Playoffs? Playoffs?

Sure hope no one has high expectations about the Braves advancing in the playoffs. With all the injuries they’ve had this year, just making it to the postseason was an achievement. Acuna and Riley and Strider and Sale are out – their best two pitchers and hitters. Their replacements are far from all stars. Wore my new Braves home cap during game two, and it turned out to be lucky. I’ll have to wear it again tonight.

Pretty sure a minor leaguer will have to pitch tonight. Ian Anderson hasn’t pitched in the majors in two years, but did well for the Gwinnett down the stretch these past few months. Owns a career 1.26 playoff ERA. But he’s not on the postseason roster. Padres better watch out. Hopefully this post ages well.

Chris Sale won the pitching triple crown: most wins and strikeouts, and lowest ERA. He’s a cinch for the Cy Young Award.

Happy 100th birthday to longtime Braves fan Jimmy Carter.

No no no. R.I.P. Dikembe Mutombo Mpolondo Mukamba Jean-Jacques Wamutombo. Spoke 9 languages. Attended Georgetown to become a doctor, then was recruited by John Thompson to play basketball. Interned for the US Congress and the World Bank. Lived in Atlanta after retiring from basketball. Was an acquaintance of my GT BSU buddies Dave & Lynn Travis. Did tons of humanitarian works.

Hopefully things won’t go too crazy with Iran attacking Israel, and the dockworkers strike, and everything else. Just bet: someone will try to cancel the election. Hillary Clinton predicts October surprise that could upend election: 'Something will happen'. Why would she think such a thing? All this craziness is exactly why there needs to be an election.

Question: should non-US citizens be allowed to vote in US Presidential elections?

DENISON: Israel has been criticized for attacking “civilian” buildings, because terrorists have hidden their weapons and missile launching positions within civilian villages. Corrupt warlord Hassan Nasrallah and other senior Hezbollah leaders were gathered in a bunker 60 feet beneath a working-class neighborhood in southern Beirut when Israel’s air force struck the bunker. Hezbollah had been planning “to invade Israel, attack Israeli communities, and massacre innocent men, women, and children. An Israeli spokeman stated, “Our war is with Hezbollah. We do not want to harm Lebanese civilians.” Israel has repeatedly warned civilians before staging strikes. Nonetheless, in a speech to the UN last week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan compared Benjamin Netanyahu to Adolf Hitler. Anti-Israel incidents of assault, vandalism, harassment, and protests on US college campuses escalated 477%.

Liberal scholars have been calling for the US Constitution to be abolished (John Kerry did so just yesterday!). Such attacks on the moral foundations of our nation are having their effect. In 1998, 70% of Americans considered patriotism to be very important; today it’s 38%. The younger you are, the less likely you are to believe that the US is “among the greatest countries of the world.” King David asked: “If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3).

MORE DENISON on today’s bombing of Israel by Iran.

New Yorker John McEnroe made a surprise appearance on Only Murders in the Building. In the same scene, Martin Short accidentally made a child actor cry.

Modern Era triples records and titles

Ty Cobb most AL career triples (295)

Stan Musial most times led the NL in triples (4)

Sam Crawford most career triples (309)

Tommy Leach most triples in a World Series (4 in 1903)

Steve Finley most career triples with the bases loaded (8)

Shohei Ohtani fewest triples to lead MLB for a season (8 in 2021)

Buck Freeman first player to hit 2 triples in the 1st inning (25-Jul-1900)

Yasiel Puig most recent player to hit 3 triples in a game (24-Jul-2014)

Gavin Lux fewest triples to lead the NL in a full year (7 in 2022)

Brandon Nimmo fewest triples to lead the AL in a full year (7 in 2022)