Perhaps it's just a convenient narrative based on who is playing in this year's World Series, but it really feels like Kansas City vs. San Francisco underscores a shift in MLB power away from starting pitching and into bullpens.
Relief pitching has been important for a while now, but with the teams ranking 1-2 in postseason bullpen ERA (after both ranked in the top 10 in the regular season) — and neither afraid to call on relievers for four innings of what has often been shutdown work — it seems as though a great bullpen trumps great starting pitching in the playoffs these days.
TIPPY TUBBY Tubby Smith, dressed as 1970s movie character Shaft, tipped over a motorcycle he was riding at Texas Tech's Midnight Madness. He was OK.
TRICK OR TREAT St. Louis put on an absolute special teams clinic in defeating the Seahawks. Trick punt return for a TD, long kickoff return and fake punt? Wow!
