Top News:
Mark Pesavento / Yahoo! Sports:
Life of the party — ST. LOUIS - In a clubhouse filled with a Cy Young Award winner (Chris Carpenter), the best player on the planet (Albert Pujols), an eight-time Gold Glove center fielder (Jim Edmonds) and arguably the best third baseman in the National League (Scott Rolen) …
RELATED ITEMS:
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Tigers' Series title hopes on the ropes — Detroit must regroup quickly to stave off elimination — ST. LOUIS — These two teams have been here before — 38 years ago — with the Cardinals leading the Tigers three games to one in the World Series. And the record shows how that one turned out.
Discussion:
The Baseball Files
Scott Miller / CBS SportsLine.com:
Gritty little Eckstein comes up big for Cards — ST. LOUIS — Forget catching a Tiger by the tail. How about catching a David Eckstein by the tail? — That has been one of the most difficult tasks for opponents for years, and it was never in evidence like it was in Game 4 of the World Series.
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN:
Cardinals shortstop leading the charge … ST. LOUIS — David Eckstein is so small, frail and innocent-looking, Madonna might try to adopt him any day now. — Then you see him gritting his teeth through the aches and pains, fouling off tough pitches and laying out for balls in the hole …
Associated Press:
Opening the Flood-gates — Just like in '68 Series, a slip in the outfield proves big — ST. LOUIS (AP) — Curt Flood and Curtis Granderson will be forever linked for their World Series flops on the outfield grass in St. Louis. — In 1968, Flood took a tumble at old Busch Stadium …
Discussion:
Sports Scope
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Bochy takes job as Giants manager — Padres assembling list of candidates — Manager Bruce Bochy and the San Francisco Giants agreed last night on a three-year contract, leaving the Padres without a manager for the first time since 1994. — Bochy, the Padres' all-time leader in wins …
RELATED ITEMS:
Metstradamus / The Musings and Prophecies …:
Divine Plan? — Are you there, God? It's me, Metstradamus. — Twenty years ago tonight, the Mets won their last World Series championship thanks in part to Mets icon Mookie Wilson and his ground ball though the legs of Bill Buckner. — Twenty years to the day later …
RELATED ITEMS:
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
Yanks waiting on Sheffield decision — The Yankees have not yet officially picked up Gary Sheffield's $13 million 2007 option, although they "probably will" in due time, a person familiar with the situation told Newsday. — Multiple reports this morning, stemming from a story …
RELATED ITEMS:
Mark Hale / New York Post:
SOURCE: METS NOT GUNNING FOR BIG 3 — Two big names - Barry Zito and Alfonso Soriano - will be free agents this fall, and a third big name, Manny Ramirez, could available in a trade. But right now, according to a source familiar with the situation, the Mets are not interested in pursuing any of them.
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Redsfest is back in town — Meet players and play games during the two-day extravaganza — CINCINNATI — It's been a couple of years, but Reds fans once again have a place to heat up their Hot Stove talk and passion for baseball this winter. — Yes, RedsFest is back.
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
Uribe said to be in the clear soon in homeland shooting — Sources close to Juan Uribe said Thursday that the White Sox shortstop is expected to be cleared by the end of the weekend in a shooting investigation. — Uribe has maintained his innocence since he first was named in the shooting …
Discussion:
Ben Maller's Sports …
Newsday:
Donnie next to Joe — Both as bench coach in '07 and top candidate to be Torre's successor — Guessing Joe Torre's successor has long been a parlor game for Yankees fans. But never in Torre's 11 years as Yankees manager has a plan for succession seemed as clear as it does now.
MLB.com:
Cubs add three to Major League coaching staff — The Chicago Cubs today announced that the club has added Mike Quade as third base coach, Matt Sinatro as first base coach and Lester Strode as bullpen coach. — Quade, 49, will also serve as the club's outfield and base running instructor.
Discussion:
The Cub Reporter
Rocky Mountain News:
Ringolsby: Selig properly followed his basic instinct — ST. LOUIS - Back in the days when George Steinbrenner made it a part of every October to fire his manager - and, of course, steal headlines from the World Series - Major League Baseball instituted a rule that no major announcements could be made during the Series.
John Brattain / Hardball Times:
Credit Where It's Due — Black is white, up is down, cats chase dogs, boy bands play instruments, David Samson and I are going out for a beer, Paris Hilton is judged on merit and Britney Spears on her music. — Why not? I'm about to do the unthinkable (doubtless my editors are thinking …
Jonathan Mayo / Minor League Baseball:
Devil Rays lose bright prospect — Canoe accident claims life of Minor Leaguer Erik Walker — The days of searching and dwindling hopes finally came to an end on Thursday morning, when Devil Ray Erik Walker's body was found. He was 23 years old. — Walker, who just turned 23 on Oct. 15 …
