Top News:
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Yanks stock up on arms in 11th hour — ALDS roster includes 11 pitchers; Gaudin, Joba make cut — NEW YORK — The Yankees finalized their 25-man roster for the American League Division Series on Wednesday, reversing course and opting to take an 11-man pitching staff to face the Minnesota Twins.
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Sam Borden / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Posada: Molina will catch AJ — Jorge Posada just revealed that Joe Girardi told him on Sunday that Jose Molina will catch A.J. Burnett in this series. — UPDATE, 1:36 p.m.: We'll have audio (hopefully) from Posada uploaded shortly. “I just hope we win that game,” Posada said.
Jerry Crasnick / ESPN.com:
Jorge Posada miffed to hear Jose Molina named A.J. Burnett's catcher — NEW YORK — The A.J. Burnett-Jorge Posada tandem performed to less than rave reviews during the regular season, so Yankees manager Joe Girardi is giving Burnett a different batterymate in the American League Division Series.
Tyler Kepner / Bats:Yanks Announce Rotation, Close in on Playoff Roster
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily
Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Never-give-up Twins win Central title — Casilla delivers walk-off hit; Minnesota to face Yanks in ALDS — MINNEAPOLIS — Over the past two weeks of the season, the Twins and Tigers battled each other so many times, every contest felt like a playoff game.
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Associated Press:
Casilla's hit in 12th lifts Twins in AL Central tiebreaker — MINNEAPOLIS — The Metrodome erupted in a jet-like roar as Carlos Gomez zoomed home with the winning run to finish off an AL Central race — and a thrilling tiebreaker — that didn't want to end.
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Format in playoffs' opening round can derail juggernauts — The New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers spent six grueling months posting the best records in their leagues and establishing themselves as the top teams in baseball. — When they step onto the field today to open the playoffs, it will mean virtually nothing.
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Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Padilla gets Game 3 nod for Dodgers — Torre to start Belliard at second base ahead of Hudson — LOS ANGELES — In-season additions Ronnie Belliard and Vicente Padilla will start for the Dodgers ahead of All-Stars Orlando Hudson and Chad Billingsley in the best-of-five National League Division Series …
Associated Press:
Phillies, Rockies make their pitch — PHILADELPHIA - All those big boppers and two hitter-friendly ballparks sure make the Phillies-Rockies series look like a slugfest. — Not so fast. — When Colorado swept Philadelphia in the 2007 NL Division Series, the teams combined for only 24 runs in three games.
Discussion:
Baseball Analysts
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Associated Press:
Wolf's good, just don't call him an ace — LOS ANGELES — Randy Wolf has seen a lot in his 11-year career, just never the playoffs. He's finally getting a chance in the stadium where he watched the Los Angeles Dodgers as a kid. — The 33-year-old left-hander proved to be the most consistent starter …
Discussion:
Hardball Times
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Rick Hummel / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Dodgers' Wolf finally has playoff start — LOS ANGELES — After 275 regular-season starts, the second most among active pitchers in the major leagues without starting a postseason game, 33-year-old lefthander Randy Wolf will make his mark tonight when he faces the Cardinals.
Discussion:
Balls, Sticks, & Stuff
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
Lowrie on, Velazquez here — Jed Lowrie will be the backup infielder on the Red Sox first round roster, manager Terry Francona said a short while ago. The move did not come as a surprise given the status of Nick Green and Chris Woodward, the other two candidates.
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Mike DiGiovanna / Angels Unplugged:Bulger expects to pitch against Red Sox; Izturis back to full strength
Discussion:
Red Sox Monster, Over the Monster, AZ Snakepit, Boston Globe, Red Reporter, Yahoo! Sports, The House That Dewey Built and USA Today
forecast.weather.gov:
2 Miles NE Harlem NY — Enter Your “City, ST” or zip code — This — Afternoon — Tonight — Thursday — Thursday — Night — Friday — Friday — Night — Saturday — Saturday — Night — Sunday — This Afternoon: Mostly sunny, with a high near 73.
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily
Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
Moehler to return to Astros in '10 — Houston plans to pick up its half of mutual option — HOUSTON — Astros right-hander Brian Moehler said Tuesday that he plans to return next season after being informed by general manager Ed Wade earlier in the day that the club planned on picking up its half of the mutual option for 2010.
David Lennon / Newsday:
Actions, not words, will put real pressure on Minaya, Manuel — After yesterday's media blitz by the Mets' front office, which included a morning news conference at Citi Field followed by a 90-minute propaganda session on WFAN, did the team really provide any plan for how to fix its current mess?
Dan Nilsen / MLive.com:
Former Detroit Tigers pitcher Brian Powell dies of self-inflicted gunshot — Brian Powell, who pitched for the Detroit Tigers in 1998 and again in 2002 as part of a six-year major-league career, died Monday of a self-inflicted gunshot. He was 35. — Powell, a resident of Bainbridge …
Dan Gross / Philly.com:
Marlins pitcher Sean West's wild Saturday night — Marlins reliever Sean West had a wild Saturday night, being involved in one fight, nearly provoking another, then getting lucky with a groupie at his hotel. West was leaving G Lounge (111 S. 17th) close to 2 a.m. Sunday morning …
Denver Post:
Rockies' De La Rosa out; Game 1 lineup set for NLDS — PHILADELPHIA — Rockies left-hander Jorge De La Rosa, a 16-game winner during the regular season, has been ruled out of the National League Division Series because of his left groin strain. — De La Rosa was scheduled to throw here today …
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