MLB

Yankees’ Anthony Rizzo makes bold claim about baseballs from 2021

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anthony rizzo, yankees

The New York Yankees and the other MLB teams were surprised when MLB changed the baseball that was in play mid-season. Understandably the baseball is the most important piece of equipment in the game. It affects the pitcher, as does the hitter.

Over the last several seasons, the ball has changed from year to year. Players were both surprised and disturbed that it was changed mid-season during 2021. It appears that keeping the ball the same is not a priority for MLB. It should be something to be discussed during the present CBA talks for a new contract. In just the last few years, we have gone from an ordinary ball to a juiced ball and then to a dead ball in 2021.

Take a look at these numbers:

  • 2014: 0.86 home runs and 4.07 runs per team per game (lowest-scoring season since 1981)
  • 2019: 1.39 home runs and 4.83 runs per team per game (most prolific home run season ever)
  • 2020: A juiced ball that saw more home runs than in the past decade.
  • 2021: MLB introduced the dead ball, the results were noticeable. There were 873 home runs in 2021 compared to the last 162 game season with 1,144 in 2019.

Changes in the ball shift the game beyond what most fans realize. Launch angle changes, defense, and offense also both change. In 2014, the league slugged .386, but that has increased to 4.35, a 58 point increase over the past five years. Another problem for pitchers and hitters alike is the MLB is not always transparent with these ball changes. They did announce before the 2021 season that there would be very minor changes to the ball, it deadened it for 2021. The result was fewer home runs, but then they changed the ball again mid-season leading to more home runs in the second half.

The deadened ball was a boon to pitchers but didn’t please hitters as fewer balls traveled over the fences. Just a minor change in the ball can keep it from going just a few extra feet, resulting in fewer home runs in all parks. One player that commented on the change was the Yankees’ first baseman, Anthony Rizzo.

Free-agent first baseman Anthony Rizzo claimed during a podcast appearance this week that he noticed the change in the baseball last season that MLB used. 

“I would take the balls this year and feel on them and be like, ‘Man, this seems harder,'” Rizzo said on Compound Podcast, hosted by his former Chicago Cubs teammate Ian Happ, per NJ.com’s Brendan Kuty. “And then you take some of them, and you’re like, ‘Feel how soft this is compared to what they were.’ It’s crazy.” Happ, agreed with Rizzo. He added: “They started flying in the middle of the year and you’re like, what’s going on?”

Commissioner Rob Manfred has been criticized for many things during his tenure, and this was just another one. Manfred and MLB have experienced some controversy over how the baseballs are made or weighted for years now. The league even investigated in 2019 when they commissioned their look into the subject. They found that the ball was not intentionally changed, and instead, it credited the change to hitter behavior, causing more home runs. Since then, we learned the ball was fiddled with, making it travel further.

Fans, pitchers, and hitters all believe the ball should not be tinkered with from year to year and that in no case should it be changed during the season. MLB and the players union should decide on a ball and stick with it. After originally saying there wasn’t a change in the ball, this season finally admitted that the ball changed but not on purpose. Due to the pandemic, there was a shortage of balls, and MLB had to change suppliers.

Rizzo, who played for the Cubs and Yankees this past season, is now a free agent. He has let it be known that he would like to stay in New York, but the Yankees have made no decision on who will be the starting first baseman this coming season. They did retain Luke Voit, leaving him as an option.

New York Yankees: What’s in store for a new CBA and the game of baseball?

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The New York Yankees and the other 29 teams are at a post-season standstill, as there is a lockout in place because the owners and players couldn’t come to a new CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) at the expiration of the old agreement on December 1st. Meanwhile, the wheels have fallen off the wagon with no transactions or trades being made.

Through all of this, the fans are the losers with nothing happening. Many fans aren’t aware of what is at stake with a new agreement. That is not surprising because neither side is talking for the most part, and although negotiations are going on, they are moving at a snail’s pace. So, what exactly is at stake for the game, and what are the primary issues to be resolved?

  • The Players want more money sooner in their careers.
  • They want changes to arbitration or an earlier path to free agency.
  • Will there be a universal designated hitter?
  • Robot strike zone in some form.
  • Limiting pitcher throws to first base.
  • Reducing the distance between home plate and the pitching rubber.
  • Will the 10th inning rule continue?
  • Will doubleheaders be 7 or 9 innings?
  • Slightly larger bases with a less-slippery surface
  • A requirement that all four infielders have their cleats within the outer boundary of the infield dirt when the pitch is delivered.
  • A requirement that pitchers must step off the rubber to attempt a pickoff.
  • Ending the shift.
  • Players want to secure a more significant portion of the pie this off-season.

All of these items would be up to discussion in a perfect world. The fact is that they probably won’t be put into the negotiations by the owners. If they do, the players could look for a quid pro quo situation, where they accept a rule change in exchange for a financial concession. Many rule changes could lead to a better, faster-played game to benefit the fans that most think is too long. But it is not likely these rules will be discussed. The owners realize that Commissioner Manfred can make any of these changes on his own, giving the union a one-year notice.

Many fans have long complained that the 9 inning game lasts too long and that some extra-inning games are downright excruciating. In 1975 the average length of a 9 inning game was 2 hours and 25 minutes. In 2021 that climbed to 3 hours and 8 minutes and has increased in each of the last three years. Many AL East games last up to 4 hours or more  The longest game in 2021 was 5 and a half hours, between the Dodgers and the Padres, and that is with the man on second rule. Something must be done as the game of baseball is losing fans.

The main problem in these negotiations is that both sides are looking to improve their financial best interest, while what is good for the game and the fans takes a backseat. If they worked with each other in good faith and did what was best for the game, neither side would likely be hurt unequally.

The owners have always wanted a salary cap, which likely would be good for the game but would hurt superstar players. Knowing that the players will have nothing to do with that proposal, although the owners are not making that an issue in this new agreement. It should be noted that the NFL, NBA, and NHL all have salary caps. There are two concessions that could be made that would likely appease both parties and could lead to further agreements. One is for the owners to raise starting pay for young players. The union could offer to create an international draft.

What comes out of these negotiations, nobody knows. We also don’t know how long the lockout will last or if the lockout will prevent the start of spring training or even the beginning of the 2020 season. For the benefit of the game and the fans, both sides will have to make concessions to end this lockout sooner than later.

There are a couple of reasons that we give the owners the edge in the negotiations, and that is they can play the long game. Their stakes in the sport are almost guaranteed to stretch decades longer than any athlete’s playing career. Right now, the owners are relatively happy with the economic status quo. The players aren’t and are tired of the owners coming out on top in these CBA negotiations. They have said that they are not going to allow that this year. So this synopsis does not spell for an early end in the labor negotiations.

Yankees: Are players doing enough to state their case as lockout drags on?

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The New York Yankees and the other 29 MLB teams are in lockdown. The present CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) expired on December 1. Commissioner Rob Manfred wasted no time putting the clubs in lockdown. A lockdown forbids any transactions. Historically the owners have mostly had their way in CBA negotiations, except for getting their long-sought-after salary cap. The players association (MLBPA) knows that they are determined not to let it happen again.

With Manfred frequently speaking out, most fans know the owner’s complaints, but that is not true of the players. Few speak out on social media with their complaints; even the union head Tony Clark is seldom open about the negotiations. There are 30 owners and over 1,200 players, so the players should have the upper hand, but they don’t, they have little bargaining power. They can get more power if they state their case to fans that now see it as a fight between millionaires and billionaires. 

Having the most exposure, MLB can put pressure on the players, in many ways, including scrubbing articles and even their photos from the official MLB site. The players union has not placed a gag order on the players. The only way for the players to get the fans on their side is to talk, which almost all are not doing. If they can get the fans on their side, that is the best chance they have of putting pressure on the owners and possibly elevating their wants.

The union should schedule daily Zooms in which players explain to fans, through reporters, why they believe the game’s economy is broken. Get their case out there to the fans. Also, use your social media account. One of the significant issues they should explain is that over 90% of players earn the league minimum salary, very few players have mega-contracts, only the ones you see in the news. Players want more money sooner rather than later. The NFL, NBA, and NHL all have higher starting salaries than the MLB players. When you consider the average baseball life is only about four years, the minimum salary is significant.

Many minor league and even major-league players have second and third jobs in the off-season. They are laborers, janitors, or any position they can get to get by and feed and provide for their families. Again, I have to point out we’re are not talking about the Mike Trouts or Max Scherzer’s of the baseball world; they have plenty, and most have no worries for the rest of their lives. Most of those players are grossly overpaid.

In my opinion, compared to other sports, the players should have a higher starting salary. They should at the same time accept a reasonable salary cap, something they will never agree to. But for the time being, get out there and state your case. Get the fans on your side.

 

New York Yankees: Radical differences suggest a long lockout

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The New York Yankees failed to improve the team before the lockout, and they can expect to wait a long time to make those improvements. Most analysts believe the lock will last until the start of spring training, assuming the players are not locked out of the training facilities, endangering the beginning of the 2022 season.

By now, most of you know that Major League Baseball is in its first work stoppage since the 1994-95, that’s 26 years since the players went on strike in the middle of the 94 season. Last Wednesday night at 11:59 p.m. ET, the 2017-21 collective bargaining agreement expired, meaning MLB and the MLB Players’ Association do not have a contract in place to conduct business. This time, it’s not a strike but an owner-imposed lockout instituted just minutes after the present expiration.

What all of this means to the 2022 season is unknown right now, but we do know, is that all MLB business came to an immediate halt. Players and owners can’t even talk to each other until a new deal is signed. But it goes beyond that; the no talk and no contact goes includes managers, coaches, and even rehab trainers. Here are a few other events that could be impacted.

Along with the transaction freeze, the MLB Winter Meetings scheduled for December 6-9, typically the busiest week of the offseason, have been canceled. The Rule 5 draft that is scheduled for December 10 is likely to happen still. There is precedent for this, as the draft went on during the last work stoppage. But the final decision is unclear. The draft is when teams can select unprotected minor leaguers from other teams. Those selected must be included on the procuring team’s 40 man rosters, automatically making them a member of the Players Union.

January 14, 2022, is the arbitration salary filing deadline. You can look for this to occur as arbitration is between the players and the arbitrator and the owners and the arbitrator. The players and owners don’t actually talk to each other. However, pushing the deadline back is not out of the question.

January 15, 2022, is the first day that teams can sign international free agents. It could go on as scheduled during the lockout as the owners are not dealing with major league players. However, that does not mean that date couldn’t be pushed back too. MLB has been wanting an International Draft for years, and the upcoming CBA could change those rules. If a CBA can not be accomplished before spring training, it could push back the signing date indefinitely. The Yankees were expected to sign number one international prospect Rodrick Arias.

On January 20, 2022, the Baseball Hall of Fame will announce their class of 2022 as voted upon by the Baseball Writer’s Association. This will go on as expected.
That brings us to the start of Spring training in February, when pitchers and catchers are to report. If this is no CBA in place, they won’t be allowed on the training facilities, and the start of spring training and the regular 2022 season could be impacted. As it looks right now, most baseball analysts do not expect an agreement until the heat really turns up at the beginning of February. Why? Because the two sides are far apart on the issues, and neither seems to be willing to negotiate in good faith.

Rather than get into all the issues causing the lockout, let’s just say it’s about money, the players want more, particularly at the beginning of their careers, and the owners want to keep that money. That’s not to say there aren’t other issues causing disagreement, but money is the big one. The players feel the owners have pretty much had their way in the last few agreements and are determined not to let that happen again. With heals dug in, there is no telling how long the stoppage will last, or even if there will be a 2022 season.

If these issues are to be resolved, Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred and Player’s Union leader Tony Clark and going to have to put their heads together and hammer out what is best for both sides. What the fans want will not be in the equation. For the Yankees, with much work yet to do, they would like to see an agreement made sooner than later.

New York Yankees: MLB owners impose lockout, everything comes to a halt

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Last night, New York Yankee owner Hal Steinbrenner and the other 29 club owners unanimously voted to impose a lockout. It was not a surprise as the two sides in the negotiations for a new five-year agreement were reportedly still far apart on pending issues. The lockout means an immediate stop to any trades or new free-agent contracts. The lockout will last until the two sides can come to an agreement.

The move last night signals the first time there has been an MLB work stoppage since August of 1994. That stoppage ended the season with no World Series and lasted into the 1995 season that was delayed. The stoppage lasted over seven and a half months. That stoppage likely cost the Yankees a championship, as the team was 70 and 43 before the stoppage. This present stoppage is due to a lockout by the owners, the 1994 halt was caused by a player walkout. It’s unclear if it will affect Opening Day for the start of the 2022 spring training.

Super agent Scott Boras had this to say about the lockout:

“We have something in our rules that creates non-competitiveness. It creates something that drives down fan interest. All those things need to be addressed and addressed immediately, because the whole integrity and wholesomeness of the game needs to be back to where it was, so there’s an incentive to get back to the ballpark and win every day,”

His client, Mets newly acquired pitcher Max Scherzer and player negotiator, had this to say:

“There are so many different ways as players as whole that we believe we can make the game better. We’re absolutely committed to doing that,” Sherzer told reporters. “I hear every other player, whether young or old, they’re all saying the same thing clubhouse to clubhouse. It’s not just me who thinks this, it’s everybody. It’s obvious to all the players.”

In the wee hours of Thursday, after the lockout was affirmed, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred explained why the lockout was necessary.

“This defensive lockout was necessary, because the players association’s vision for Major League Baseball would threaten the ability of most teams to be competitive… It’s simply not a viable option. From the beginning, the MLBPA has been unwilling to move from their starting position, compromise or collaborate on solutions.”

How long this lockout will last is anyone’s guess, but a short outcome does look like it is in the offing. At stake is money, the players want more earlier, and the owners want to keep that money. In the last several agreements, the owners have pretty much had their way. This time the players have made it clear that they are sick of it and are not going to take it anymore. They have their heels dug in, which does not spell for any early agreement.

As of this writing, baseball player’s union leader Tony Clark, who is an ex-Yankee first baseman, has not made a statement on the lockout.

At 12:03 am today Manfred issued this letter to baseball fans:

To our Fans:

I first want to thank you for your continued support of the great game of baseball. This past season, we were reminded of how the national pastime can bring us together and restore our hope despite the difficult challenges of a global pandemic. As we began to emerge from one of the darkest periods in our history, our ballparks were filled with fans; the games were filled with excitement; and millions of families felt the joy of watching baseball together.

That is why I am so disappointed about the situation in which our game finds itself today. Despite the league’s best efforts to make a deal with the Players Association, we were unable to extend our 26 year-long history of labor peace and come to an agreement with the MLBPA before the current CBA expired. Therefore, we have been forced to commence a lockout of Major League players, effective at 12:01am ET on December 2.

I want to explain to you how we got here and why we have to take this action today. Simply put, we believe that an offseason lockout is the best mechanism to protect the 2022 season. We hope that the lockout will jumpstart the negotiations and get us to an agreement that will allow the season to start on time. This defensive lockout was necessary because the Players Association’s vision for Major League Baseball would threaten the ability of most teams to be competitive. It’s simply not a viable option. From the beginning, the MLBPA has been unwilling to move from their starting position, compromise, or collaborate on solutions.

When we began negotiations over a new agreement, the Players Association already had a contract that they wouldn’t trade for any other in sports. Baseball’s players have no salary cap and are not subjected to a maximum length or dollar amount on contracts. In fact, only MLB has guaranteed contracts that run 10 or more years, and in excess of $300 million. We have not proposed anything that would change these fundamentals. While we have heard repeatedly that free agency is “broken” – in the month of November $1.7 billion was committed to free agents, smashing the prior record by nearly 4x. By the end of the offseason, Clubs will have committed more money to players than in any offseason in MLB history.

We worked hard to find compromise while making the system even better for players, by addressing concerns raised by the Players Association. We offered to establish a minimum payroll for all clubs to meet for the first time in baseball history; to allow the majority of players to reach free agency earlier through an age-based system that would eliminate any claims of service time manipulation; and to increase compensation for all young players, including increases in the minimum salary. When negotiations lacked momentum, we tried to create some by offering to accept the universal Designated Hitter, to create a new draft system using a lottery similar to other leagues, and to increase the Competitive Balance Tax threshold that affects only a small number of teams.

We have had challenges before with respect to making labor agreements and have overcome those challenges every single time during my tenure. Regrettably, it appears the Players Association came to the bargaining table with a strategy of confrontation over compromise. They never wavered from collectively the most extreme set of proposals in their history, including significant cuts to the revenue-sharing system, a weakening of the competitive balance tax, and shortening the period of time that players play for their teams. All of these changes would make our game less competitive, not more.

To be clear: this hard but important step does not necessarily mean games will be cancelled. In fact, we are taking this step now because it accelerates the urgency for an agreement with as much runway as possible to avoid doing damage to the 2022 season. Delaying this process further would only put Spring Training, Opening Day, and the rest of the season further at risk – and we cannot allow an expired agreement to again cause an in-season strike and a missed World Series, like we experienced in 1994. We all owe you, our fans, better than that.

Today is a difficult day for baseball, but as I have said all year, there is a path to a fair agreement, and we will find it. I do not doubt the League and the Players share a fundamental appreciation for this game and a commitment to its fans. I remain optimistic that both sides will seize the opportunity to work together to grow, protect, and strengthen the game we love. MLB is ready to work around the clock to meet that goal. I urge the Players Association to join us at the table.

New York Yankees: Is the hot stove about to go stone cold? All about the CBA

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For the New York Yankees and the other 29 franchise owners and all the players that play the game for MLB, there is just one week to settle employer employee disagreements. On December 1 at 11:59 pm the present CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement) will expire. All issues must be resolved or a lock out or a player strike could take place.

What’s at stake?

If you don’t like reading about stuff like this, I will make it simple for you. It’s all about the money. The players want as much as they can get, and the owners want to keep as much as they can. It’s really that simple. Insiders to the talks don’t hold much promise that there will not be a work stoppage. The last time there was a stoppage was during August of 1994 when the players went on strike. The season was not completed, there was no World Series and baseball didn’t start again until long after the 1995 should have started. Fans were irate, with many leaving the sport not to return for a decade. Another stoppage for the sport could be devastating.

Some times it’s hard to wrap your head around all of this because it’s a sport, but make no mistake about it, it is as much a business as owners make huge investments in players and property to draw fans to their parks, and increase their TV and other revenues. For the Players, its their livelihood. There is much at stake, one side will eventually win, but the loser will be the fans themselves.

Let’s set the stage. The chief negotiator for the owners is Commissioner Rob Manfred, in the other corner is Tony Clark President of the MLB Players Association. If this sounds like a fight it is. By its very nature it is confrontational.

Here is a brief explanation of what’s at stake for the players. The last few Collective Bargaining Agreements have heavily favored the owners, and the players are sick of getting the short end of the stick. To borrow a phase, they are mad as hell and aren’t going to take it anymore. The only one without a seat at the table is what is good for the game of baseball, and you the loyal fan.

Players want more money earlier in their careers

Young players in particular want to be able to make more money earlier in their career than they presently can. The salaries of MLB players have dropped, in 2017 the average annual salary for an MLB player was $4.1 million, for 2021 it’s expected to average between $3.6-$3.7 million. It’s been reported that MLB has proposed free agency will no longer be based upon players accruing six years of big league service, but available to every player who turns 29.5 years of age. This would mean that a player 21-23 could wait more than six years to achieve free agency.

There are a host of other less interesting items to be sorted out, but Commissioner Rob Manfred has stated that we  could be headed for a lockout, as labor negotiations between the league and its players association are progressing slowly.

Lock outs and strikes don’t always end well, back in 1981 the Schlitz Brewing company in Wisconsin went on strike. The company was coming off a poor season of reduced revenues. Baseball is coming off a $3 Billion loss in 2020. The workers wanted more money but the company said no. Eventually Schlitz closed the plant down and 700 lost their jobs permanently. It is possible that a work stoppage that lasts into the 2022 season could put some poorer teams under.

  • A lockout would put a hold on all MLB transactions.
  • The league is not required to initiate a lockout after the CBA expires but may choose to do so.
  • Should the two sides fail to reach an agreement before the season is set to start on March 31, MLB could face a shortened or even canceled season.
  • A lockout during the postseason if it moves the process forward is not a bad thing, but if it continues beyond opening day it could be devastating.
  • The players and the owners have just one week to get all the issues sorted out for the good of the game.

 

 

 

 

MLB: Detroit Tigers make first splash in free agency

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The Detroit Tigers made the first major splash in the 2021-22 MLB offseason, agreeing to terms with left-handed pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez on a five-year contract worth $77 million, with another $3 million to be earned via incentives.

The former member of the Boston Red Sox’s rotation is the Tigers’ first major signing in what is shaping up to be a busy offseason for them. They are expected to be heavy players in the Carlos Correa sweepstakes, competing with the New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, and others.

Boston reportedly wanted to retain Rodriguez, but were unwilling to go five years while Detroit decided to take that risk. E-Rod, still 28, should remain a good, effective pitcher for most, if not all, of his contract, provided he stays healthy.

Over his MLB career, Rodriguez has been hurt some, but has never had to deal with severe arm issues, softening the blow of potential risk. His 2021 ERA wasn’t particularly good, at 4.74, but other run-prevention metrics say he was a much better pitcher.

One of MLB’s most underrated lefties

For example, his FIP was 3.32, and his expected ERA (3.55), expected FIP (3.43) and SIERA (3.64) also told a very different story than his ERA.

In other words, with a good defense behind him, Rodriguez could look much, much better than he did at times with Boston in 2021.

As a pitcher, E-Rod gets a lot of strikeouts (career 24.4 strikeout percentage, 27.4 percent in 2021) and usually gets deep into games. He is arriving to a good, up-and-coming team with other talented hurlers such as Casey Mize, Matt Manning, Tarik Skubal, and Spencer Turnbull (currently rehabbing from Tommy John surgery).

MLB free agency is just starting, and most of the big fish remain in the market: Correa, Trevor Story, Javier Baez, Marcus Semien, Justin Verlander, Freddie Freeman, Kris Bryant, Robbie Ray, Carlos Rodon, Raisel Iglesias, and many more.

The problem is that MLB owners will likely lockout players starting on early December, as some ugly rounds of CBA negotiations loom.

MLB News: Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Giants, forcing a game five

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The New York Yankees postseason ended with the loss in the wild card game against the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have conquered the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS and will face the Houston Astros for the second time in five years in the ALCS after the Astros beat the Chicago White Sox 10-1 earlier today. The Atlanta Braves were up two games to one and reached the NLCS when they beat the Milwaukee Brewers today in Atlanta 5-4. The only Championship yet to be decided is the Dodgers Giants NLDS at Los Angeles. If the Dodgers could win, they would tie the Giants and force a game five.

When the Dodgers won the wild card from the St. Louis Cardinals, they created history by playing in the divisional series against the San Francisco Giants for the first time since they were the New York Giants in 1889. That year the Giants won the World Series by one game over the Boston Beaneaters.

Friday was Game one against these two western rivals. The Giants scored two runs off the Dodger’s starting pitcher Walker Buehler and the game was over; the Dodgers didn’t know it at the time, but they remained scoreless off of the Giants pitching; the Giants shut them out 4-0.

Game two was Saturday at Oracle Park in San Francisco, with an altogether different outcome. The Lost Angeles Dodgers piled on nine runs to the Giants two. Thus, tying up the five-game series at one apiece.

Game three Last night at Dodger’s Stadium, Game three was a pitcher’s duel with only one run scored on the night; it belonged to the Los Angeles Dodgers, giving them the two-game lead in the series.

Tonight was Game four Anthony DeSclafani was on the mound for the Giants and Walter Buehler for the Dodgers. The Dodgers got on board first with a Trey Turner RBI.  In the second, the Giants remained scoreless. At the bottom, the Dodgers put two on. With men on the corners, Chris Taylor doubled, putting the Dodgers up by two runs. That ended the night for DeSclafani. The Giants Alverez replaced him and shut down the Dodgers. Los Angeles 2 San Francisco 0.

In the third, Buehler put down the Giants in order. At the bottom, Kevin Castro took over for the Giants, and with two on and one out. He was replaced by Jarlin Garcia, who allowed the second walk in the inning, loading the bases. Chris Taylor flew out to end the inning, stranding three Dodgers.  At the top of the fourth, Buehler put down the Giants 1-2-3. At the bottom, one on Mookie Betts homered to right field, giving the Dodgers a four-run lead and ending Garcia’s night. Dodgers 4 Giants 0.

In the top of the fifth with two on Buehler’s (on three days rest) night was over replaced by Joe Kelly. Tommy La Stella, with two on and one out, singled, loading the bases with Giants. Darin Ruf ground out, scoring Evan Longoria. But Kelly got out of the jam, only allowing the one run. In the bottom, the Dodgers Gavin Lux walked, Cody Bellinger, singled moving Lux to third, Chris Taylor reached on a fielders choice with Lux getting caught in a run down. New pitcher Tyler Rogers faced Steven Sousa, who walked. Mookie Betts flew out as Bellinger scored. Corey Seager flew out to end a very long fifth inning. Dodgers 5 Giants 1.

At the sixth with 53,000 on hand at Dodgers Stadium, Busdar Graterol on the mound for the Dodgers put down the Giants in the sixth. Zack Littell allowed two runners to get out of the inning with the Dodgers scoreless. In the seventh, the Giants failed to score, as did the Dodgers. Dodgers 5 Giants 1.

Brandon Crawford led off with a double moved to third on a Buster Posey ground out in the eighth inning. Chris Byant gound out with Crawford scoring. That was it, but the Giants tacked on a run. At the bottom, Seager led off with a single. Then, Will Smith hit a two-run homer to the left-field stands to put the Dodgers up 7-2. In the top of the ninth with the last licks on the line for the Giants, they went down in order for the Dodgers win, forcing a game five on Thursday back in San Francisco.

MLB News: Atlanta Braves win their ticket to the NLCS

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The New York Yankees postseason ended with the loss in the wild card game against the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have conquered the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS and will face the Houston Astros for the second time in five years in the ALCS after the Astros beat the Chicago White Sox 10-1 earlier today. The Atlanta Braves were up two games to one and could clinch a berth in the NLCS with a win tonight.

As in previous years, the Atlanta Braves have been one of the most successful baseball teams.  The Braves led the NL East by 6.5 games ahead of Joe Girardi’s Philadelphia Phillies. The New York Yankees’ claim to fame is that they won 3 of 4 against the Braves and both games at the Braves home park. Going into nights game

The Braves are playing the Milwaukee Brewers in the divisional series. Game one was Friday when the Brewers squeaked out a one-run lead in the 2-1 contest. Corbin Burns bested the Braves Charlie Morton. Rowdy Tellez’s two-run homer in the seventh inning sealed the deal for the Brewers.

Game two was Saturday, with the Atlanta Braves shutting out the Brewers 3-0. The game was a pitcher’s duel through the first four-inning, but the Braves scored all three game runs in the bottom of the fifth.

In Game three yesterday, the Braves did it again, shutting them out 3-0. Joc Pederson put his name in the history book in the game, only the third player to hit two pinch-hit homers in the same postseason.

Game four: Tonight’s game was at Truist Park In Atlanta. Eric Lauer was on the mound for the Brewers and Charlie Morton for the Braves. The first three innings of the game were scoreless. At the top of the fourth, the Brewers scored two runs, but in the bottom, the Braves answered with two runs of their own, tying up the game at two runs apiece.

In the fourth, the Braves sent Huascar Ynoa to the mound. With one on and one out, Rowdy Tellez homered into the trees in center to give the Brewers the two-run lead, as 51 years Brewer’s announcer Bob Uecker made the call. At the bottom, Braves came back with a run when Albies scored on a Joc Pederson single with the bases loaded. Travis d’Anaud followed with a single driving in another run and tying the game at four. Braves 4 Brewers 4.

The fifth the Brave’s fourth pitcher A.J. Minter took to the mound, shut down the Brewers. The Braves were also scoreless in the sixth. In the sixth, the Brewers were scoreless. The Braves threatened with men on the corners and two outs in the bottom, but the Brewers changed pitchers, and the Braves stranded two keeping the game tied.

In the seventh inning, with MInter still on the mound, Christain Yelich struck out swinging. The Braves brought in a new pitcher Luke Jackson who shut down the Brewers. At the bottom, the game remained tied at 4. At the eighth, with Tyler Matzke on the mound for the Braves, he put down the Brewers 1-2-3. At the bottom, Josh Hader on the mound for Brewers allowed Freddie Freeman a homer over the left-field wall for the Braves lead in the game. Braves 5 Brewers 4.

In the top of the ninth with Will Smith on the mound, he put down the Brewers for the Brave win and trip to the NLCS. The final score was the Braves 5 and the Brewers 4. The Braves will face either the San Francisco Giants or the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NLCS on Saturday, October 16th.

MLB News: Houston Astros dominate to meet the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS

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The New York Yankees postseason ended with the loss in the wild card game against the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have conquered the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS and will face the winner of today’s Astros White Sox game. Going into the game the Houston Astros are ahead in the series two games to one. A win today would send the Astros to the ALCS. The Astros won the game 10-1, dominating their rivals from the north.

Here is how the Houston Astros won their chance to face the Boston Red Sox in the American League Championship Series.

In Game one, Lance McCullers Jr. bested the White Sox Lance Lynn. The Astros got a few small ball runs, and then Michael Brantly got a two-run dinger helping the cause. Yordan Alverez sealed the deal with a solo shot for the Astro’s sixth run in the 6-1 win.

Friday night’s Game two was more of a contest as the White Sox scored four runs to the Astros 9. The White Sox struck first in the first inning, but the Astros got it back in the second. Tim Anderson of the Sox tied a baseball record getting 12 hits in his first five postseason games. However, the tide turned for the Sox when the Astros Yuli Guirrel got a two-run homer. Two-run homers followed that by both Carlos Correa and Kyle Tucker.

Game three: With their backs against the wall, the White Sox faced elimination, but they rose to the occasion and won 12-6. Dylan Cease allowed the Astros to score three runs before being taken out of the game. Kopech replaced him, giving up another three runs. But the combo of Tepera, Bummer, Kimbrel, and Hendriks kept the Astros hitless from the fourth inning on. Meanwhile, the White got to work and tacked on six additional runs off Astro’s pitching.

In the bottom of the fourth, Leury Garcia hit a three-run homer to left, giving the White Sox the lead in the game. The eighth inning sealed the deal. Andrew Vaughn doubled driving in a run. Garcia, after already hitting a three-run homer, drove in another run in the eighth. With men on the corners, Tim Anderson would double driving in Vaughn as the game’s final run. Sox 12 Astros 6, forcing a game four.

Game four: Today, the pitchers were Lance McCullers Jr. for the Astros and Carlos Rodon for the White Sox. Jake Meyers left the game in the second inning after crashing into the wall robbing the Sox of a homer. But the Chicago White Sox got on the board first when Gavin Sheets homered off McCullers Jr. in the bottom of the second inning. But that lead would not last long as the Astros came roaring back in the third and fourth.

In the third, Carlos Correa got a two-run double to left field at Guarantee Park. In the fourth, Alex Bregman would get his two-run double into the centerfield gap scoring Martin Maldonado and Jose Altuve; Bregman scored, extending the Astro lead to 5-1. With Tepera, the fourth Sox pitcher on the mound, he held down the Astros. The fifth inning was scoreless for both teams.

The Astros, in the sixth inning, put a McCormick on second, ending Tepera’s day. Against new Sox pitcher Aaron Bummer, Brantley doubled, scoring McCormick driving in another Astros run. In the bottom, the White Sox were scoreless. Astros 6 White Sox 1.

The seventh with Bummer still in for the Sox silenced the Astros. The White Sox didn’t do any better. In the eighth, Altuve scared the Sox with a double on a Sox throwing error to first. He then stole third. Brantley singled, scoring Altuve for another Astros run. Brantley stole second. Alverez walked, but Correa ground out, but the Astros tacked on another run. The eight ended the Astros 7 White Sox 1.

In the ninth, the Houston Astros tacked on another three runs including a Jose Altuve homer that the White Sox could not recover from. The final score was the Astros 10 and the White Sox 1. The Astros won their ticket to the ALCS for the fifth time in the last five years.

AL Championship series:

The Boston Red Sox will face the Houston Astros in the AL Championship Series on Friday, October 15th.