Outside The Confines: Let the Fall Classic begin!

Well, friends, today is the day. The 2022 World Series is getting underway, and in a little over a week we’ll know who will be the champions. Will it be Best in the West Houston Astros trying to make a redemptive win to escape the shadow over their 2017 victory? Or will the true Wild Card of the Philadelphia Phillies sneak in and claim the title? It’s shaping up to be a very interesting matchup.

Now let’s get into the last links post before the Series.

• Jake Mailhot wonders how the Astros should approach Bryce Harper.
• Speaking of Harper, Henry Palatella highlights a 2018 deadline deal that never came to be, but would make this World Series look very different.
• Emma Baccellieri reviews how PitchCom has changed the way pitch signals are shared.
• Mark Simon brings us the Fielding Bible award winners.
• Ben Clemens gives an overall preview of the World Series.
• Will Leitch gives us 5 World Series storylines to keep an eye on.
• Sports Illustrated staff make their World Series predictions.
• This fun little game lets you try your luck as an umpire.
• One thing we won’t see are day games. And Frederic J. Frommer looks at how the World Series day game has steadily gone extinct.
• Jesse Rogers looks at how Kyle Schwarber became the unexpected leader the Phillies needed.
• Former roommates Alex Bregman and Aaron Nola will reunite in the World Series. Story by Sam Blum. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• A fun Joe Davis story.

• Jay Jaffe highlights the important role relief pitching has played in the postseason.
• Brian McTaggart gives us a different perspective on pitching as he looks at Justin Verlander’s mission to get his first World Series win.
• Meanwhile, Verlander isn’t quite ready to think about his looming free agency, says Alden Gonzalez.
• Unlike Verlander, it’s never too soon for us to speculate on free agency, so Jim Bowden tries to predict new homes for four free-agent shortstops. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• The Brewers’ President of Baseball Operations has stepped down, shares Joseph Salvador.
• Mariano Rivera thinks it’s time for Aaron Boone to get the boot, writes Nick Selbe.
• Rivera then backtracked, saying his comments were generic and not meant to be about Boone at all. (AP)
• Evan Drellich offers up a deep dive into how the minor league union evolved over six years. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• If you’re like me and like charts...

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