Top News:
Bill Plaschke / Los Angeles Times:
Little Decides to Use Penny, and Dodgers Pay the Price — NEW YORK — It was nuts. It was chaos. It was completely avoidable. — I'm not talking about J.D. Drew's decision to tailgate Jeff Kent into home plate in the second inning. — I'm talking about Grady Little decision to drive Brad Penny off a cliff in the seventh.
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Extra relief all the difference for Mets — NEW YORK - After counting their healthy bodies, the Mets chose to keep 12 pitchers, one more than normal for a postseason roster, while the Dodgers went with only 10. — It made a difference in the Mets' 6-5 victory Tuesday in Game 1 of the Division Series at Shea Stadium.
Dave Studeman / Hardball Times:
NLDS: Mets vs. Dodgers: Shifty Business — They've really got to rethink that infield shift, those Dodgers. Every time the Mets' Carlos Delgado came to bat against them yesterday, their infielders shifted toward first base, knowing that the lefty Delgado is an extreme pull hitter.
Discussion:
Deadspin
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'
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:Maine Starts Game 1 for Mets, Then It's All Hands on Deck
Discussion:
Hot Foot
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Girardi: 'I can get along' — For the Cubs managerial candidate, a close relationship with GM is 'vital' — While the Cubs keep their managerial search under the radar, Joe Girardi tried to dispel the notion he has a difficult time getting along with upper management.
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Fred Mitchell / Chicago Tribune:In the homestretch? — Girardi is building house in Lake Forest
Discussion:
GROTA
Dallas Morning News:
Showalter move shows GM is in charge — ARLINGTON - On one of his better days as a baseball owner Wednesday, Tom Hicks was nowhere in sight. — Hicks, whose success as a hockey owner has not been duplicated in his nine years with the Rangers, took a step toward respectability in baseball …
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Dallas Star-Telegram:
Firing not a surprise to players — ARLINGTON - Mark DeRosa thought Buck Showalter might not be back as Rangers manager, whether by his choice or not, after he listened to Showalter address the team before their final game in Seattle on Sunday. — "I kind of got a vibe that it might …
Discussion:
Dallas Morning News
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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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.
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Joe Sheehan / Baseball Prospectus:
Prospectus Today — Division Series, Day One — The big story was the continuing tear of Frank Thomas, who hit two homers to account for the early lead and the insurance run in the ninth inning. What is most impressive about the two shots is how different the pitches were …
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
City offers rare playoff double — NEW YORK, NEW YORK — Curse the Yankees and Mets all you want; you've got to love any city that can serve as host for two baseball playoff games in the same day/night. In this spirit, I love New York. — The Yankees and Tigers will play Game 2 …
Discussion:
Dan Shaughnessy Watch
Associated Press:
Bonds' trainer may get out of prison — SAN FRANCISCO — A federal appeals court has ordered Barry Bonds' personal trainer to be released from prison Thursday unless a lower court again holds him in contempt for refusing to testify before a grand jury investigating the Giants slugger for perjury.
Christian Red / NY Daily News:
Verlander: Tigers thrown curve — Says Yanks had more info — Detroit starter Justin Verlander heard about the first rain delay via ESPN. Then, after he had completed stretching, playing catch and running in the Stadium outfield 20 minutes before 10 o'clock, a Yankee grounds crew member informed …
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Bonds feeling great after surgery — Slugger says he's OK with not playing next year — SAN DIEGO — Giants slugger Barry Bonds had bone chips and a bone spur removed from his left elbow on Monday, he told MLB.com on Wednesday when reached by telephone at his home in Beverly Hills.
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
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
