Sports

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MELISSA BLOCK, HOST:

The Major League playoffs begin tomorrow, spinning off a dizzying last day of the regular season, and there's a ton of drama to talk about with Joe Lemire, baseball writer for Sports Illustrated. Welcome, Joe.

JOE LEMIRE: Thanks for having me.

BLOCK: That dizzying last day featured a remarkable finish by the Oakland A's. They won the American League West, but they were all but dead three months ago. They were 13 games behind the Texas Rangers. What happened?

The National Hockey League today officially canceled games scheduled through Oct. 24 as players and management remain at odds over a new contract.

We like hockey. We suspect some of you do too. But we have to wonder whether missing some of what's become a very long regular season will matter all that much to most fans.

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Major League Baseball's regular season ended yesterday with the kind of day that would warm the commissioner's heart: fans cheering from coast to coast, a towering achievement for one very good hitter, and the promise of even more excitement to come as the playoffs begin. NPR sports correspondent Tom Goldman has been tracking this season. He's on the line.

Good morning, Tom.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Hello.

As monumental as the Washington Nationals' first trip to Major League Baseball's playoffs has been, this news may come close in importance for some fans in the nation's capital:

Teddy, one of the team's four presidential mascots, finally won a "race" today.

So, we found out that the National Football League is too big to fail. But not so big that it couldn't make a complete fool of itself and show to the world that its owners are stingy, greedy nincompoops.

Not so big that it couldn't make its commissioner, Roger Goodell, stand out in front, looking lost and small, so that their erstwhile tough-guy commander suddenly became an errand boy, losing respect and dignity that will be hard to regain the next time he needs it.

The Oakland A's are headed to the playoffs for the first time in six years, and Washington's Nationals brought the pennant home for the first time since the Senators did it back in 1933. NPR's Mike Pesca talks about the surprises, the end of the baseball season and the outlook for the playoffs.

Two weeks ago it was baseball's 500,000th error.

Now, we want to pass this along: There were some very odd odd events Saturday during a game between the Washington Nationals and St. Louis Cardinals.

Here's what happened:

The Nationals loaded the bases. Slugger Michael Morse was at bat. And his long hit to right field bounced off the top of the fence.

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STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Those who think golf is a boring sport to watch saw otherwise at the end of the Ryder Cup yesterday. A team of 12 European golfers staged the greatest comeback ever seen in this event that dates back to well before World War II. Those 12 European golfers left a dozen American golfers stunned and embarrassed in a team event on their home course, Medinah Country Club outside Chicago. NPR's Tom Goldman has barely recovered from the shock. He's with us this morning.

Tom, good morning.

TOM GOLDMAN, BYLINE: Hi.

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(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LIFE IS A BALLGAME")

SISTER WINONA CARR: (Singing) Life is a ball game being played each day. Life is a ball game...

RACHEL MARTIN, HOST:

If life is a ballgame, then Mike Pesca is our man in the dugout giving us the play by play and the big picture. Pesca, how the heck have you been? It's been a long time.

MIKE PESCA, BYLINE: I've been well.

MARTIN: OK, good. Well, I've missed you. I can't wait to hear what's on tap for this week. What's on your mind?

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SCOTT SIMON, HOST:

This is Weekend Edition from NPR News. I'm Scott Simon. You know, as Dickens might up it: It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It's time for sports.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)