Top News:
USA Today:
MLB playoffs live updates: Cardinals-Phillies underway, Shane Bieber dominates Rays in Cleveland win — Major League Baseball's best-of-three wild card series begin Friday, a quadruple-header to kick off the first year with an expanded 12-team postseason field.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Will Albert Pujols go out on top? Cardinals legend says final MLB postseason is ‘why I came back’ — ST. LOUIS — Albert Pujols, driving his black Rolls Royce Phantom on I-64, takes exit 40 towards 6th Street, and heads into the players' parking lot at Busch Stadium.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Baseball's Postseason Is Evolving, for Better or Worse — With 40 percent of teams qualifying for the playoffs, and four teams getting first-round byes, October will have a very different feel. And plenty of new merchandise. — ST. LOUIS — Baseball people never use the word tournament.
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Notebook: How Game 1 is a ‘what could have been’ matchup for Cardinals and Phillies — Whatever gaze Jose Quintana gave manager Oliver Marmol during that start for the Cardinals in August radiated with such a “sense of purpose” that the manager returned again and again to that look …
Discussion:
NBCSports.com, Padres, New Jersey Online and AZ Snake Pit
USA Today:
MLB playoffs: From Mets to Mariners, one question for every team in baseball's wild card weekend — Major League Baseball has a wild card weekend. — Friday marks the dawn of a new era with the best-of-three series kicking off the league's expanded 12-team postseason, featuring a total of eight teams.
Discussion:
Associated Press, MLB Baseball News … and Yahoo News
Alden Gonzalez / ESPN:
‘This is how I want my career to end’: In magical final season, one last playoff push for Albert Pujols
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated
David Schoenfield / ESPN:
The playoff field is set! Here's why this could be the greatest MLB postseason since ... well, maybe ever
Discussion:
The Good Phight
Sports Illustrated:
Inside the MLB Culture Wars That Led to Joe Maddon's Firing — How could a World Series-winning manager with 19 years of experience lose his job over a 12-game sample? The answer is about much more than just a losing streak. — Excerpted from THE BOOK OF JOE: Trying Not to Suck at Baseball & Life by Joe Maddon and Tom Verducci.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Bleacher Nation, SGV Tribune, Orange County Register and Press Enterprise
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Jeff Fletcher / Orange County Register:
Angels GM Perry Minasian says it's ‘business as usual’ despite ownership questions — Minasian accepts responsibility for building a flawed roster last winter, when he focused on pitching. He says this winter he needs to improve the team in all areas. — ANAHEIM — Perry Minasian acknowledged …
Sarah Valenzuela / Los Angeles Times:
Angels GM Perry Minasian will look at ‘opportunities’ for team's roster in offseason — General manager Perry Minasian, intent on improving his team but unsure where his efforts will lead him, has not concerned himself with the potential sale of his team. Minasian said he has continued to focus only on making the Angels better.
Discussion:
The Athletic, ESPN, Lookout Landing and New Jersey Online
Nick Piecoro / Arizona Republic:
Bullpen, right-handed bat, rotation help all high on Diamondbacks GM Mike Hazen's to-do list — The Diamondbacks won 22 more games this year than the previous year, but it was clear from General Manager Mike Hazen's end-of-year session with reporters that fact did not mean much to him.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Jon Heyman / New York Post:
Mets prospect hesitation their trade deadline undoing — MORE FROM: — The Cubs had two players that obviously would have helped the Mets at the deadline — Willson Contreras and David Robertson — but Cubs management is said to have grown so frustrated by the Mets' unwillingness to give …
Discussion:
NBCSports.com and Bleacher Nation
Jon Heyman / New York Post:
Astros tension could be problem for GM James Click — There's said to be tension between Astros GM James Click and owner Jim Crane. Despite another terrific season in Houston, could Click be on the hot seat? — Click declined comment, saying they are focused on the postseason.
Discussion:
Sports Illustrated and Bleacher Nation
Julia Poe / Chicago Tribune:
4 takeaways from the Chicago Bulls' loss in their preseason opener, including Dalen Terry's spark and Patrick Williams' question mark — ExpandAutoplay — 1 of 21 — Bulls guard Dalen Terry celebrates after a big basket in the second half of the preseason opener against the Pelicans on Oct. 4, 2022, at the United Center.
Discussion:
Orange County Register
Bill Plunkett / Orange County Register:
Dodgers put finishing touches on historic regular season with 111th win — The Dodgers' win total ties the 1954 Cleveland Indians for the fourth-most in MLB history, and they led the majors both in runs scored and fewest runs allowed — LOS ANGELES — The 2022 season began with hyperbole …
Discussion:
Whittier Daily News, Los Angeles Times and MLB Baseball News …
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Jack Harris / Los Angeles Times:
Who will start Game 1 of the NLDS? Dodgers say give it a rest
Discussion:
Yahoo News, True Blue LA and Orange County Register
Abbey Mastracco / New York Daily News:
Jeff McNeil's .326 batting average edges Freddie Freeman by just a point
Discussion:
ESPN, New Jersey Online and Denver Post
Chris Perkins / Sun-Sentinel:
Dolphins' running game is a mess; Mike McDaniel says improvement starts with his play-calling — MIAMI GARDENS — All eyes will be on quarterback Teddy Bridgewater when the Dolphins visit the New York Jets this Sunday. — But the focus should be elsewhere. — The focus should be on getting the running game going.
Discussion:
Orange County Register and Denver Post
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Antwan Staley / New York Daily News:
Jets looking to change recent home misfortunes against Dolphins
Discussion:
Denver Post and New Jersey Online
