/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/67617965/1229017488.jpg.0.jpg)
Happy Monday, BCB readers!
It is a fine, brilliant fall day here, and also happens to be Canadian Thanksgiving, so I’m going to keep my intro short and sweet. We saw some nail-biting baseball played on Friday evening as the Rays became the final team to win their way into the Championship series, securing a slot opposite the Houston Astros for this week’s series.
That series kicked off yesterday with the Rays taking the first win in the best-of-seven series. Meanwhile the Braves and Dodgers will face off in Houston (how weird is that, with the Astros playing in San Diego?) as the NLCS gets under way.
In a season that has been bizarre to say the least, it’s actually nice to be experiencing a postseason that has now, finally, settled into someone recognizable and incredibly exciting.
Let’s look at what the great minds of baseball wrote for us this weekend.
- Joe Posnanski remembers the late, great Whitey Ford, who passed away late last week. (The Athletic subscription required.)
- Want to know what those involved at the inner levels of MLB have predicted for the postseason? Rob Biertempfel has some anonymous insights. (The Athletic subscription required.)
- Buster Olney shines a spotlight on the incredible postseason pitching that has helped get the Braves as far as they have this year.
- Ben Clemens isn’t sure if the Braves work matters, because the Dodgers are such a fearsome foe.
- Nick Selbe, likewise, admits it’s hard to believe any team could beat the Dodgers this season.
- Yoan Moncado admits he hasn’t felt like himself since getting COVID earlier this year, reports Dayn Perry.
- Tony Wolfe takes a look at the incredible home run Mike Brosseau hit off of Aroldis Chapman to help the Rays win the ALDS (and maybe get some revenge).
- Zach Kram also has a piece about the unlikeliest Rays hero.
- And while we’re on the topic of that incredible Rays win, Eno Sarris is covering their postseason beat, and has a great piece on all the brilliant ways the Rays got to where they are now. (The Athletic subscription required.)
- Sean Doolittle has figured out the perfect description for Tyler Glasnow.
Disney prince with a 100mph fastball
— Obi-Sean Kenobi Doolittle (@whatwouldDOOdo) October 10, 2020
- Dusty Baker breaks down the fine art of MLB managing for Rustin Dodd and Brittany Ghiroli. (The Athletic subscription required.)
- ESPN looks at what comes next for all the eliminated postseason clubs.
- Clair McNear bids a very fond farewell to the incredibly fun 2020 Padres.
- Emma Baccellieri has three key questions that will help decide the NLCS champions.
- And if you though SI would forget about the AL, Matt Martell has three key questions that will help decide the ALCS champions.
- What if the Phillies had won game five of the 2011 NLDS, wonders Meghan Montemurro. (The Athletic subscription required.)
- What have we learned so far from the 2020 postseason? ESPN has answers.
- Freddie Freeman’s son is ready for the NLCS.
MVFreeman pic.twitter.com/7Gk7Maqh6O
— Cut4 (@Cut4) October 10, 2020
And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.