Top News:
Bob Herzog / Newsday:
Floyd wants to remain a Met, but chances may be slim — Cliff Floyd feels the Mets will be winning for a long time and he wants to be a part of it. — Cliff Floyd doesn't want the called third strike he took in the ninth inning of NLCS Game 7 Thursday night at Shea Stadium to be his final act as a Met.
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Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets finish in unhappy Endy — Caught looking after Chavez grab — Inside the somber Mets clubhouse, the plastic still covered the flat-screen televisions, protection for a champagne-spraying celebration that never took place. — The resilient Mets had loaded the bases in the ninth inning last night …
Discussion:
Chicks Dig The Pitchers' Duel
MLB.com:
Notes: Floyd wants to return — Delgado primed for '07; Chavez shines in the spotlight — Now that the season is over, Cliff Floyd enters unchartered waters with his second stint of free agency. — "This is kind of different," Floyd said as he gathered his belongings in the Mets' clubhouse …
Discussion:
The Musings and Prophecies …
Sports Illustrated:
Cards a nice story, but will be overmatched by Tigers — Also in this column: — NEW YORK — Go ahead, crown the Tigers. They are more powerful than the Cardinals, better rested and generally better suited for a short series. They rolled through a difficult American League derby …
Paul Doyle / Hartford Courant:
Mets Don't Expect Many Offseason Changes — NEW YORK — The TVs were covered with plastic in anticipation of a champagne celebration in the Mets clubhouse. — Instead, players were forced to look at next year. — "I think it's going to push us in the offseason," third baseman David Wright said.
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Molina has a ball — NEW YORK - To tell the story of the 2006 National League Championship Series is to tell the story of the ball that won it for the St. Louis Cardinals, how it just kept flying through a driving rain, blown by the wind and carried by fate.
Discussion:
Blogging Baseball
Associated Press:
Rookies Verlander, Reyes get Game 1 starts — DETROIT — Even before the first pitch is thrown, the St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers are making this World Series memorable. — Game 1 will have a pair of rookie starters for the first time, with Justin Verlander pitching Saturday night …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Nate Silver / Baseball Prospectus:
Detroit Tigers versus St. Louis Cardinals — Metro versus Retro? The Battle of Orange (and Blue)? Scratch that. Like just about everyone else on the planet, I was assuming that the Mets would dispatch the Cardinals in the NLCS, depleted rotation and all.
Jim Street / MLB.com:
Umpires named for World Series — Marsh to serve as crew chief and work behind home plate — An umpiring crew with 110 years of Major League experience has been selected for the 102nd World Series. — Randy Marsh, completing his 25th season as an MLB arbiter, will be the crew chief …
Discussion:
CardNilly
Peter Grier / Christian Science Monitor:
Cheer the players? Nah. Just crunch their numbers. — At some point during the World Series, which begins Saturday, one broadcaster will turn to another and say something like, "This at-bat should be a good matchup for Tigers infielder Neifi Perez. Normally, he's a light hitter …
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MLB.com:
Marlins finalize 2007 coaching staff — MIAMI — The Florida Marlins today announced their Major League coaching staff for the 2007 season. Joining first-year manager Fredi Gonzalez will be bench coach Carlos Tosca, pitching coach Rick Kranitz, hitting coach Jim Presley …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Twins reward Gardenhire with extension — Skipper signed through '09 after leading impressive turnaround — Ron Gardenhire has had his fair share of tests during his first five years as Twins manager, but none might have been bigger than the one he faced during the 2006 season.
Jim Street / MLB.com:
Francona to replace Macha in Japan — Red Sox skipper will manage MLB All-Star team in Tokyo — For the second time in his managerial career, Boston Red Sox skipper Terry Francona will manage a Major League All-Star team. — On the eve of the start of the 102nd World Series …
Billfer / The Detroit Tiger Weblog:
World Series Preview: Tigers-Cardinals Season Series — Game 1: Tigers 10, Cardinals 6 — The Tigers jumped out to an early lead on homers by Curtis Granderson and Brandon Inge before the Cardinals tied the game in the 5th inning. Detroit responded with a 4 run rally to knock out Chris Carpenter and put the game out of reach.
Jason / Faith and Fear in Flushing:
Requiem — Well, damn. — Congratulations to the Cardinals and their fans. It wasn't a classic series by any means, but it was an object lesson that you never, ever quit fighting. They showed that. So did we. — If you'd been told we'd get that pitching performance from Oliver Perez, you'd have taken it.
