Top News:
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
La Russa takes responsibility for bullpen call — Cards manager Tony La Russa said “it was his fault” on the confusion over calls to the bullpen in the eighth inning of Game 6 on Monday. — “There wasn't anything that Derek (Lilliquist) did wrong there,” La Russa said today. “I've told him that.
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Jean-Jacques Taylor / ESPN:
Mike Napoli turns pressure into success — Rangers' best postseason performer once more uses taste for spotlight in key spots … ARLINGTON, Texas — No words remain to put Mike Napoli's postseason performance into proper perspective. — “Phenomenal” doesn't really do it justice.
Discussion:
Fort Worth Star-Telegram, ESPN and Bluebird Banter
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
La Russa is to blame for Cardinals' Game 5 loss
Discussion:
ESPN, HardballTalk and Deadspin
Sports Illustrated:
La Russa's sloppy mistakes cost Cardinals any shot in Game 5
Discussion:
NESN.com and Al's Ramblings
Fox Sports:
La Russa's explanations are baffling
Discussion:
Can't Stop The Bleeding, New York Times and Bats
David Schoenfield / ESPN:
Rangers win wacky and weird Game 5
Discussion:
Baseball Time in Arlington and Giants Win
Theo Epstein / Boston Globe:
Farewell, Red Sox Nation — I gave everything I had to the team and received even more in return — Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein gestures to fans during the 2004 World Series Championship parade. (File 2004/Bill Greene/Globe Staff) — I GREW up in Brookline just down the road …
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ESPN:
New Cubs president Epstein: ‘Truly feels great’ … CHICAGO — The Chicago Cubs introduced Theo Epstein as their president of baseball operations on Tuesday, hoping he can end a championship drought the way he did for the Boston Red Sox. — “To me, baseball is better with tradition …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and SI Tracking Blog
TSN.ca:
Jays make policy change, look to end Farrell speculation — The Toronto Blue Jays tried to clear up the speculation on Tuesday with rumours persisting that the Boston Red Sox - and perhaps even the Chicago Cubs - have interest in manager John Farrell to run their respective clubs.
Discussion:
Boston Globe, MLB Rumors, MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk and Bluebird Banter
Rob Bradford / WEEI:
YOCUM EXAMINES LACKEY; ‘RESOLUTION’ NEAR — According to multiple industry sources, Red Sox right-hander John Lackey recently visited Dr. Lewis Yocum in California to have his right elbow examined. According to one of the sources, the Red Sox are expecting “a final resolution” …
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Matt Pepin / Boston Globe:
John Lackey to have Tommy John surgery — New Red Sox general manager Ben Cherington said today that pitcher John Lackey will have Tommy John surgery and miss the 2012 season. — Lackey had elbow soreness during the season, and recently saw a specialist, Dr. Lewis Yocum.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Baseball-Reference Blog and MLB Daily Dish
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Ben Cherington Press Conference Quotes — The Red Sox introduced Ben Cherington as their executive VP and general manager this afternoon. Cherington says the Red Sox will have a very good team in 2012 and discussed Boston's managerial search and other offseason plans.
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Sox set to name Cherington general manager — Epstein successor has risen up Red Sox ranks since 1999 — BOSTON — With the man they believe is the ideal successor already in place, the Red Sox will waste no time going on an exhaustive search to replace Theo Epstein …
Discussion:
NESN.com
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
MLB accuses Frank McCourt of ‘looting’ $189 million from Dodgers — As the bankrupcty case moves forward, a slew of court filings on Monday show that beating victim Bryan Stow will be central to the arguments and outcome in court. — For the first time, Major League Baseball put …
Discussion:
Dodgers Blog, ESPN, HardballTalk, 6-4-2 and Baseball Nation
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Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Twins Decline Option On Joe Nathan — The Twins announced today that they've declined their club option on reliever Joe Nathan. The option was worth $12.5MM, but the team will pay a $2MM buyout. … Nathan signed a four-year contract extension for $47MM in March of 2008, and the total remains the record for a reliever.
Discussion:
Around the Majors, Yahoo! Sports, Twinkie Town, MLB Daily Dish and SI Tracking Blog
Bryan Hoch / MLB.com:
Cashman has meeting with Hal Steinbrenner — Yankees GM confident of new deal before Monday's expiration — NEW YORK — Yankees general manager Brian Cashman met with managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner on Monday in New York, and a new contract for the GM is expected to be agreed upon before next Monday.
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Associated Press:
Cardinals in need of another World Series comeback — By Associated Press / World Series Notebook — ARLINGTON, Texas — The St. Louis Cardinals are going to need a comeback in this World Series. — They've done it before. — After a 4-2 loss in Game 5 on Monday night against the Texas Rangers …
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
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Dave Studeman / Hardball Times:
It's the Hardball Times Annual 2012 — It's gone, out of my hands—sent away to be forever committed to paper. There's nothing I can do about it anymore. What is it? It's The Hardball Times Baseball Annual 2012, our eighth Annual in a row. And this year, it's different.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Minor Moves: Johnson, Maysonet — Here are today's minor moves... - Padres catcher Rob Johnson has cleared outright waivers and elected free agency, according to MLB.com's Corey Brock (on Twitter). Johnson, 28, posted a .190/.259/.285 line in 199 plate appearances as San Diego's backup catcher in 2011 …
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Mark Simon / ESPN:
Where were you for Game 6? — Focus on Sports/Getty Images The Mets weren't the only ones jubilant when Ray Knight scored the winning run in Game 6 of the World Series. — We asked Mets bloggers, a couple of our ESPN friends and an ex-Mets employee to reminisce about Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, Mets Merized Online and Real Dirty Mets Blog
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