Elephant Rumblings: Nationals advance to first-ever World Series

A’s Coverage:

• Slusser: A’s Mailbag - Stephen Piscotty a potential trade piece? Other potential moves? ($)
• Ravani: Alameda County quietly offered Oakland a deal to buy out Coliseum debt — if it paid up front... ($)

Best of AN:

• Hall: Greg Deichmann lighting up Arizona Fall League...

MLB News:

• Drellich: Talks are underway to implement opioid testing in Major League Baseball this offseason... ($$$)
• Marchand: ESPN considers blowing up Sunday night booth around Alex Rodriguez...
• Neal: Twins bench coach Derek Shelton to interview with Mets, Pirates...

Baseball Interest Stories:

• Posnanski: Playoff baseball’s ‘Too Many Pitchers’ problem... ($$$)
• Strang: Analyzing the legal implications of the Tyler Skaggs case... ($$$)
• Klugh: Like a Team Possessed - It’s the Nationals’ Turn Now...
• Catalano: Play Ball...
• Gawlowski: Brian McCann’s Great Career and Fascinating Hall of Fame Case...

Today in Baseball History:

• 1974 — Pitcher Ken Holtzman, who hasn’t batted in the regular season because of the designated hitter rule, belts a 3rd-inning home run off Andy Messersmith in Game 4 and gets the 5 - 2 victory. Rollie Fingers holds the Dodgers in relief and Oakland takes a 3-1 Series lead. Holtzman remains the last pitcher in American League history to hit a home run at home.

Best of Twitter:

• Love to see it...

• Take some time today to hug a Mariners fan...

• Dominance...