond gaps have required about $10.5 million a year from the city’s general fund and $199 million total to date.”
But here’s where the Rorschach test comes into play. Or at least a matter of perspective.
Because there’s a compelling case that Power & Light figuratively paid for itself many times over in how it changed the density and vibe of downtown (from around 5,000 residents to 33,000 over 25 years) — and in no small part the very perception of Kansas City.
“I didn’t have a curveball in college,” the Texas A&M product said. “That was something I took into last offseason, and we had a pitch design group. So I was in that to add a fourth pitch to the arsenal, give a different look to righties at least so it’s not just fastball-slider. But I just stuck with it and trusted in our coaches.”
Lamkin would have continued to work on the deuce all summer long, if not for a left shoulder injury that cut his regular season short after May 25. Now the 22-year-old left-hander’s back in the Grand Canyon State in the Arizona Fall League to not only reestablish his health but pick up where he left off with that curve development.
I know a lot of people want Cam’s dad to join the organization, but that’s not happening with the current structure. I do wonder if Cam might be an interesting answer. The White Sox seem to be doing something right with their hitting development, and you’d assume there’s at least some organizational familiarity with Thames from their year together in the organization. I don’t know much about Seitzer’s philosophies, but it might make some sense.
MINNEAPOLIS, MN - SEPTEMBER 15: Manager Rocco Baldelli #5 of the Minnesota Twins looks on against the New York Yankees on September 15, 2025 at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Brace Hemmelgarn/Minnesota Twins/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Hello friends, and welcome to the weekend!
The ALCS resumes today after an unplanned day off (more on that below). Let’s explore all of that and more in today’s batch of links.
MLB Postseason scores…
Game 4 of the ALCS was postponed yesterday due to rain. The Rays and Guardians will now square off during both days this weekend to make up for it.
The New York Islanders have had what can only be described as a frustrating start, opening the year 3-3-1.
Moreover, the Islanders have alternated wins and losses through their first seven games of the year.
Already, there's trends forming that the Islanders will have to address to gain more consistency throughout their game.
First, one key is scoring first. The Islanders are 3-0-1 when they score first, with Thursday's loss to Ottawa representing the first time they've lost after scoring first. They still collected a point.
When they allow the first goal, the Islanders are 0-3-0, and have been outscored 12-6 in those three games.
Through three games, chasing games has not been conducive to success in any way. The Islanders are, to their core, a defensive-minded team.
They do not do nearly as well when they've got to chase the game and open up their own play to chase offense.
Playing from ahead, however, allows the Islanders to be stingier defensively, and more selective of when to fly forward for rush chances and try to overload their opponents.
A lot of people have pointed to special teams as a reason for New York's futility. While it's certainly been far from perfect, the Islanders' special teams units have done their job through seven games.
In each of their three regulation losses, the Islanders' special teams units have contributed at least one goal.
Against the Toronto Maple Leafs, whom the Islanders play for a second time on Saturday night, the Islanders allowed one Toronto power play goal, but Emil Heineman scored a short-handed goal.
The Islanders' power play went 0-4 in the one-goal loss, so that was certainly a notable area for improvement.
New York's next game was a 6-0 rout of the New Jersey Devils, and the Islanders scored on the power play, going 1/3 in the win.
Next, the New York Rangers scored a power-play goal in a 5-2 win over the Islanders, but the Islanders also scored one. Nobody could pin that game on the Islanders' special teams, either.
The Islanders scored a power play goal for a third-straight game against the Chicago Blackhawks in a 4-1 win, a game that Bo Horvat opened up with a power play goal.
Against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Bolts went just 1-for-5 on the man advantage. The Islanders went 1-for-2, but still lost 5-3.
The Islanders won the special teams battle, but lost the game.
In the Islanders' next game against the Vancouver Canucks, the Islanders lost the special teams battle to the Canucks, but found a way to win 3-2 over Vancouver.
Finally, back to the Thursday, neither New York nor Ottawa struck on the power play in the tight shootout loss.
There's no clear trend through seven games about the special teams units, one way or another. New York's been above or at league average on the powerplay, a massive improvement from recent years.
Through seven games, the Islanders have yet to record a point if they've trailed at any point in the game.
That is, by far, the headline through their first seven games, entering a Saturday night game against the Maple Leafs.
