Top News:
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Mets Are Called Out; Cards Head to World Series — Yadier Molina singling in the second inning. He hit a game-winning two-run homer in the ninth to send the Cardinals to the World Series. More Photos > — The Mets' glorious swath through the National League ended abruptly last night …
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NY Daily News:
HR makes fall guy of Heilman — Loss is blast from Octobers past — He had been there a long time now, a big guy out of Notre Dame who had thrown the pitch that Yadier Molina hit over the left-field wall to give the Cardinals enough runs to go to the World Series, thrown the pitch …
Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
The World Series? Are You Serious? — NEW YORK Stand up and salute the St. Louis Cardinals. Mere cheers aren't enough to celebrate the worst team ever to reach the World Series. After all, doesn't the least amount of talent, most injuries and largest adversity surmounted imply biggest heart?
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Molina's heroics give Cardinals an unlikely pennant … NEW YORK — It was Game 7 Night in the third week of October. So this was how it was supposed to work. — If Jeff Suppan could be a modern-day Bob Gibson, why couldn't Oliver Perez pitch like Sandy Koufax for one electrifying Game 7 evening?
Lyle Spencer / MLB.com:
Perez comes up big, but bats fall short — Lefty turns in stellar outing, but quiet offense means downfall — NEW YORK — Omar Minaya thought it was a triple. Game tied, the Mets' architect thought. Shea Stadium going crazy, 1986 style. — Jose Reyes thought so too, and he was the guy who hit it.
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:Playoff Prospectus — Diary of a Mad White Guy
Discussion:
Hardball Times
John Brattain / Hardball Times:
Oh My God He Killed Kenny — Every so often I see red. — I saw red today. Sadly, it was from a writer I ordinarily enjoy. — Here's the offense, from Sports Illustrated's Tom Verducci: … Granted, Kenny Lofton's post season performance leaves much to be desired.
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Williams concerned about Uribe's safety — White Sox GM seeks assistance from MLB — While Juan Uribe maintains he's a potential extortion victim, White Sox general manager Ken Williams is seeking measures to ensure his shortstop's safety. — Williams said Wednesday he suggested to Kevin Hallinan …
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Tracy Ringolsby / Rocky Mountain News:
Postseason Insider, Oct. 20 — NEW YORK - Texas owner Thomas Hicks might be advised to take a step back from operation of the team. Without his tinkering, one can only wonder what might have been for the franchise. — He was the guy who orchestrated the major overpayment to lure Alex Rodriguez.
Discussion:
SportsJustice
Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Notes: Giambi has wrist surgery — Unit, Phillips also prepare for medical procedures — NEW YORK — Jason Giambi underwent surgery on Thursday to repair a torn tendon in his left wrist, and the Yankees are optimistic that the first baseman will be fully recovered by the start of Spring Training.
Discussion:
Pride of the Yankees
Richard Sandomir / New York Times:
For McCarver and Buck, More Chatter — If you're a public person long enough in sports or politics, someone will dislike you and may start a Web site to advance that belief. Tim McCarver is the star of at least two sites that make clear their feeling for him.
Murray Chass / New York Times:
New Labor Contract May Be Ready This Weekend — Negotiators for Major League Baseball and the players union, who have been meeting daily, are closing in on an agreement on a new labor contract and hope to have it finished by this weekend, a person with knowledge of the talks said yesterday.
Discussion:
FishStripes
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Recovering Johnson staying positive — First baseman determined to be ready for Spring Training — NEW YORK — It's late Tuesday afternoon in Northern California, and one would never know by speaking to Nick Johnson on the telephone that he is recovering from a broken right leg.
The Assimilated Negro / The Mets Are Better Than Sex:
God To Oliver Perez: Do You Want To Be A Star??? — WHO KNEW??? — We're going to hear it a million times between now and whenever Game 7 of the NLCS is done, but that's because it must be said: Can you believe Oliver Perez is the Mets starter for arguably the two most important games in this series?
Discussion:
The Birdwatch
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Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Constructing the Tigers required patience, risk, luck … DETROIT — The Mayo Smith Society, the Detroit Tigers' No. 1 fan club, consists of about 800 Tiger-maniacs who can cite you chapter and verse on the life and times of Ray Oyler and Don Wert. — The group's membership includes Tigers …
Discussion:
Cutoff Man
USA Today:
Fall's wide-open classic: Not even NFL can match MLB's postseason parity — DETROIT — Tommy Lasorda ought to get out of that tuxedo he's wearing in the TV commercials for Major League Baseball's postseason and put a little paint on his face. — As the 2006 playoffs are proving again …
