Top News:
Richard / SportsJustice:
Astros have a very bad day, and that's being kind — Manny Acta was the guy they wanted. The Astros liked everything about him. His presence and personality. How he forged relationships with players. His ability to run a game. — I said from the beginning that there was no right answer in this search for a new manager.
RELATED:
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
Tribe tabs Acta to be new manager — Veteran becomes 40th skipper in franchise's history — NEW YORK — The Indians hoped to select and announce their new manager after the World Series. — Manny Acta sped up their timetable. — Acta was the first candidate the Indians brought …
Paul Hoynes / Plain Dealer:
Cleveland Indians select Manny Acta (who turns down Astros) as new manager: ‘We will grow together’ … CLEVELAND, Ohio — Manny Acta was asked the question last week in Cleveland at the end of a seven-hour interview with GM Mark Shapiro and the rest of the Indians' front office.
Discussion:
Hardball Times, Associated Press, 24 Hours From Suicide, MLB Rumors, Circling The Bases, MLB FanHouse and Federal Baseball
Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
Astros' search goes on without Acta — Houston GM Wade confirms offer to Tribe's new skipper — HOUSTON — Astros general manager Ed Wade confirmed on Sunday that the team made an offer to Manny Acta to be its next manager before he opted to fill the same position with Cleveland …
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
TLR Back, McRae Out, Big Mac Appears In — The Cardinals will announce at a Monday morning press conference Tony La Russa's decision to return for a 15th season as manager. Today's run-up, however, features mounting evidence that La Russa's return after a 2-week deliberation will be dwarfed …
RELATED:
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
La Russa's back — with McGwire — Tony La Russa this morning will announce his return as Cardinals manager along with the surprise addition of Mark McGwire, the former home run king, who will end an eight-year, self-imposed exile from the game to become the team's hitting coach.
Carrie Muskat / MLB.com:
McGwire could become next hitting coach — Report comes as La Russa ponders his future in St. Louis — Tony La Russa was expected to return as the Cardinals' skipper, but he could have a new hitting coach in slugger Mark McGwire. — According to ESPN.com's Buster Olney, La Russa has signed a multi-year contract to return.
MLB:
Sources: Tony La Russa will return to St. Louis Cardinals in '10 — ST. LOUIS — Tony La Russa is returning to the St. Louis Cardinals as manager on a multiyear contract, sources told ESPN's Buster Olney, but there will be at least one change to his coaching staff.
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:La Russa says he's close to decision on whether to return …
Discussion:
Circling The Bases
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
After Six Years, Center Stage Again — When they were new stars at an old park, the baseball season rarely ended until they were done playing. Now the Yankees' core is older, the park is new and the World Series is no longer a birthright. But the stage is theirs again.
RELATED:
Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
George Steinbrenner will attend Series opener — George Steinbrenner will “absolutely” be — at Yankee Stadium for Game 1 of the World Series Wednesday night, Hal Steinbrenner said last night. — “I think all these players are doing this for him,” Hal said. “We want to win this whole thing for him.
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Pennant affirms Pettitte's decision to return to Yankees — NEW YORK — New York Yankees starter Andy Pettitte, with champagne dripping off the ceiling and onto his cap, closed his eyes Sunday. — He remembers being so close to not returning to the Yankees in spring training.
Matthew Cerrone / MetsBlog.com:
Opinion: I'm Rooting for the Phillies to Fail — I am not rooting for the Yankees, I just can't root for the Phillies. — The two teams will compete in the World Series, starting Wednesday night, thus putting a perfect and painful finish on top of what has been one of the worst seasons in Mets history.
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
MLB ANALYST STEVE PHILLIPS FIRED BY ESPN — THIS IS BREAKING NEWS... UPDATE 1: Sources to The Biz of Baseball indicate that Phillips' agent Steve Lefkowitz has said that Phillips is voluntarily admitting himself to an inpatient treatment facility to address his personal issues.
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Yankees invite Chapman to Game 6 … Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman will be at ALCS Game 6 at Yankee Stadium as a guest of the Yankees, sources said. — The invitation is a not-do-subtle way of gaining an advantage in talks for the talented left-handed pitcher.
RELATED:
Michael Baron / MetsBlog.com:Mets Out of Chapman Sweepstakes
Discussion:
Seven Train to Shea Mets Blog
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
Red Sox' hot stove fired up early — + Recent Articles + Recent Blog Entries + Email the Author — Who could that be? Top-flight center fielders are a lot harder to find than left fielders, although what happens in contract talks with Jason Bay (or potential alternatives) this offseason may or may not prove that out.
Chris Jaffe / Hardball Times:
10 worst World Series games ever — It's that time of year again - the Fall Classic is upon us. I have a lot of fun researching World Series related stuff. Two years ago, I wrote a series of articles on the best games in the history of baseball's annual finale.
