THE HURRICANE OF THE CENTURY

The story of the day is Super Hurricane Melissa.  Plus, that World Series game last night deserves a few comments.  But first, tracking President Donald Trump.

• Trump spent yesterday meeting with Japan Emperor Naruhito, the nation's symbolic leader, at the Imperial Palace.  Naruhito is 5'8" and 65 years old and Trump is 6'3" and 79.

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  Then today, he met with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.  A lot of flattery and gift-giving from Takaichi.
• She told him that Japan would be nominating him for the Nobel Peace Prize.
• I should mention, though, that Trump is getting nowhere with Putin.
• And seems to have lost influence over Netanyahu.
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  Gave him a golf bag signed by Hideki Matsuyama, as well as a putter used by former PM Shinzo Abe.
• Trump announced approval for the first delivery of U.S. missiles for F-35 fighter jets, but which Japan purchased.
• Lunch was American rice and American beef.
• They did sign a deal on rare earth minerals, as well as a document heralding a new "golden age" of U.S.-Japan relations.
• The government shutdown is now up to 28 days, the second longest ever.  The longest?  35 days in 2018-19 during Trump's first term.

Super Hurricane Melissa at around 1PM local time made landfall over the western portion of Jamaica at 185 MPH.  

• The speed of inner eyewall was 225 MPH at 10,000 feet from the ground.  Fortunately, the high mountain range for the island is on the east side.

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  However, the storm surge occurs on the northeast quadrant, so even Kingston will be seriously impacted.
• Montego Bay is on the west side, but on the north coastline.
• The damage to the entire island will be especially catastrophic, more so because at 4.5 MPH, Melissa is a slow moving hurricane.
• Nearly 3 million people live here.
• One huge problem is that only a relatively low percentage of the population participated in evacuating their home, and 70% of them live within 3 miles of the coastline.
• Officials warned residents about crocodiles.  There are 28 species here, but only 300 or so adults.
• 
  Melissa will make landfall in eastern Cuba late Tuesday or early Wednesday at Category 3 strength (119-139 MPH).

• Then, the Bahamas on Wednesday and Bermuda on Thursday, still at Category 2.

• 
  No danger for the USA.
• I waited to find more info, but nothing much has been officially released.
• Last year three Atlantic hurricane names were retired:  Beryl, Helen and Milton.  This year, Melissa will no doubt attain that notoriety.

I last night watched might have been the best major league baseball game in history.  Certainly historic:

• Longest World Series game in time, 6 hours 39 minutes, and tied for the most innings at 18 with the Red Sox at Dodgers in 2018.  I began watching the pre-game program, then the post-game interviews, a total of more than 8 hours.
• 609 pitches were thrown by 19 pitchers.  The average/game is 290.
• Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of 18th inning with two outs for a 6-5 victory.  Second time, in that last year in Game One of the World Series, he hit a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning.

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  Maybe, though, Shohei Ohtani accomplished more:
• Went to bat 9 times.
• Hit two home runs and two doubles.
• Walked five times, four of them intentional.
• Or, reached base 9 times in the same game, tying three others in the postseason, the last one in 1942 by Stan Hack of the Chicago Cubs.

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  But to me, the hero of the game was Will Klein.  Google AI agreed with me.

Yes, Dodgers pitcher Will Klein was the hero of World Series Game 3, pitching four scoreless innings in relief to secure a win for Los Angeles in extra innings before Freddie Freeman hit a walk-off home run. Klein's performance was crucial, as he came in during a marathon game and stranded runners, giving the Dodgers a chance to win. 

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  Key Performance: Klein entered the game when the Dodgers needed him most and pitched four innings of scoreless relief, a career-high for him.
• Setting up the Win: His dominant performance, which included ending the 18th inning with a strikeout, set the stage for Freddie Freeman's walk-off home run to win the game.
• Unlikely Hero: As a reliever who wasn't originally on the NLCS roster, Klein's performance was an unexpected and heroic effort that helped secure a historic victory. 

Klein:

• Preparing for the major league.
• Pitched in college for the Eastern Illinois Panthers from 2018, posting earned run averages of 6.62, 5.11 and 3.33 in his three years.

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  Was nevertheless selected by the Kansas City Royals as their 135th pick in the 2020 draft.  Signed for $200,000.
• Had an up and down minor league career, and was first promoted to the major leagues for the first time on 25April2024.  In five appearances, recorded a 6.35 ERA.

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  Traded to the Oakland Athletics on 30July2024, and allowed five runs and four runs in two short appearances.
• Traded to the Seattle Mariners on 21January2025.  Sent down to the minors, struggling to a 7.17 ERA over 22 appearances.
• Acquired by the Los Angeles Dodgers on 2June2025 and spent most of his time in the minor leagues with a 5.16 ERA. 
• Was not much of a reliever in the regular season.
• Was inactive for the first three rounds of the postseason, but added to the active roster for the World Series.  Why???  Mostly because Freddy Fermin had sudden family problems and dropped out at the last moment.
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  For the full season, only relieved in 14 games and pitched in 15.1 innings all year, fewer than the number of innings just in Game 3.  Had a 1-1 record.
• Was the bottom-rated (#9) of 9 relievers on the team.
• Had not pitched yet in the postseason.
• By the 15 inning, the Dodgers had used 8 relievers, and only Klein was left.
• Never pitched more than two innings in a game.
• All he did was pitch four innings, giving up one hit and no runs, walked 2, struck out 5 and became the winning pitcher.
• Yes, he was the hero of Game 3, and might well be more used in the future.

Here is Klein in the post-game interview.

Today is National Chocolate Day.

Here are 12 ways to enjoy today.

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