As you probably know, we have a super-fun preorder promotion going for FIFTY SEASONS with our pals at Rainy Day Books. If you preorder from Rainy Day, I’ll not only sign the book, I’ll inscribe it however you want.
This might be a more valuable offer than you think. I just received this from Brilliant Reader Eleah — she preordered WHY WE LOVE BASEBALL from Rainy Day a few years ago, and this is what I signed in her book:
I’m not saying that I can pull off this same magic for your team.
I’m just saying that I might be able to pull off this magic for your team.
Preorder here! The offer ends on December 15.
Something unusual happened in this year’s postseason: The team with the better record won every round.
The Padres’ 91 wins beat the Cubs’ 89.
The Yankees’ 93 wins beat the Red Sox’s 87.
The Braves’ 94 wins beat the Phillies’ 88.
The White Sox’s 84 wins beat the Astros’ 81.
The Dodgers 100 wins beat the Braves’ 94.
The Brewers’ 103 wins beat the Padres’ 91.
The Guardians’ 85 wins beat the White Sox’s 84.
The Rays’ 98 wins beat the Yankees’ 93.
The Brewers’ 103 wins beat the Dodgers’ 100.
The Rays’ 98 wins beat the Guardians’ 85.
The Brewers’ 103 wins beat the Rays’ 98 for the World Series title.
This hasn’t happened in the Wild Card era — not even when there was only one Wild Card team in each league. In fact, it hasn’t happened since 1986, when there were only three series — the two Championship Series and the World Series.
You look at the last few years:
— In 2025, four teams with worse records won.
— In 2024, four teams with worse records won.
— In 2023, seven teams with worse records won.
— In 2022, six teams with worse records won.
— In 2021, even though there were two fewer playoff series, five teams with worse records won.
So what do we think happened this year? I presume it’s mostly chance, but I’ll throw out a thought: I think the Brewers and Rays, the teams with the best records, were quite a lot better than every other team in their respective leagues. There was a bigger gap than usual between the top team and the rest. Nobody was beating the Brewers this year. And I don’t think any team in the weak American League — especially with Aaron Judge out — had much of a chance against the Rays.
The other games just happened to fall into place.
This was also the least competitive postseason in a long while — only one series, that clumsy series between the Guardians and White Sox — went the distance. There were five sweeps and a near sweep in the World Series. It happens sometimes.
People keep asking me to talk about the looming lockout in baseball, and I’d prefer not to for a couple of reasons. First, obviously, it’s a depressing topic.
The second reason cuts hard against the first … and it might not make a lot of sense to you.
I’m actually optimistic that the lockout won’t last long.
And I don’t trust that feeling AT ALL.
