Top News:
Alex Speier / WEEI:
SOURCE: SOX-CUBS NEGOTIATIONS HIT BUMP — WEEI's John Dennis is reporting that the initial day of negotiations between the Red Sox and Cubs regarding the compensation that Chicago would send to the Sox in order to hire GM Theo Epstein revealed a gap between the sides.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation, baseballmusings.com and Fenway West
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 …
Yahoo! Sports:
Red Sox choose Cherington as GM — Ben Cherington has been chosen to replace Theo Epstein as general manager of the Boston Red Sox, Yahoo! Sports learned Thursday. — Cherington, the club's vice president of player personnel under Epstein, takes over in a chaotic period for the Red Sox.
Discussion:
NESN.com, MLB Rumors and ESPN
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Wind of change — Utter chaos. — It's back to the bad old days over on Yawkey Way. The Red Sox of 2011 are the Red Sox of Buddy LeRoux and Haywood Sullivan - doofus co-owners wrestling on the carpet of their Fenway Park offices back in 1983. They are the Red Sox of Tom Yawkey …
Discussion:
ESPN, Surviving Grady, Bats and Dan Shaughnessy Watch
ESPN.com:
Sources: Theo Epstein, Cubs agree
Discussion:
ESPN, Lady Loves Pinstripes, FanGraphs Baseball, Baseball Nation and Chicago Tribune
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Epstein accepts five-year deal from Cubs
Discussion:
YFSF, baseballmusings.com and Empyreal Environs
ESPN:
The eyes of Texas upon CC? — A baseball source told ESPNNewYork.com today that the Texas Rangers, currently one win away from a second straight trip to the World Series but likely to lose starter C.J. Wilson to free agency over the winter, are preparing to make a strong bid to sign CC Sabathia …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, New Jersey Online, HardballTalk, Bronx Baseball Daily, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Rangers Blog and WasWatching.com
RELATED:
TSN.ca:
Rangers look to close out ALCS with win over Tigers — The Sports Network — (Sports Network) - The Texas Rangers hope to punch their ticket to the World Series for the second straight season when they try to put the Detroit Tigers away in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Comerica Park.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Bless You Boys, Beyond the Box Score and Canadian Press
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
Berkman, Ellsbury earn Comeback awards — All-Star outfielders Lance Berkman of the Cardinals and Jacoby Ellsbury of the Red Sox were named the winners of the 2011 Comeback Player of the Year Awards on Thursday, as the annual rollout of Major League Baseball's individual hardware got under way.
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues, Fenway West and Yahoo! Sports
RELATED:
MLB.com:
Berkman, Ellsbury win 2011 MLB Comeback Player of the Year Awards — Lance Berkman of the St. Louis Cardinals and Jacoby Ellsbury of the Boston Red Sox are the recipients of the 2011 Major League Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Awards, it was announced today.
Discussion:
Baseball-Reference Blog and joy of sox
Jordan Schelling / MLB.com:
Gallardo's troubles with Cardinals continue — ST. LOUIS — No team has beaten Yovani Gallardo more than the Cardinals. For whatever reason, facing the Cards seems to bring out the worst in the Brewers right-hander. — In 12 career starts against St. Louis, including Milwaukee's 4-3 loss …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
RELATED:
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards resolve ticket issue with Brewers
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Associated Press:
Cardinals hold off Brewers, take 2-1 series lead
Discussion:
Red Reporter, TSN.ca, Brew Crew Ball, Viva El Birdos, baseballmusings.com and Yahoo! Sports
Andrew Keh / New York Times:
Cardinals 4, Brewers 3: N.L.C.S. — Cardinals Strike Early, and Bullpen Does the Rest
Discussion:
Baseball Nation and Brew Crew Ball
Associated Press:
Jim Leyland: Valverde, Benoit unavailable for Game 5 — DETROIT - Tigers manager Jim Leyland says relievers Jose Valverde and Joaquin Benoit won't pitch in Thursday's fifth game of the AL championship series. — Detroit trails the Texas Rangers 3-1 in the ALCS but sends ace Justin Verlander to the mound for Game 5.
RELATED:
Tom Singer / MLB.com:
Porcello left to wonder what might have been
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and Baseball Prospectus
Steve Popper / NorthJersey.com:
David Wright ponders his future — In the final days of the season, David Wright would prepare himself at his locker almost unnoticed as crowds gathered regularly just a few feet away. Normally the face of the Mets' franchise and team spokesman, Wright dressed silently while Jose Reyes reluctantly held court.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com
Rany Jazayerli / Baseball Prospectus:
Starting Them Young, Part One — Everyone missed on Mike Trout. Don't get me wrong: Trout was a well-regarded player headed into the 2009 draft, a certain first-round talent. But he wasn't—yet—a phenom. Everyone liked Trout; it's just that no one loved him.
Discussion:
The Yankee Analysts
