Top News:
Associated Press:
La Russa on Rogers: 'I don't believe it was dirt' — ST. LOUIS — Tony La Russa kept talking about Kenny Rogers, his words from the interview room booming all around Busch Stadium, courtesy of the PA system. One by one, the Detroit Tigers stopped their workout to listen.
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Ken Rosenthal / Fox Sports:
Rogers' smudge leaves lots of issues — ST. LOUIS - Revise the script. Rewind to Sunday night, Game 2 of the World Series. — FOX cameras detect a brown splotch on the left hand of Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers in the first inning. And Cardinals manager Tony La Russa goes nuts.
USA Today:
Cards say Rogers used pine tar, scuffed ball — ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Cardinals believe not only was Detroit Tigers pitcher Kenny Rogers doctoring the ball with pine tar Sunday in the World Series, he was scuffing baseballs. — "It was so blatant," Cardinals hitting coach Hal McRae told USA TODAY on Monday.
Discussion:
AOL Sports World Series Blog
Fox Sports:
La Russa's moves paying off for Cardinals — The St. Louis Cardinals were prohibitive underdogs coming into the 2006 World Series. — They'd won only 83 regular-season games, while the Detroit Tigers had won 95. They won a grueling, hotly contested NLCS in seven games …
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Carpenter, Suppan ready to deliver … ST. LOUIS — The champagne went down awfully easy when St. Louis beat the New York Mets for the National League pennant. But since the series lasted a full seven games, the ramifications figured to outlast the Cardinals' team hangover.
Jack Curry / New York Times:
In Perry's Book, a Brown Smudge Is Not a Black Mark — Gaylord Perry, that master of doctoring a baseball who was just as much a master of making batters think he was doctoring it, has no doubt about what Kenny Rogers smeared across the palm of his left hand in the World Series.
Lady Macbeth / Sports Illustrated:
Catch him if you can — "All the perfumes of Arabia will not sweeten this little hand." — I figured that quote was appropriate since the discovery of a smudge on Kenny Rogers' pitching hand in Game 2 is being treated as a tragedy of Shakespearian proportions.
Discussion:
Off the Facade
ESPN:
Philies sign lefty Moyer, 43, to two-year extension — Jamie Moyer will be 44 when the 2007 season starts, but the Phillies are banking that he has two more strong seasons remaining in his left arm. — Philadelphia signed Moyer to a two-year, $10.5 million extension Monday.
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Ken Mandel / MLB.com:
Phillies extend Moyer's contract — Veteran southpaw signs two-year extension — PHILADELPHIA — How long will Jamie Moyer pitch? — At least until he's 45, as far as the Phillies are concerned. — Philadelphia signed the veteran on Monday to a two-year contract extension worth $10 …
Boston Globe:
Francona's trip to Japan is off — Manager hospitalized with a foot infection — ST. LOUIS — The Red Sox sent out word last night that Terry Francona, who last week had agreed to replace Ken Macha as manager of a team of major leaguers going to Japan next month for a series of exhibitions, has withdrawn.
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Sports Illustrated:
Rogers better at Comerica, but is the success legit? — DETROIT — The conspiracy theory is as follows. Kenny Rogers is scuffing his pitches. But he only bothers to do so when he pitches at Comerica Park. That's why Jim Leyland has engineered his rotation throughout the postseason to ensure that Rogers pitches at home.
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MLB.com:
Cubs name Alan Trammell bench coach — The Chicago Cubs today announced that six-time American League All-Star shortstop Alan Trammell has agreed to a two-year deal to be the Cubs bench coach and infield instructor. — Trammell, 48, spent his 20-year Major League career with the Detroit Tigers …
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Ronald Blum / Associated Press:
World Series ratings hit record low for opener, rebound for Game 2 — ST. LOUIS (AP) — Television ratings for the World Series hit a record low for the opener, then rebounded for Game 2. — The St. Louis Cardinals' 7-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday night received …
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Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
Top Candidate Withdraws — Citing Family, Girardi Won't Seek Nats' Job — Former Florida Marlins manager Joe Girardi, considered for weeks the favorite to become the next manager of the Washington Nationals, took his name out of consideration for the job yesterday, saying it was a decision based …
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Four Mets undergo successful surgeries — Floyd, Hernandez set to be operated on Wednesday — NEW YORK — They turned into the Met-icals on Monday. Four days after their elimination from the postseason, the Mets began offseason repairs. — Four players underwent surgery …
Discussion:
The Eddie Kranepool Society
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Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Monday Morning Ten Pack 10/23/06 — 1B Mike Carp, North Shore Honu (Hawaii Winter League, Mets) — Carp had a very good year in the High-A Florida State League, batting .287/.379/.450 for St. Lucie. Not eye-popping numbers, but after considering the league, scout appreciation for his size …
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Paul Lukas / ESPN:
The cap that killed the Cardinals? — Pine tar, gum, shoe polish, "a big clump of dirt" — whatever Kenny Rogers had out there Sunday night, Uni Watch thinks everyone's looking for it in the wrong place. Instead of poring over still shots of Rogers' hand, take a look at his cap.
Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
Randolph Is Excited About the Progress the Mets Made — Healing has come in small doses for Willie Randolph. A shopping jaunt with his wife, Gretchen. An excursion to some farms in northern New Jersey. A day of watching football. — And the bottom of the fourth inning of Game 2 of the World Series.
Dan O'Neill / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Monroe's Doctrine — When he takes his position in left field at Comerica Park in Detroit, Craig Monroe has the likeness of Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg looking over his shoulder from left center field. — That is, he used to have Greenberg looking over his shoulder. Now, it's more like the two are eye to eye.
Discussion:
Cutoff Man
