Top News:
Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:
Mike Maddux, Dale Sveum take center stage in Cubs' search — Texas Rangers pitching coach Mike Maddux is a candidate for the Cubs' managerial job. Leon Halip~Getty Images — It took more than three months for the Cubs to get their new front office team in place.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, ESPN and HardballTalk
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Dale Sveum discusses interview with Red Sox — and other notes from Fenway
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Quade out as Cubs manager; Ryno not a candidate
Discussion:
Deadspin
Theo Epstein / Associated Press:
Cubs fire Quade, pass on Sandberg
Discussion:
Boston Herald, Viva El Birdos, Chicago Tribune and baseballmusings.com
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
New Cubs GM doesn't sugarcoat situation
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Baseball Prospectus, Boston Globe, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cardinals start manager interviews Thursday — A search committee headed by Cardinals chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. and general manager John Mozeliak today begins what it hopes is a 10-day process to identify the successor to departing manager Tony La Russa. — The committee today holds …
Discussion:
HardballTalk, SI Tracking Blog, NESN.com, MLB Rumors and FenwayNationWorld
RELATED:
Duk / Yahoo! Sports:
Would Pujols really agree to a statue if he were leaving St. Louis? — Should Albert Pujols(notes) bolt town through free agency this hot stove season, at least St. Louis Cardinals fans will have an awkward memento to remember him by. — A 1o-foot, 1,100-pound statue of the two-time World Series winner …
Ramona Shelburne / ESPN:
Steve Garvey prepping proposal to purchase Los Angeles Dodgers — The investment group led by former Dodger greats Steve Garvey and Orel Hershiser is preparing a proposal to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers in a bankruptcy court auction. — To speed the process along, bidders in the auction …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk, Yahoo! Sports, BBTF's Baseball Primer …, Los Angeles Times and MLB
RELATED:
Bill Shaikin / Los Angeles Times:
Peter O'Malley wants to run Dodgers — The former team owner has told Commissioner Bud Selig about his plans. He hopes to lead an investment group to buy the club and ‘reconnect the team and the community.’ — Former Dodgers owner Peter O'Malley, left, shakes hands with Frank McCourt during …
Discussion:
Dodgers Blog and Mike Scioscia's tragic illness
Fox Sports:
Agent: Oswalt plans to pitch in 2012 — The agent for Roy Oswalt affirmed Wednesday that the veteran pitcher “absolutely” plans to pitch in 2012, following a season in which he was twice placed on the disabled list with lower back inflammation. — “His back feels great,” Bob Garber told FOXSports.com.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
RELATED:
Wallace Matthews / MLB:
Source: Yanks scared off by Oswalt back woes
Discussion:
It's About The Money, River Avenue Blues and SI Tracking Blog
Susan Slusser / San Francisco Chronicle:
None of 5 free agents gets offer — Wednesday came and went without the A's making an offer to any of their own free agents, and now all five can begin talking to other teams. — Outfielder Josh Willingham is the most high-profile of Oakland's free agents, and his agent, Matt Sosnick …
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk and Athletics Nation
Spencer Fordin / MLB.com:
Top offensive players earn Silver Sluggers — The postseason honor roll expanded Wednesday, when the American League and National League distributed the Silver Slugger Award to the best offensive players at each position. Nine players received the award for the first time, and only six players were repeat winners from last year.
Dan Rafael / ESPN:
Floyd Mayweather Jr. eyes May 5 fight — Floyd Mayweather Jr. does not plan on taking another 16-month vacation from the boxing ring, like he did after easily outpointing Shane Mosley in May 2010. — Instead, Mayweather, who knocked out Victor Ortiz on Sept. 17, will make a relatively hasty return …
Discussion:
SI Tracking Blog and NESN.com
Adam Kilgore / Washington Post:
Grady Sizemore ‘not limiting his choices’ in free agency — After the Cleveland Indians declined to exercise their 2012 option on him this weekend, free agent center fielder Grady Sizemore has received interest from several teams and is willing to play anywhere, his agent Joe Urbon said.
Discussion:
Lookout Landing, MetsBlog.com and MLB Rumors
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Dodgers To Sign Juan Rivera — The Dodgers will sign Juan Rivera to a one-year deal worth $4.5MM, according to Jon Paul Morosi of FOX Sports (on Twitter). The deal, which is pending a physical, would guarantee the outfielder $4.5MM. It includes a $4MM salary in 2012 and a $4MM club option for 2013 …
Discussion:
Mike Scioscia's tragic illness, Bucs Dugout and MLB.com
