Top News:
Bill Plunkett / Orange County Register:
Too much home advantage? — Angels notes. — Recommend — BOSTONA packed house of baseball's most rabid fans and the quirkiest playing field in the majors are intimidating home-field advantages for the Boston Red Sox. — But just who is intimidated by that environment is apparently open for debate.
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ESPN:
Cracks in the AL contenders — The count was full, the bases were loaded and Brian Fuentes fired a fastball at the lowest part of the strike zone Wednesday night, and when home plate umpire Rick Reed called the pitch a ball — the K Zone indicated that Fuentes' fastball nicked the strike zone …
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Third comeback the charm for Red Sox — Gonzalez helps Boston take win streak to seven — BOSTON — They were a strike away from defeat, and had already seen two comebacks go for naught. They were also decidedly short-handed, missing two star hitters — Kevin Youkilis and Victor Martinez — and also ace closer Jonathan Papelbon.
Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Red Sox rally for 7th straight win, beat L.A. in walk-off fashion — BOSTON — One after another, Boston Red Sox players acknowledged the obvious: This felt like a playoff game. — Every at-bat a battle. Every close call full of meaning. A tense crowd on its feet. And eventually, a Red Sox victory.
Discussion:
Angels Unplugged, MLB Daily Dish, The House That Dewey Built, Yahoo! Sports and It's About The Money
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
Some things that happened tonight — How do you even begin to describe the improbability of the Red Sox' 9-8 walk-off win over the Los Angeles Angels? You start with the joy in the Red Sox clubhouse and the anger in the Angels'. Shortly after the Red Sox dogpiled in the middle of the diamond …
Discussion:
Fenway West, Walkoff Walk, The Soxaholix, Over the Monster, NESN.com and Providence Journal
Adam Rubin / New York Daily News Blogs:
Surfing The Mets — Omir Santos' tiebreaking pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning on Wednesday off lefthander Mike Gonzalez looked like it would lift the Mets to a victory. However, first baseman Daniel Murphy (right) misplayed two balls in the ninth inning, costing Francisco Rodriguez …
RELATED:
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:Errors are costly in Mets' loss to Braves
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online
John Manuel / Baseball America:
UPDATES: Scheppers Signs With Rangers; Crow Close — The Rangers announced the signing of supplemental first-round pick Tanner Scheppers on Thursday. — Scheppers, who pitched for Fresno State from 2006-2008 and worked in the independent American Association this summer …
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Buster Olney / MLB:
Kansas City Royals close to signing top pick Aaron Crow, sources say — The Kansas City Royals are on the verge of an agreement with their No. 1 draft pick, pitcher Aaron Crow, for a major league deal that will pay him between $3 million and $4.5 million, sources said.
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Harwell says thanks to baseball friends — Fans, players show admiration for broadcaster in cheers — DETROIT — Ernie Harwell said thank you to thousands of his friends at Comerica Park on Wednesday night, and many more watching on television. Fans, players, baseball people, media and officials thanked him back with their cheers.
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MLB.com:
Tampa, Staten Island win championships — Affiliates take Florida State, New York-Penn League titles — Trent Lare ended the season in Tampa, nearly three months after starting it on Staten Island. He proved a good luck charm for both teams as the Yankees captured championships …
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Mark Newman / MLB.com:
Phillies dad a hit with parents all over — Family receives gifts from team during appearance on ‘Today’ — Steve Monforto has been coming to Phillies games since he was three years old, and after all that time, he finally caught his first foul ball on Tuesday night.
Discussion:
bronxbanterblog.com
RELATED:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yankees hit the road for key trip — New York (94-53) at Seattle (75-71), 10:10 p.m. ET — NEW YORK — The Yankees zipped up their travel bags after completing their second-to-last homestand by celebrating their 14th walk-off victory of the season on Wednesday, joyously spilling …
Joe Posnanski:
A Free Country — I'm a big fan of Ken Rosenthal. To me, he is everything I want in a baseball writer. He loves the game, he works like crazy (Robo-thal), he is passionate about things, he breaks stories left and right, and he is open to new ideas. He is also one of the good guys in the business …
Discussion:
THE BOOK, The Big Lead, Driveline Mechanics, crashburnalley.com, Amazin' Avenue, Mike Silva's … and Pinstripe Alley
Associated Press:
Chipper Jones of Atlanta Braves, frustrated by slump, injuries, considers retiring in 2010 — ATLANTA — A drop of almost 100 points from his 2008 NL-leading batting average has Atlanta Braves third baseman Chipper Jones wondering if the end of his career is near.
Dave Baldwin / Baseball Analysts:
Unraveling the Batter's Brain — [Editor's Note: Dave Baldwin is a former MLB pitcher. He pitched for the Washington Senators (1966-1969), Milwaukee Brewers (1970), and Chicago White Sox (1973). His best season was 1967 when he posted an ERA of 1.70 with 12 saves.
Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Should admitted cocaine users enter the Hall? — As a Hall of Fame voter, Midweek Insider has wrestled — greatly with the issue of illegal performance-enhancing drugs like steroids and human growth hormone. Should it be a disqualifying factor for candidates, even if no legitimate ban against these drugs existed at the time?
Discussion:
It's About The Money
