Top News:
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Lou Piniella cites ‘toll’ of managing — NEW YORK - Cubs manager Lou Piniella is only one victory shy of his 1,700th career triumph as manager, but he seems to be weary of the long grind that accompanies the season. — “It has been a tough year,” Piniella told the New York Daily News.
RELATED:
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
Marshall earns NLDS spot in Cubs' loss — Piniella tickets lefty for postseason 'pen after five solid frames — NEW YORK — The Cubs still don't know who their opponent will be in the playoffs, but they're starting to get a better feel for who will be in their bullpen next week.
NY Daily News:
All that's missing for Mets is the black cat — Black cat. Black bat. It's always something when these teams meet, which is why the Mets should be very pleased today they may be playing these same Chicago Cubs again in some very important games next week.
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Johan Santana's broken-bat hit sparks Mets' rally in 6-2 win over Cubs
Johan Santana's broken-bat hit sparks Mets' rally in 6-2 win over Cubs
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Yankees' fall from grace stems from years of draft neglect … George Steinbrenner lorded over the staff meetings he attended, and as the Yankees prepared for the amateur draft in the spring of 2000, Steinbrenner noted aloud that Jorge Posada was moving closer to free agency.
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
RELATED:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Steinbrenner questions divisional setup — The Sporting News to publish Yanks' co-chairman's comments — TORONTO — The divisional setup in Major League Baseball is at the top of Hank Steinbrenner's concerns with the state of the game, according to a column written by the Yankees co-chairman that will appear on newsstands this week.
Duk / Yahoo! Sports:
Hank Steinbrenner cries over Yanks' great misfortune in AL East
Hank Steinbrenner cries over Yanks' great misfortune in AL East
Discussion:
Sox and Pinstripes, Baseball Musings, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine and Sons of Steve Garvey
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Yankees want answer from Cashman
Yankees want answer from Cashman
Discussion:
New York Times, The LoHud Yankees Blog, My Pinstripes, River Ave. Blues, Sliding Into Home, iYankees and NY Daily News
Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
Rays have two ALDS sellouts — First playoff games at Tropicana Field prove hot tickets — BALTIMORE — The Rays have sold out the first two playoff games that will be played at Tropicana Field. — A limited number of tickets will still be available for fans who make deposits on 2009 season tickets.
Discussion:
The Griddle
RELATED:
Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
A Heck of a Story
A Heck of a Story
Discussion:
Deadspin, Bugs & Cranks, Outs Per Swing, SPORTSbyBROOKS, ShysterBall, BBTF's Baseball Primer … and St. Petersburg Times
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
Happy berth day — For fifth time in six years, Sox wrap up a playoff spot — The celebration erupted again at Fenway Park last night, Red Sox players storming from the dugout and streaming from the bullpen, a scene as familiar and predictable by now as the fall chill moving in.
RELATED:
Stan McNeal / Sporting News:
Tigers' Todd Jones to announce retirement — After 16 seasons, 319 saves and approximately 250 columns for Sporting News, Todd Jones is retiring from baseball. — Jones, who writes about his decision to call it quits in the latest issue of Sporting News magazine, is expected …
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Twins dig long ball, at least for one night — MINNEAPOLIS - Inside the Minnesota Twins dugout, they figured the roar was for Jason Kubel. His teammates were telling him to take a curtain call after his second home run, and everybody was so busy patting Kubel on the back and slapping …
RELATED:
Gerry Fraley / Sporting News:
Revitalized Lidge ready to face postseason demons — This qualifies as supreme irony. — Because Brad Lidge flamed out in the 2005 postseason with Houston, Philadelphia could be a force in the 2008 postseason. — The Phillies go into tonight's game against Atlanta with a magic number …
Bill Ballew / Baseball America:
South Atlantic League Top 20 Prospects — Only 19, Bumgarner pitches like a vet — Youth was served throughout the South Atlantic League in 2008, a season in which teenage talent dominated the low Class A circuit more than at any time in recent memory. League champion Augusta set the tone …
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Mets give Minaya four-year extension as GM — Even when this 2008 Mets season stood at its bleakest point, the June 17 firing of manager Willie Randolph, Omar Minaya's job security never became an issue inside team headquarters. And now, once the Mets' season concludes …
RELATED:
Geoff Baker / Seattle Times:
Rebuilding the Mariners | M's puzzle tougher to reshape with big contracts — And a nervous Kenji Johjima seemed to be dying a little inside as he spoke... It was the night the Mariners saw their 2008 season die for good. — And a nervous Kenji Johjima seemed to be dying a little inside …
Ed Sherman / ESPN:
Sadly, one play defined Merkle's career, life — WATERTOWN, Wis. — Fred Merkle was born in Watertown, Wis., in 1888, but he spent only one year there before his family moved to Toledo, Ohio. — Still, that didn't prevent Watertown resident David Stalker from claiming Merkle as the town's very own.
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Nationals On Pace to Set Attendance Low for New Ballpark — Nationals Park, sparsely attended … In sports, we've all heard this saying at the end of a season: — “They have a mathematical chance.” — And, while that chance is normally referring to teams straining to make the postseason …
Discussion:
Walkoff Walk
Ken Mandel / MLB.com:
Champagne still waiting as Phils fall — Hamels effective but outdueled in loss to Braves — PHILADELPHIA — Crates of champagne likely nestle somewhere in the bowels of Citizens Bank Park, ready for clubhouse relocation when needed. — At some point between now and Sunday …
RELATED: