Sometimes, it’s best to bargain shop in the sports world.

This year’s World Series is a stiff reminder of it. It’s also a reminder of how old-school baseball can still produce productive results.

Yes, we all have heard plenty about the Brewers ($135 million) and Rays ($108) making the most of their payrolls this season, but it is always worth mentioning again. The Dodgers ($415), Mets ($381) Yankees ($337), Phillies ($313), and Blue Jays ($309) are all watching the games on FOX.

Getting to the Big Dance for both the Brewers and Blue Jays has been about spending thriftily and developing through the farm system. The Brewers are considered to have the top-ranked farm system, and the Rays are right on their heels.

The sad part of this scenario is whatever team wins the series won’t affect the upcoming anticipated work stoppage when the collective bargaining agreement expires Dec. 1.

For whatever reason, I believe the Brewers have the right mojo and vibe here to win their first title. It would be fitting if they could win it on their home field in Game Six, but this may be over before that.

Home Grown ... Unless you’re a diehard Brewers fan, you have to flip open your laptop or scroll on your phone to discover more about their current Brew Crew.

It’s not the same type of makeup as the 1982 team that lost to the Cardinals in seven games in the series and featured 30-plus veterans Ben Ogilvie, Ted Simmons, Gorman Thomas, Don Sutton, Cecil Cooper, Mike Caldwell and Rollie Fingers. Ex-Phillies Don Money, Larry Hisle and Randy Lerch were all in their twilight years, and Doug Jones was a budding pitcher.

Like previously mentioned, the Brewers did it from within.

Aaron Ashby was a third-round pick, who they locked up until 2029; Cooper Pratt was a fourth-round pick; Jackson Chourio was a Venezuelan wunderkind who signed an eight-year deal before his first at-bat; Christian Yelich was acquired in a four-player deal from Miami, and all four Brewers’ prospects have yet to pan out. Wilson Contreras also turned out to be a steal from the Braves, who usually don’t make mistakes.

Brice Turang (2018), Garrett Mitchell (2020) and Sal Frelich (2021) were all first-round picks. Logan Henderson was a fourth-round pick, and Jason “Miz” Misorowski was the 63rd pick in 2022. Abner Uribe was signed as a free agent from the Dominican Republic in 2018.

Closer Trevor Megill was a Mets’ castoff, and Jo Jo Romero once wore Philly pinstripes.

Milwaukee is the fifth youngest team averaging 27.3, while the Rays are the second oldest at 30. Yelich (34) and backup catcher Gary Sanchez (33) are the only players over 30. The Phillies’ average age is 28.8, 11th lowest overall.

The Brewers currently are in a good situation with players under contract. However, they will eventually reach an impasse with certain players, and a likely salary cap won’t help.

You Can’t Make It Up ... Current Brewers postseason heroes Ashby and Pratt have ties with the Phillies, and their last names should ring a bell.

Ashby is the nephew of former Phillies’ hurler Andy Ashby, and Pratt has the same family connection with former Phillies catcher Todd Pratt.

Heading into Monday’s Game Three of the series, the left-handed Ashby was on the verge of setting a new mark of most innings without an earned run with his line of 15.2 innings with five hits, three walks, and 17 strikeouts. Cleveland’s Andrew Miller set the record with 16 innings in 2016, breaking previous marks set by Andy Hawkins (15.1) and Goose Gossage (14.1).

Andy Ashby was in the Phillies starting rotation for three seasons in the 90s, but injuries and inconsistencies sidetracked his Philly stay, as he managed a 6-15, 6.14 slate. Ashby found his mark with the Padres, where he was 70-62 with a 3.59 ERA in eight years. He is a part-owner of the Scranton-Wilkes-Barre Railriders, and still maintains one of his homes in Pittston, where his wife was a native.

Pratt, the Brewers’ rookie shortstop, was hitting .286 going into Monday’s game after he hit .281 during the regular season. His uncle, Todd, spent eight seasons with the Phillies and hit. 256 with them.

Readers Write

Phillies Should Take Note

Dear Jeff,

I am rooting for the Brewers! The Brewers play baseball the way it should be played with hitting the ball on the ground. They have solid starting pitching and a bullpen.

The Phillies need to bolster the bullpen, get some contact hitters, and keep their word with Trea Turner’s ultimatum at short. They finally fired Kevin Long. Hopefully, they can get a hitting coach that can teach these guys to be contact hitters and work the count.

Melissa Hager

Lehighton

Bluer Than Blue

Dear Jeff, it’s Paul from Hawley and the lifelong and diehard Dodgers’ fan.

As I expressed in my last letter, I had concerns about the Dodgers’ chances to three-peat. Unfortunately, I was right. They were downright flat, and the offense was non-existent, as they couldn’t score with players in scoring position. Starting pitching was at times dominant, but not sustainable. Relievers couldn’t pick up the slack. Toward the end of Game Four and I was already thinking about next year.

There are no major free agents to lose, except Skubal. The Hall of Famers will be back, but the Dodgers need to enhance the roster with their youthful and talented farm system. Critics of Dave Roberts haven’t a clue. Look at his track record. The Dodgers have been winners for years.

Baseball is baseball and sometimes you lose. As we said in Brooklyn about Da Bums “wait till year.”

Paul Dallara

Hawley

Watch The Calendar ... As soon as the World Series ends, free agency, or the “Hot Stove” will heat up.

However, players can’t sign with a new team until 5 p.m. (eastern time) on the fifth day after the conclusion of the series. While teams can reach out to player representatives, the five-day period serves as an exclusive window in which teams can retain their departing free agents. Usually, this is a period with very little activity.

But this year could be a true free-agent frenzy.

If the series ends Oct. 31, any signing couldn’t occur until Nov. 5. That would leave 25 days before the collective bargaining expires.

One element bound to be discussed in the new deal will be deferred money. The Dodgers, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Cubs, and possibly the Phillies will probably look to sign free agents with the majority of their contracts with deferred money.

It will take plenty of creative accounting to juggle upcoming free-agent signings.

Better On Paper? ... The Phillies have expanded their analytics department to top the 50 employee mark, making it one of the largest in baseball.

Phils manager Don Mattingly will reportedly rely heavily on analytics this season, and president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski stated the Phillies finish this past season “wasn’t the analytic department’s fault.”

Analytics will help Mattingly decide on the lineup, bullpen choices and defensive alignments. It did dictate to have Kyle Schwarber hit leadoff and Luis Arraez in the cleanup spot.

But surprisingly, analytics has all but eliminated the bunt, and the hit-and-run in games, which were once fundamental tools.

The days of the manager’s gut reactions to game situations have also gradually faded away.

Ironically, the Brewers and Rays have had their share of success implementing those old tactics.

South Side ... The White Sox’s success this season (84-68) has conjured memories of their 2005 championship when they became the only team since the 1927 Yankees to never relinquish first place during the regular season.

They went 99-63 in the season and swept the Astros in the World Series for their first title since 2017.

Jermaine Dye was the series MVP, and their roster was dotted with ex-Phillies Aaron Rowand, Tadahito Igochi, Freddy Garcia, Jose Contreras and where have you gone Cliff Politte. Let me know if I missed anyone.

Scrapbook ... In each column, I will review the career of a former standout from the area.

Julian Rickert had a stellar career for Marian, and he also excelled in basketball and football.

In his senior year, Rickert hit .432 with eight doubles, 18 runs, 12 RBIs, and had a .561 OBP. Overall, Rickert hit .385 in 38 games.

Rickert continued his career at King’s College, and later served as an assistant coach there. He currently is an assistant coach at Bloomsburg University.

Your thoughts are always welcomed and will be published; email them tnsports@tnonline.com

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