Top News:
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 …
RELATED ITEMS:
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 …
Discussion:
NY Daily News, Deadspin, Sports Scope, WasWatching.com, Pride of the Yankees, The Sporting Brews, Off the Facade and Bronx Banter
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 …
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, High and Tight, 6-4-2, MLB Trade Rumors and Camden Chat
RELATED ITEMS:
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
RELATED ITEMS:
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
If It's the Hard Way, It's the Mets' Way
If It's the Hard Way, It's the Mets' Way
Discussion:
Metsquire, New York Post, MLB.com, ESPN, Newsday, 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 …
Discussion:
The Pastime
RELATED ITEMS:
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
RELATED ITEMS:
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) …
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
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 …
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 …
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Shop 'til they bop — Their lack of power exposed in series vs. Cardinals, Padres need a power hitter, so this offseason they'll . . . ST. LOUIS - Kevin Towers has received an eyeful the past week or so - vivid lessons of October baseball that, to varying degrees, will impact …