Top News:
Marc Topkin / The Heater:
Rays finalize deal to send Iwamura to Pirates for reliever Chavez — UPDATE, 7:43: Rays exec VP Andrew Friedman said “it is hard to put into words what Aki has meant to the organization” and that the Pirates “were all over us for about a month” about getting him. Chavez, Friedman said, “has real upside.
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Roger Mooney / Bradenton.com:
Rays close to trading Iwamura — The Tampa Bay Rays are rumored to be in the process of finalizing a deal that will send second baseman Akinori Iwamura to a National League team. The trade is expected to be completed Tuesday night. — The team holds a $4.5 million option for 2010 on the second baseman.
Dejan Kovacevic / PBC Blog:
Official now: Pirates get Iwamura for Chavez — The Pirates are close to acquiring infielder Akinori Iwamura from the Tampa Bay Rays, possibly as soon as tonight. — Word that the Pirates were involved in talks came at 3:04 p.m. today on the Post-Gazette's Twitter account.
Yahoo! Sports:
Hamels, Myers tussle after Game 5 win — PHILADELPHIA - Phillies pitchers Brett Myers — had a short but tense confrontation in the team's clubhouse following Game 5 of the World Series, according to one witness, words that stemmed from Hamels' recent statement that he was eager for his season to end.
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Yahoo! Sports:
Phillies contend Myers and Hamels were joking — NEW YORK - A brief and seemingly testy exchange between Philadelphia Phillies pitchers Cole Hamels — after Game 5 of the World Series was jocular in nature and not representative of a clubhouse feud, a team official contended Tuesday afternoon.
Jon Weisman / Dodger Thoughts:
McCourts used land surrounding Dodger Stadium as collateral — Joshua Fisher's new site, Dodger Divorce, is quickly becoming indispensable as we head into this fall (and winter, and spring ...) of the McCourt ownership. In a recent post, Fisher details the tower of financing that went into the McCourt purchase of the Dodgers.
Sky Andrecheck / Baseball Analysts:
Should the Phillies Have Pulled Cliff Lee With A Big Lead?
Should the Phillies Have Pulled Cliff Lee With A Big Lead?
Discussion:
MVN
Joshua Fisher / Dodger Divorce:
How the McCourts came to own the Dodgers.
How the McCourts came to own the Dodgers.
Discussion:
Hardball Times
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Five reasons why the Phillies could pull off a shocking comeback (cont.) — • The Yankees have interest in bringing back Johnny Damon — “We need him,” A-Rod said — but could well get competition from at least the White Sox and Giants. The Cardinals, Braves and Red Sox are among …
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John Tomase / Boston Herald:
David Ortiz swings by — Big Papi expects big things in 2010 — CANTON - Theo Epstein has since said the words weren't meant as a shot across the bow, but they sure came across that way. — At the Red Sox [team stats]' season-ending press conference, the general manager directed …
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Heyman On Damon, Scutaro, Red Sox — The latest from SI's Jon Heyman... - The Yankees are interested in re-signing Johnny Damon, and may be willing to offer two years and $16MM. Heyman believes the White Sox and Giants will be among the other suitors. — Heyman says the Reds “could do worse” than Marco Scutaro at shortstop.
Bart Hubbuch / New York Post:
Victorino angry at Bowa for saying Phils steal signs — PHILADELPHIA — The accusations of sign-stealing at Citizens Bank Park by the Phillies that resurfaced during the World Series yesterday are nothing new to the Mets. — The Mets were so convinced in 2007 that the Phillies were using …
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Anthony Rieber / Newsday:
You're not on the mark, Teixeira; he whiffs to end it
You're not on the mark, Teixeira; he whiffs to end it
Discussion:
The Yankee Universe
Conor Glassey / Baseball America:
AFL Rising Stars Rosters — The World Series will be over by Saturday, but that doesn't mean there won't be any baseball on TV. Set your TiVo for 8:15 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 7 on MLB Network, and you can watch the fourth-annual Arizona Fall League's Rising Stars Game. — The teams are split up by AFL divisions.
Discussion:
Phuture Phillies
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Associated Press:
Blue Jays CF Wells will have surgery on left wrist … TORONTO (AP) — Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Vernon Wells will have surgery next week to repair damaged cartilage in his left wrist. — The team announced Tuesday that Wells is expected to be ready in time for spring training.
Dan Connolly / Baltimore Sun:
Three O's refuse assignment, file for free agency — Hill, Fiorentino, G. Rodriguez now allowed to talk to other teams; Simon to Norfolk — Three 2009 Orioles have decided to refuse an outright assignment to Triple-A Norfolk and have elected to file for free agency.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Craig Calcaterra / Hardball Times:
Programming Note — When I started writing ShysterBall in the spring of 2007, the idea was to give myself a place to be where I could escape the stress and unpleasantness of my legal career, if only for the briefest of moments. As time went on, it began to consume more and more of my waking hours and …