A couple of notes

There seemed to be some confusion among fans as to whether Xavier Avery will be playing in the Arizona Fall League. He will be and is indeed on the Scottsdale Scorpions' roster. The AFL season starts on Tuesday. It should be an interesting challenge for the 20-year-old Avery. "It means a lot. It's an opportunity and I'm going to take it, a chance to get better and see better pitchers. Some of the best talent in the minor leagues will be there," Avery said of playing in the AFL. Avery is probably most excited to show what he can do in Arizona after ending the season struggling at bat. Some felt he tired late in the year. He had just eights hits in his last 47 at bats for Bowie as his average dipped from .283 to .234 in 27 Double-A games. He then re-joined Frederick for the playoffs, but went 0 for 15 in the series vs. Potomac. Catcher Caleb Joseph and first baseman Tyler Townsend are taxi-squad players for the Scorpions, meaning they are limited to one or two starts a week unless they are replacing an injured player. The Tampa Bay Rays are trying to do what has been done just once in 16 tries before. That is, sweep three in a row to win in the Division Series, after losing the first two games at home. After scoring just two runs with a .146 batting average in the first 25 innings vs. Texas, Tampa's offense finally came to life in the final two innings of Saturday's 6-3 win over the Rangers. A win in game four today would send the series back to Tampa-St. Pete on Tuesday, but the Rays would need to beat Cliff Lee in game five. By the way, the 2001 Yankees, who beat Oakland then, are the only team to win three in a row after going 0-2 at home to start the Division Series. The AL playoffs may have proven those right that believe that home-field advantage is not that important in October and also feel that how a team played in September has little to do with what happens in the post-season. The home team is 1-5 so far in the two AL series. Meanwhile, the Yankees went 9-17 to end the regular-season and now are 3-0 in the playoffs. The American League Championship Series will begin on Friday, either in Texas or Tampa-St. Pete.