MLB Bullets Ends The Regular Season

On to Pittsburgh.

• I assume you know this already, but the Nationals bad season got a little bright spot as Max Scherzer threw his second no-hitter of the season on Saturday.
• AJ Cassavell writes that Scherzer's 17-strikeout, one-walk no-no could be the best game ever pitched.
• Rob Neyer writes that Scherzer's no-hitter reminds us that he deserves to be mentioned among the best pitchers of the game.
• Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said that a decision about manager Matt Williams' future would be made "sooner than later." That means he's probably been fired by the time you read this.
• Contrary to some earlier reports, the Reds announced that manager Bryan Price will be back in 2016.
• Paul Daugherty understands that many of the Reds problems weren't Price's fault, but he wonders how the team is going to sell tickets with another season with Price in charge.
• John Farrell will return as Red Sox manager next season, if his health permits.
• However, the Fenway Sports Group did fire their other manager, Liverpool FC head Brendan Rodgers. The Brendan Rodgers who was the third pick in the draft by the Rockies last June wants you to all know he's not the same guy, so stop bothering him.
• The Red Sox also said goodbye to broadcaster Don Orsillo, with the players saluting Orsillo from the field. The Red Sox declined to renew Orsillo's contract, so he's joining the Padres broadcast team next season.
• Orsillo won't be interviewing interim manager Pat Murphy there, as the Padres announced that Murphy will not be offered the permanent job.
• The Red Sox expect Hanley Ramirez and Pablo Sandoval to lose weight this offseason.
• The Angels are set to announce that Yankees assistant GM Billy Eppler will be their new GM.
• It ended up meaning nothing because the Angels lost on Sunday, but the team kept their playoff hopes alive by scoring five runs in the top of the ninth to beat the Rangers 11-10. Richard Justice says that's the type of baseball magic we expect to see in October.
• Michael Clair and Alden Gonzalez chart just how massively weird that Saturday's Angels/Rangers game was.
• There are "significant changes" expected in the Marlins front office this offseason. I think I cut and pasted that sentence from the past dozen years.
• Rockies GM Jeff Bridich reflects on his not-so-successful first season in charge.
• David Schoenfield looks back at successful playoff teams of the past few seasons and comes up with a  blueprint for postseason success.
• Jim Caple ranks all the postseason teams (and some that didn't make it) on how easy it is to cheer for them this year. Yes, the Cubs are number one.
• Jeff Sullivan explains why the Pirates are not doomed facing Jake Arrieta in a one-game playoff. They're not in good shape, but they're not doomed.
• Ken Rosenthal thinks anything could happen in the playoffs this year. Also, "the Cubs are a menace."
• Jayson Stark reveals his choices for the BBWAA post-season awards.
• The Phillies lost 99 games this year. As a lovely parting gift, they're getting the first pick in the draft next season! Hey. That really is a lovely parting gift. The Cubs pick 28th, although that could drop based on teams losing picks for free agent signings.
• Clayton Kershaw became the first pitcher since 2002 to strike out 300 batters in a season.
• It looks like Corey Seager has taken the starting shortstop job with the Dodgers away from Jimmy Rollins.
• Rollins did get a new gig on Sunday though. With nothing on the line, manager Don Mattingly let Rollins be the manager for a day. He wore a Tommy Lasorda jersey while doing it.
• Ben Lindbergh presents the "Managerial Meddling Index," which ranks all the managers based on how active or passive they are managing in game. He notes that "meddling" isn't a good thing or a bad thing, just a ranking of styles.
• Mark Buehrle couldn't get through the first inning yesterday, falling 1.1 innings short of being the fifth pitcher to throw 15 consecutive seasons of 200 innings.
• ICHIRO PITCHED!
• Rob Neyer ranks the top five backup catchers in baseball. What? No Steve Lake?
• Mets and Expos great Rusty Staub suffered a heart attack on a plane flight from Ireland to New York. He's currently "resting comfortably" in an Irish hospital. Get well soon, Le Grande Orange.
• Tanya Bondurant was not impressed with the Diamondbacks broadcast team mocking a group of young women taking selfies at the ballpark. She wasn't alone.
• The "selfie" incident notwithstanding, Zach Buchanan is impressed with the job Steve Berthiaume and Bob Brenly are doing in the Diamondbacks booth.
• The Giants signed Cuban outfielder Eddy Julio Martinez for $2.5 million.
• Jeremy Affeldt is retiring. If you wonder how well-regarded Affeldt was among his teammates and community, you just needed to watch the big on-field ceremony the Giants had for a setup man/middle reliever. Affeldt lists five things he won't miss about the game. One of them is Wrigley Field.
• And finally, is Taylor Swift going around the country jinxing baseball teams? Keep her away from Wrigley Field! I guess the Astros made the postseason after all, but we'll see how long they last.
• By the way, do any of you remember the reaction to this Tweet last December?

Note: the date of the Taylor Swift 1989 tour show at #MMP is subject to change if it conflicts with an #Astros postseason home game.

— Houston Astros (@astros) December 11, 2014

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.