Outside The Confines: The Final Friday

As of this morning, the MLB playoff picture is becoming much clearer, with the exception — of course — of the NL Central, where a division winner remains uncertain, and might be up until the end of the weekend.

In terms of the other divisions, divisional winners have been found for the AL East (Rays), the AL West (Athletics), the NL East (Braves) and the NL West (Dodgers) The AL Central is still in a super tight race to the end (one game separates each of the top three teams). In the NL Central only the Cubs are a sure thing for October, but as many as three other teams in that division still have a chance.

As we head into the final weekend of regular season ball, the Cubs will hope to maintain their hold on the top spot (which hopefully won’t be too hard) and by Sunday we’ll have a complete picture of how the new postseason will shake out.

Let’s dive into the links for today.

• In an article that’s causing quite a stir on social media, Brittany Ghiroli and C. Trent Rosencrans tackle the difficult topic of the relationship between MLB and the LGBTQ+ community. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• American Association baseball is partnering with MLB, which means the Chicago Dogs are technically at least a little bit affiliated with MLB now.
• SI wonders which team might upset expectations and be a dark horse winner in the postseason.
• MLB Pipeline’s Jonathan Mayo put together an all-Rookie team that highlights how bright the future looks.
• Chelsea Ladd takes a look at the resurgence and rise of Clint Frazier.
• Alex Gordon is set to retire and Max Rieper takes a look at his long career with the Royals.
• Take a trip down memory lane with Pudge Rodriguez in a personal one-on-one in his hometown with Jesse Sanchez.
• The new best exhibit at the Baseball Hall of Fame, you bet.

• Plans for the MLB bubble in Texas are getting a bit firmer, writes Mike Fisher.
• The MLB season made it the whole way through, but Gabe Lacques wonders if it was all worth it.
• Eric Stephen looks at eight key things the Dodgers can learn from their eighth straight NL West title.
• Emma Baccellieri writes about the sheer joy that is Fernando Tatis Jr.
• A unique perspective we rarely get, as Padres Geekster of blog The Kept Faith takes a look at what it’s like being a host family for a baseball player.
• We focus an awful lot on MLB players, but Chelsea Ladd gives us a glimpse of some incredible indie ball players who dazzled in 2020.
• Mark Sheldon makes a strong case for Trevor Bauer to be the NL Cy Young winner after his dominant short-rest outing Wednesday night.
• The SABR podcast did an episode with Anika Orrock who recently released an incredible book about the AAGPBL.
• Team dad Charlie Morton cleaned up after the Rays win of the AL East.

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