This is For The Win’s daily newsletter, The Morning Win. Did a friend recommend or forward this to you? If so, subscribe here. Have feedback? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this brief reader survey! Now, here’s Mike Sykes.
Good morning, Winners! Thanks so much for reading the Morning Win today. We appreciate your time. Happy FTWeen! Ok. Sorry. That’s corny.
Let’s talk about this World Series, man.
It looks like the morons who tried to snatch off Mookie Betts’ glove in Game 4 are actually the luckiest (yet, simultaneously, the dumbest) Yankees fans in the world. They didn’t have to watch their team forget how to play baseball in Game 5.
The top of the fifth was an absolute nightmare. Aaron Judge couldn’t catch anymore. Anthony Volpe forgot how to throw. Gerrit Cole didn’t think it was important to cover first base. Maybe most importantly, Aaron Boone decided it was the perfect time to just vibe out? It was truly bizarre.
But that’s also the perfect way to describe the series. ESPN’s win probability formula gave New York an 88.7 percent chance of winning the game then, much like the Yankees had a 96.5 percent chance of winning Game 5. Both leads were blown. What could’ve been a 3-2 series lead is, instead, a Dodgers’ World Series win.
That’s devastating. New York basically just handed the Dodgers a dynasty.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK: 12 photos of the Dodgers celebrating their championship in Yankee Stadium
And I know what you’re thinking. “Dynasty? It’s way too early to talk about dynasty.” But, folks. Is it really? This Dodgers team is good. It will be good for the foreseeable future. The version of this team we saw this year isn’t even the best it will be.
Let me remind you that LA just won it all with Shohei Ohtani batting 2-for-15 in the series. Let me also remind you that he hasn’t pitched all season. The team’s starting rotation will get one of the best arms in baseball next season without actually adding anyone.
They’ve got some key guys hitting free agency, but Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Tyler Glasnow, Freddie Freeman and Yoshinobu Yamamoto are all under contract through 2027 at the very least. The core of this team isn’t going anywhere.
So I suggest we buckle in, folks. Yes, it’s a little early to talk about dynasty. Baseball is a bit random and anything can happen from year to year. But this certainly feels like it could be one in the making.
And the Yankees just gave it away. Tough.
Speaking of Ohtani …
The “Tungsten Arm” O’Doyle curse is finally broken, Charles Curtis writes.
Now that Ohtani has finally won it all without having shattered some obscure record, he’s free to live his life again. Here’s Charles with more:
“For years while on the Los Angeles Angels, Shohei Ohtani would do amazing, miraculous things and the team would somehow continue to lose. It inspired a meme back in 2021 — @matttomic posted on X (formerly Twitter) this statement: “every time I see an Angels highlight it’s like “Mike Trout hit three homes runs and raised his average to .528 while Shohei Ohtani did something that hasn’t been done since ‘Tungsten Arm’ O’Doyle of the 1921 Akron Groomsmen, as the Tigers defeated the Angels 8-3′”
Ever since then, a “Tungsten Arm O’Doyle game” became a thing, even when he joined the Dodgers.
But Ohtani struggled mightily in the World Series and hurt his shoulder. Yet the Dodgers still won.”
I’m so glad we can finally let this rest. I bet Ohtani is, too.
Bronny did the thing
Bronny James scored his first NBA bucket while the Lakers were getting blown out by the Cavaliers.
But it’s the how here that makes me chuckle. He put a bit of flare on his dad’s signature move to get it done. It was one of those patented LeBron James stepback jumpers that wasn’t really a step back.
Bronny James scores his first-career bucket!
Special moment in Cleveland 💯 pic.twitter.com/pauUZQ14AX
— NBA (@NBA) October 31, 2024
That should look familiar.
Quit playing bruh there is no fuckin way Bronny scored his first basket ever with this move pic.twitter.com/ikzwBdfqJh https://t.co/rCwuEVR2Pi
— Eddie Gonzalez (@bansky) October 31, 2024
It really does run in the family. The Cavaliers let Bronny cut down the net where he scored his first points. That’s a pretty cool gesture from an organization that didn’t have to do that. What a nice moment.
BRON IS UNMOVED: LeBron James hilariously didn’t react to Bronny’s first basket.
Quick hits: Juan Soto on the move? … The NBA’s 3-point problem … and more
— Juan Soto sure doesn’t sound like he’s itching to return to New York. Here’s Charles Curtis with more.
— Prince Grimes says the NBA has a 3-point problem here in the latest send for Layup Lines.
— Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez absolutely ripped the Yankees for fumbling the win. Blake Schuster has more.
— Will Smith just keeps winning rings. Well, it’s a different Will Smith every time. But Will Smith! Cory Woodroof explains.
— Bo Nix “growing up” watching Lamar Jackson is kind of nuts. Robert Zeglinski has more.
— Victor Wembanyama reportedly doesn’t say Chet Holmgren’s name because he takes their rivalry that seriously. Maybe he should next time so he can play better in the next matchup.
That’s a wrap, folks! Thanks so much for reading. We appreciate you giving us a bit of your time. Have a great Thursday and a Happy Halloween. Peace.
-Sykes ✌️
