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Associated Press:
Twins force one-game playoff with Tigers — MINNEAPOLIS - Hang on to those Homer Hankies: The Metrodome isn't ready to close for baseball just yet. — Jason Kubel got those familiar white towels waving with a pair of three-run homers and Minnesota beat Kansas City 13-4 Sunday …
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USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Bless You Boys, Twinkie Town, Yahoo! Sports and NY Daily News
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Aaron / AaronGleeman.com:
The Beginning? — That was kind of amazing. — When the Twins lost in Detroit last Wednesday it looked (to me at least) like the season was over, save for “a miracle if things break perfectly for the Twins and horribly for the Tigers.” They were three games back with four games left …
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6-4-2
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:So when do the playoffs start? Good question
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Angels Unplugged
Andrew Simon / MLB.com:
Piniella: Sandberg would be ‘in mix’ — Skipper warns managing Minors is different than Majors — CHICAGO — Ryne Sandberg is expected to ride buses for at least another year before he has a chance to fulfill his ambition of succeeding Lou Piniella as manager of the Cubs.
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Associated Press:
Arizona beats Cubs in finale of miserable year — Doug Davis gave the Arizona Diamondbacks a win over the Chicago Cubs in the finale of disappointing seasons for both teams. — Davis pitched eight strong innings and Chris Young homered Sunday. leading the Diamondbacks to a 5-2 victory.
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Could Valentine be Marlins' manager? … Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria is said to be less than satisfied with his team's standing, and in a fairly shocking development is apparently considering replacing well-regarded manager Fredi Gonzalez, who has been widely praised for his performance this season.
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Sports Illustrated:
Ramirez becomes first Marlin to win batting crown … PHILADELPHIA(AP) Philadelphia's big sluggers had the day off to rest for the playoffs. The Phillies didn't miss them in their final postseason tuneup. — Paul Hoover hit a game-ending RBI single in the 10th inning …
Discussion:
The Good Phight
JSOnline:
Macha back with option — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — St. Louis - Brewers general manager Doug Melvin confirmed Sunday morning what had become increasingly obvious in recent days, that manager Ken Macha would be returning in 2010 for the second year of his two-year contract.
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Official: Lester in Game 1, Beckett in 2 — With both Jon Lester and Josh Beckett healthy after recent scares — a ball to the knee for Lester, cortisone shots in the back for Beckett — manager Terry Francona announced the Red Sox' postseason pitching rotation after today's game.
Discussion:
sox1fan.com, Yahoo! Sports, MLB FanHouse, The Joy of Sox, Fox Sports, Over the Monster and Joe Posnanski
John Tomase / Boston Herald:
Pitches up, Clay Buchholz down — + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email + Bio — Two garbage-time starts in what amounts to glorified spring training aren't cause for concern about Clay Buchholz' postseason readiness, right? — Right? — For the second straight outing …
Mark Feinsand / Blogging The Bombers:
Yankees to open Wednesday against ... somebody — It's official: the Yankees will start the playoffs on Wednesday. — The team is unlikely to make any formal announcement until the conclusion of Tuesday night's Tigers-Twins playoff, but Joe Girardi informed CC Sabathia after today's …
Marty Noble / MLB.com:
Parnell elects not to pitch in winter ball — Mets righty is fatigued from his first full big league season — NEW YORK — Even now, months before the Mets assemble in Port St. Lucie, Fla., some definition may have been added to their plans for 2010. Nothing is for certain of course …
JSOnline:
Hoffman close to returning — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — St. Louis - Trevor Hoffman just dropped a very interesting bit of news to us after the final game of the season: he already is deep into discussions to return to the Brewers in 2010.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Bill Plaschke / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers finally come to play — On its sixth day of trying, L.A. gets to celebrate its second consecutive National League West championship. — Sick of staring at it, the Dodgers became it, pouring themselves across Chavez Ravine on Saturday night like the champagne that has haunted them.
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