Top News:
Alan Schwarz / ESPN:
Recalling a now eerie conversation — You read about these things, you watch some hair-netted nitwit peer into Geraldo's camera and declare, "By golly, I was gonna go in that car with him" ... and you roll your eyes, numb to the tale's banality. Someone was always gonna go in that car with him.
RELATED ITEMS:
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
It became a tragic sports story — NEW YORK — For a few hours, it was an international story, striking fear into the hearts of Americans and reminding us of our worst day since Pearl Harbor, that blue-sky Tuesday five years ago when the towers fell and changed us forever.
Discussion:
Dan Shaughnessy Watch
NY Daily News:
Guilt & regret, but Dog barks on — Monday, it was business as usual for Mike Francesa and Chris (Mad Dog) Russo. While rehashing the Yankees' Detroit debacle, they descended on Cory Lidle and pounded him. — Pounded him pretty hard. — Still, longtime listeners have heard worse crunch jobs from the boys.
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding
Marcus Hayes / Philly.com:
No fear of flying: A close look at Lidle — NEW YORK - Maybe I should have just gone back to the hotel. — The street vendor who sold me a knockoff Burberry scarf marveled at the chopper that crashed into the building on the Upper East Side. He raised his gray portable radio up to his ear …
MSNBC:
Two dead; no evidence of terrorism, officials say — From first impact to first responders, view images from the small plane crash in New York City. — NEW YORK - A small plane with New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle aboard crashed into a 50-story condominium tower Wednesday …
Discussion:
Alarming News, ESPN, Baseball Crank, Baseball Musings, myplayoffbeard.com, Athletics Nation and Metsblog.com
USA Today:
Notes: Zumaya nursing sore wrist — OAKLAND — Detroit Tigers reliever Joel Zumaya, considered a key to their bullpen, said Wednesday that he's worried about his availability for the rest of the American League Championship Series. — Zumaya was unable to pitch in Game 2, bothered by soreness in his right wrist.
RELATED ITEMS:
Scott Miller / CBS SportsLine.com:
Gomez goes from waiver-wire fodder to Game 2 star — OAKLAND — Detroit manager Jim Leyland gave the news to general manager Dave Dombrowski early Wednesday. Hey, the old skipper said, I'm going to play the kid, Alexis Gomez, tonight. — Uh, that's A-L-E-X-I-S. ...
Discussion:
Royals Review
Josh Suchon / Contra Costa Times:
A's suffer another big hurt Thomas fails to deliver; Detroit leads series 2-0 — OAKLAND - As he walked out of the interview room before Wednesday's game, A's manager Ken Macha walked past A's killer Placido Polanco and told him, "Take a vacation or something, will ya?"
Fox Sports:
No easy outs in Tigers' lineup — The Detroit Tigers — not without some Todd Jones-induced late-inning drama on Wednesday — are now up 2-0 in the ALCS. — The best road team in baseball this season just went into Oakland and took the first pair. That means the odds are on Detroit's side …
Sports Illustrated:
Q&A: Gary Cohen — Longtime Mets broadcaster previews NLCS matchup — Gary Cohen was the radio voice of the Mets for 17 years before joining SNY's Cable TV broadcast booth this season. — SI.com: This is the first time since 1988 that the Mets have made it deeper into the postseason than the Yankees.
Discussion:
Bronx Banter
RELATED ITEMS:
Julian Garcia / NY Daily News:
Mets are stirring to Straw — Says core can take Apple — Just because the Mets are in the National League Championship Series and the Yankees are out of the playoffs doesn't mean the Mets own New York City, at least not yet. — So says someone who won World Series rings with both teams - Darryl Strawberry.
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Mets' Pitching Situation Complicated by Rainout — The Mets' great adventure through the playoffs must wait another day. Game 1 of their National League Championship Series against St. Louis last night was postponed because of rain, setting up five consecutive games and complicating the Mets' already shaky pitching situation.
Clark Spencer / Miami Herald:
Marlins allowed to grow facial hair under Gonzalez, but can they? — Under Fredi Gonzalez, the Marlins are allowed to grow facial hair — but can they? — cspencer@MiamiHerald.com — Old manager Joe Girardi prohibited it. New manager Fredi Gonzalez is permitting it.
Discussion:
FishStripes
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Scouting the Cardinals — Cardinals scouting report from a scout for an NL Central team: — Who is the hitter you fear the most in a big situation? — Albert Pujols. He is the money bat. — Who is the pitcher you fear the most in a big situation? — Righthander Chris Carpenter.
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
St. Louis shunning Marquis matchup — The Cardinals left 14-game winner - or perhaps more significantly, 16-game loser - Jason Marquis off their 25-man roster yesterday, figuring to replace the Staten Island product as their Game 4 starter in the NLCS with rookie Anthony Reyes.
RELATED ITEMS:
Mike Fitzpatrick / Associated Press:Game 1 of NLCS postponed by rain
Discussion:
The Musings and Prophecies …
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Pedro already feeling better — Ace: I'll be back, improved in '07 — A giddy Pedro Martinez, his right shoulder still in a sling, predicted yesterday that he would return to the Mets during the second half of the 2007 season. He also predicted he would return a stronger pitcher.
Marc Lancaster / Cincinnati Post:
Reds' ax falls on Chambliss — Hitting coach told he won't be back — As Chris Chambliss drove down I-75 last week from Cincinnati to his home near Atlanta, he had every reason to believe he would be back as the Reds' hitting coach in 2007. — Then, his cell phone rang.
Discussion:
Red Reporter
