Top News:
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Mets' bats help secure Game 1 win — Delgado's four hits, Wright's two doubles back pitching — NEW YORK — Whatever gloom and doom had seeped into the Mets' universe because of the recent injuries could have weakened them even more than the injuries and undermined their plans for the National League's postseason tournament.
Discussion:
Always Amazin'
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Lee Jenkins / New York Times:
A Base-Running Blunder Dooms the Dodgers — In one blur of bodies, David Wright went from third baseman to third-base coach. — Jeff Kent of the Dodgers passed in front of him. J. D. Drew followed. They were rounding third base and heading home, one after another, as if they were on a baseball relay team.
Discussion:
Baseball Crank
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Some kind of blunderful for Dodgers … NEW YORK — Postseasons don't always turn on magical October moments, on Kirk Gibson-esque swings of the bat, on Bob Gibson-esque pitchers taking over games with their bionic arms. — No, sirree. Sometimes, postseasons turn on happenstances right out of the Three Stooges playbook.
Discussion:
Faith and Fear in Flushing
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Dodgers victims of wild double play — Mets retire Kent, Drew at home in same second-inning play — NEW YORK — Less than nine outs into its duration, the lasting image and memory from this National League Division Series between the Dodgers and Mets may have been created.
Discussion:
It's Mets For Me
Free Lance-Star:
Beasley waits and wonders — STEVE DeSHAZO: In limbo, Beasley awaits his future — WASHINGTON—The season began with Tony Beasley's decision to send a runner who was called out at home. It may end with Beasley out of a job. — In between, there's little the Bowling Green native …
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats looking at Girardi, Piniella — Search for Robinson's managerial successor begins — WASHINGTON — The Nationals have a long list of managerial candidates, but Joe Girardi and Lou Piniella top the list, according to two sources, one of whom said that the interview process could start as early as next week.
Todd Jacobson / Free Lance-Star:
Nats look to build, not adorn — Nationals look ahead to next season, and beyond — In a little more than a month, Oakland A's left-hander Barry Zito will be out on the free agent market, waiting for teams to bang on his door and line up with suitcases full of money.
Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:
Yanks still feasting off sweep of Sox — NEW YORK - What transpired at Fenway Park Aug. 18-21 will go down as the low point of the Red Sox' season, if not the new century. — For the New York Yankees, however, their first five-game sweep in Boston since 1943 catapulted them past the Sox …
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Jack Curry / New York Times:Leyland Has a Soft Spot for Those Hated Yanks
Discussion:
The Daily Fungo
San Francisco Chronicle:
Bradley 'Coffeegate' incident a big deal to ESPN, no one else — (10-04) 15:41 PDT Minneapolis — The power of postseason baseball is that everything is a big deal. The more enduring power is that winning postseason baseball renders all those big deals to be not so big after all. — Thus, Milton Bradley.
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Jim Caple / ESPN:
Hunter has no explanation for miscue … MINNEAPOLIS — Fortunately for most of us, when we make costly, embarrassing mistakes, they aren't shown on national television. Over and over and over again. In slow motion. With a broadcaster explaining in detail exactly how we screwed up.
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.
Murray Chass / New York Times:
Injuries Can't Dent Randolph's Playoff Passion — Here it was the day before the start of the 18th postseason of Willie Randolph's October-filled career, and he entered the interview room down the hall from the home clubhouse at Shea Stadium for what should have been a proud, glorious moment.
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Mike Fitzpatrick / Associated Press:Hernandez expected to miss postseason for Mets; Maine to start Game 1
Discussion:
The Catbird …
Associated Press:
Little rain, but Tigers-Yankees Game 2 postponed — NEW YORK — Justin Verlander was throwing in the outfield, Mike Mussina was nowhere to be seen and the fans in Yankee Stadium just wondered what was going on. — In a rainout with hardly any rain, Game 2 of the AL Division Series between …
Mike Berardino / Sun-Sentinel:
Willis, Cabrera may command a combined $12.5M — · Fredi Gonzalez had only been introduced as Marlins manager a few minutes earlier when he faced the first hard question of his fresh tenure. — Was he confident Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera would be part of his roster in 2007?
Discussion:
FishStripes
Rob Maaddi / Associated Press:
Phillies let go 3 coaches — PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies let go three coaches on Tuesday, an indication manager Charlie Manuel will keep his job for another year. — First-base coach Marc Bombard, third-base coach Bill Dancy and bench coach Gary Varsho …
Discussion:
A CITIZEN'S BLOG
Alyson Footer / MLB.com:
Garner signs one-year extension — Skipper locked up through 2008; Hickey released — HOUSTON — The Houston Astros extended manager Phil Garner's contract on Wednesday, adding an additional year that will keep him as the club's skipper through 2008. — The Astros also announced …
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes
