Top News:
Chicago Tribune:
MacPhail resigns as Cubs president — John McDonough will serve as interim president — Andy MacPhail resigned as president of the Cubs on Sunday. — MacPhail will remain with the team to ensure a smooth transition to a new president and to complete his assignment representing Major League Baseball …
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Byron / GROTA:
Bloodbath: The Transcript — I'm transcribing this afternoon's developments for posterity. This is a transcript of what MacPhail said at today's news conference. I will clean it up later, but it is being rushed to readers for the sake of immediacy. — Update: 7:06 p.m. I have added …
Mike Downey / Chicago Tribune:
Too many problems for 1 guy to create — Many baseball teams have a big boss (George Steinbrenner, Jerry Reinsdorf) who owns a percentage of the club and then a general manager who makes manpower decisions, with no one else in between. — The Cubs have a team president 'twixt the two.
Yahoo! Sports:
Howard, Ortiz lead parade of 2006 statistical champs — BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT (TICKER) — It has been a bittersweet season for both Ryan Howard and David Ortiz. — The powerful lefthander sluggers, who led their respective leagues in homers and RBI, each compiled the numbers while their teams came up short for the postseason.
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Associated Press:
Orioles held hitless in five-inning game — BOSTON (AP) - Devern Hansack hopes he made a lasting impression on the Boston Red Sox in the final game of the season. — Hansack pitched no-hit ball for five innings before Sunday's game was called because of rain, giving Boston a 9-0 win over Baltimore …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Howard Ulman / Associated Press:
Red Sox tab Papelbon as starter — BOSTON (AP) — Jonathan Papelbon will be a starter, Trot Nixon might be an opponent and Theo Epstein is a realist. — Injuries and poor play in the second half of the season kept the Boston Red Sox out of the playoffs for the first time in Epstein's four years as general manager.
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Clemens comes under steroid scrutiny — Somewhere, Barry Bonds is smirking. — Roger Clemens' late-career surge bears similarities to Bonds'. But while Bonds' alleged use of performance-enhancing drugs has been well-documented, Clemens largely has escaped scrutiny …
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ESPN:
Report: Marlins to dismiss Girardi, name successor — Despite a season that far exceeded expectations, the Florida Marlins will move quickly this week to dismiss manager Joe Girardi and name a successor, a source familiar with the Marlins situation told ESPN Insider's Jerry Crasnick.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Joe Frisaro / MLB.com:
Sources: Girardi to be let go on Tuesday — Braves' Gonzalez would be leading candidate to take over — MIAMI — The season finale came and went Sunday afternoon for the Marlins, and there was still no definitive word on Joe Girardi's managerial future. — Following an emotional finish …
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Opponent Is Set, and Mets Look Inward — Several hours before the Mets knew they would be playing the Los Angeles Dodgers in the opener of the National League division series that begins Wednesday, David Wright said that the team sitting in the other dugout would not really matter.
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Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Lind's blast lifts Jays over Yanks — Two-run shot ends Toronto's 2006 season on high note — NEW YORK — For the last time this season, John Gibbons tossed his hat onto a clubhouse desk and leaned back in his chair. The Blue Jays' skipper sported a grin as he discussed Toronto's final contest …
Mike Carminati / Baseball Prospectus:
Does Clinching Early Help? — Drive a nail home and clinch it so faithfully that you can wake up in the night and think of your work with satisfaction, a work at which you would not be ashamed to invoke the Muse. —Henry David "Clyde" Thoreau — New York is abuzz with the prospect …
Norman Chad / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
The Couch Slouch: Ask A-Rod: N.Y. fans are jerks — Here's the good news for Alex Rodriguez: He's the best player in baseball playing in the greatest city in the world. Here's the bad news for Alex Rodriguez: If the Yankees lose this postseason and he plays poorly, they'll run his two-time MVP butt out of town in a New York minute.
Associated Press:
Padres-Diamondbacks Preview — Even after clinching their second consecutive playoff berth for the first time in franchise history, the San Diego Padres still have some work to do in the regular season. — San Diego looks to secure its second straight NL West title and gain home-field advantage …
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