Autumn Dreamin

2 ER his last 16.1 games with a .55 WHIP. Their power lefties just aren't missing.

What a fun year for the back to back champs! Tough luck for Smith to not get a W with the delay, but he flashed impressive stuff in both playoff starts. McDougal was also ridiculous. Barons never trailed across 4 elimination road games. They squandered that 6-0 lead at home in the first round, then locked in for 2 wins on the road. Lost a close one at home in this series, and then pulled off a road miracle again. Shame we don't get a repeat Rikuu celebration chug from the home clubhouse.

Easy grounder back to the mound, 1 away. Solo shot to RF, 6-3... Strikeout swinging, 2 outs. Flyout to shallow right, 3 outs. BARONS WIN!

We're back!

He's a pest at the plate, a menace on the basepaths, and a joy in the clubhouse. All contact/speed/defense but no slug and a small stature that doesn't project to develop future power (though he says he's working on it!). It's hard to expect his game to translate to higher levels, but also impossible not to root for him.

Another rain delay with the Barons up 6-2 in the 9th

In case you're wondering if Pope Leo has still been keeping up with the Sox...

Rockies still on pace to end up with a record of their own

Huge bases loaded 2 out double by Sprinkle to put the Barons up 5-0

Barons on the board first with 2 runs, top 3

(He took 99mph from Skubal to the head)

Arizona walks off LA to stay alive-ish. League leading 10th blown save for Tanner Scott.

Maybe, but I'm not saying they have bad rosters or bad farms long term necessarily, just bad vibes in the moment. A repeat Cy for Skubal and having a pair of top 10 prospects isn't going to placate Tigers fans if they end up missing the playoffs after they were supposed to have the division locked up months ago. Offense has cooled off, the non-Skubal starters are struggling, they are 1-10 in their last 11 with 4 of those losses being to the team they let catch them. It's precisely because they have the best roster in the division that having the same post-ASB record as the Sox has such terrible vibes lol. For us it's a bit of improvement, for them it's a disaster that has them hanging on to a WC by half a game. As for the Twins...their fans have been despondent since the deadline, and haven't seen enough from the remaining roster to change that. Worst record in MLB since the ASB, worst manager in the division, locker room unrest including Ryan allegedly wanting out. Their best players on both sides of the ball are all 30+ with no sale or big spending on the horizon, while Lee, Lewis, and their trade returns have struggled. Their two players 25 or younger worth 1.0+ fWAR is the lowest total in the division. Heck, they can't even fully enjoy their win today because Keaschall got hurt; Lopez also ended his season early getting hurt on a diving play in his last start. Better record, sure. But arguably worse vibes.

Losing 3-2 to the Yankees on the road doesn't really mean too much ultimately. But winning 2-1 against the Yankees on the road, with a W for your rookie all star pitcher, big leverage innings vs. future/former MVPs from your rookie fireballer Taylor and young saves leader Leasure, called by your rookie catcher Teel, who scored on a go ahead 2R bomb from your rookie power hitting shortstop Montgomery, who turned a pair of key DPs with his rookie MIF partner Meidroth...probably would have felt like something kinda meaningful? So it's the gap between those two outcomes that's annoying, less about the fact that they lost and more about the fact that they could've/should've won but didn't. Especially when it comes at the hands of a totally unforced wild pitch (a routine walk preserves the lead for another batter at least) and less than full effort from your vet defensive CF sub. I'd be less annoyed if the Yanks just out-talented them and tied the game with a Jazz HR and then Judge walked it off in extras or whatever. But it's frustrating to play 8.5 innings well enough to make the Yanks have to earn it, and then just...not actually make them earn it.

All these young pitchers keeping their cool just for a vet to get the yips on the potential last pitch of the game is really annoying.

Sox vibes are downright middle of the pack in the division right now compared to the decimated Twins and collapsing Tigers...

Barons get one back, 6-2.

4 perfect innings for McDougal to bring his total playoff line to 7IP, 1H, 0ER, 0BB, 11K. 6 in a row retired, a single to left, 15 in a row retired across his 2 starts. His 40 man spot awaits. Lead is down to 5-2 as Schweitzer allows a pair in his first inning.

There he is

8K ties a career high for Smith

Such an annoying team

The slowest fastball Smith has thrown tonight (95.8mph) is still harder than his season average (95.6). Sitting 97 and topping at 100. He's a starter until proven otherwise, but it makes you wonder what he could pull off in relief.

Smith has thrown like 10 of the fastest pitches of his career tonight, and that has been worth witnessing for me.

Early 3-0 lead through 1 for the Barons off of 3 singles, an error, and a WP. 3u/3d for McDougal.