Top News:
Billfer / The Detroit Tiger Weblog:
Game 1: The Day After — Yes the Yankees lineup is formidable, but if you look at the final box score you see a Tiger team that nearly matched them hit for hit. The Yankees posted 14 hits, 5 for extra bases including 2 homers. The Tigers banged out 12 hits, 7 for extra bases including 2 homers.
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Yanks have too much power for Tigers — NEW YORK - Tigers manager Jim Leyland all but conceded the difficulty of beating the Yankees before the Division Series even began, telling the FOX broadcasters: "This will be a great series for second-guessing. I'm going to try some stuff." — FOX Bite
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Leyland Has a Soft Spot for Those Hated Yanks — As the Yankees' starting lineup was announced before last night's game, Tigers Manager Jim Leyland positioned himself so that he was staring at the opposing players. Then Leyland clapped for the Yankees when they trotted to the first-base line.
Discussion:
The Daily Fungo
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Baker heads to ESPN for postseason — Former Cubs skipper rumored to be in line for Nationals job — CHICAGO — Dusty Baker won't be out of work for long. — Baker, whose contract was not renewed by the Chicago Cubs on Monday, will join ESPN's postseason baseball broadcast crew this weekend.
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Joe Capozzi / Palm Beach Post:Fired ... and hired: Deal was done with Gonzalez by Sept. 27
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:Nationals Could Try to Hire Girardi
Discussion:
Just A Nats Fan, Capitol Punishment, District of Baseball, The Catbird … and Ben Maller's Sports …
Mike Fitzpatrick / Associated Press:
Hernandez expected to miss postseason for Mets; Maine to start Game 1 — NEW YORK (AP) — Orlando Hernandez is expected to miss the entire postseason because of a calf injury, and Mets rookie John Maine will start Game 1 of the playoffs Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Discussion:
The Catbird …
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Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Injuries force Mets to adjust roster — Hernandez sidelined with injury; lefty Perez given spot — NEW YORK — Whatever quality once existed in the Mets' starting rotation has been diminished over the months by injury. Now in baseball desperation, the club that had been favored to win …
Ray Sánchez / Newsday:Always a gamer, Hernandez says, 'I think I can do it'
Discussion:
Dodger Thoughts
ESPN:
Showalter won't manage Rangers in 2007 — The Texas Rangers parted ways with manager Buck Showalter, Dallas media outlets reported Wednesday. — The Rangers did not make the postseason in his four years at the helm. Texas lost the finale 3-2 Sunday at Seattle to finish 80-82 …
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Rothschild, Speier could be back with Cubs — While none of the Cubs coaches are expected to return when a new manager takes over, pitching coach Larry Rothschild and third base coach Chris Speier aren't completely out of the picture. — Rothschild could be Lou Piniella's choice …
Associated Press:
Bonds undergoes surgery on left elbow — SAN FRANCISCO — Barry Bonds had surgery to remove bone chips from his troublesome left elbow that caused the San Francisco slugger pain and swelling throughout this season. — Bonds, who had the operation Monday, said he expects to be ready to resume …
Mychael Urban / MLB.com:
Ellis fractures finger in Game 2 win — Second baseman's status unknown, update on Thursday — MINNEAPOLIS — Already without their starting shortstop, the A's might have lost their starting second baseman in Game 2 of the American League Division Series on Wednesday at the Metrodome.
Sports Illustrated:
Despite another bad record, McClatchy to continue running Pirates — PITTSBURGH (AP) -Kevin McClatchy will remain as the Pittsburgh Pirates' chief executive officer and managing general partner, even though the franchise hasn't had a winning season since he took control in 1996.
Los Angeles Times:
He is gripped by an ex-Dodger fear factor — I Have a couple of concerns here, although I don't believe any of them are big enough to keep our guys from winning the World Series. — First, they have to get out of this dump still healthy. Shea Stadium is two years younger than Dodger Stadium …
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Maury Brown / Baseball Prospectus:
The Ledger Domain — Ticket Snub — While we're all getting ready to watch some great postseason baseball, an increasing number of fans who haven't invested in advance ticket packages are finding that the only way that they will be able to see games in person is with the help …
Discussion:
WasWatching.com
Marc / Cincinnati Reds:
All-Brennaman booth — The Reds today hired Thom Brennaman to join their radio and TV broadcast teams and signed him to a four-year contract through 2010. — Thom will be in the radio booth for "selected" broadcasts alongside his father and also will do television.
Discussion:
On Baseball and the Reds
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Q&A with new Cubs boss: In Hendry he trusts — When Tribune Co. was looking for a new man to put at the top of the Cubs' food chain, no one could have predicted they would turn to a lifelong White Sox fan to try to right the ship. — "I'm a Cubs fan," John McDonough protested. "I grew up a White Sox fan."
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
AFL Preview, Part One — The first Baseball Abstract I purchased was in 1985. One of my favorite pieces in that book was a comparison of the 1984 Detroit Tigers to other great teams of the last 25 years. In the essay, Bill James compared the players on each position to each other …
Discussion:
Purple Row
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
State of the Mariners: Young M's must play like veterans in 2007 — We turn today to legendary Mariners fan Jimi Hendrix as we examine the sunken ship that was Seattle baseball in 2006. — In the words of the late, great guitarist, the Mariners' season was like watching "the sunrise from the bottom of the sea."
