(Milwaukee, WI) — MLB-dot-com ranks the Milwaukee Brewers fourth in the playoff field. No team won more games than the franchise-record 97 won by manager Pat Murphy’s team. The Los Angeles Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, and Seattle Mariners are the teams ranked above the Brewers in the MLB power poll. Milwaukee has made it to the postseason seven times in the last eight years. It will take on the winner of the three-game series between the Cubs and Padres.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Twins have fired manager Rocco Baldelli, ending his seven-year tenure that included three AL Central titles but only one playoff appearance in his final five seasons. The Twins finished 70-92 this year. Baldelli’s firing came following a season marked by a major selloff leading up to the trade deadline. The Twins went 19-35 after the deadline passed following the departure of 10 players from their major league roster. Only the Colorado Rockies fared worse over the final two months. Baldelli is 44. He went 101-61 and won the AL Manager of the Year award as a rookie in 2019.
(Green Bay, WI) — Packers head coach Matt LaFleur is being criticized for conservative play-calling. Twice, he decided to punt on fourth down Sunday night while inside Cowboys’ territory and with five yards or less to go for a first down. Green Bay took possession of the ball with just over three-and-a-half minutes left in overtime, but ran only eight plays and settled for a game-tying field goal. NBC Sports confirms that the coach was trying to keep Dallas from getting the ball back, but suggested that he may have passed on what would have been a game-winning touchdown.
The Minnesota Vikings made the offensive line their top priority for the offseason. Injuries up front have so far been foiling the plan. The Vikings haven’t had their projected starting offensive line together for any of their four games. More injuries popped up on Sunday during their 24-21 defeat by the Pittsburgh Steelers in Dublin and further darkened their outlook up front for the time being. The Vikings have been sacked on 14% of their passing plays for the worst rate in the league. They play the Cleveland Browns in London next.
(Madison, WI) — The Badgers’ homecoming game in Week 7 against the Iowa Hawkeyes will be played in prime time. The announcement was made Monday. The broadcast will be on FS-1 rather than NBC. Wisconsin and Iowa will be battling for the Heartland Trophy, but the Big Ten contest is also important because it is coach Luke Fickell’s best chance at a win among the opponents left on a challenging schedule. Kickoff is set for 6:00 p-m. Before then, the Badgers will travel to Michigan this weekend to take on the Wolverines Saturday.
(Milwaukee, WI) — The Bucks haven’t been strong defensively on the perimeter since trading veteran Jrue Holiday. There may be an answer on the roster for the upcoming season. Behind the Buck Pass-dot-com reports that Ryan Rollins hasn’t been a full-time player, but he has the physical tools needed to become the plus defender that Milwaukee needs. Rollins is six-foot-three with a wingspan of six-foot-10. He put up promising numbers in a reserve roll last season.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves are leaning into stability after a rocky start to last season following a major trade. New arrivals Donte DiVincenzo and Julius Randle took awhile to adjust to new environments on and off the court after they were acquired in the stunning deal that sent cornerstone Karl-Anthony Towns to New York. Both players spoke of being comfortable this time around in media day interviews on Monday at Target Center. Superstar Anthony Edwards said he thinks the Timberwolves have a “cheat code” to start strong while other teams take longer to integrate new players.