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Almost Cooperstown
Almost Cooperstown
We're a father and son who love to talk and argue about baseball! Baseball is the professional sport that has the longest history so there is a lot to talk about! We launched Almost Cooperstown noting that baseball contains a long history of players that, for whatever reasons, have been shunned by the electors of the Hall of Fame. Consequently here are many 'Almost' players still waiting their turn for induction. With less than 1.4% of the now more than 23,000 players in the HOF, we feel there should be more players included. In these podcasts we also discuss current seasons & trends. Please send any messages to almostcooperstown@gmail.com. Baseball articles can be found here: https://almostcooperstown.substack.com/publish/posts
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Oct. 5, 2026

When Is It Time to Break Up the Band? MLB Teams Facing Big Offseason Decisions

When Is It Time to Break Up the Band? MLB Teams Facing Big Offseason Decisions
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Season 7

The 2026 MLB regular season is over, the Division Series are underway, and some teams are already facing a difficult question: When is it time to break up the band?

Mark and Gordon take a look at several clubs whose familiar cores may have reached a crossroads. The Phillies still have star power, but after another disappointing finish, does bringing back essentially the same group make sense? Houston won its division, but an aging core and questions about the pitching staff create a similar dilemma.

The guys also look at what comes next for the Blue Jays, Orioles, Tigers and other teams trying to determine whether they need a few changes—or something much bigger.

Before getting to the offseason questions, Mark and Gordon take a tour through some of the most interesting statistical results from the 2026 regular season, including the decline of the 200-hit season, fewer doubles and triples, stolen-base leaders, saves, and a home-run race that finished without anyone reaching 50.

Plus, they recap the opening of the Division Series, including a costly Yankees baserunning decision, dominant pitching, and one of the strangest potential home runs you'll see in a postseason game.

In Episode 726:

  • The unusual statistical leaders of the 2026 MLB season
  • Why nobody reached 200 hits
  • The changing nature of doubles, triples and stolen bases
  • Why the 60-save closer may be disappearing
  • A surprisingly modest home-run leaderboard
  • Early Division Series takeaways
  • A bizarre roof play that helped decide a postseason game
  • Should the Phillies break up their veteran core?
  • Is Houston approaching the end of an era?
  • What should Toronto and Baltimore do next?
  • Detroit's offseason opportunity
  • How the possibility of a 2027 labor stoppage could complicate everything

At some point, continuity stops being stability and starts becoming stagnation. Which MLB teams have reached that point?

Almost Cooperstown is a weekly baseball podcast featuring thoughtful conversations about the Baseball Hall of Fame, baseball history, current MLB topics, player comparisons, statistics and the stories that connect today's game with its rich history.

Thanks again to Mercury Maid for the Intro & Outro music.

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