NEWSLETTER
Gonna watch me some horror flicks this month because Halloween, but I can’t decide if I should go with modern ones I haven’t seen (I am very timid … ), or classics that I’ve already seen and know I enjoy. ‘The Exorcist’ is still so freaking good, and so scary. For the record.
•  Each of the ALDS went to 2-1 last night, with the Red Sox walking off the Rays in the 13th inning, and the White Sox drubbing the Astros now that the series is in Chicago. If you missed the highlights, here’s Red Sox-Rays:
•  And here’s White Sox-Astros:
•  Games 4 will be at 2:30 pm CT (Sox-Stros) and 6pm CT (Other Sox-Rays) today, with the NLDS also getting back underway today. Each of those series is tied 1-1, with the Brewers and Braves going off at noon CT, and the Dodgers and Giants going at 8:30pm CT. So it’s another very full day of playoff baseball if you’ve got the day off or a good internet connection at work.
•  Regarding last night’s crazy Red Sox-Rays critical ground rule double – bouncing off a player, out of the field of play, and preventing a run from scoring – it turns out the Rays and their manager have already been involved in a play like that, but on the other side:
In 2019 Kevin Cash came out to argue about a ball deflected into the stands that the runner on first should be stopped at 3rd base. He was correct and the umps got it right, just like tonight. pic.twitter.com/8ltZ0DXgu4
— Red Sox Stats (@redsoxstats) October 11, 2021
•  One difference there is that the runner last night was already more or less scoring as the ball went out of play, rather than needing to be awarded a full extra base+ in order to score. But it’s still funny that clearly the Rays were aware of this rule – when the ball is in play, and hasn’t yet been fully fielded, if it hits a player and bounces out of play, that’s effectively a ground rule double. Two bases for everyone, no more. It’s only if the fielder actually takes possession of the ball and THEN it’s sent out of play that you determine where the runners were and then award the extra two bases. To me, that just feels like a screw-job of a rule, since it’s the fielding team’s fault that the ball went out of play – why should they be rewarded?
•  The lesson here? If you’re an outfielder at Wrigley, and you get a gapper that you absolutely know is going to score the lead or tying or whatever run from first base, you should totally “accidentally” swipe at the ball to send it straight into the ivy. Ope, inadvertently sent it out of play, it’s now a ground rule double. My bad.
•  This kinda thing always annoys me, and don’t get high and mighty, because there are pockets of Cubs fans who do it, too:
Craig Kimbrel got booed during intros. Wasn't like the whole stadium but definitely audible. Cmon people.
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) October 10, 2021
•  With respect to Kimbrel’s struggles since joining the White Sox, he’s not the primary guy who deserves those boos.
•  Kyle Schwarber, who is trying to learn to play first base for the first time in his career in SOME PRETTY IMPORTANT GAMES, threw a grounder away earlier in the game, but managed to make this routine play, and celebrated like it was an all-timer (and I love it):
After the error last inning, Kyle Schwarber celebrates making the routine 3-1 putout and takes off his cap lol pic.twitter.com/YAk21rl1su
— MLB Errors (@mlberrors) October 10, 2021
•  What a beautiful pairing of pitches:
Why you would take a cutter in the zone.
Because you didn't wanna swing at a slider out of the zone again.
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) October 11, 2021
•  Man, this was such a fun series … until it wasn’t:
10/11/2003: Aramis Ramirez got the #Cubs off to a fast start by hitting a grand slam in the first inning. CHC went on to win this game, 8-3. #CubTogether #postseason (via MLB) @BleacherNation @CubbiesCrib pic.twitter.com/vZRr9BgDms
— MLB Daily Dingers (@MLBDailyDingers) October 11, 2021
•  I can definitely enjoy and appreciate all of 2003 a whole lot more now that the Cubs have done it. The season was so much fun, and even that Marlins series had so many great moments, from this granny to the blowout in Game 2 to Sammy’s homer in Game 1 to Woody’s homer in Game 7. Just a ton of memorable moments that obviously went in vain, and were painful at the time. But it’s been almost 20 years, and better days eventually came. So I think I can enjoy them more now.
•  Let’s just go ahead and enjoy the Sammy Sosa homer and the Kerry Wood homer now, shall we:
•  ARod helping choose – or being the primary chooser – of the new Sunday Night Baseball partner just seems off:
NEWSLETTER: With A-Rod as the potential kingmaker, the positioning for Sunday Night Baseball has begun.https://t.co/tAkARHins2
— Andrew Marchand (@AndrewMarchand) October 11, 2021
•  Halloween candy, Melissa & Doug toys (The Littlest Girl loves ’em), and more are your Epic Daily Deals at Amazon. #ad
•  It wasn’t pretty the whole way through, but I enjoyed the win very much:
The Khalil Mack Revenge Game: BEARS 20, RAIDERS 9https://t.co/bFxmdyw66O
— Bleacher Nation Bears (@BN_Bears) October 11, 2021
•  Whole lot going on for the Blackhawks in the run-up to the start of the season:
He’s Back: Blackhawks Sign Erik Gustafsson to a One-Year Deal https://t.co/4KJVVRr33K
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) October 10, 2021
Blackhawks Assign Alex Nylander to the IceHogs, Waive Malcolm Subban and Collin Delia https://t.co/iyNglvMm6I
— Bleacher Nation Blackhawks (@BN_Blackhawks) October 10, 2021
