Top News:
Associated Press:
Bonds, Thomas, Garciaparra get a jump on free agency — NEW YORK — One day after the World Series ended, baseball's business season began Saturday when San Francisco's Barry Bonds, Oakland's Frank Thomas and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Nomar Garciaparra headed 59 players who filed for free agency.
Discussion:
True Blue LA
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Yahoo! Sports:
Bonds among first to file for free agency — NEW YORK (Ticker) - Barry Bonds may not be wearing a San Francisco Giants uniform if and when he finally catches Hank Aaron. — Bonds headlined the list of 59 players that declared themselves free agents on Saturday, the first day of filing.
Janie McCauley / Associated Press:
Bonds to file for free agency as soon as possible — SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Barry Bonds plans to file for free agency the first day he can, and no negotiations have taken place with the Giants about keeping the slugger in San Francisco. — The first time Bonds would be eligible to file is the day after the World Series ends.
Richard Goldstein / New York Times:
Joe Niekro, 61, a Master of the Knuckleball, Is Dead — Joe Niekro, the knuckleballing right-hander who won 221 major league games in 22 seasons and combined with his Hall of Fame brother Phil to win more games than any pair of brothers in major league history, died Friday in Tampa, Fla. He was 61.
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Fred Goodall / Associated Press:
Former major league pitcher Joe Niekro dead at 61 — TAMPA, Fla. (AP) — Former major league pitcher Joe Niekro, Houston's career victory leader, died Friday, Astros president Tal Smith said. He was 61. — The two-time 20-game winner suffered a brain aneurysm Thursday and was taken …
Chris Duncan / Seattle Post-Intelligencer:
Joe Niekro remembered for sense of humor — HOUSTON - Quick with a joke or a smile, Joe Niekro was the life of the Houston Astros' clubhouse for more than a decade. He also became their most successful pitcher, earning a franchise-record 144 victories in 11 seasons.
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Two names on early list are Black, Oquendo — Looking to make their first managerial hire since 1994, the Padres have targeted Angels pitching coach Bud Black and Cardinals third-base coach Jose Oquendo among as many as eight candidates. — Black, a San Diego State alum …
Discussion:
Ducksnorts
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Tom Krasovic / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Loyalty to vets hastened exit — Towers felt Bochy placated players — SAN FRANCISCO - Bruce Bochy heard the whispers. He catered too much to veterans. He was too impatient with young players. — "I've heard it," Bochy said yesterday. "I think that's unfair criticism of me."
Bill Center / San Diego Union-Tribune:
Players regret ex-skipper's departure — Adrian Gonzalez was struggling in early May. — The 23-year-old first baseman hadn't homered since his second game of the season and his average dipped below .230 thanks to a 1-for-27 run. — Bruce Bochy called Gonzalez into the manager's office.
Matthew Leach / MLB.com:
La Russa will return in 2007 — Cards skipper announces intentions to manage 12th season — ST. LOUIS — Speculation turned into rumor turned into report on Friday night, but Cardinals manager Tony La Russa insists that whatever you call it, it's false. On Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
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Brian Borawski / Hardball Times:
World Series: Cardinals vs. Tigers: Cardinals Win the World Series — This may have been most difficult column for me to write. Ever. First off, congratulations to the St. Louis Cardinals on their first World Series championship since 1982. — Tonight, Jeff Weaver threw how Detroit Tigers fans …
Discussion:
Bless You Boys
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Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Sox's leadoff spot may tempt Roberts — The White Sox might not have to look far for a seasoned leadoff hitter. — On the first day of free-agency filings, the agent for San Diego outfielder Dave Roberts said Saturday his client was an ideal match for the Sox in the team's quest for more production out of the top spot.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
John Eisenberg / Baltimore Sun:
Bench still hip to ways that baseball players bend rules — The smudge on Kenny Rogers' pitching hand will surely be one of the defining images of the 2006 World Series. The Game 2 incident already has a nickname - Smudgegate. — "Like it's some big mystery, an episode of Lost or CSI.
Sports Illustrated:
Cardinals were better than their numbers indicated — Statistical analysts like my colleagues at Baseball Prospectus tend to downplay the nature of streakiness in baseball. A 95-win team on Tuesday is a 95-win team on Wednesday, and a .300 hitter today is a .300 hitter tomorrow.
Lyle Spencer / MLB.com:
Who's next in '07? Maybe the Mets — Mets would be eighth different Series champion in eight years — Seven new, different World Series champions in a dizzying, dazzling row. — That's what the bold, new century has brought us, starting with the dynastic New York Yankees …
Discussion:
Keep Your Sox On In Brooklyn
Amy K. Nelson / ESPN:
Weavers were believers in Jeff … ST. LOUIS — There they stood, together, in the middle of a celebrating crowd. They embraced one another as tears streamed down their faces. The blond-haired brothers from Southern California had been through enough tumult this season to last their entire lives.
