Top News:
David Pinto / baseballmusings.com:
RED SOX VERSUS ANGELS ALDS PREVIEW — The Angels host the Red Sox in the final American League Division Series starting Thursday. The following table shows American League ranks for the teams in various offensive and pitching categories: — 2009 Seasons (AL Ranks) Boston Red Sox Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Varitek may not be an automatic out — ANAHEIM, Calif. - His team is on the big stage, playing in the big games, and he is going to be on the bench. — This is new. This has never happened before. Not in the Little League World Series at Williamsport. Not in the Cape Cod League with the Hyannis Mets.
Discussion:
Dan Shaughnessy Watch
Kevin Baxter / Angels Unplugged:
Paul Byrd's heart is still in Anaheim — Paul Byrd will find out soon whether he'll be on the Red Sox roster for the American League Division Series. And if he makes it, it figures to be a bittersweet accomplishment because if Byrd was watching the series from home, he'd probably be cheering for the Angels.
Curt Schilling / 38 Pitches:Breaking down Red Sox vs. Angels: Keys to the ALDS
Discussion:
Angels Unplugged
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Kemp, bullpen pull through for Dodgers — Relievers pick up Wolf with 5 1/3 solid innings vs. Cards — LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers don't have leading candidates for Cy Young or MVP, but they do have something the Cardinals don't have. — A Game 1 victory in their National League Division Series.
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Associated Press:
Dodgers defeat Cardinals 5-3 in NL playoff opener — LOS ANGELES — Randy Wolf and the Dodgers bullpen outpitched St. Louis ace Chris Carpenter, earning Los Angeles a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals on Wednesday night in an NL playoff opener full of missed chances for both teams.
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Kemp's home run powers Dodgers past Cards in Game 1 — LOS ANGELES — Randy Wolf (FSY) and the Dodgers bullpen outpitched St. Louis ace Chris Carpenter (FSY), earning Los Angeles a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals on Wednesday night in an NL playoff opener full of missed chances for both teams.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Associated Press:
Yankees catch fire, Twins tire — Like old times in New York — NEW YORK - Derek Jeter got a big hit, just as he did in Octobers past at the famed ballpark across the street. CC Sabathia joined in the postseason fun. Even Alex Rodriguez broke out of his playoff rut.
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MLB:
A.J. Burnett of New York Yankees: Decision to start Jose Molina instead of Jorge Posada not my call — Yankees right-hander A.J. Burnett insists he had nothing to do with Jose Molina starting at catcher in his Game 2 start Friday against the Twins. — That decision did not please regular …
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Pitching on agenda for Brewers' offseason — GM Melvin not looking to part with Fielder, Braun — MILWAUKEE — Brewers general manager Doug Melvin said he may need to sacrifice some of the team's offense this winter to improve the pitching staff, so he was asked the obvious follow-up.
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Toby Hyde / Mets Minor League Blog:
BA FSL Top 20: Mejia, Davis & Nieuwenhuis — Baseball America released their Florida State League Top 20 Prospects List yesterday, and it contains a healthy sprinkling of Mets with Jenrry Mejia at #7, Ike Davis at #9, and Kirk Nieuwenhuis at #13. Brad Holt just missed qualifying for the BA list by a handful of innings.
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Baseball America:Florida State League Top 20 Prospects With Scouting Reports
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online
J.J. Cooper / Baseball America:Florida State League Top 20 Prospects
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues
Andy Martino / Philly.com:
Phillies Notes: Phillies' Hamels annoyed by day start times — Add Cole Hamels to the list of Philadelphians irritated by playoff day games. — Major League Baseball and its broadcast partners assigned the Phillies and Colorado Rockies to a pair of 2:37 p.m. starts to begin their playoff series.
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Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
AL dominates my 2009 playoff-team seedings (cont.) — 7. Rockies — Plusses: That it's hard to name a weakness may be their biggest plus. They were easily the best team in the NL in the second half and are 74-42 under manager Jim Tracy. Troy Tulowitzki (1.042 second-half OPS was third-best …
James Kannengieser / Amazin' Avenue:
Productive Base Stealing And The Mets — In the recent Athletics Nation interview with A's GM Billy Beane, interviewer Tyler Bleszinski asked about an often divisive topic in the realm of baseball discussion, the stolen base: … Emphasis mine. It was Michael Lewis's book Moneyball …
Discussion:
The Real Dirty Mets Blog
Associated Press:
Florida girl sues, gets back Ryan Howard's 200th home run ball — MIAMI — A Florida girl who grabbed a historic home run ball hit by Philadelphia Phillies slugger Ryan Howard has her prize back after suing the team for its return. — The July home run against the Florida Marlins was Howard's 200th.
