Top News:
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Angels Can Win in Various Ways, and Often Have — MINNEAPOLIS — The Yankees have never played the Los Angeles Angels in a best-of-seven series, and baseball has been poorer for it. There may be no matchup with such intense play and opponents who are more respectful of each other's strengths.
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Matt Gagne / NY Daily News:
Mo is still the best closer in baseball — MINNEAPOLIS - If there is any doubt who the best closer in baseball is, the debate was settled Sunday. — Boston's Jonathan Papelbon blew a save (he lost the game) and the Red Sox painfully bowed out of the other American League division series.
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:Bring on the Halos! Yanks sweep Twins in ALDS
Discussion:
New York Times, Zell's Pinstripe Blog, Blogging The Bombers, Pinstripe Posts, Yahoo! Sports and Yahoo! Sports
Projo Sox Blog:
Pedroia: ‘Our field is the worst in the game’ — BOSTON — When the Angels' Erick Aybar slapped a single up the middle to start a two-out, ninth-inning rally against the Red Sox and closer Jonathan Papelbon, the ball barely skipped past shortstop Alex Gonzalez and second baseman Dustin Pedroia.
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Duk / Yahoo! Sports:Will Jonathan Papelbon be wearing a Red Sox uniform in 2010?
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Fack Youk, MLB Babble, Sports Blog Net, Full Count, Over the Monster, Pinstripe Alley and MLB Rumors
Ian Browne / MLB.com:Papelbon can't close door, Sox lose
Discussion:
Angels Unplugged, Baseball Prospectus, MLB Daily Dish, Baseball Analysts and Yahoo! Sports
Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Umps admit missed call on Utley hit — Replay shows key play in ninth should've been ruled foul — DENVER — Whether it was umpires being in the wrong place or some gamesmanship by the Phillies' Chase Utley, the fact is a missed call played a part in Philadelphia's 6-5 victory over Colorado …
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Thomas Harding / MLB.com:
Hot-hitting Torrealba bats fifth for Rox — Catcher has just 23 career at-bats above No. 6 spot — DENVER — With a strong finish to the regular season and a surprise home run in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, Rockies catcher Yorvit Torrealba found himself with a more prominent role for Sunday night's Game 3.
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Sports Blog Net
Derrick Goold / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards set to probe reasons for failure — Cardinals general manager John Mozeliak (left) talks with chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. during batting practice before Game 2 of the National League Division Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, Calif. (By Chris Lee/P-D)
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Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:Notebook: St. Louis Cardinals will start discussing future today
Seth Livingstone / USA Today:
Managers' Manuel, Tracy both like their NLDS Game 4 starters — DENVER — Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel has the pitcher he wants going in tonight's Game 4 of the National League Division Series. — But Colorado Rockies manager Jim Tracy isn't cringing about the matchup …
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Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Bay starts mulling his future — Sox would love to bring left fielder back for future seasons — BOSTON — After cleaning out his locker on Monday, Red Sox left fielder Jason Bay was filmed by several television cameras as he walked out of the clubhouse for the final time in 2009.
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Epstein looks ahead to the winter — Had the Red Sox won yesterday, Fenway Park would be brimming with activity right now with batting practice about to begin before Game 4 of the ALDS. Instead the stands are empty, the mound and plate are covered and all is quiet save a few writers …
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Nats' scouting director joining Blue Jays — Exec Brown will be assistant to Toronto's Anthopoulos — Dana Brown is leaving the Nationals as an amateur scouting director and will join the Blue Jays to become a special assistant to general manager Alexander Anthopoulos.
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Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
Minor League Transactions — The offseason is officially upon us. The first wave of minor league free agents make their way to the open market as their contracts expire. The list includes a pair of No. 1 overall draft picks in Kris Benson ('96) and Bryan Bullington ('02).
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Lidge turns back the clock in Game 3 — Phillies closer, after awful regular season, goes into postseason mode and gets save … DENVER — He came trotting out of the bullpen at 2:02 a.m. ET, or Philadelphia Daylight Nail Chewing Time. — A year ago, this was his time. His place. His mountaintop.
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Tampa Bay Rays seem willing to see if catcher Dioner Navarro can come back — BOSTON — Of the three most disappointing Rays, DH Pat Burrell has the farthest to go, CF B.J. Upton is the most important to the team and C Dioner Navarro poses the biggest question.
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
There's certainly a lot to love about the Angels; more notes (cont.) — Abreu thriving in Southern Cal, a good spot for him — Abreu was shocked at his lack of market last offseason, but he should do better this time, especially with Scioscia calling him the team MVP (he would have been the ALDS MVP …
William C. Rhoden / New York Times:
Yankees-Dodgers Is the Finish Baseball Needs — In the euphoria of the moment, Los Angeles Angels Manager Mike Scioscia was asked Sunday if he had thought about a freeway series between the Angels and the Dodgers. The Dodgers eliminated the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday …
