Top News:
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Torre Keeps Job, but Stays on the Hot Seat — The curtain has dropped on the annual fall passion play in the Bronx. The roles were different this time, but the ending was the same as always. Joe Torre is still the manager of the Yankees. — After last October's first-round playoff elimination …
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Chris De Luca / Chicago Sun Times:
Piniella likes 'challenge' of Cubs job — North Siders top his list; Rangers, Giants interested — OAKLAND, Calif. — If the Cubs want veteran manager Lou Piniella, the feeling appears to be mutual — especially with the New York Yankees no longer an option for 2007.
Discussion:
GROTA
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
A-Rod could be back on radar — When Alex Rodriguez first was said to be available three years ago, the Cubs privately discussed bringing him from Texas to Wrigley Field. — It turned out to be all whispers and no action. Rodriguez still had $179 million and seven years remaining on his contract …
Jim Williams / Examiner:
Nats could be right fit for Piniella, Girardi
Nats could be right fit for Piniella, Girardi
Discussion:
William F. Yurasko
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets set for Arch enemy — Out to deck Cards in NLCS after suffering St. Louis blues in '05 — During one of last season's lowest moments, as the Mets neared the end of a 2-8 early September road trip that knocked them out of the wild-card race, Willie Randolph put his arm around David Wright …
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Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Perez will go 4th — Mets may only carry 11 pitchers — Oliver Perez is expected to start Game 4, Willie Randolph announced yesterday. The southpaw will follow Tom Glavine, John Maine (Game 2) and Steve Trachsel (Game 3) in the NLCS rotation. — The Mets had considered adding Dave Williams …
Discussion:
Shea Faithful
Tim Brown / Los Angeles Times:
Teams Tend to Injuries — NEW YORK — The New York Mets are down Pedro Martinez and Orlando Hernandez, the St. Louis Cardinals are short Mark Mulder and Jason Isringhausen, and a handful of others entering the National League Championship Series are endeavoring to simply stay upright and productive.
Kurt / Mack Avenue Tigers:
ALCS Game 1: Tigers win, but will it be costly? — The Tigers got on Barry Zito early for five runs and knocked him out in the fourth inning. Nate Robertson pitched five innings of shutout baseball. They weren't the most uneventful of innings, but the runs column still read 0 when Fernando Rodney came into the game.
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Lee Jenkins / New York Times:
Reyes vs. Molina: A Game Within Games — If the National League Championship Series is reduced to a 90-foot race, the Mets should win by five-hundredths of a second. — This is the amount of time that José Reyes is working with when he tries to steal second base against Yadier Molina.
Discussion:
Hot Foot
Julian Garcia / NY Daily News:
Glavine burns to eat innings — Tom Glavine wore a bandage on his left index finger yesterday, and said he burned himself cooking a meal for himself last week before his start against the Dodgers. — He is expecting his start tonight to be a lot better than that meal was.
Discussion:
Newsday
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Marcus Hayes / Philly.com:
Howard chosen player of the year by peers voting in TSN balloting — The writers might disagree, but Phillies first baseman Ryan Howard is the players' choice. — The Sporting News announced yesterday that Howard, in his first full season, won the publication's major league player of the year award as voted by players.
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Sam Borden / NY Daily News:
Surgery ahead for Unit's back — Randy Johnson almost certainly will have back surgery in the coming weeks to repair a herniated disk, and it's possible that he may not be ready to start spring training on time, GM Brian Cashman said yesterday. — Still, the Big Unit is expected to be ready for Opening Day.
Discussion:
Pride of the Yankees
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
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Baltimore Sun:
Time is now for Orioles to make bid for A-Rod — In case you haven't noticed, New York has soured on Alex Rodriguez, and I think it's probably fair to say that A-Rod isn't humming Frank Sinatra right now, either. — So, start spreading the news. A-Rod might be available, and there is a team near you that could use his services.
Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
White Sox Have New Start Time: 7-Eleven — It is not easy to conjure $500,000 out of the ether, but the Chicago White Sox have discovered a way. Their financial trick was really quite simple. — They changed their evening game times at U.S. Cellular Field.
Discussion:
South Side Sox
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
One that got away — Scout recalls Red Sox passing on Pujols — NEW YORK — This is a story about how the Red Sox could have had Albert Pujols, the best righthanded hitter on the planet, came within minutes of drafting him, then at the last second passed.
Dallas Morning News:
Hicks can sit this Rangers decision out — Daniels should handle manager's hiring, given the owner's history — The following are the correct answers to the quiz, "Match the general manager and club still in play this fall:" — Dave Dombrowski ... and Detroit. — Omar Minaya ... and New York.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball