The purpose of MLB Bullets is to provide links to the top stories in baseball over the past few days that do not involve the Chicago Cubs. Cubs news is what Cub Tracks is for. But today, the top story in baseball is, by far, the Chicago Cubs. So I’ve got some Cubs stories in here just so everyone doesn’t think I took the weekend off. I’m sure Duane will have a full plate tomorrow anyway. But Duane? Feel free to link to any of these stories if you want. Or don’t if you don’t.
- Jay Jaffe looks at the respective cases for both the Cubs and the Indians winning the World Series.
- Tim Kurkjian has five questions heading into the Fall Classic.
- Will Leitch has a World Series preview. For a Cardinals fan, Leitch has always been fair to the Cubs. And he’s predicting more misery this year—for himself.
- Anthony Castrovince writes that the title drought is going to end for one team.
- This is a great piece on how Tom Ricketts and Theo Epstein turned the entire culture of the Cubs around. What’s most interesting is that it’s written by Alex Rodriguez. I know that ARod was a divisive player, but he’s justifiably been getting rave reviews as an analyst. He’s done well as a baseball writer here.
- Theo Epstein said he didn’t want to be a sportswriter because it’s a lonely life.
- Bill Reiter looks at the generations of fans whom the Cubs won this pennant for.
- Kevin Kaduk looks at the emotions released at Wrigley Field when the Cubs clinched the pennant.
- Jeff Sullivan writes that the best team in baseball is still playing baseball in October.
- Michael Baumann says that we shouldn’t be surprised when the best team in baseball is in the World Series.
- Grant Brisbee agrees that we should stop thinking about “curses” and expect that the best team in the National League will go to the World Series.
- Brisbee explains how the Cubs blew game 6 of the National League Championship series in horrific fashion.
- The Cubs/Dodgers game 6 was the most-watched LCS game in six years.
- Doug Padilla asks if the Dodgers can rebound from another disappointing end to the season.
- Jeremy Dorn tries to predict what the future holds for the Dodgers. You know, we’re all interested in the future because that’s where we will spend the rest of our lives.
- Chris Bahr has three things the Dodgers must do to return to the playoffs in 2017.
- Turning to the Native Americans of the Connecticut Western Reserve, Ashley Varela thinks the Indians could benefit from the extra rest they got heading into the World Series.
- Just as the Cubs are hoping to get Kyle Schwarber back for the World Series, the Indians hope that Danny Salazar will be able to pitch.
- Manager Terry Francona has announced Cleveland’s starting rotation for the first three games.
- Bob Klapisch wonders if Andrew Miller will be able to shut down the formidable Cubs offense.
- Jerry Crasnick writes about how the breakout season of Jose Ramirez is a big reason why the Indians are in the World Series.
- Indians all-star second baseman Jason Kipnis hurt his ankle celebrating the pennant. He does say that he should be fine for game one though.
- Eddie Robinson, the last living member of the 1948 World Champion Cleveland Indians, is upset that the team has not reached out to him.
- Back in 1948, you didn’t get a trophy for winning the pennant. You got, ironically enough, a pennant. However, as Anthony Castrovince writes, the Indians 1948 pennant has been missing for 67 years.
- While it seems that all the star power is lined up behind the Cubs this October, there are some celebrities cheering for Cleveland. And not just Drew Carey.
- At least one White Sox fan is cheering for the Cubs.
- With the Cubs going to the World Series, the Nationals/Expos now have the longest pennant drought. Here’s how long it has been for each team.
- Doug Kern has some odd statistics from the postseason.
- Braves pitcher Matt Marksberry is recovering from a seizure and a collapsed lung. He was in a medically-induced coma as well.
- Hall of Fame pitcher (and former US Senator) Jim Bunning is recovering from a stroke.
- And finally, not to get too political, but Bill Murray declared himself president, took over the White House briefing room and declared that the Cubs would beat the Dodgers. I can vote for that!
And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Because the Cubs will be playing in their first World Series game since 1945.