National Baseball League

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1919 Standings

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Mike (measured, analytical):
“Well, Doggie, the Orioles — again. Hundred wins, ninth division title. This is a team that knows how to win the regular season. They’re deep, the pitching’s strong, lineup’s balanced. And listen, they’re in position for that fifth World Series title. You look at the AL East, they are — without question — the class of the division.”

Mad Dog (fired up, rapid):
“MIKEY, MIKEY! Baltimore AGAIN! A HUNDRED wins! That’s nine division titles — NINE! They’re not just the class of the division, THEY’RE THE CLASS OF BASEBALL! Stronger than last year, they’re loaded! Don’t tell me about Texas, don’t tell me about the Cardinals — the Orioles are RIGHT there with anybody!!”

Mike:
“Fair enough, but let’s not bury the Yankees here. Ninety-six wins. Back in the playoffs. They’ve put themselves in position, and you never know in October. The Orioles may be the favorite, but the Yankees have the star power, they’ve got the arms, and they’re battle tested.”

Mad Dog:
“YEAH, but Mike, the YANKEES — since 1913 they haven’t been to a League Championship Series! You gonna trust ‘em in the playoffs? I don’t! Baltimore, you trust. The Yankees? They’ll win you games in May, they’ll win you games in June — but when the lights get BRIGHT? They fold!”

Mike (calm rebuttal):
“Look, I hear ya, but the Yankees are not Boston, Toronto, or Tampa Bay. Those teams? They’re done. Way behind. Boston at 77 wins, Toronto 71, Tampa 70. They’re miles away from competing. Baltimore and New York are carrying this division. The rest of ‘em — they’re rebuilding, and it’s gonna be a long process.”

Mad Dog (laughing, jabbing):
“MILES away, MIKEY! You’re gonna need a MAP to find Boston, Toronto, and Tampa! They’re so far behind, you may as well relegate ‘em to Triple-A! It’s the Orioles and the Yankees, baby — everybody else, SEE YA LATER!”

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Mike (measured, steady):
“Well, Dog, what a story in the Central. Kansas City — how about that? First division title, 101 wins. That’s a team that’s done everything right, and they’ve earned the bye. They’re dangerous. They’ve got the arms, the bats, the speed. First title, and they come out of nowhere and take the division by storm.”

Mad Dog (explosive, rapid-fire):
“KANSAS CITY, MIKEY! HOW ABOUT THE ROYALS! One hundred and ONE wins, FIRST division crown EVER! You gotta give ‘em credit — nobody thought they’d be here, but they blew the doors off the Central! The ROYALS, MIKE, the freakin’ ROYALS are sittin’ home in the first round with a BYE!”

Mike:
“And then Cleveland. Fourteen years out of the playoffs, they’re finally back. Ninety-five wins. That’s a good club. They may not be Kansas City, but they’re balanced, and for their fans — that’s huge. Been a long wait, and now they’ve got October baseball again.”

Mad Dog:
“CLEVELAND, YES! Give ‘em credit, Mikey, NINETY-FIVE wins, first time in the postseason in 14 YEARS. Good for them. Long-suffering fan base, they deserve it. BUT… let’s get to the real story here — WHAT HAPPENED TO THE CHICAGO WHITE SOX?! SIXTY-NINE and NINETY-THREE! EMBARRASSING, MIKE!”

Mike (calm, reflective):
“They collapsed. No other way to put it. White Sox were supposed to be in the mix, supposed to contend. Instead, 69 wins. Terrible year. The pitching fell apart, the hitting wasn’t there, and they just never got it going. They’ve got a lot of questions to answer in the offseason.”

Mad Dog (ranting, cutting in):
“FELL APART?! MIKE, THEY DIDN’T JUST FALL APART — THEY VANISHED! They were supposed to be the big bad White Sox, and they’re sittin’ there behind MINNESOTA! The TWINS had 74 wins — TERRIBLE — and they STILL finished ahead of Chicago! That’s a DISGRACE!”

Mike:
“And then you’ve got Detroit. Sixty-four wins. Dog, that’s not even competitive. That’s flat-out bad baseball. No pitching, no hitting, just a mess.”

Mad Dog (laughing, mocking):
“DETROIT, MIKE, TERRIBLE! Sixty-four wins! They weren’t even playing the same sport! The Tigers were out of it in JUNE! They shoulda been selling hot dogs instead of playing baseball! Absolutely PATHETIC!”

Mike (wrapping up, cool):
“So the Central belongs to Kansas City, Cleveland’s back in the mix, and the White Sox and Tigers — they’ve got a lot of work to do. Minnesota? Just kind of there, stuck in the middle. But the story is Kansas City. First title, 101 wins, and a chance to make some noise in October.”

Mad Dog (final punch):
“KANSAS CITY, MIKE — THE ROYALS! First time ever, and they’re sittin’ in the big boy chair with a BYE. Cleveland’s a nice story, but the Sox and Tigers? GOODBYE, EMBARRASSING, SEE YA LATER!”

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Mike (measured, thoughtful):
“Dog, the story in the West is Texas. One hundred and four wins, best record in the league. They’re motivated, they’re angry after what happened last year in the World Series, and they’re trying to put that collapse behind them. That’s a powerhouse, no question.”

Mad Dog (explosive, animated):
“THE TEXAS RANGERS, MIKE! ONE-OH-FOUR wins! They got EMBARRASSED last October, couldn’t close the deal, BUT HERE THEY COME AGAIN. They’re loaded, MIKE, absolutely LOADED! And I’ll tell ya — they’re on a mission. WATCH OUT!”

Mike:
“But then you’ve got Seattle. Dog, 78 wins, 84 losses — and somehow, they’re in the playoffs. I’ve been watching baseball a long time, but that’s one of the strangest things I’ve seen. A team under .500, getting a chance to win the World Series? It doesn’t sit right with me.”

Mad Dog (interrupting, incredulous):
“IT’S A JOKE, MIKE! AN ABSOLUTE JOKE! Seventy-eight and eighty-four! UNDER .500! That’s PATHETIC! That’s a team that should be home golfing, not playin’ October baseball! How do you reward LOSING, MIKE?! You win 78 games and you get to compete for a WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP? That’s a FRAUD!”

Mike (calm rebuttal):
“Well, the system is what it is. They took the last wild card spot, so they’re in. Doesn’t mean they’re going to do anything with it. Let’s be honest — nobody’s expecting Seattle to make a run.”

Mad Dog (ranting):
“DO ANYTHING?! MIKE, THEY SHOULDN’T EVEN BE HERE! This isn’t football where you sneak in at 9-7, this is BASEBALL! One hundred sixty-two games, you play every day, and if you stink, you STINK! Seattle stinks, MIKE! SEVENTY-EIGHT wins! I’ve seen better records in LITTLE LEAGUE!”

Mike:
“Behind them, it’s just bad baseball. Houston — 71 wins. Anaheim — 64 wins. Oakland — 59. Those teams weren’t even close. That division was Texas, and everybody else was miles behind.”

Mad Dog (mocking, sarcastic):
“HOUSTON! SEVENTY-ONE wins! TERRIBLE! ANAHEIM, 64 — the Angels couldn’t hit, couldn’t pitch, couldn’t field. AWFUL! And the A’s, MIKE, the A’s! FIFTY-NINE and ONE-OH-THREE! You don’t deserve to be called a Major League team with THAT record. Just fold ‘em up, ship ‘em to the minors, who needs ‘em!”

Mike (wrapping up):
“So the AL West is Texas — dominant, poised, and ready for redemption. Seattle? Strange as it sounds, they’re in, even with a losing record. But if you’re asking me — the real story here is the Rangers. They’re the team to beat.”

Mad Dog (final shout):
“IT’S TEXAS, MIKE, TEXAS! Best team in baseball, they want payback for last year, and they’re coming HARD. But SEATTLE — SEVENTY-EIGHT WINS! EMBARRASSING, MIKE! EMBARRASSING!”

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Mike (measured, calm):
“Dog, here’s where the problem comes in. Seattle wins 78 games, loses 84, and now they get Baltimore in the Wild Card. The Orioles — one hundred wins, defending division champions, four-time World Series winners. Dog, Baltimore has to win this series. No excuses. If you’re a hundred-win team and you lose to a sub-.500 club in October? That’s a disaster.”

Mad Dog (shaking his head, exploding):
“IT’S A FARCE, MIKE! A TOTAL FARCE! The Orioles win ONE HUNDRED games! They DOMINATE all summer long, and now, their whole season comes down to TWO games against a 78-WIN JOKE of a team?! MIKE, that’s not baseball! That’s not FAIR!”

Mike (trying to reason):
“Dog, that’s the system. Baltimore can only play who’s in front of them. But I’ll tell you — the pressure’s on them. You win a hundred games, you’ve got history, you’ve got tradition, you cannot lose to Seattle. You just can’t.”

Mad Dog (cutting in, louder):
“THEY HAVE TO WIN, MIKE! HAVE TO! You talk about postseason history — the Orioles, they’ve done it before, they’ve won championships. Seattle’s never even BEEN here! They don’t BELONG here! If Baltimore loses this series, MIKE, it’s one of the biggest disgraces in baseball history. PERIOD!”

Mike (nodding):
“And on the other side, Dog, the other Wild Card series — Cleveland at the Yankees. Now that one’s interesting. Cleveland’s back in the playoffs for the first time in 14 years, and you’ve got the Yankees — 96 wins, battle-tested, and Dog, good enough to go all the way. That’s a fascinating matchup.”

Mad Dog (fired up, pointing):
“CLEVELAND! MIKE, FOURTEEN YEARS since they’ve sniffed October! That fanbase is STARVING. And now they get the Yankees in the Bronx. And you’re right, Mike — this Yankee team, they’re GOOD. They’re deep, they’ve got pitching, they’ve got the lineup. If they get rolling, they could win the whole thing. BUT — don’t sleep on Cleveland. That’s a hungry, desperate club. They’re dangerous.”

Mike (balanced take):
“I’ll give you that, Dog. Cleveland’s got nothing to lose. Yankees have the pressure, the expectations, the history. It makes for a compelling series.”

Mad Dog (yelling over him):
“COMPELLING?! MIKE, IT’S MUST-SEE BASEBALL! You’ve got the YANKEES — the franchise, the mystique, the pressure cooker that is New York. And you’ve got Cleveland — the drought, the underdog, the chance to shock the world. That’s what October’s about! But don’t get me wrong, MIKE, SEATTLE? 78 WINS! IT’S A DISGRACE THEY’RE EVEN PLAYING BASEBALL RIGHT NOW!”

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Mike (calm, measured):
“Dog, the story here is the Mets. 104 wins, their fifth division title. The question now — can they finally get over the hump and reach the Fall Classic? Because we’ve seen this before. The Mets win divisions, they have talent, but when the calendar flips to October, they’ve stumbled. This team, though, Dog — pitching, power, depth — they look as good as they’ve ever been.”

Mad Dog (bouncing in his chair):
“MIKE, THIS HAS TO BE THE YEAR! THE METS! ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR WINS! They’ve been TEASING their fans for YEARS! Division titles, close calls, heartbreak — enough! This team’s too good, TOO GOOD, to collapse again. If they don’t make the World Series THIS YEAR, MIKE, it’s an absolute travesty!”

Mike (nodding):
“And don’t forget about Philadelphia, Dog. Ninety wins, back in the postseason. That’s a solid ballclub. They don’t have the star power of the Mets, but they’re balanced, and they’re dangerous in a short series.”

Mad Dog (pointing, animated):
“OH, PHILADELPHIA’S BACK, ALRIGHT! You’ve got to give ’em credit — 90 wins, they’ve played steady baseball all year long. But let’s be honest, Mike — they’re not the Mets. The Mets have the pitching, the Mets have the lineup, the Mets have the pressure. Philly’s a nice story, but come October, that only gets you so far.”

Mike (matter-of-fact):
“Washington at 78-84, Miami 74-88, and Atlanta — 57-105 — Dog, that’s just bad baseball. Nothing to write home about there.”

Mad Dog (throwing up his hands):
“MIKE, ATLANTA WAS A DISGRACE! 105 LOSSES! Horrible! Miami? Irrelevant. Washington? Irrelevant. This division, outside of New York and Philadelphia, was a complete mess! It’s a two-team race, plain and simple. The Mets and the Phillies. And I’m telling you, Mike, THE METS HAVE TO DELIVER!”

Mike (closing thought):
“Bottom line, Dog: the Mets are in the best position they’ve ever been. 104 wins, talent across the board. But the question remains — can they get it done when it matters most?”

Mad Dog (leaning in, loud):
“NO MORE EXCUSES, MIKE! NO MORE! The Mets have the team, the record, the opportunity. IT’S WORLD SERIES OR BUST!”

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Mike (steady, analytical):
“Dog, the Cincinnati Reds — 103 wins, 59 losses. First division title in forever. They were the most consistent team in the National League Central all year. Top to bottom, that rotation is excellent, they hit the ball out of the ballpark, they play tremendous defense. Cincinnati earned that bye, and frankly, they look like the class of the league right now.”

Mad Dog (hands flying):
“MIKE, HOW ABOUT THE REDS! ONE HUNDRED AND THREE WINS! They’ve been knocking on the door for YEARS, and now they blow it wide open! Best team in the division from Day One to Day 162! And the city of Cincinnati is STARVING, Mike, STARVING for another World Series run! You talk about balance, you talk about pitching, you talk about lineup depth — THIS TEAM HAS IT ALL!”

Mike (nodding):
“Chicago deserves credit too. Ninety-three wins, back in the playoffs. They’ve quietly been very good, very steady. Not as flashy as Cincinnati, but they’ve got some pieces that can do damage in a short series.”

Mad Dog (grinning, shaking his head):
“MIKE, THE CUBS! NINETY-THREE WINS, SOLID, BUT LET’S BE HONEST — THEY’RE NOT THE REDS. Good ballclub, sure, playoff-caliber, yes. But if you put Chicago head-to-head with Cincinnati in October? I don’t see it, Mike. I DON’T SEE IT!”

Mike (leaning forward):
“And then, Dog, the defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals. They barely sneak in at 89-74, needed a one-game playoff to beat the Padres just to get here. But — you know this, Dog — once you’re in, you’re dangerous. The Cardinals know how to win in October.”

Mad Dog (throwing his arms up):
“MIKE, THIS IS WHAT MAKES THEM SO SCARY! They BARELY got in! They’re limping, they’re leaking oil, BUT THEY’RE THE CARDINALS! THEY’VE DONE THIS BEFORE! You can’t kill ’em! You can’t bury ’em! You put St. Louis in the postseason, they are TROUBLE. It doesn’t matter how they got there!”

Mike (matter-of-fact):
“Pittsburgh at 71-91, Milwaukee 65-97 — both non-factors. Those two teams need a lot of work before they’re competitive again.”

Mad Dog (dismissive, waving his hand):
“MIKE, TERRIBLE! ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE! The Pirates were lifeless, the Brewers were a disaster, and it made this division top-heavy. It’s a three-team race — Cincinnati, Chicago, St. Louis — and the Reds came out on top.”

Mike (closing thought):
“So now, Dog, we go into October with Cincinnati trying to cash in, the Cubs hoping to surprise, and the Cardinals lurking as the dangerous defending champs. It’s going to be fascinating to watch.”

Mad Dog (pointing, loud):
“MIKE, YOU HIT IT! THE REDS ARE THE FAVORITE, THE CUBS ARE THE DARK HORSE, AND THE CARDINALS — YOU DON’T WANT TO SEE ’EM IN OCTOBER! THIS IS GONNA BE A GREAT PLAYOFF RACE!”

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Mike (calm, measured):
“Dog, the San Francisco Giants — 104 wins, 58 losses. Another powerhouse season. They’re the only team in the division to reach October, and it really wasn’t close. The Giants were the class of the NL West from start to finish.”

Mad Dog (arms flailing, voice rising):
“MIKE, THEY OWNED THIS DIVISION! ONE HUNDRED AND FOUR WINS! THEY BEAT UP EVERYBODY! You could’ve ended this thing in JULY. Nobody — NOBODY — in the NL West was catching the Giants. They got pitching, they got hitting, they got everything you want in a championship team, Mike!”

Mike (nodding):
“And what makes it more impressive is, San Diego had a good year. Eighty-eight wins. They even forced that one-game playoff against the Cardinals. If they’d gotten in, Dog, they would’ve been a dangerous club in October.”

Mad Dog (pounding the table):
“MIKE, IT’S A CRIME! A CRIME THAT SAN DIEGO DIDN’T GET IN! EIGHTY-EIGHT WINS, A GOOD TEAM, TREMENDOUS STORYLINES — AND THEY’RE SITTING AT HOME BECAUSE THE CARDINALS SNUCK IN THE BACK DOOR! I MEAN, COME ON! Padres in the postseason would’ve been FUN, Mike!”

Mike (shrugging):
“Arizona at 77-85, Colorado at 73-89 — both irrelevant in the big picture. Mediocre baseball, not nearly enough to compete with the Giants.”

Mad Dog (rolling his eyes):
“MIKE, TERRIBLE! TERRIBLE BASEBALL! Arizona, Colorado — you can’t even get to .500? You’re wasting everyone’s time. Nothing there. Just fodder for the Giants.”

Mike (matter-of-fact):
“And then, Dog, the Los Angeles Dodgers. NLCS last year. They were a contender. This year? Seventy-two and ninety. A complete collapse.”

Mad Dog (exploding):
“MIKE, WHAT A JOKE! THE DODGERS! LAST YEAR THEY’RE IN THE NLCS, THIS YEAR THEY FALL APART LIKE A CHEAP SUIT! SEVENTY-TWO WINS! That’s EMBARRASSING! They couldn’t pitch, they couldn’t hit, the whole thing fell apart. From NLCS to irrelevance — how do you explain that, Mike? HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN IT?!”

Mike (calmly closing):
“You explain it by saying the Giants were just too good, Dog. This division was theirs from Day One. Everyone else was chasing shadows. San Francisco is the only NL West team in the postseason, and they’re going to be very tough to beat.”

Mad Dog (pointing at Mike):
“YOU SAID IT, MIKE! THE GIANTS ARE THE KINGS OF THE WEST, THE PADRES GOT ROBBED, AND THE DODGERS? AN ABSOLUTE EMBARRASSMENT! BRING ON OCTOBER, BABY!”

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Mike (measured, setting the table):
“Alright, Dog, let’s take a look at the first Wild Card matchup: the Cincinnati Reds, 103 wins, winners of the NL Central, against the defending World Champion St. Louis Cardinals, who barely squeaked in after that one-game playoff with San Diego. Dog, who ya got?”

Mad Dog (leaning forward, voice rising):
“MIKE, I GOT THE CINCINNATI REDS! ONE HUNDRED AND THREE WINS! THEY’VE BEEN CONSISTENT ALL YEAR LONG, TREMENDOUS LINEUP, TREMENDOUS ROTATION, THEY’VE EARNED THIS! ST. LOUIS, GOD BLESS ‘EM, THEY SNUCK IN, THEY’RE DANGEROUS — YES, YES, THEY’RE DANGEROUS, THEY GOT THE PEDIGREE — BUT MIKE, YOU DON’T WIN ONE-HUNDRED AND THREE GAMES BY ACCIDENT! THE REDS ARE THE BETTER BALLCLUB!”

Mike (smiling, calm):
“Dog, I’m not so sure. I know Cincinnati’s been great all season, but St. Louis is the defending champion. They’ve been here before, they know how to win in October, and once you get in, the regular season records don’t mean nearly as much.”

Mad Dog (slapping the desk):
“MIKE, STOP IT! STOP IT! THIS ISN’T LAST YEAR! YOU CAN’T JUST SAY ‘DEFENDING CHAMPION’ AND HAND ‘EM ANOTHER SERIES! THIS YEAR, THEY’RE A DIFFERENT TEAM! THEY BARELY MADE IT IN! THEY HAD TO PLAY THE PADRES JUST TO GET HERE! That doesn’t sound like a juggernaut to me, Mike!”

Mike (raising a finger, calm rebuttal):
“But Dog, that’s what makes them dangerous. They’ve been playing for their lives the last week. They’ve already been in elimination games. Sometimes that momentum carries.”

Mad Dog (cutting him off, shouting):
“MIKE, MOMENTUM IS TOMORROW’S STARTER! IT’S WHO YOU GOT ON THE MOUND! AND THE REDS GOT THE PITCHING! THE REDS GOT THE LINEUP! THE REDS GOT THE DEPTH! IF THEY LOSE TO A TEAM THAT BARELY WON EIGHTY-NINE GAMES, I’LL RETIRE, MIKE, I’LL RETIRE!”

Mike (chuckling):
“Alright, Dog, don’t hang it up just yet. We’ll see how it plays out. But I’m telling you — do not count out the Cardinals. They’ve written this story before.”

Mad Dog (throwing his hands up):
“MIKE, YOU LOVE THE CARDINALS! YOU LOVE ‘EM! But the Reds — THE REDS ARE THE TEAM TO BEAT!”

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“ALRIGHT MIKEY, LET’S GO TO THE OTHER WILD CARD MATCHUP — THE CHICAGO CUBS, 93 WINS, GOING UP AGAINST THE PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES, 90 WINS. WHO YA GOT, MIKE?”

Mike (measured, deliberate):
“Dog, I’m taking the Cubs. They’ve been more consistent. Ninety-three wins in that division is no small feat, and they’ve shown they can beat good pitching and win in tough parks. The Phillies — they’re a nice story, Brown’s been tremendous, the lineup can score — but the Cubs just feel more complete to me. Rotation, bullpen, depth — that’s October baseball.”

Mad Dog (eyes wide, animated):
“MIKE! YOU’RE CRAZY! YOU’RE CRAZY! THE PHILLIES ARE BUILT FOR THE POSTSEASON! THEY GOT THE BIG BATS, THEY GOT THE CROWD AT CITIZENS BANK — YOU PUT BROWN, YOU PUT TORRAS, YOU PUT THOSE GUYS IN A SHORT SERIES, THEY CAN MASH THEIR WAY RIGHT INTO THE NEXT ROUND!”

Mike (calm rebuttal):
“Dog, sure, they’ve got the bats, but do they have the pitching to hold up? You get into the later innings, tight games, and suddenly those bats don’t look quite as scary if they’re down 4–1 in the seventh.”

Mad Dog (laughing, pounding the table):
“MIKE, STOP WITH THE ‘LATE INNINGS’ NONSENSE! IT’S THE POSTSEASON! EVERYBODY’S GOT BULLPEN ISSUES! YOU DON’T THINK THE CUBS ARE GONNA COUGH ONE UP? OF COURSE THEY ARE! THE DIFFERENCE IS THE PHILLIES GOT THE SLUGGERS TO TURN ONE SWING INTO A THREE-RUN HOMER! THE CUBS, THEY’RE SCRATCHIN’ AND CLAWIN’ FOR RUNS, MIKE! THE PHILLIES, THEY CAN CHANGE THE GAME IN A SECOND!”

Mike (smiling, calm as ever):
“Dog, I hear you, but I’m sticking with Chicago. They’re steadier, and over the course of a short series, I trust their arms more than I trust Philly’s.”

Mad Dog (shaking his head, raising his voice):
“MIKE, YOU LOVE THE STEADY TEAMS! YOU ALWAYS LOVE THE STEADY TEAMS! But sometimes in October, steady doesn’t win — FLASH wins! And the Phillies got the flash!”

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Mike: “Dog, I’m telling you right now, if you’re the Cardinals, you can’t be happy with that. You give up seven runs in a Wild Card opener? That’s not how you start October baseball.”

Mad Dog: “MIKE! COME ON! Did you see Juan Castaneda? Three for four, homer, double, four RBIs. That guy carried the Reds on his back today. I mean, look at the box score — Castaneda and the Reds just flat-out beat St. Louis.”

Mike: “I see that, Dog, but let’s be honest — the Cardinals had the bats going, too. Arispe goes four-for-five, ties the NL playoff record with four runs scored. They hung five on Cincinnati. This is not a blowout, it’s just one of those wild first games where pitching gives way to big swings.”

Mad Dog: “Wild swings? MIKE! The Cardinals’ starter, Steven Janczak, gives up seven runs in four and a third innings. FOUR AND A THIRD! That’s a World Series starter in Wild Card Game 1? Not happening! That’s an issue right there.”

Mike: “Sure, he struggled, but look at the bullpen — Walker, Gonser, they shut it down the rest of the way. And Landaverde? He had five strikeouts in six and a third, handled ten hits, only gave up five runs. That’s enough to steal a Wild Card opener in this kind of offense-heavy game.”

Mad Dog: “I DON’T CARE ABOUT LANDA VERDE, MIKE! You can’t give up seven and still say ‘we’ll be fine.’ The Cardinals are lucky to have even one chance to bounce back tomorrow. And let me tell you — that Arispe performance? Four runs, tying a playoff record — yeah, it’s impressive, but you can’t win a series scoring runs if the other team is lighting up the scoreboard first!”

Mike: “Dog, I agree, it’s a mess, but it’s just Game 1. The Cardinals have a chance to turn it around tomorrow, and they have to. The Reds have to defend this lead under playoff pressure now.”

Mad Dog: “Pressure? MIKE! The pressure’s on the Cardinals to even survive this. Reds got the momentum, Castaneda’s swinging like he’s in the middle of July, not October. St. Louis? They better bring their A-game, because Game 2 is going to be a war!”

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Mike: “Dog… NINE RUNS IN THE NINTH INNING! Are you kidding me? The Phillies just went nuclear at Wrigley. Philadelphia scores sixteen runs, Chicago can’t keep up. Dan Fisher? Two home runs, four RBIs. This is insane!”

Mad Dog: “MIKE! INSANE? This is baseball gone off the rails! Look, Jenkins couldn’t get anyone out in the ninth. They’re just throwing the ball in there and the Phillies are teeing off. Nine runs in ONE INNING! That’s not a game, that’s a statement!”

Mike: “Dog, I get it, it’s wild, but don’t sleep on the early stuff. Izzy Garcia with a three-run homer in the first? That’s how you set the tone for a sixteen-run explosion. Fisher finishing it off? The Phillies are putting Chicago on the ropes already in this best-of-three series.”

Mad Dog: “Tone? Tone?! MIKE, the Cubs gave up SIX in the ninth? SIX RUNS IN THE NINTH! They had no chance once the Phillies started swinging. And Fisher… he’s swinging like he’s in a home run derby, not a Wild Card Game. You can’t stop this guy!”

Mike: “But Chicago did hit a few! Two in the third, one in the sixth. D. Milar went yard twice. They tried to fight back, Dog.”

Mad Dog: “Tried? MIKE, they got crushed! This wasn’t a fight, this was a massacre! You leave the Phillies in the ninth, you’re asking to get humiliated. And that’s exactly what happened. NINE RUNS! This is Wrigley history right here.”

Mike: “Bottom line — Philadelphia takes Game 1, sixteen to three. The Cubs are now facing elimination pressure tomorrow. They can’t afford another inning like that, because Fisher, Garcia, Branscome… the Phillies have firepower, and they’re not letting up.”

Mad Dog: “Exactly, MIKE. Firepower. And the Cubs? They better pray that Game 2 starter doesn’t get shelled, because this series could be over before they even know it. Nine runs in the ninth, sixteen runs total… this is a statement, Phillies-style. Wrigley? Tonight, it was Philadelphia’s house.”

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Mike: “Dog, hold on a second… Cleveland steals one in New York, 8-7! We just saw a ten-inning thriller at Yankee Stadium. The Indians score four in the fourth, three in the sixth, and then it comes down to the tenth. Matt Holdcraft with the sacrifice fly — Cleveland walks off! This is playoff baseball!”

Mad Dog: “MIKE, I don’t even know where to start! The Yankees had their chances, Searles going 3-for-5 with a homer, a double, two RBIs — he’s putting Cleveland pitchers through hell! But what happens? Cleveland just keeps chipping away, keeps hitting, and in the end, they win on a fly ball in the tenth. This is the kind of game that will haunt the Yankees if they don’t respond in Game 2!”

Mike: “Dog, the Yankees were in it the whole way. They tied it in the eighth, they’re battling, but Cleveland’s clutch hitting — Osorio driving in three, Cervantes with two RBIs — that’s what playoff teams do. They don’t fold. They take advantage of mistakes.”

Mad Dog: “Mistakes?! MIKE, both pitching staffs were hanging meat! Niccolai gave up seven runs in 5.1 innings, Deming gave up seven as well! And yet, it’s Cleveland that comes out on top. Ten innings, back-and-forth, and the Indians walk out with the W. That’s just playoff baseball, old-school chaos!”

Mike: “Exactly, Dog. This series is just getting started. Cleveland has that 1-0 edge, they’re on the road, and now the Yankees have to respond tomorrow or they’re facing elimination. That’s a lot of pressure, especially with the Indians playing like this.”

Mad Dog: “Pressure? MIKE, the Yankees have talent, sure, but Cleveland just showed they can hang, hit, and win in the clutch. The tenth inning says it all: a one-run game, bases loaded, and Holdcraft delivers. This isn’t some walk in the park — Cleveland is dangerous.”

Mike: “So bottom line, Dog: Cleveland 1, New York 0. Game 2 tomorrow, and the Yankees better figure it out, or this Wild Card series is over before they know it.”

Mad Dog: “MIKE, if I’m the Yankees, I’m worried. Cleveland’s offense is swinging hot, their pitching is scrappy but effective, and they just stole a game in the Bronx. This is the kind of series that can snowball in a hurry — and Cleveland’s got the momentum!”

[jg2977]

Mike: “DOG, I’m still trying to wrap my head around this one — the 78-win Mariners just walked into Camden Yards and took Game 1 from the Orioles, 8-5! I mean, Baltimore won 100 games this year — 100! — and here comes Seattle swinging for their lives. Ramon Azocar with two homers, four RBIs, scoring twice — he carried this team!”

Mad Dog: “MIKE, are you kidding me?! Two homers, two RBIs? That’s not carrying, that’s annihilating! And listen, it wasn’t just Azocar — David Fernandez comes off the bench, one at-bat, and crushes a two-run double in the eighth to give the Mariners the lead! This is insane!”

Mike: “I know, Dog, I know. And it wasn’t just the offense — J. Morales goes 5.2 innings, gives up five, strikes out seven, and Seattle still finds a way. It’s like everything the Orioles tried just fell apart. K. Johnson pitched seven solid innings, but his bullpen got torched. That’s playoff baseball!”

Mad Dog: “Playoff baseball?! MIKE, this is why we watch the postseason! The underdog, the scrappy team, Seattle, playing with nothing to lose, taking the big dogs right to the edge. Five runs in the ninth inning, they make it 8-5 — do you realize what that does to Baltimore’s confidence?”

Mike: “Dog, Baltimore’s still a 100-win team, they’re still dangerous, but Seattle just stole the momentum. The underdog Mariners now have to chances to close out the Orioles. This is why they play the games, right? Anything can happen in October!”

Mad Dog: “Anything can happen?! MIKE, it’s happening! Seattle 1, Baltimore 0 in the Wild Card. The Orioles better wake up tomorrow or this is going to be a disaster. Azocar, Fernandez — these guys just showed up and said, ‘We’re not backing down.’ I love it!”

Mike: “Bottom line, Dog: Seattle shocked the Orioles, 8-5. Game 2 tomorrow, same ballpark — and the Orioles need to respond, or this Cinderella story keeps rolling.”

Mad Dog: “Cinderella? MIKE, forget the fairy tale — Seattle’s here to punch their ticket to the next round, and they’re doing it in style!”

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“Listen, this isn’t just a loss. This is an identity crisis for the St. Louis Cardinals. You call them ‘The Brand,’ the defending World Champions, and they come into Cincinnati and get embarrassed, 15-3. The Reds didn’t just beat them—they outclassed them in every conceivable way. Hitting, pitching, execution—you name it.

Look at the numbers. Juan Castaneda, .625 average, 3 homers, 7 RBIs, 4 runs scored. This guy is a one-man wrecking crew. Jon Dunham adds a homer, 4 RBIs, and you start to see a pattern here: Cincinnati is built for October, St. Louis is built for headlines.

And the Cardinals? They looked like a team playing catch-up. Seven runs allowed in three innings from Solis. You can’t survive in the postseason when your starter goes three and seven. Three errors on the day, two on offense with no answer at the plate. This was a humiliation.

Here’s the truth: the Reds are proving something that I’ve been saying for years—success in the regular season doesn’t equal playoff dominance. The Cardinals have the brand, the reputation, the banners. But right now, in October, the brand means nothing. This Reds team is young, aggressive, and they are not intimidated. They’re moving on to face the Giants, and St. Louis? They’re left wondering where it all went wrong.

The lesson here is simple: in the playoffs, execution beats reputation. The Reds executed. The Cardinals? They got exposed. And that, my friends, is why October baseball is different than anything else. This isn’t a storybook; this is reality.”

[jg2977]

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[jg2977]

Holy cow! Folks, this one was a doozy at Wrigley Field today, I tell ya! The Chicago Cubs take down the Phillies 6-2, and boy, the crowd here is having a ball—ha! I mean, the place is rocking, the bleachers are alive, and you just feel the energy, I tell ya, the energy!

Bobby Colon, oh man, what a job on the mound! Six and a third innings, just two hits, eight strikeouts! He’s painting the corners like it’s his own canvas! I haven’t seen pitching like this in a long time, folks! You could just feel it—every time he went out there, the Phillies were thinking, “Oh boy, not again!”

And how about that catch by Dave Arredondo? Swats a run-scoring double in the second! He’s out there doing everything! One hit, one walk, one RBI! That kid is playing his heart out! And the Cubs, they just keep coming—J. Cruz, A. Ricordi, G. Barry, all contributing, making this Cubs offense look like poetry in motion!

The Phillies? Eh, they tried. I. Farnsworth with a home run in the ninth, but it’s too little, too late! Colon and the Cubs had that game locked up! Wrigley is alive tonight, the sun is shining just right, and you can feel that magic, folks—Cubs magic, right here in Chicago!

Oh, boy, I tell ya, if you didn’t see this game, you missed something special! The Cubs tie the series 1-1, and tomorrow—oh tomorrow—it’s gonna be fireworks, I tell ya! Holy cow!

[jg2977]

Boomer: "Alright, so the Yankees, season’s over, and not with a bang but with a whimper. Two games, that’s it. Swept at home in the Wild Card Series. Cleveland rolls into Yankee Stadium, takes care of business like they’ve been doing all year, and shuts the Yankees out in the elimination game, three-nothing."

Gio: "And the thing is, Booms, this wasn’t some Cinderella team. Cleveland finished 95 wins, 17 games clear of the last playoff spot. They’re legit. They’ve got pitching, they’ve got bats, and they showed it. Jesus Becerra goes out there—seven shutout innings, completely in control—and then Cranmer slams the door. That’s dominance."

Boomer: "Right, and how about Luis Cervantes? MVP of the series, no question. Big homer Saturday, he drove in runs, he hit .333. Every time the Yankees had a chance to get momentum, Cervantes was the guy ripping it away."

Gio: "Meanwhile, the Yankees’ stars? Vanished. All quiet. Not a single run at home in a do-or-die playoff game. That’s inexcusable. Forty-two thousand people at the Stadium, and they’re just sitting there watching Cleveland celebrate."

Boomer: "Yeah, and Yankee fans today are gonna be furious. This isn’t losing to some scrappy wild card team—you got knocked out by a team that’s better than you. Top to bottom, Cleveland was just better. And that’s hard for Yankee fans to swallow."

Gio: "It’s the same theme though—Yankees are built for the regular season. They hit the homers, they rack up the wins, but when October comes and it’s pitching, defense, timely hitting? They don’t have it. They just don’t."

Boomer: "And now Cleveland’s moving on to face Texas in the ALDS, and honestly? That’s gonna be a war. Two teams that can really swing it. Yankees are home, again, watching from the couch."