Top News:
Keith Law / ESPN:
Insider Intel: 2009 World Series — Joe Girardi's decision-making could be the ultimate key in the Fall Classic — STAY AHEAD OF THE GAME Become an Insider Today — It's geographically unbalanced, but otherwise, Philadelphia Phillies versus New York Yankees is about as good a World Series matchup …
Discussion:
Lookout Landing, Baseball Analysts, River Avenue Blues, Fack Youk, It's About The Money, ESPN and Associated Press
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Craig Calcaterra / Circling The Bases:
Major League Baseball is lying about Jay-Z — OK, this is really, really, petty in the grand scheme of things, but since Bud Selig hates it when teams announce actual news while the World Series is happening, this will have to tide us over. If you want, you can skip to the bottom to get my World Series prediction.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, New Jersey Online, Walkoff Walk, Phillies Nation, NY Daily News and WBNS-TV
Sam Borden / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Jay-Z postponed; Stadium open for Game 4 — A few programming notes as the wait continues for what - weather permitting - should be a terrific night at the Stadium tonight: — The performance by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys has been postponed until tomorrow night.
Discussion:
This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
JAY-Z and Alicia Keys Performances Moved to Game 2 of World Series Due to Weather
JAY-Z and Alicia Keys Performances Moved to Game 2 of World Series Due to Weather
Discussion:
New Stadium Insider
Sam Borden / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Bruney, Hinske added; Guzman, Cervelli off — The Yankees just released their World Series roster and RHP Brian Bruney has been added, along with pinch-hitter Eric Hinske. Pinch-runner Freddy Guzman and third catcher Francisco Cervelli were removed. — Dropping Cervelli indicates …
RELATED:
Associated Press:
World Series: New York Yankees add Brian Bruney, Eric Hinske to roster — NEW YORK — The Yankees have made two roster changes for the World Series, adding right-handed reliever Brian Bruney and utilityman Eric Hinske. — Pinch-runner Freddy Guzman and catcher Francisco Cervelli were dropped Wednesday.
Joel Sherman / New York Post:
Hinske, Bruney on Yankees roster; Guzman, Cervelli off — Emphasizing extra pitching and a power bat to pinch-hit, the Yankees will submit a World Series roster that will add Brian Bruney and Eric Hinske and remove Francisco Cervelli and Freddy Guzman, The Post has learned.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Fack Youk, Bronx Baseball Daily, River Avenue Blues, The iYankees Blog and The Yankee Universe
Greg Risling / Associated Press:
Dodgers owner Frank McCourt accuses wife of affair — LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers owner Frank McCourt on Wednesday filed papers opposing his wife's demand to be reinstated as the team's chief executive, citing insubordination and an affair she allegedly had with her bodyguard.
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Houston Mitchell / LA Times Sports Blog:
Highlights from the Jamie McCourt divorce papers
Highlights from the Jamie McCourt divorce papers
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Things to know about the Series, more notes (cont.) — Manny not leaving Mannywood — Manny Ramirez is planning to exercise the $20 million player option that returns him to the Dodgers for 2010. His original plan was to shop around, but after a year in which he was suspended for 50 games …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, JSOnline, Circling The Bases, Detroit Tigers, The iYankees Blog, NESN.com and Brew Crew Ball
Brian McTaggart / MLB.com:
Red Sox bench coach was skipper in Minors for 11 years — HOUSTON — Astros general manager Ed Wade's respect for Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona runs deep, so it wasn't surprising that the club leaned on Francona heavily for advice and wound up tabbing someone from his staff to lead the Astros into the future.
Discussion:
MLB FanHouse
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Jfay / Cincinnati Reds:
From Sarasota to Lynchburg (sort of) — The Reds are selling the their Florida State League affiliate to the Pirates. The Sarasota Reds will become the Bradenton Pirates (or whatever they name them). — To replace the high Single-A team, the Reds will take over the Pirates' Lynchburg team in the Carolina League.
Mike DiGiovanna / LA Times Sports Blog:
Gary Matthews Jr. wants out of Anaheim — While three Angels headed for free agency — Vladimir Guerrero, Bobby Abreu and Chone Figgins — have expressed publicly a desire to return to Anaheim, one player who has two years remaining on his contract has no desire to return to the Angels in 2010.
Discussion:
Halos Heaven, FanGraphs Baseball, New York Mets Fan Blog, Circling The Bases and Sports Blog Net
RELATED:
Justin Hren / Club Seat:
Mark McGwire's Five-Step Approach To Hitting — The Mac is back! Big Mac, Mark McGwire is back with the Cardinals to be their hitting coach. McGwire has always been a fan favorite in St. Louis, but it's almost a written fact that he took steroids throughout most of his career.
RELATED:
Ken Belson / New York Times:
Lines Blur Between Phillies and Yankees Territory — Where does Phillies Nation start and end and where does Yankees Nation begin? And does the Philadelphia metropolitan area bleed exclusively red, or are there patches of navy blue mixed in? — Given the team's long history in Philadelphia …
Jay Levin / Yahoo! Sports:
A Cleveland view of the CC Sabathia-Cliff Lee matchup — You think Mets fans aren't enthused about this Yankees-Phillies World Series? Try walking in the shoes of someone who follows the Cleveland Indians. When tonight's Game 1 goes off in the Bronx, it will feature two starting pitchers who were Tribe members as recently as 2008.
Bill Conlin / Philly.com:
Comparing Phillies, Yankees lineups the right way — IN A WORLD SERIES comparison, a Tale of the Tape tradition dating to 1903 has matched the combatants by position. — While that gives a picture of relative strengths on an individual basis - third basemen Mike Schmidt and George Brett …
Discussion:
ESPN
Dick Kaegel / Royals Beat:
Royals not likely to pick up option on Crisp — Ten days after the World Series the Royals have to make decisions on their players with contract options and that includes catcher Miguel Olivo and center fielder Coco Crisp. — It's a club option on Crisp and it doesn't take any genius …