Top News:
Associated Press:
Baker out as Cubs manager — CHICAGO (AP) - Dusty Baker is out as the Chicago Cubs' manager following a last-place finish and a failure to take the team to the World Series in his four years. — The Cubs made the announcement Monday, a day after team president Andy MacPhail resigned and the club finished with a 66-96 record.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs part ways with Baker — Manager not offered extension following 2006 campaign — CHICAGO — Dusty Baker, whose Cubs teams went from first to worst in his four-year tenure, won't be back. — Team officials said on Monday that Baker would not be offered a contract extension …
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Baker: 'I'm gone, I won't be back' — Dusty Baker regards Monday's long-anticipated, will-he-stay-or-will-he-go meeting with Jim Hendry as anticlimactic. — "I'm gone. I won't be back," Baker said Sunday after the Cubs completed a last-place season with an 8-5 victory over the Colorado Rockies.
Yahoo! Sports:
Report: Alou out as Giants manager — SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) - Felipe Alou apparently will not get a fifth season as manager of the San Francisco Giants. — The San Francisco Chronicle reported Monday that the 71-year-old Alou will not return next season.
Discussion:
The Catbird …
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Looking at the Division Series matchups — Two weeks ago, a Subway Series appeared all but inevitable. — No longer. — The Mets are less threatening without injured right-hander Pedro Martinez. The Yankees, unsure of left-hander Randy Johnson's ability to pitch with a herniated disk …
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Keith Law / ESPN:
Mets vulnerable against lefties … The matchup the Mets didn't want has come to pass. The Dodgers bring the NL's other great offense to town, with a lefty who no-hit the Mets for five innings the last time they saw him in the rotation. The Dodgers, on the other hand, probably were hoping to face St. Louis instead of New York.
Discussion:
Metsblog.com
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Dodgers-Mets: Position analysis — CATCHER EDGE: METS — Russell Martin came on so strong that six weeks after his arrival, the Dodgers felt comfortable enough to deal their crown prince at the position, Dioner Navarro. — Paul Lo Duca is reputed as a winner, but he's never won …
Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
'We felt we could win this year' — Q&A WITH RANGERS GM JON DANIELS — On Oct. 4, 2005, Jon Daniels was named the Rangers' general manager after John Hart's resignation. Following a season of ups and downs, Daniels talked recently about his first year at the helm.
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Evan Grant / Dallas Morning News:Rangers close 2006 season with 3-2 loss
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Robinson honored with ceremony — Hall of Famer gives emotional speech prior to final game — WASHINGTON — Manager Frank Robinson showed his emotions when the Nationals paid tribute to the Hall of Famer before Sunday's season finale against the Mets. The special event came a day after Robinson …
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Deadspin:
A Deeply Regrettable Wrong — Before we get started in on an extremely busy sports day, we have some business to attend to. — As many of you will remember, back in June, a source we thought was reliable leaked to us that one of the names in the infamous Jason Grimsley HGH affidavit was Chris Mihlfeld …
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times
Mike Penner / Los Angeles Times:
A cone of silence may be best bet — If the New York Mets know their baseball history, they will stick to "The playoffs are a crapshoot" and "Anything can happen in a short series" and "Their pitching staff is impressive" when assessing their upcoming division series against the Dodgers.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Coaching shuffle will start with Collins, Espy leaving — Chicago - A Rockies organization defined by stability is expected to have two coaching vacancies today. — Manager Clint Hurdle said he would issue a statement on his staff, but multiple sources said first-base coach Dave Collins …
Discussion:
Purple Row
Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Weeks staying at second — Improved defensive play provides hope for future — thaudricourt@journalsentinel.com — St. Louis - Milwaukee Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said Sunday that there were no plans to move Rickie Weeks off second base for the 2007 season.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Kat O'Brien / Dallas Star-Telegram:
A final day for some — SEATTLE — Some of the Rangers' nine free agents surely will not be back next year. — That's not necessarily a huge deal to players who spent less than a season in Texas, such as Carlos Lee, Kip Wells and Jerry Hairston Jr. While any or all of those three could re-sign …
Baseball America:
California League Top 20 Prospects List — Subscribers can read scouting reports on all 20 players (Click here to subscribe) — A year after Brandon Wood, Stephen Drew and Howie Kendrick headlined a banner class in the high Class A California League, the talent level dipped quite a bit in 2006.
