Outside The Confines: The postseason is starting out Wild

Well Cub fans, I know we wanted this week to look different, and we were so close to it being different, but nevertheless even with the Cubs headed home to relax and train for the winter, the show must go on. And in this case, the show is the postseason.

It doesn’t matter if you picked another team to bandwagon (it’s okay, I promise you), or if you’re just picking any random AL team, or if you followed Sara’s advice and used it to pick one of her suggestions there’s still plenty of ongoing news making the rounds.

So while the postseason postseasons, let’s get into today’s links!

• This is one of the biggest stories of the early postseason, it certainly won’t be the last.

• Nevin isn’t the only one looking for a new job, as Gabe Kapler and Buck Showalter are both out from their respective clubs. Story by Jay Jaffe.
• Perry Minasian isn’t letting Nevin take all the blame, though, as he points a finger firmly at himself for the team’s shortcomings. (AP)
• According to Rhett Bolinger, here’s what the Angels are probably looking for in their next manager.
• Stephanie Apstein looks at the Rays’ unique ability to turn pitchers into superstars.
• It took a kid almost the same age as the Twins’ drought to help them break it. Emma Baccellieri looks at the postseason magic involved in the Twins’ win.
• Here’s how Meg Rowley and the crew at FanGraphs think the World Series will shake out.
• This feels a bit telling and doesn’t look great for the A’s.

• Davy Andrews breaks down how the Rangers were able to take Game 1 of the Wild Card.
• Meanwhile the staff at MLB dot com are making their picks for who will reign supreme in the wild card. Story by Dylan Svoboda.
• The Athletic staff are likewise making bold (and doomed) predictions. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Hurray for the Twins, who have snapped their long-running miserable streak of losing postseason games. Story by Do-Hyoung Park.
• Chris Young defended his team after a “classless” reporter took aim at the team’s postseason-clinching celebration. (ESPN)
• Grant Brisbee explains the tiers of competition in the postseason. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Not sure what rules are different and which are the same for the posteason? Matt Gelb and Eno Sarris explain what’s different and what’s the same. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Day games on a Tuesday are BRUTAL.

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