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
Discussion:
Angels Unplugged
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New York Post:
You can look . . . but don't stare too longingly at MVP Mauer — LOOK, try to do the right thing here the next couple of days, OK? Do not covet thy neighbor's catcher so obviously. Even if there's a lull in the action in any of these American League Division Series matchups between …
Discussion:
Fack Youk
Steve Popper / NorthJersey.com:
Burnett: ‘Give me either one’ — NEW YORK - A.J. Burnett just wanted to get to Friday's start, his first in the postseason, and feel the excitement he waited for his whole career. But he instead found himself trying to explain away the controversy that will accompany him to the mound against the Twins.
Discussion:
Sliding Into Home
Kevin Baxter / Angels Unplugged:Paul Byrd's heart is still in Anaheim
Discussion:
sox1fan.com, Red Sox Monster, Over the Monster, Yawkey Way Academy, Boston Globe and MLB.com
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Wait for Sabathia Starts to Bear Fruit — Before they tangled with the Minnesota Twins in this division series, the Yankees danced cautiously with them in trade talks after the 2007 season. The series of events changed the course of the Yankees' franchise and led to an emphatic 7-2 victory …
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Sam Borden / The LoHud Yankees Blog:ALDS Game 1: Twins at Yankees
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Over the Monster, Zell's Pinstripe Blog, Heartland Pinstripes and The Yankee Universe
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
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Ben Badler / Baseball America:
Southern League Top 20 Prospects — To be eligible for a league's list, a pitcher must have thrown 1/3 inning for each team game or have made 20 appearances (10 in short-season and rookie-level leagues). Hitters need one plate appearance for each team game.
Discussion:
redsminorleagues.com
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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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Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
‘Watching the fates unwind’ — Theo Epstein was standing in the Red Sox clubhouse yesterday while the team he assembled finished up batting practice at Angels Stadium. He is in a strange spot this time of year. The work is done. He has an incredible amount riding on what happens …
Discussion:
The Joy of Sox
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Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nationals cut ties with Cardenal — Spent five seasons teaching Minor League outfielders — WASHINGTON — Jose Cardenal, a special advisor to the general manager since the 2005 season, was dismissed by the Nationals on Thursday. He was given the news by assistant general manager Bob Boone.
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
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
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Padres Release Cha Seung Baek — MLBTR has learned that the Padres released righty Cha Seung Baek. The Korean hasn't pitched in the majors since 2008, when he split time between the Mariners and Padres. Baek, who turns 30 in May, allowed 118 hits and 30 walks in 111 innings of work last year, striking out 77.
