Top News:
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
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Associated Press:
Torre remaining as manager of Yankees — NEW YORK (AP) - 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 last weekend. — Torre spoke with Steinbrenner on the telephone Tuesday …
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
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 …
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
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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Newsday:
Wallace Matthews — Clear sailing for no-excuse Mets — A week ago today, Omar Minaya, general manager of the National League East champion New York Mets, said these words to me: "We believe we have a chance to win the World Series. But if we don't, I won't be disappointed.
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
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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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 …
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Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Piniella Rules Out Nationals — Club Interviews Astros Coach Cooper, White Sox' Cora — In the midst of being besieged by hypotheticals and what-ifs regarding the manager's position of the New York Yankees Monday afternoon, former big league manager Lou Piniella spoke in vagaries — except when one issue arose.
Discussion:
MLB.com, William F. Yurasko, District of Baseball, Can't Stop The Bleeding and Ben Maller's Sports …
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats add Cora, Cooper to skipper list
Nats add Cora, Cooper to skipper list
Discussion:
Oleanders and Morning Glories
Associated Press:
Report: Matsuzaka gets clearance to pursue major league career — TOKYO Highly regarded pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka was given permission by the Seibu Lions on Tuesday to pursue a career in the major leagues, according to local media reports. — Matsuzaka is still one year away from becoming …
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) …
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 …
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
Bill Dwyre / Los Angeles Times:
Lasorda Knows How to Deliver This Pitch — Well, at least one Dodger is still going in the postseason. — The ever-willing, always able Tom Lasorda, the Cy Young of pitchmen and 79-year-old prince of propaganda, has lots of innings left in him before the last out of the 2006 World Series.
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 …