Top News:
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
Jack O'Connell / MLB.com:
Polanco brings postseason pop — OAKLAND — With a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series, the rest of the Tigers are treating the Athletics the way second baseman Placido Polanco did this year and has done for most of his career.
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.
Discussion:
Bronx Banter, Capitol Punishment, The Beltway Boys, Batgirl, The GYS Network, Dodger Thoughts and Hot Foot
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
MSNBC:Two dead; no evidence of terrorism, officials say
Discussion:
Alarming News, Baseball Crank, myplayoffbeard.com, Baseball Musings, Athletics Nation and Metsblog.com
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.
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
La Russa may alter rotation — NEW YORK — The Cardinals' magical postseason tour continued Wednesday at Shea Stadium. Following a 90-minute bus ride through Manhattan, they didn't play. — When a downpour forced postponement of Game 1 of the National League Championship Series …
David Lennon / Newsday:
Strawberry: Mets can win back NYC — The last time Darryl Strawberry appeared in the playoffs, it was across town, wearing the pinstriped uniform for the Yankees. And even though he was supposed to throw out the ceremonial first pitch for last night's Game 1 of the National League Championship Series …
Amanda Branam / MLB.com:
Padres make roster moves — Friars claim Hampson, release Bellhorn, Williamson, Alexander — SAN DIEGO — The Padres offseason started on Oct. 8, but shaping the 2007 roster has already begun. — On Thursday, San Diego claimed Justin Hampson off waivers from the Colorado Rockies …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball
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
NY Daily News:
Homerism isn't in the Cards — Before the first pitch is thrown in tonight's NLCS opener, there is one guarantee that can be made. It's an age old certainty, which will begin registering with Mets fans before the first inning ends. — It happens every fall when fans of a team …
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
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.
