This Week in Baseball – Divisional Playoffs, Orioles Clean House, ‘Unwritten Rules,’ FBI, Ellsbury’s Parking

by FT Staff | October 7, 2018

Joy Division Playoffs

With the Yankees and Rockies winning the Wild Card playoff games, the Division Series have begun. This round has already been very tough on the visiting teams with the home teams already 7-1 in this round. The good news is that the playoffs now all switch venues. So, the teams that are down 0-2 have the home field advantage—which probably just means they don’t have far to travel after being eliminated.

Bye Bye Birdies

GM Dan Duquette and manager Buck Showalter are out in Baltimore after a franchise record 115 losses. The Orioles said they’ll hire a new executive from outside the organization and that person will have final say in picking the next manager. No word yet on who they have in mind for this punishment.

Rules Schmules…

MLB released an ad to air during the postseason denouncing the anti-bat flip attitudes of many baseball traditionalists. It mocks old time attitudes like: “Don’t stop and stare. Don’t flip your bat. Respect the jersey.” However, the league did not take an official position on other issues like: “Wearing white after Labor Day,” “Keep hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel,” and “Beer before liquor, never been sicker.”

I Am an FBI Agent…

The U.S. Department of Justice and FBI have launched an investigation into the recruitment of international players by MLB teams. The probe is centered on potential violations of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. It turns out that dealing in cash payouts to people in third world countries might have some corruption in play.

Central Park…

Jacoby Ellsbury had his parking spot at Yankee Stadium taken away. With all of his injuries, Ellsbury hasn’t played a game for the Yankees this season and he can probably just park in the handicapped spot.