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.
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to replace Ken Macha as manager of a team of major leaguers going to Japan next month for a series of exhibitions, has withdrawn.
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
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.
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
As La Russa talks, the smudge mark thickens … ST. LOUIS — Here's a little advice we'd like to pass along to all future World Series participants, in the wake of Kenny Rogers' dirt-clumping mishap Sunday: — If you're ever thinking about getting in the middle of a massive October controversy …
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 …
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 …
Discussion:
MLB.com, Federal Baseball, Ben Maller's Sports …, William F. Yurasko, Capitol Punishment and Powered
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Mike Berardino / Yahoo! Sports:Inside Dish: Cora highlights Nationals' coaching possibilities
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout
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 …
Discussion:
FishStripes
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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
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Cubs name Trammell bench coach — Former Major League All-Star will be Piniella's right-hand man — CHICAGO — Former Tigers manager and six-time American League All-Star shortstop Alan Trammell was named on Monday as the bench coach and infield instructor for new Cubs manager Lou Piniella.
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Tim Brown / Los Angeles Times:
Labor deal to be unveiled — ST. LOUIS — Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Assn. intend to announce tonight that they have agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement that will run through 2011, according to a source familiar with the negotiations.
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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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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.
Discussion:
Ben Maller's Sports …
Mike Scarr / MLB.com:
Mailbag: Angels to pursue Soriano? — Beat writer Mike Scarr answers Angels fans' questions — Angels fans believe their club is close to retuning to the postseason but also believe they could use some new talent. — With the Angels seriously in need of a bat and general manager Bill Stoneman …
Discussion:
Ben Maller's Sports …
Joseph Goldstein / New York Sun:
What's in a Name? For James Bell, It's A Baseball Lawsuit — Ballplayer James "Cool Papa" Bell received his nickname early in his career in the Negro League and carried it until his death in 1991. To this day streets in Mississippi, the state of his birth, and Missouri, the state of his death, bear the Hall of Famer's moniker.
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Mailbag: A closer look at Tribe closers — Beat reporter Anthony Castrovince answers fans' questions … If the Tribe enters Spring Training next year without the "veteran bullpen" help they are hoping to obtain (which seems like a definite possibility), what player on this roster …
