The arizona fall league

It's nice that the final impression that we were able to leave for the regular season is that with us, it ain't over until it's over.

Thanks for this, Mark. Seems like s a better of prospects than for the AFL. Quintero & Davalan are blue-chippers and Harlan has serious potential as a power-hitting prototype 3b. The arms are also legit. Fun to follow.

Looking forward to seeing if Davalan can make the transition to second base seamlessly.

I know the Dodgers are the favorites, and I know I'm hoping they win.

I just want to remind everyone that even as the heavy favorites (+200 to +600 for the Brewers) that's still indicating a 1 in 3 chance of winning.

I think that's right on the money (pun!) One in three chance of winning a 3rd straight.

Let the games begin.

According to Houston Mitchell :

Well, it’s official: The Dodgers won’t win the World Series this season. Why? Because they made a classic blunder on Sunday. Everyone knows the two most classic blunders: 1. (the most famous) Never get involved in a land war in Asia. 2. (only slightly less well-known): Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line. But third on that list: The Dodgers should never win 100 games in a season, because no Dodger team that has won 100 or more games has ever won the World Series.

Sam Horn did not have any stats because he was rehabbing from a broken tibia. He was the Missouri starting QB and on the very first snap of the season he ran about 6 yards and had his tibia broken, which required surgery. His rehab took him deep into the baseball season, so they ramped him up and decided that the AFL is good place to make his debut. More than any other player on the roster, he is the one I am most interested in. Every team stayed away Horn because he lost 2024 to TJ surgery and then was expected to be the starting QB for Missouri. The Dodgers drafted him in the 17th round but paid him a well above slot at $497,500. This could be another draft and develop steal for the Dodgers. At least that is what I am hoping for.

Interview with Miggy in game was a moving moment. I also saw another at Detroit when Verlander's daughter came out with the manager to remove him from his last start. Scherzer turned back the clock with a classic performance in what could be his last game, 7 innings, 6 hits, 7Ks, and 1 walk for his 4th win of the year and number 225 of his career. He has not decided yet if he is going to continue to pitch or not.

Of the top ten events that I disliked the most during my long life, number 7 was playing in my last pro game of the season and the game goes into extra innings.

My NL Wild Card general Preview:

Philadelphia at Atlanta:

Chris Sale is the pitcher for Atlanta in Game 1. Philadelphia has not announced yet, and they seem to be in a pickle.

• The Phillies CY candidate, LHSP Cristopher Sánchez last pitched on Friday, throwing 7.0 innings against Tampa Bay. • RHSP Zack Wheeler started Sunday and threw 6.0 innings against Tampa Bay. • LHSP Jesús Luzardo threw a 2-hit complete game shutout on September 7 and then went on the IL. He came back and pitched 1 inning in relief on Sunday.

Do they try Luzardo in Game 1, or push Sanchez up, or try to see if they can find any magic left in RHSP Aaron Nola’s right arm? How will Don Mattingly handle this?

The Braves will have issues for Games 2 and 3 (if necessary). Who after Sale? Holmes? Mahle? Martín Pérez is out for the entire WC with a back injury. He is on 15 day IL and cannot be activated until October 6.

This is wide open, but I will still go with Chris Sale and the Braves.

Chicago Cubs at San Diego:

We know RHSP and Ace Michael King gets the start in Game 1. The Cubs have not named their starter.

• LHSP Shota Imanaga last started Sept 22, allowing 1 run in 5.0 IP. He pitched an inning in relief on Sunday and gave up a HR. • RHSP Matthew Boyd last started Sept 24. He allowed 1 run in 7.0 IP. • RHSP Kevin Gausman last started September 23 and pitched 5.2 innings allowing 2 runs.

The Cubs have very little pitching. They traded for Gausman at the deadline just for the playoffs, and I am guessing he has been a disappointment. Their bullpen is also suspect with maybe RHRP Jacob Webb as their closer (17 saves) and just acquired (deadline) RHRP Aaron Civale as the best of the group. But a lot of mediocrity after that.

San Diego now has 3 legit SP in RHSP Michael King, LHSP Robbie Ray, and RHSP Nick Pivetta, and that bullpen is special. Chicago is going to need to rely on their bats and defense to beat the Padres. The Cubs offense is very good. They are 2nd in MLB in OBP, 1st in SLG, and 1st in OPS. They are 6th in BP. The Padres are far down the list in all four slash line categories. Chicago’s defense is the best in MLB, but San Diego is not far behind.

Chicago limped into the playoffs with an 11-13 record in September while San Diego heated up with an 18-6 September record.

I hate the Padres more than any team, but I do not see how the Cubs beat them in San Diego. I think this is going to be another disappointment for Craig Counsell, who was anointed the best managerial strategist when he was with Milwaukee. All he needed was a team that would spend $$$, or so we were told. How did that work out, Craig? I hope I am wrong.

My AL Wild Card general Preview:

Boston at NYY:

This will be fun. The Dodgers and Giants have a great rivalry, but not as deep as the Bosox and NYY. Yes, I have a favorite here.

Game 1 is going to be a battle of two young guns: Rookie LHSP Payton Tolle for Boston and 2nd year RHSP Cam Schlitter for NYY. Schlitter is arguably the Ace of NYY in his 2nd year and is the clear leader for the AL CY this year. Tolle should be top five in AL ROY.

Game 2 starters – RHSP Sonny Gray vs LHSP Max Fried. Gray had a great year for Boston and should get some CY votes. And while Fried was injured for part of the year, he did manage 112.2 IP with very good results.

Game 3 starters – LHSP Ranger Suárez vs RHSP Geritt Cole. Not a bad Game 3 matchup (if necessary). Most everyone knows how elite Cole can be, but I think many forget just how good Suárez was with Philadelphia.

The Yankees could be without both Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton for the WC series. The decision will be made Tuesday AM, before Game 1. Boston is better with bat to ball and getting on base. The Yankees have the edge on slug. NYY runs much more than Boston, while Boston has the clear advantage defensively.

LHP Garrett Crochet will be another potential add to the Red Sox BP, and we will learn that before Game 1. Wilson Contreras should be good to go. High leverage RHRP Tyron Guerrero will probably be a no for the WC.

Yankee Stadium is a tough place to play, but Boston has the ability to win two games at the venue. I am going with Boston, my 2nd favorite team.

Houston at Chicago White Sox:

I apologize if I am hurting feelings here, but for me this is a who cares game. I am happy for CWS, and I do believe they have a bright future and could dominate the AL Central.

Both teams are expected to have bullpen games for Game 1. RHP Erick Fedde is expected to be the bulk pitcher for Game 1. Houston will pitch their Ace Hunter Brown for Game 2, while CWS is going with RHSP Sean Burke, their top SP.

Game 3 looks to be RHSP Davis Martin for CWS and Hayden Wesneski for Houston.

I like Miggy Vargas and the other kids for CWS and I hate the cheaters from Houston, so I am strong for CWS.

3B Betts DH Ohtani SS De La Cruz LF Tucker C Smith 1B Freeman / Rushing CF Sirota / Quintero 2B. Freeland RF Pages

Bench: Muncy, Edman, Rushing,

Being in Northern California, I was blacked out of the SNLA broadcast, so I watched the final broadcast from Kruk and Kuip. They are two of the classiest broadcasters for an opposition team as there is. They are homers, but not even close to being egregiously so. I think more than anything, they appreciate the rivalry and call it the biggest asset the Giants and MLB have. They have been doing TV broadcasts for the Giants for the last 36 years together.

Both Kruk and Kuip have serious heath concerns. Mike Krukow has inclusion body myositis (IBM), an incurable degenerative muscle disease. He is confined to a wheelchair, and the illness forced him to retire, as traveling and getting on and off planes was getting to be too troublesome. He has retired in Reno, NV to be near his grandchildren. As it turns out, Krukow’s oldest son, Jarek, who played baseball at University of Nevada, Reno, and my son are friends. They did not play together.

Duane Kuiper has recently been diagnosed with throat cancer which he is getting treated for at Stanford. This cancer is not considered related to his previous stage 4 cancer he fought and won in 2021. While Krukow has officially retired, Kuiper has not.

The Giants have officially renamed their broadcast booth the Kruk and Kuip Broadcast Booth. How Kruk and Kuip are not in the HOF and Jon Miller is, is a mystery to me.

After the game, there was a tribute to Krukow, which was outstanding. A lot of former SFG were there including Buster Posey, Barry Bonds, Matt Williams, Will Clark, Robbie Thompson, Chili Davis, Candy Maldonado, Bruce Bochy, and Kruk’s favorite catcher, Bob Brenley.

I saw Krukow start twice against the Dodgers at Candlestick and multiple times at Dodger Stadium. In 11 starts at Candlestick, Kruk had a 6-2 record and a 2.21 ERA. I saw him beat Orel in the final game of the 1986 season at Dodger Stadium for his 20th win, when that meant something. Maldonado had 2 HRs that game including a grand slam off Orel. Krukow loved the rivalry.

Kruk blew out his arm in June 1989 and was not able to pitch in the WS that year.

I appreciated and cherished the LAD – SFG rivalry in the 80’s during the Kruk and Kuip years, mostly the Krukow years. Not as much as the 60’s, but great rivalries, nonetheless.

For those who are interested and would like to reminisce some, here is the Mike Krukow tribute after the game.

A couple of notes, Mariner's manager Wilson will not return, and neither will four of his coaches. Arraez will not be on the Phillies wild card roster. Gabriel Moreno who finished with a .311 BA, beat out Arraez by ,001 to become Arizona's first ever batting champ. Rams were not beat by Denver; they beat themselves with some really stupid fourth quarter penalties.