National Baseball League

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HoF Inductees

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1921

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Mike: “Ladies and gentlemen, strap in, because the 1921 playoffs? They are going to be absolutely bananas!”

Mad Dog: “I’m telling ya, Mike, the American League is a mess… in the best possible way. The Yankees? They crushed it again—106 wins, another division title—but the defending champs, the Cleveland Indians, they didn’t just sit back… they went 112-50. One hundred twelve wins! That’s insane!”

Mike: “Exactly! And the rest of the AL? Forget it! The East outside the Yankees is a joke. No team over 74 wins! The Central? Kansas City finishes second with 82 wins… 82! Then everyone else is terrible. It’s almost embarrassing!”

Mad Dog: “But the West, Mike… ohhhh, the West. Buckle up, because this is wild wild wild. All three wild card teams are from the AL West. That’s right—Texas, Seattle, Anaheim, Oakland, all in the mix. Only Houston misses out, and they’re 57-105. Fifty-seven wins! You couldn’t even get out of bed and win more than that!”

Mike: “And check this out—Texas and Seattle had to go to a one-game playoff to settle the division! Texas gets Anaheim, Seattle battles Oakland in the best-of-three. I mean, it’s like they invented the Wild West for this playoff setup. Shootouts, duels, and maybe someone gets hung from a cacti—who knows!”

Mad Dog: “Alright, enough with the AL chaos—let’s talk National League. The New York Mets? They were ridiculous this year. 116 wins! That’s a Major League best. Can they finally get over the hump? They’ve been haunted by playoff ghosts, like last year losing to Cincinnati in the NLDS, 3-2. Painful stuff.”

Mike: “Cincinnati is the NL #2 seed, 97-65… solid, but that’s a big gap from New York. Then you’ve got the Wild Card Series—Pirates vs. Dodgers, and the Padres, last year’s playoff Cinderella, taking on the Giants. I mean, how do you even predict this?”

Mad Dog: “You can’t, Mike! This is chaos with a capital C. Maybe, just maybe, we get that Subway Series everybody’s been dreaming of—Yankees vs. Mets. New York finally, finally… the city on fire!”

Mike: “It’s gonna be nuts. Absolute madness. Grab your popcorn, everybody. This playoff picture? It’s a rollercoaster without brakes!”

Mad Dog: “Buckle up… this is baseball at its wildest.”

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*“Well, a very pleasant good afternoon to you wherever you may be. We’re coming to you from Oracle Park in San Francisco, where the San Diego Padres have drawn first blood in this Wild Card series, defeating the Giants by a score of 6 to 4.
It was, as so often is the case in October, a game decided by just a few swings of the bat. The Padres struck first in the third inning, added another in the fourth, and then—fittingly enough—the big blow came in the fifth. With two on and two out, Eric Watt, the young center fielder, punched a single into left-center field. Two runs scored, the Padres led 4 to nothing, and from there, they never trailed.
Watt would finish the day with two hits and three runs batted in, a performance he’ll remember as long as he lives. And while San Francisco tried to claw their way back—a run in the fifth, another in the seventh, and single tallies in both the eighth and ninth—it was too little, too late.
Dave Monnin, the Padres’ starter, gave his club just what they needed: five and two-thirds innings, allowing only one run on three hits. Not overpowering, not flashy, but tough when it mattered. And in October, toughness is just as valuable as brilliance.
The Giants had their chances. Twelve runners left on base will tell you that story. They simply couldn’t get that one hit to turn the tide.
So the Padres take Game One on the road, six runs, ten hits, one error. The Giants, four runs, nine hits, and they played cleanly in the field.
Tomorrow, these two clubs will be right back here, the Giants hoping to even the series, the Padres looking to end their season. From Oracle Park in San Francisco, once again the final score: San Diego 6, San Francisco 4.

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A pleasant Wednesday afternoon here in Los Angeles, the kind of day where you could almost forget it was October… unless, of course, you were at Dodger Stadium, where the postseason made its presence known.
The Dodgers and the Pirates opened their Wild Card series, and from the very first pitch you had the sense that Willie Chavez was going to have himself a day. Tall and lanky on the mound, he worked seven innings with the calm of a man ordering breakfast, five hits scattered across those frames, only one run allowed. Baseball, like life, often asks you to bend but not break, and Chavez never broke.
The Dodgers gave him the lead early, a double in the first by young Jantz, who would later come around to score. But the true turning point came in the fourth inning. Francisco Aviles, a right fielder with a smile as wide as the San Gabriel Mountains, took a fastball and sent it high, deep, and gone into the Los Angeles afternoon. A two-run home run, and with it, the Dodgers seemed to exhale.
It was fitting, perhaps, that Aviles would later add a single, two runs scored, and a sense of steady assurance — as though reminding the 48,019 fans in attendance that postseason heroes are not always the ones you expect, but the ones you need.
For Pittsburgh, there were glimmers. Young Ismael Pruneda had three hits, including a double, and even stole a base, but the Pirates could never quite solve Chavez. Their lone run came in the second inning, a double by Malcolm to tie the game, but after that — silence.
By the eighth inning, the Dodgers would tack on two more thanks to catcher Rinaldo Calzolai’s double down the line, and when John Kovach closed the door with two spotless innings, Los Angeles had its first win of October, 5–1.
And so, as the sun begins to dip behind the left-field pavilion and the shadows creep across the diamond, the Dodgers take a 1–0 series lead. Tomorrow, they will ask for one more win to move on. But for today, they ask for nothing more than to savor what Chavez, Aviles, and 25 others gave them: the simple, timeless joy of playoff baseball.

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“How about that!”
A crisp October afternoon in Texas, and the Rangers wasted no time giving their fans a treat in Game One of the Wild Card Series, topping the Anaheim Angels by a score of 6 to 3 here at Globe Life Field.
And the star of the show? Why, none other than the catcher, Mike Walden! What a day he had behind the plate and with the bat — 2 hits in 3 trips, a towering home run in the fourth, a ringing double in the sixth, 2 runs scored, 2 runs driven in… you talk about coming through when it counts, folks, that’s postseason baseball at its best.
The Angels actually jumped out early with single runs in the first, second, and sixth innings, and for a moment, it looked like Anaheim might just play spoiler. But Texas had an answer every time. Young Mark Petesch added a pair of doubles, driving in two runs of his own, and when Luis Soria lofted a sacrifice fly in the eighth, the Rangers had all the insurance they would need.
On the mound, Jack Tucker was steady as a clock. Seven innings, nine strikeouts, and though he bent at times, he never broke. And when Hector Rodriguez came in to slam the door over the final two frames, the Rangers had Game One neatly tucked away.
So the Rangers draw first blood in this best-of-three Wild Card set, one win away from moving on. Tomorrow, right back here at Globe Life Field, they’ll look to finish it off.
And once again — how about that!”

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“Can you believe this game? I mean, can you believe it? The A’s, they come out, they score a couple of runs early, they’re feeling good… then the Mariners, they just explode in the third inning! Five runs! FIVE! It’s like every guy in the lineup suddenly turned into Babe Ruth. Fuentes, this guy’s hitting triples, scoring three runs, driving in three — I mean, what is this guy, Superman?
And the A’s pitchers — forget it! Philippon, Scott, they’re getting lit up like a Christmas tree. By the fourth inning, I’m saying to myself, ‘George, this game is over. It’s finished.’ But then Oakland teases you! They sneak a run here, a run there… Pineda hits a home run, Hernandez hits a couple doubles, you start thinking, maybe, maybe they’ll make it interesting. But no! No! The Mariners just keep piling on.
And what’s with Galindo? Complete game, gives up 10 hits, 4 runs — but he looks calm, relaxed, like he’s out there on a Sunday picnic! Meanwhile, I’m pacing my apartment like a lunatic, sweating through my shirt, and this guy’s just casually mowing through batters.
So now Seattle’s up 1-0 in the series, and the A’s are in trouble. Big trouble. Because you can’t give up nine runs in a playoff game and expect to win! Not unless the other team forgets to show up. And believe me, I’ve seen teams forget to show up — I’ve worked for teams that forget to show up!
You watch — tomorrow I’ll get my hopes up again, and tomorrow they’ll crush me all over again. That’s baseball… and that’s George.”

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**“Good evening, folks! Big news out of San Francisco today. The Giants shut out the Padres, 3-0, to tie up their Wild Card series. And let me tell you, it was one of those games where if you like offense… you should’ve stayed home and listened to jazz records.
Vinny Luevanos, the Giants starter, went seven innings, gave up four hits, no runs, and still had enough energy afterward to say, ‘This level of focus will win us a lot of ballgames.’ Yeah, Vinny, thanks — that’s why you get the big bucks. Meanwhile, the Padres lineup looked like they’d rather be at Fisherman’s Wharf waiting for a bowl of chowder.
By the way, San Diego’s only real highlight was García hitting a couple doubles. That’s it. Two doubles! Congratulations, you’re officially the Mayor of Struggle Town.
And the Giants? They didn’t exactly light it up either. Three runs, five hits. I’ve seen more action in a shuffleboard tournament at my grandma’s nursing home. But hey, it was enough!
Crowd at Oracle Park was electric. Over 44,000 people… and only 43,000 of them were checking their watches in the seventh inning.
Tomorrow’s the decider, folks. Padres versus Giants, winner takes the series. Loser? Loser gets to sit at home, watch the World Series on the radio, and wonder how they lost to a team that scored three runs.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, here’s tonight’s Top 3 reasons the Padres lost this game:”
3. They thought “Oracle” meant fortune-telling, not baseball.
2. Their bats are quieter than my studio audience.
Vinny Luevanos turned into Cy Young, Bob Gibson, and Nolan Ryan all rolled into one.

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“Hey, did you see this? Dodgers–Pirates out in L.A. Big game. Pirates win 4-2, series tied at one. Yeah, the Dodgers lost. I guess that explains why traffic in L.A. was moving smoothly for once — everybody left the stadium early.”
“Antonio Mendoza, the Pirates pitcher, went seven innings, gave up just four hits. The guy was so good the Dodgers are now lobbying to have him traded to the Angels. ‘We don’t want him beating us anymore, but maybe he can beat Houston!’”
“And how about Darrell Verni? Big run-scoring double in the fifth to give the Pirates the lead. You know, the Dodgers call themselves the ‘Boys in Blue.’ Yeah… last night, more like the Blues Brothers. No hits, no runs, just sadness.”
“Dodger fans are spoiled, though. They lose one playoff game and they act like the team’s moving back to Brooklyn. Relax! You still got palm trees, movie stars, and $18 hot dogs. You’ll be fine.”
“So tomorrow’s the decider. Winner moves on, loser stays in L.A. … which, honestly, isn’t such a bad consolation prize. Unless you’re stuck on the 405.”

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And so, in Arlington, the Texas Rangers move on with authority. A 6–0 win over the Anaheim Angels completes a two-game Wild Card sweep, powered by a dazzling all-around performance from Tony Guerrero — 3 hits, a home run, 4 runs batted in, and the kind of poise that makes October legends.
The pitching was every bit as sharp as the offense. Chris Neidich struck out ten Angels across six and a third innings, and from the moment he toed the rubber, Anaheim was chasing shadows.
For the Angels, this marks another October exit, their first postseason appearance in nine years, their bats silenced — just three hits all afternoon. For Texas, it means another chance at glory, and in particular, another chance at history. Because now, the Rangers advance to face the New York Yankees in the Division Series.
It is, fittingly, a rematch of last year’s memorable ALDS. In that series, Texas stunned New York by taking the first two games, only to see the Yankees storm back and win the next three. It was a collapse that has lingered in Arlington for twelve long months, and it sets the stage for a sequel dripping with drama.
The Yankees, rested after their bye, bring with them tradition, power, and October expectation. The Rangers, eager, explosive, and hungry to write a different ending.
Game one will be in the Bronx. The echoes of last October will be loud, but so will the opportunity for redemption.

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In Seattle today, at T-Mobile Park, the Mariners completed a statement sweep of the Oakland Athletics, 10–3, to claim the Wild Card Series. From the very first pitch, it was evident that Seattle was in command — both on the mound and at the plate.
Alex Ojeda was the story of the day, driving in four runs including a key bases-loaded homer in the eighth inning, earning him Player of the Game honors. Reynaldo Fuentes continued his stellar postseason form, hitting .429 for the series with a home run, four RBIs, and four runs scored, a performance that underscores why the Mariners are seen as legitimate contenders in this year’s playoffs.
On the mound, Xavier Carter was masterful, holding Oakland to two runs over six innings, striking out seven, and setting the tone for the bullpen, where Matthew Calabaa closed with two scoreless innings. For the Athletics, it was a game emblematic of the struggles they faced all series long, as starter Enrique Cruz could not find the zone and ultimately allowed six runs over four innings.
Seattle now advances to the Division Series, where they will face a rested Cleveland club who has won the past two World Series. The Mariners’ combination of power, timely hitting, and pitching depth will be put to the test, but after the way they handled Oakland, there is a confidence and swagger in this clubhouse that cannot be overstated.
In the grand sweep of postseason history, it is moments like these — when a team not only wins, but wins convincingly — that set the tone for October. And for Seattle, today was as emphatic a statement as one could make in early October baseball.

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Tonight at Oracle Park, the San Francisco Giants closed out a hard-fought Wild Card Series against the San Diego Padres, prevailing 8–4 to take the series two games to one. Baseball, as it so often does in October, delivered drama, tension, and ultimately, the triumph of the home team.
Ivan Ramos, who drove in a run and scored three times, earned Player of the Game honors, but it was the collective effort of the Giants’ lineup that carried the day. Henry Ayala, right fielder and series MVP, continued his stellar postseason performance with a .375 average, a home run, and four RBIs. He was instrumental in keeping the Padres at bay, helping San Francisco advance without letting the Cinderella story gain traction.
On the mound, Moises Rueda was efficient, navigating through five innings while allowing three runs, with solid support from the bullpen. For the Padres, it was a season-ending performance emblematic of their postseason journey — flashes of promise, solid individual contributions, but ultimately falling short against a Giants team peaking at just the right moment.
With this victory, the Giants advance to the National League Division Series to face the New York Mets, who enjoyed a bye in the Wild Card round. As always, these postseason matchups carry a weight of history and expectation. The Mets-Giants pairing promises to be a compelling story — a clash of youth and experience, power and precision — and a reminder of why we love October baseball so dearly.
At Oracle Park tonight, the Giants reminded us all that the postseason is as much about timing, execution, and focus as it is about talent. And for the Padres, while the Cinderella run ends here, the lessons of October are indelibly etched — and the hope, as always, is that next year brings another chance at glory.

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“On a sun-splashed October afternoon in Los Angeles, a storied franchise from the heartland reminded us of baseball’s enduring truths. The Pittsburgh Pirates, one of the game’s original standard-bearers, traveled west to face the Dodgers in a decisive Wild Card contest, and when the dust settled, it was Pittsburgh that authored a masterful performance—an 8-0 triumph that secured their passage to the Division Series.
The Pirates’ offense came in waves, but the day belonged to Tommy Loder. In an era so often defined by power bats and towering home runs, here was Loder, precise, economical, and unyielding. A complete-game shutout, two hits allowed, five strikeouts—nothing flashy, but everything purposeful. This was pitching as a craft, not just as a display of velocity.
Justin Pitre, the first baseman, provided the thunder. Three hits, including a home run, three runs driven in, and the steady presence of a man who understood the magnitude of the moment. For his efforts, he earned the series’ Most Valuable Player honors.
And so, with the Dodgers dispatched, the Pirates move forward to face the Cincinnati Reds, themselves a club with roots deep in the soil of the game. From Crosley Field to Riverfront to today, Cincinnati remains one of baseball’s great cathedrals.
There is a certain poetry here. A team born in the late 19th century advancing at the expense of another whose history is equally rich. On this day, 47,983 fans watched under clear skies, with the wind gently blowing out to center. For the Dodgers, it was disappointment. For the Pirates, relief and resolve.
Baseball, in the end, is a game of moments, each tethered to the long arc of history. October provides those moments in abundance, and today, in Los Angeles, the Pirates claimed one for themselves.”**