So the World Series is all set / IWST

[Frayed Knot]

Best team in each league and two of the top three records: MIL with 103 Wins and TBR w/98 (LAD = 100)

It'll be the second 'Fall Classic' for each [MIL in '82, TBR in '08] and one of the two will erase the 'Never' off their resume.

This matchup both simultaneously ruins the MLB owners' position that 'small market' (however you want to define that) teams can't compete, and that of the general sports media. This leaves only the Reds & Pirates as teams that have failed to at least reach an NLCS/ALCS this century (vs Five in the NFL). The Brewers winning the NL reduces to seven [Pitt & CIncy plus SDP, BAL, MIN, LAA, SEA] (NFL = 12) the number of teams who haven't reached a WS in that same time frame. And this WS will produce the 17th different champion in these last 26 season (NFL = 13). But, y'know, Salary Caps = Parity!!! Not that the main stream sports media will change their tune on this. They don't know that the NFL's system has resulted in Less parity over a significant length of time because they don't want to know it.

It all starts Friday night in Milwaukee: FRI, SAT -- MON, TUE, WED -- FRI, SAT. All games at 8:00 on FOX

[stevejrogers]

Psst, Angels were the 2002 World Champs 

[Gwreck]

Also it’s the third World Series for Tampa, although few can be blamed for not counting the 2020 season.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It wasn't until 54 years into the expansion era that we had a World Series matchup between two expansion teams. (Mets vs. Royals, 2015) It's now happened three times since then: Nationals/Astros in 2019, Diamondbacks/Rangers in 2023, and now Brewers/Rays in 2026.

Significantly*, the 2015 Series is the only one of them that didn't feature at least one team that had changed its name since its inception, and in two of the three, both teams have changed their names.

2019 was the Expos vs. the Colt .45s, 2023 was the Diamondbacks vs. the Senators, and this year, it's the Pilots vs. the Devil Rays.

 

*not really

[whippoorwill]

Probably won’t watch much but I’ll be hoping for a Milwaukee win 

dang I liked that Edmund Fitzgerald idea

[MFS62]

I really don't give an FFR about either city, but I hope Milwaukee wins.

Later

[ashie62]

This is one of those series where I could change who I'm pulling for more than once before the end 

And no, salary caps don't work. I'm not a fan of the owners but I do find player contracts with prediction platforms, Acuna a.e to be morally troubling 

In theory it shouldn't be too hard to come to an agreement about how to wet their brleaks but alas

[Frayed Knot]

10 hours ago, stevejrogers said:

Psst, Angels were the 2002 World Champs 

Yeah, I was short a few updates on my tally. So here's the real scoop.

 

21st century unique WS winners = 16 (soon to be 17): BOS x 4; LAD x 3; SFG x 3; HOU x 2; StL x 2; plus once each for TEX, ATL, WAS, CHC, KCR, NYY, PHI, CHW, MIA, LAA, ARZ

21st century unique SB winners = 13; NEP x 6; KCC x 3; two each for PHI, SEA, TBB, NYG, PIT, plus one each for LAR, DEN, BAL, GBP, NOS, IND

 

WS participants (23): the above winners plus NYM, COL, TOR, CLE, DET, TBR, and, now, MIL

SB participants (20): the above plus CIN, OAK (I'll call 'em what I want), SFO, ATL, CAR, ARZ, CHI

 

Reached but didn't win an NLCS/ALCS (28): add in SDP, SEA, ATH, MIN, BAL

Reached but didn't win an AFC/NFC Conf game (28): add in TEN, NYJ, JAC, BUF, WAS, DET, MIN, LAC

 

Outside looking in: MLB = CIN, PIT; NFL = DAL, HOU, MIA, CLE

[Edgy MD]

Tampa and Milwaukee both have celebrated river walks.

[whippoorwill]

Who are the commentators?

[stevejrogers]

2 hours ago, Frayed Knot said:

Yeah, I was short a few updates on my tally. So here's the real scoop.

 

21st century unique WS winners = 16 (soon to be 17): BOS x 4; LAD x 3; SFG x 3; HOU x 2; StL x 2; plus once each for TEX, ATL, WAS, CHC, KCR, NYY, PHI, CHW, MIA, LAA, ARZ

21st century unique SB winners = 13; NEP x 6; KCC x 3; two each for PHI, SEA, TBB, NYG, PIT, plus one each for LAR, DEN, BAL, GBP, NOS, IND

 

WS participants (23): the above winners plus NYM, COL, TOR, CLE, DET, TBR, and, now, MIL

SB participants (20): the above plus CIN, OAK (I'll call 'em what I want), SFO, ATL, CAR, ARZ, CHI

 

Reached but didn't win an NLCS/ALCS (28): add in SDP, SEA, ATH, MIN, BAL

Reached but didn't win an AFC/NFC Conf game (28): add in TEN, NYJ, JAC, BUF, WAS, DET, MIN, LAC

 

Outside looking in: MLB = CIN, PIT; NFL = DAL, HOU, MIA, CLE

FWIW, interesting note also about the Pirates.  Besides the Marlins and Rockies, who are still looking for their first Divisional title, the Buccos are still the lone franchise that hasn't won a division title since the 1990s!

[whippoorwill]

Next year 

[Frayed Knot]

On 10/20/2026 at 9:00 AM, Benjamin Grimm said:

It wasn't until 54 years into the expansion era that we had a World Series matchup between two expansion teams. (Mets vs. Royals, 2015) It's now happened three times since then: Nationals/Astros in 2019, Diamondbacks/Rangers in 2023, and now Brewers/Rays in 2026.

This will be the first World Series since 1980  -- the Royals, then in their 12th season, vs the Phillies -- where each franchise is seeking their first title. 

[Cowtipper]

I'd like the Brewers to win. I've rooted for them in the past and I'm glad they finally made it. It's weird when teams like the Rays, D-Backs and Marlins make the World Series. It's strange seeing such "new" teams making it.

[smg58]

You could also make the argument that the Rays and the Brewers have the two most analytics-minded front offices in baseball.

[Johnny Lunchbucket]

I still think the Brewers belong in the American League. This World Series shouldn't count.

[whippoorwill]

I have to say it got me confused a few times this post season. 

[Benjamin Grimm]

They should swap leagues with the Astros, to get the cosmos back in alignment. You'd think MLB would prefer to have the state of Texas represented by both leagues, just like Ohio and Florida and New York and Illinois and Missouri. (But not Pennsylvania.) 

[whippoorwill]

Yes!

but yeah, we PAers can handle two Senior Circuit teams :)
 

 

[Centerfield]

Didn’t realize Yelich struggled as much as he did this year. Makes what the Brewers did more impressive. 

[Centerfield]

RBI groundout cuts the lead in half. It’s strange to watch two teams that consistently succeed in situational hitting. 

[Frayed Knot]

2 hours ago, Centerfield said:

Didn’t realize Yelich struggled as much as he did this year. Makes what the Brewers did more impressive. 

The Marlins trading that entire starting OF was now nine winters ago, so not too surprising that Yelich, Stanton, and Ozuna  are all pretty much DH's at this point and are all fading. Those guys were 5th, 1st, and 2nd in WAR for the '17 Marlins but turn 35, 37, and 36 in the next few weeks.

Stanton [coming off an MVP the year of the trade but < 350 ABs over the last Two seasons combined) has one season plus an option left. The Pirates have an option on Ozuna which they're not going to pick up as he seems to be pretty much toast [67 OPS+ in '26] at this point.  Yelich [91 OPS+] still has two seasons plus an option left on his deal so the Brews have to hope he's not toast.

[Frayed Knot]

Did Smoltz just say that Trevor Megill went from Mets set-up man to Brewers closer?

I think that's what I heard but was only half listening.

[Frayed Knot]

There's NO WAY this should be overturned!!!!!

 

 

... and yet it is. I want someone to argue to my face that that evidence was decisive.

[Frayed Knot]

Do the fireworks get shot off again or did the stadium use them all up the first time?

[Frayed Knot]

Misiorowski and Rosnthal should go into a ventriloquist act. Ken would be just perfect sitting on Les Mis's knee.

[Centerfield]

It’s crazy that Joe Davis and John Smoltz are the WS announcers. Don’t love Joe Davis, but he’s fine I guess. Smoltz is awful. 

[ashie62]

Game two of this high profile series

[Centerfield]

Fastball changeup cutter mix. The cutter gets hammered. 
 

is Jonah Tong pitching for the Brewers?

[Centerfield]

Some bad luck for Rasmussen there.  Foul pop not caught. A strike not called or challenged. And a DP ground ball sneaks through because the 2B left his position to cover on the steal.