Top News:
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:
Bombers sweep Sox, clinch AL East crown — The Yankees finally can christen their new home with Champagne after they clinched the American League East title and home field advantage in the playoffs Sunday afternoon against - of all teams - their bitter rivals, the Red Sox.
Discussion:
Boston Globe
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
They're not showing all their cards — NEW YORK - One team is going all out to win every day. — The other team is the Red Sox - asking you to stand back and look at the big picture. — The Sox got another encouraging performance from Daisuke Matsuzaka yesterday, but again were beaten by the Yankees, 3-0.
Anthony McCarron / NY Daily News:CC Sox it to Boston as Yanks close in on title
Discussion:
sox1fan.com
Barry M. Bloom / Boomskie on Baseball:
Don't the Dodgers need to sign Colletti long-term? The answer is Blowin' in the Wind — I'm usually loathe to start any bit of prose with a question. But with the Dodgers having clinched the playoffs for the third time in the last four years, is it not time for management to re-up Ned Colletti?
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John Perrotto / Baseball Prospectus:
On the Beat — Weekend Update — When Joe Torre began his managerial career 33 years ago, he did not believe in the old baseball adages about good pitching always beating good hitting, pitching winning championships, and pitching being 80 percent of the game. Torre believed hitting was equally as important as pitching.
Bob Dutton / Kansas City Star:
Royals notebook | Royals not interested in Bradley — Royals officials dismiss — in strong terms — reports of possible interest in acquiring outfielder Milton Bradley from the Cubs. “Idiots” was one of the nicer comments directed at those offering such speculation.
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Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Game 156: Red Sox at Yankees — YANKEES (99-56) — Pitching: LHP Andy Pettitte (13-7, 4.15). — RED SOX (91-63) — Ellsbury CF — Pedroia 2B — Bay LF — Youkilis 1B — Ortiz DH — Lowell 3B — Drew RF — Varitek C — Gonzalez SS — Pitching: RHP Paul Byrd (1-2, 6.04).
Bruce Levine / ESPN:
Guillen slams White Sox — Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen called out his team in an expletive-laden postgame press conference after watching the Sox blow a five-run lead as the Detroit Tigers scored 12 unanswered runs to win 12-5 on Saturday night.
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Ken Davidoff / Newsday:
Sunday reading: CC Sabathia, Derek Lowe and (blog) viewer mail — Off yesterday's Yankees game, I wrote about CC Sabathia, who has been pretty much perfect so far for the Yankees. — Remember that we spent much of last year discussing Sabathia's reluctance to come to New York.
Sports Illustrated:
Rockies tip Cards … DENVER(AP) Clint Barmes had the wind knocked out of him and a big welt on his forehead. — A small price to pay for a game-saving catch in the middle of a tight playoff race. — Colorado's second baseman made a diving grab in shallow right field to start a game-ending double play …
Discussion:
Purple Row
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Purcey pitching into 2010 consideration — Southpaw could be in next year's rotation after strong finish — TORONTO — With what he has seen this year from his young pitchers, Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston does not feel that bolstering the rotation is a top priority for the coming winter.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Adam Rubin / NY Daily News:
Francoeur homers, Misch goes distance as Mets top Marlins — MIAMI - Jerry Manuel approached Jeff Francoeur in the visitors' clubhouse before Sunday's game and told the right fielder he would have to play despite being banged up. Otherwise, the manager joked, the Mets might face a fine for the ragtag lineup opposing the Marlins.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Baseball Prospectus:
Kiss'Em Goodbye: San Diego Padres by Baseball Prospectus — Current record: 72-84, fourth place — Some of the young pitching does seem promising—so, hope, anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Frye? — Buster Olney of ESPN.com's Take — What went wrong: Nobody wants to get into soap opera stuff …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Tom D'Angelo / Florida Marlins news …:
Josh Johnson sent home with the flu, Chris Volstad to start — Josh Johnson, today's scheduled pitcher, was sent home this morning because of the flu. Chris Volstad will replace him on the mound. — “He didn't look very good,” manager Fredi Gonzalez said.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
