Top News:
Bob Hohler / Boston Globe:
Inside the collapse — Dedication waned, unity unraveled, and manager lost influence as a once-inspiring Red Sox season ended in epic failure — With their team in peril and their manager losing his authority, three Red Sox pitchers last month were uniquely positioned to prevent …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball, HardballTalk, Baseball Nerd, River Avenue Blues, Lady Loves Pinstripes, Amazin' Avenue, Surviving Grady, NESN.com, joy of sox, MLB.com, Deadspin, The Mighty Quinn Media Machine, Projo Sox Blog, Royals Review, SawxBlog, The Big Lead, Baseball Nation, Sliding Into Home, Fenway West, Confessions of a She-Fan, FenwayNationWorld, Over the Monster, SOX & Dawgs, soxaholix.com, baseballmusings.com, Boston Sports Media Watch, It's About The Money, Boston Herald and NoMaas.org
RELATED:
ESPN:
David Ortiz talks free agency, Sox mess … Could Big Papi really relocate to the Big Apple? — Longtime Boston Red Sox slugger and free-agent-to-be David Ortiz spoke about the possibility of signing with the AL East rival New York Yankees during an interview Wednesday with ESPN's Colleen Dominguez …
Discussion:
Toeing the Rubber, HardballTalk, NESN.com, Sliding Into Home and ESPN.com
Joe Capozzi / Fish Tank blog:
Jack McKeon recalls locking the Marlins clubhouse door to keep Josh Beckett and others in the dugout — Interesting story in today's Boston Globe about the September collapse of the Boston Red Sox. Among the details were allegations by unnamed sources that pitchers Josh Beckett …
Discussion:
Boston Globe, Clubhouse Insider, HardballTalk and Deadspin
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Tito victim of latest Sox smear campaign — Ex-manager learning the hard way that no one gets out of Boston with reputation intact … BOSTON — Terry Francona is paying a dear price for deviating, however briefly, from the script. — He was supposed to say the decision to end …
Aaron Gleeman / HardballTalk:
Jack McKeon used to lock Marlins' clubhouse door to keep Josh Beckett out during games — Josh Beckett is among the Red Sox pitchers who reportedly drank beer, ate fried chicken, and played video games in the clubhouse during games and former Marlins manager Jack McKeon recalls locking …
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Epstein accepts five-year deal from Cubs — Two team sources confirmed reports that Theo Epstein has reached agreement with the Cubs on a five-year contract and will officially leave the Red Sox before the end of the week. — The deal is believed to be worth $15 million with Epstein receiving …
Discussion:
Gaslamp Ball, Empyreal Environs, Bleed Cubbie Blue and Over the Monster
RELATED:
Jerry Spar / WEEI:
D&C: THEO HAS 5-YEAR DEAL WITH CUBS — WEEI's John Dennis reported Wednesday morning that Red Sox general manager Theo Epstein has agreed with the Cubs on a five-year deal worth more than $15 million. — According to Dennis' sources, the Red Sox granted the Cubs permission to talk with Epstein late last week.
Dave van Dyck / Chicago Tribune:
Epstein embarking on mission impossible — With Cubs, GM will find greater the challenge, harder the task — To understand why Theo Epstein would leave his one-time fantasy job — he grew up in Brookline, Mass., about a mile from Fenway Park — you first have to probe the psyche of big thinkers and dreamers.
Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Brian Cashman: ‘I have a job’
Discussion:
Boston Globe, ESPN.com, Bronx Baseball Daily and MLB
Craig Calcaterra / HardballTalk:
Report: Theo Epstein agrees to a five-year deal with the Cubs
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, VFTB and The House That Dewey Built
Alex Speier / WEEI:
HEIR APPARENT: HOW BEN CHERINGTON EMERGED AS THEO EPSTEIN'S LIKELY SUCCESSOR
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Associated Press:
Cardinals hold off Brewers, take 2-1 series lead — ST. LOUIS (AP) — Albert Pujols hit an RBI double during a four-run first inning and the St. Louis bullpen bailed out Chris Carpenter as the Cardinals beat the Milwaukee Brewers 4-3 Wednesday night for a 2-1 edge in the NL championship series.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Associated Press and Yahoo! Sports
RELATED:
Andrew Keh / New York Times:
Cardinals 4, Brewers 3: N.L.C.S. — Cardinals Strike Early, and Bullpen Does the Rest — ST. LOUIS — Under normal circumstances, Chris Carpenter would be nervous handing a one-run lead to a bullpen with four innings left to play. — But with the way the relievers in the St. Louis Cardinals' bullpen …
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Nate Mink / MLB.com:
Manuel favors upgrade at third base spot — PHILADELPHIA — After the Phillies struggled to keep their everyday third baseman on the field the last two seasons, manager Charlie Manuel voiced his support of an upgrade on Wednesday. — Placido Polanco, regarded as one of the best …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Nelson Cruz, Rangers beat Tigers, take 3-1 lead in ALCS — DETROIT - Nelson Cruz made a rocket throw to keep the score tied, then hit a crushing three-run homer in the 11th inning off Jose Valverde that helped send the Texas Rangers over the Detroit Tigers 7-3 Wednesday night for a 3-1 lead in the AL championship series.
Discussion:
Associated Press and Yahoo! Sports
RELATED:
Evan Drellich / MLB.com:
Beltre's knee is hardest hit as sluggers struggle
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and Brew Crew Ball
Noah Trister / Associated Press:
Fister, Martinez help Tigers pull to 2-1 in ALCS
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Bless You Boys, Reuters and Lookout Landing
Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com:
Bucs still mulling options with Maholm's option — PITTSBURGH — Though the Pirates do not plan on paying Paul Maholm $9.75 million — the value of the left-hander's 2012 club option — to pitch for them next year, the club has still not entirely ruled out that option being exercised.
Discussion:
Bucs Dugout, MLB Rumors and PittsburghLIVE.com
