MLB Bullets can’t tame a wild horse

I’m sure everyone is in a good mood today.

• Michael McKnight believes that the Cubs and Dodgers roles are reversed this year, compared to last year’s National League Championship Series.
• Joe Posnanski writes how the Dodgers had no fun last year being “a prop in someone else’s feel-good story” and that they want to write their own feel-good story this year.
• Ramona Shelburne writes about Magic Johnson’s vision for the Dodgers and how the team has gone about achieving it. There’s also stuff about Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers as well.
• Cliff Corcoran notes that Dodgers outfielder Yasiel Puig is star “Wild Horse” once again, and that’s a good thing. Unless you’re a Cubs fan. Which almost all of us are.
• Zach Kram also notes Puig’s renaissance and says that he shouldn’t listen to those who criticize his exuberant style.
• One of those critics, Keith Olbermann, made peace with Puig on Twitter.
• One last note on the NL Division Series. Claire McNear says that Game Five of the NLDS proves that the Nationals are cursed.
• Craig Edwards looks at that play where Javier Baez hit Matt Wieters with his backswing and says that umpire Jerry Layne applied the rule correctly. It was a judgment call on the part of the umpires and while you can question Layne’s judgement, those who said the Nationals should have protested based on the umpire’s alleged incorrect reading of the rules were mistaken.
• Over in the American League, Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez took all the blame for not catching the ball on the final play of game two of the ALCS. Bob Klapisch broke down the three things Sanchez did wrong on the play.
• Buster Olney looks at Aaron Judge’s strike zone issues in the playoffs.
• MIke Axisa lists five things the Yankees need to do to win the ALCS after being down 0-2.
• The Astros are two wins away from the World Series thanks in part to the acquisition of ace pitcher Justin Verlander. Michael Baumann marvels at Verlander’s complete game victory in game 2.
• Tom Verducci reports that Verlander has incorporated the Astros’ analytics into his game preparation and that has made a big difference.
• Ben Lindbergh says the ALCS is another chance to test out the maxim that “good pitching beats good hitting.” The answer is complicated, but there is an answer: yes, sort of.
• Scott Boeck ranks the four possible World Series matchups.
• Jon Heyman gives an update on the state of the managerial vacancies.
• Astros bench coach Alex Cora will interview for the Red Sox job. Many are saying he’s the favorite.
• Scott Lauber writes that with former manager John Farrell gone, the responsibility for the fate of the Red Sox is all on team president Dave Dombrowski now.
• Former Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez is reportedly the favorite for the TIgers’ managerial job.
• Sad news. Daniel Webb, who last pitched for the White Sox in 2016, has died in an ATV accident. He was only 28.
• Add the Brewers to the number of teams who are extending the netting behind home plate to the end of the dugout.
• The Rays search for a new ballpark in downtown Tampa has hit a snag as they have not been able to find suitable land for sale in downtown Tampa. They are now looking at other areas of Tampa.
• Scott Lauber has the story of the man behind the train at the Astros’ Minute Maid Park.
• James Dator wants to remind us that the groundbreaking for the Houston Astrodome included shooting guns into the ground.
• Astros pitcher Charlie Morton would like to remind you that despite what Wikipedia says, his family does not own Morton’s Steakhouse.
• And finally, cheers to this Indians fan who has set up a GoFundMe page to pay to have his “racist and obscene” Chief Wahoo tattoo removed from his leg. He said he was young and stupid when he got it in the 90’s and that he now sees the logo for what it truly is.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. The Cubs are going to win game 3.