Top News:
ESPN:
In-demand Piniella rules out Nationals job — Lou Piniella will not entertain offers to manage the Washington Nationals, saying the job of guiding that rebuilding team should go to a younger skipper. — Piniella met with Washington general manager Jim Bowden, but ruled himself out as a candidate …
Discussion:
GROTA
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Associated Press:
Torre will not be fired, has Steinbrenner's support — NEW YORK — Joe Torre will remain as manager of the New York Yankees, finally getting the word from owner George Steinbrenner after the team's surprise elimination from the playoffs Saturday. — Torre spoke with Steinbrenner …
George King / New York Post:
HE'S JOE-ING NOWHERE — SOURCE: BOSS WILL KEEP TORRE — EXCLUSIVE After two days of soul searching, George Steinbrenner isn't going to fire Joe Torre, The Post has learned. — According to several sources, The Boss has decided firing Torre isn't the cure for the subterranean problems …
Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Torre will continue as Yanks manager — Steinbrenner informs skipper he'll be back for 2007 season — NEW YORK — The Joe Torre saga came to a conclusion on Tuesday, as the manager announced that he will return for a 12th season with the Yankees. — Torre revealed the news …
Murray Chass / New York Times:
Yankees' Rotation, Old and Ineffective, Needs an Overhaul — Nothing against Mike Mussina, but he is the symbol of the Yankees' failure to win the World Series the last six years. If George Steinbrenner is seeking a scapegoat, make it Mussina. — Mussina joined the Yankees as a free agent six years ago.
Discussion:
FIRE JOE MORGAN
John Hickey / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Mariners analysis: What would it take? — Mariners could bring back A-Rod for as little as $2.4 million, and Beltre — There was a time, as recently as 2000, when it seemed Alex Rodriguez might never play baseball except as a Seattle Mariner. — There was a time, as recently as this season …
NY Daily News:
Owner must now show who's Boss — The ones who want George Steinbrenner to retain Joe Torre as Yankee manager shout their support at the old man now the way reporters shout questions when he is on his way to the parking lot across the street from Yankee Stadium, now housing the Bronx version of the Atlanta Braves.
ESPN:
Boss, brass discuss Torre; no timetable on decision — Is Joe Torre in or out? Only New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner knows for sure — and he has yet to officially announce his intentions. — The New York Post, citing several unnamed sources, reported Tuesday that Steinbrenner has decided against firing Torre.
Discussion:
The View From The Bleachers
Associated Press:
Twins pick up $12 million option on Hunter for '07 — MINNEAPOLIS — Torii Hunter will be back with the Minnesota Twins for at least one more year. — The Twins said Tuesday they picked up Hunter's $12 million option. — Hunter, 31, a five-time Gold Glove winner in center field, was a big part of the Twins' AL Central title.
Discussion:
Nick & Nick's Twins Blog, A Large Regular, 6-4-2, High and Tight, MLB Trade Rumors and Camden Chat
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Associated Press:
Twins pick up Hunter's $12M option — MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Torii Hunter will be back with the Minnesota Twins for at least one more year. Beyond that, it's tough to tell. — The Twins picked up their 2007 option on Hunter's contract Tuesday, and his $12 million salary will be the largest single-season sum in team history.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
After whiffing on picks, let's keep swinging — Oh-and-four. Oh-and-freakin'-four. That's how well I did picking the winners of the Division Series. — I got one thing right: I said the postseason would be unpredictable. It sure was, for moi. But seriously, I doubt many people picked …
Discussion:
Hot Foot
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:If It's the Hard Way, It's the Mets' Way
Discussion:
Metsquire, New York Post, MLB.com, Newsday, ESPN, Can't Stop The Bleeding and Metsblog.com
Sal Baxamusa / Hardball Times:
ALCS Preview: Tigers vs. A's — Oakland Athletics: An unconventional team built by a genius architect that can't do jack squat in the playoffs because they value silicon over leather. — Detroit Tigers: An inspiring story of a team that turned around a losing franchise …
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Associated Press:
Prized pitcher Matsuzaka given OK to pitch in MLB — Highly regarded pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka was given permission by the Seibu Lions on Tuesday to pursue a career in the major leagues. — Matsuzaka, who has drawn interest from several major league teams including the New York Yankees …
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats add Cora, Cooper to skipper list — Manager search continues; Zimmerman joins MS fight — WASHINGTON — The Nationals have added Cecil Cooper and Joey Cora to their list of managerial candidates, according to industry sources. Cooper is currently a bench coach for the Astros, while Cora is third-base coach for the White Sox.
Discussion:
Oleanders and Morning Glories
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Christina Kahrl / Baseball Prospectus:
Playoff Prospectus — ALCS Preview — Okay, so it's Cinderella with some serious mojo versus the Moneyball-Meets-John Jaha Memorial Edition A's, and everyone's fascinated because it's another delightfully Yankee- and Red Sox-free American League Championship Series involving real ballclubs …
Discussion:
Mack Avenue Tigers
Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
On Fox, Sour Notes From a Pair of Veteran Voices — It was difficult not to see that the left-hander Tyler Johnson had come in to relieve for the St. Louis Cardinals on Sunday night. — His name is on the back of his uniform. Fox flashed up a graphic. To paraphrase the old umpire Jim Honochick …
Discussion:
Hot Foot
Baseball America:
Texas League Top 20 Prospects List — Subscribers can read scouting reports on all 20 players (Click here to subscribe) — The Double-A Texas League had plenty of talent this season, most of it concentrated among four teams. — While Tulsa (six players on this Top 20 list) …
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
McCann, Jones earn postseason honors — ATLANTA — Brian McCann's sensational breakthrough season didn't go unnoticed by his peers, many of whom also thought Andruw Jones was one of the top three National League outfielders this year. — When The Sporting News released …
