Top News:
Joe Cowley / Chicago Sun Times:
‘Big Game Gavin’? Floyd eager to face Garcia — Gavin Floyd was planning to eat dinner Sunday evening. — A full meal. — He also had plans to sleep Sunday night. — A good night's sleep at that. — If this afternoon truly was going to be the biggest moment the White Sox right-hander …
Discussion:
Associated Press, Baseball Musings, Bless You Boys, 6-4-2, MLive.com and AaronGleeman.com
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John Donovan / Sports Illustrated:
Pitching mess could doom White Sox even if they make playoffs … Getting to baseball's postseason is hard enough sometimes. Bullpens blowing up, starters going down, late losing streaks, make-up games, play-in games, just plain bad luck. — And for those fortunate enough to somehow limp …
Washington Post:
A Strained Season Off the Field, Too — Kasten Frustrated by Ownership's Continued Lack of Spending — After the final home game of the Washington Nationals' season, team president Stan Kasten and principal owner Mark Lerner crossed paths in their new stadium's lowest level.
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Pooka / Toronto Star:
Godfrey quits as Jays president — Paul Godfrey has announced he will step down as president and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays at the end of 2008. — The Jays, who ended the regular season on Sunday with an 86-76 record, have never advanced to the post-season under Godfrey's reign at the top of the major league organization.
Discussion:
Associated Press
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Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Melvin offers thanks to ex-manager — Brewers GM sends e-mail to Yost expressing appreciation for his work — One of the first things Doug Melvin did was send a message to Ned Yost. — After the New York Mets fell, 4-2, to Florida on Sunday afternoon, securing the National League wild-card berth …
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Tom Haudricourt / JSOnline:
Keg Party! — Sabathia finishes what he starts — It's over.
Keg Party! — Sabathia finishes what he starts — It's over.
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus, Phillies Nation, USA Today, Deadspin, Can't Stop The Bleeding and BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
A side of intrigue — Oblique injury pushes Beckett back to Game 3 — There was little Josh Beckett couldn't do in last year's postseason. He won game after game after game, dominating in every start, on the way to a World Series title. He was supposed to do it again.
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Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Wren begins hunt for veteran arms — General manager looks to add depth to rotation in offseason — ATLANTA — With his initial season as the Braves general manager complete, Frank Wren can officially begin looking toward a future that he can only hope proves less frustrating than the past six injury-marred months.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Peter Abraham / The Journal News:
Yanks leaning toward leaving Joba as starter — BOSTON - Joba Chamberlain finished the season having thrown only 100 1/3 innings because of a shoulder injury that caused him to miss a month. If the Yankees stick to their organizational beliefs, the 23-year-old right-hander will be limited to 140 innings next season.
Troy E. Renck / Denver Post:
Unsettled offseason for Rockies — Hurdle's sit-down with GM today just first phase of reshaping ballclub — PHOENIX — A six-month disappointment ends with a frank discussion today at Coors Field. Manager Clint Hurdle will meet with general manager Dan O'Dowd for a season review …
Jim White / PBC Blog:
Pirates fire pitching, first base coaches — The Pirates this morning fired pitching coach Jeff Andrews after one season on the job. — Andrews, 39, oversaw a pitching staff that had a 5.08 ERA, third-highest in Major League Baseball and fifth-highest in franchise history.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
To solve Mets' bullpen problem, bid for K-Rod — In a Mets clubhouse that emitted a mix of shock and deja vu, Scott Schoeneweis redefined “morose.” — Yesterday's losing pitcher wore the most pained of expressions as he staggered from his locker to Jerry Manuel's office, planted himself on a couch and stared into space.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, NY Daily News, New York Post, Ken Davidoff's baseball …, On the Mets beat and Bats
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Evan Grant / TEXAS RANGERS:
Art Howe out, Jim Colborn returns to Pacific Rim, Andy Hawkins a “candidate” for 2009 staff — The hedline pretty much sums it up, but that's the deal. Art Howe will be replaced as bench coach and Andy Hawkins will be considered for the 2009 staff, likely as the bullpen coach rather than pitching coach.
Discussion:
Baseball Time in Arlington
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St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Lohse will get four-year deal — Kyle Lohse, who signed a one-year, $4.5 million deal late in spring training to bolster the Cardinals' starting pitching staff, was rewarded Monday with a four-year, $41 million contract extension. — The contract also calls for full, no-trade protection for Lohse.
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Pettitte thinking it over — Andy Pettitte stopped by for a few minutes. While Joe Girardi has said he thinks the lefty will be back, Pettitte is not ready to say that quite yet. — “I need to get away and weigh some things over,” he said. “I know what I want to do and what I'm expected …
Philly.com:
Hamels, Myers, Moyer ... Just heard that the Phillies have set up their rotation for the first three games of the National League division series against the Milwaukee Brewers: Cole Hamels will pitch Game 1 on Wednesday, Brett Myers will pitch Game 2 on Thursday and Jamie Moyer will pitch Game 3 on Saturday.
Tom Haudricourt / Brewers Blog:
Victory brings tears to Selig's eyes — As the Brewers and their fans celebrated their first playoff berth in 26 years Sunday afternoon at raucous Miller Park, Bud Selig sat in front of his television set at his home in Bayside, totally transfixed. — Before he knew it, the commissioner of baseball had tears in his eyes.
Discussion:
MLB FanHouse
Jason George / Chicago Tribune:
Musician loses Milwaukee gig for playing a little ‘Go Cubs Go’ — Ted Wulfers never thought that singing Steve Goodman's “Go Cubs Go” could get you fired, but that's just what happened to the Chicago musician over the weekend. Wulfers was scheduled to perform Sunday at a TGI Friday's inside Milwaukee's Miller Park.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Giants Rumors: Aurilia, Vizquel, Cain — By Tim Dierkes [September 29 at 3:09pm CST] — Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News did some quick blogging from Brian Sabean's press conference today. Hot stove notes: — Rich Aurilia could be re-signed, but Omar Vizquel won't be back.
Discussion:
Extra Baggs
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
SEE IT: The 2008 Divison Series Broadcast Schedule — TBS will telecast all Division Series games and ESPN Radio will provide national coverage. Additional coverage of the Division Series games will be provided by XM Radio and MLB.com. — NOTE: Monday will see the White Sox play the Tigers …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
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Associated Press:
Home runs drop to 15-year low … NEW YORK (AP) — Home runs in the major leagues dropped this year to their lowest level since 1993, and Angels center fielder Torii Hunter thinks he might know why. — “I think the steroid testing has something to do with it,” he said.
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