The Republic Baseball League

I've watched the first two games of the World Series from beginning to end. I have not done this in a long time and it is like being in a baseball time machine. The teams playing, Milwaukee and Tampa Bay play what is called "small ball" which is to say don't rely on home runs to win games. This year the Astros hit 226 dingers. Tampa was 22nd with 169 homers and the Brewers hit 154 and ranked 29 of 30 teams. I don't know any of the players or who the coaches are. No big stars. No one with a $500 million contract. No nonsense. Get on base. Advance the runner. Steal a base now and then. Take chances. The two games so far have been tense and both were one-run victories by Milwaukee. In the 2026 season, Tampa Bay led MLB in one-run victories with a 25-14 record. The Brewers at .636 had the best record in MLB. Baseball teams ranked by salaries show how much richer players are in the biggest cities. The NY Mets pay $346 million and the Dodgers $339 M this year. The Brewers are ranked 19 of 30 and pay $200 M less than the Mets and the Tampa Bay Rays team is ranked 28th at $95 M. Cleveland, which almost made it to the Series, has the lowest team salary in Major League Baseball at $74M. So we have a Series this year that is not based on names you recognize from cities that have never wond a World Series. Enjoy it and hope it goes seven games.