MLB Bullets Will Haunt You

I’m gassed. I’ve been battling illness all week and the World Series has just been a rollercoaster. I pray that the Cubs make it to game 7 on Wednesday, but I fear I won’t still be around to write the recap after the game, win or lose.

Lots of Indians Bullets today. Some Cubs. Some other stuff. Oh, and Happy Halloween.

• The sad news that we feared was confirmed this weekend as toxicology reports said that Jose Fernandez had twice the legal limit for alcohol and cocaine in his system when he died.
• However, there is at least one witness who says that Fernandez was not driving the boat at the time of the crash.
• In any case, Bob Nightengale says that the autopsy report shouldn’t change the grief we feel for Fernandez’s passing.
• Jerry Crasnick points out that the Cubs aren’t the only team in the World Series that has suffered a long championship drought.
• Only one win away from adding a World Series title to an NBA title, Michael Rosenbaum notes that Cleveland is creating a culture of winning.
• Or not, Browns fans.
• Mike Axisa thinks the Indians are still in good shape despite the game 5 loss.
• Axisa also thinks that breaking balls have been the key to the Indians pitching staff this series.
• Sam Miller points out that the excellence of Cody Allen is what allows Indians manager Terry Francona to use Andrew Miller so effectively.
• Marly Rivera talks to Javier Baez, Francisco Lindor and Roberto Perez about what their participation in the World Series means for baseball in Puerto Rico. They also all want to play as teammates for Puerto Rico in World Baseball Classic next March.
• Richard Deitsch talks to radio voices Pat Hughes and Tom Hamilton about what it’s like to call their team in the World Series.
• The World Series has been a ratings bonanza for Fox with the highest-rated first four games since 2009. I’m sure game 6 (and hopefully 7) will be blockbusters.
• But Ohio governor John Kasich says baseball is dying. Primarily because his Reds aren’t in the World Series. He can’t even be happy for his state’s other team.
• Terry Francona couldn’t sleep after game 4 so he ordered room service ice cream.
• August Fagerstrom thinks that the Indians have been using their bullpen better than the Cubs.
• Bill Baer asks if Kyle Schwarber should have pinch-hit for Aroldis Chapman in the eighth inning.
• Dave Cameron is fascinated by Jason Heyward’s steal of third base in the eighth inning last night.
• Michael Baumann looks at the past and the future of Kyle Schwarber.
• And Houston Texans player Braxton Miller is trying to cash in on the time he made Schwarber look foolish—at football.
• Dieter Kurtenbach got a free ticket to game 5. But because he’s a White Sox fan and he’s a nice guy, he gave the ticket away to a friend who was a Cubs fan.
• Just to put this to rest, Mike Petrillo says that Jorge Soler had no chance of turning that triple into an inside-the-park home run in game 3.
• Sam Allard writes that protests against Chief Wahoo will never work.
• Dayn Perry kept track of how many Cubs jerseys of each player he saw on people’s backs before game 5.
• Mets outfielder (and Chicagoan) Curtis Granderson won the Roberto Clemente Award.
• Royals bench coach Don Wakamatsu is expected to interview for the Rockies and Diamondbacks managerial positions.
• Free agent catcher Wilson Ramos is looking for a 4- or 5-year contract. That might be tough after blowing out his ACL at the end of this season.
• The Marlins are expected to try to deal Derek Dietrich and Adeiny Hechavarria to get some pitching this winter.
• The Rangers have fired longtime broadcaster Steve Busby. He’s been calling Rangers games in various capacities since 1982.
• All the fashionable major league ballplayers are wearing customized cleats these days.
• And finally, NPR’s Weekend Edition takes a look back at the patron saint of Cubs fans, Steve Goodman, the writer of “A Dying Cubs Fan’s Last Request” and “Go Cubs Go.” Also “City of New Orleans,” but no one is mentioning that here.

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