Top News:
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Mets skipper Manuel agrees to return — Jerry Manuel has agreed to return as New York Mets manager, SI.com has confirmed. Manuel will get a two year contract, plus a club option for a third season. — When Manuel took over as interim manager for the fired Willie Randolph in mid-June …
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Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Mets give Manuel key to the Citi — The self-professed “gangsta” will occupy the home dugout at Citi Field next season. — Jerry Manuel agreed on Friday to a two-year contract with a team option for 2011 to serve as Mets manager after a week of tougher-than-expected negotiations with team officials, the Daily News has learned.
Andrew Marchand / ESPN.com:Valentine all ears if Mets unable to sign Manuel
Discussion:
The LoHud Mets Blog
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
Rays about to go 2-up in Series — (9:05, top of the ninth, Rays 6, White Sox 2 — Outstanding relief pitching by Grant Balfour and particularly lefty J.P, Howell allowed the Rays to hold on to a 3-2 lead until the Rays broke it wide open in the eighth with three runs to take a 6-2 lead.
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Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Injured eye forces Pena from game — ST. PETERSBURG — The irritation in 1B Carlos Pena's left eye Wednesday night was nothing like the pain he went through taking himself out of Thursday's game after two innings. — Pena was relaxing at home early Wednesday night when he felt something in his left eye and rubbed it.
MLB.com:
Best-of-seven series a better test — Five-gamer not always an accurate test of team's true strength — A five-game series in baseball is like getting all dressed up for the big dance and the music stops before you walk through the ballroom door. — For most managers and players …
Discussion:
crashburnalley.com
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Thomas Boswell / Washington Post:
Reverse Psychology — This is the Cubs' big chance. This is their Red Sox moment. — The Cubs now face the same galling indignity, and the same disguised opportunity, that Boston grabbed so spectacularly four years ago when it trailed the Yanks three games to none but came back to reverse the curse.
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
Beckett definite; Lowell and Lowrie scratches explained — ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mike Lowell's hip injury did not worsen, but Terry Francona made what he said was a very difficult decision to sit him. Lowell wanted to play badly, Francona said. One factor in the decision was the fact that Joe Saunders …
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Scott Soshnick / Bloomberg:
Brewers Owner Attanasio Wants More Revenue Sharing From Yankees — Oct. 3 (Bloomberg) — Milwaukee Brewers owner Mark Attanasio, seeking a “fair fight,” said high-revenue clubs like the New York Yankees should share more with the other teams. — “It's always amusing to me to hear the Yankees …
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Carl Macgowan / Newsday:
Workers begin dismantling Shea Stadium — It's really happening, Mets fans. — Shea Stadium is coming down, one thousand-watt lamp and one sink at a time. Centerfield's iconic 410-foot sign now lies in a fenced-in area outside the ballpark, along with other pieces of the outfield wall.
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Bruce Miles / Daily Herald:
Piniella fed up with Fukudome's play — Cubs manager Lou Piniella has all but written off right fielder Kosuke Fukudome for the rest of the playoffs and maybe longer. — “From now on, I don't want to hear about Fukudome anymore as far as whether he's going to play or not,” …
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Tom Haudricourt / Brewers Blog:
Brantley completes Sabathia deal — A source familiar with the deal just told me that the CC Sabathia trade has been completed with the Brewers sending minor league outfield prospect Michael Brantley to the Indians. — When the Brewers acquired Sabathia in early July …
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Angels won't walk away with a victory — Despite facing Matsuzaka, who walks a lot of hitters, they don't plan to work the count in Game 2. — This could be the rare matchup that drives the purists and and the stat-heads nuts. Live from Anaheim: The team most likely to swing at a bad pitch …
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Clutch-hitting Helms gets two-year extension with Marlins … Wes Helms has agreed to a two-year deal with the Florida Marlins. — Helms, 32, batted .243 with five homers and 31 RBIs during the 2008 season, but came up with some big hits for the Marlins — including a pinch-hit homer on the last day of the season to beat the Mets.
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Rosenthal's Latest: Vlad, Cano, Peavy, Hardy — By Tim Dierkes [October 3 at 8:23am CST] — Today we have a fresh column from Ken Rosenthal of FOX Sports. — Vladimir Guerrero's $15MM option for '09 is a lock, but perhaps the Angels will reconsider extending him beyond that.
Discussion:
Kranepool Society
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