Top News:
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Sox suffer ex-treme damage — Ordonez's 2 HRs add insult to fading hope of his former team — The White Sox's sense of urgency was evident Monday night after eight pitches. — Unfortunately, the damage already was done before pitching coach Don Cooper visited the mound and rookie knuckleballer Charlie Haeger began to warm up.
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Wright Thompson / ESPN:
Tigers confident they'll be playing in October … DETROIT — Brandon Inge has gotten all sorts of things in the mail from fans, but this, well, this was the weirdest. With the Tigers' American League Central Division lead down to one game, with a critical three-game series against the White Sox looming …
Discussion:
Bad Altitude
Associated Press:
Padres-Dodgers Preview — The San Diego Padres have clawed their way back into first place in the NL West. — Now, they'll look to create some breathing room atop the division when they wrap up a four-game series with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday at Dodger Stadium.
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Amanda Branam / MLB.com:
Peavy aims to keep Friars atop NL West — San Diego (78-70) at Los Angeles (78-71), 7:10 p.m. PT — The Padres clawed their way past the Dodgers with a 2-1 win on Sunday, earning them a half-game lead in the National League West. — However, if they don't win in the series finale on Monday …
Discussion:
Ducksnorts
Nick Cafardo / Boston Globe:
With timing down, Murphy clocks one — NEW YORK — David Murphy led off the first game of yesterday's day-night doubleheader by slamming a Jaret Wright fastball into the right-field bleachers at Yankee Stadium for his first major league home run. Tall, lanky, and with a sweet swing, Murphy …
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Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Red Sox happy to take two — Yankees' clinch plans put on hold — NEW YORK — The party invitations do not have an expiration date. Sooner than later, the Yankees will have their celebration, just as they have in each of the previous eight seasons, and only the place and time remain to be determined.
Discussion:
Surviving Grady
Sports Illustrated:
Change of tune? — Yankees' Williams may retire to further music career — Yankees outfielder Bernie Williams is contemplating retirement, though not for the usual reasons. It isn't because age or diminishing skills have taken their toll; judging by this year and last, Williams' skills …
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Mark Feinsand / MLB.com:
Yankee rookies get Boss treatment — As part of hazing tradition, players dress like Steinbrenner — NEW YORK — The Yankees are an organization steeped in tradition. From their 26 World Series titles to the Hall of Famers who have called Yankee Stadium their home, tradition is a big part of what makes the Yankees who they are.
Ryan Quinn / MLB.com:
Notes: A's pitching lagging this month — Starters have struggled to a 6.39 ERA since Sept. 4 — OAKLAND — During the first five months of the season, the A's had largely relied on their starting pitching. Their starters' ERA has been ranked in the American League top five for the whole season …
Discussion:
Athletics Nation
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Ben Shpigel / New York Times:
It's All Good: Mets Finally Clinch N.L. East — Considering how the previous three games had gone, it might have been audacious for the Mets to wrap their clubhouse televisions in plastic early yesterday afternoon in anticipation of a celebratory bath of what promised to taste like the finest Champagne.
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David Lennon / Newsday:So now they'll get to spray at Shea — Duke blanks Mets for eight …
Discussion:
Always Amazin'
Barry Svrluga / Washington Post:
O'Connor, Nats Enjoy Some Sweet Relief — Kearns Breaks Up No-Hitter; Bullpen Dominates Brewers: Nationals 6, Brewers 1 — For four innings yesterday, the Washington Nationals were headed directly in one direction. Milwaukee Brewers left-hander Doug Davis hadn't allowed a hit.
Discussion:
District of Baseball, Washington Times, The Griddle, The Nationals Enquirer, MLB.com and William F. Yurasko
Kevin Goldstein / Baseball Prospectus:
Monday Morning Ten Pack, 9/18/06 — Adam Cowart, RHP, Short-Season Salem-Keizer (Giants) — A 35th-round pick by the Giants this year, Cowart served as the ace for a Volcanos team that had a league-best record of 55-21 that then took three of four games from Boise to win the Northwest League title.
Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Notes: Yost not satisfied with season — Manager expects Brewers to live up to raised expectations — WASHINGTON — In a reversal from seasons past, Brewers manager Ned Yost said he purposely "ramped up" the team's preseason expectations this year. The skipper is not thrilled with the results.
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball
Mark Sheldon / MLB.com:
Lohse leads Reds into Houston — Cincinnati (73-76) at Houston (71-77), 8:05 p.m. ET — Losers of two of three against the last-place Cubs, the Reds have dropped four of their last five and 15 of their last 21. — The road trip continues in Houston for three more games.
Mike S. / Mike's Mets:
The Lost Weekend — Pirates 3 - Mets 0 — When the Mets get around to drinking that champagne it's bound to be a little flat. John Maine overcame a rough start to pitch a good, gutsy game, but once again the Mets offense was non-existent. The inability to get the big hit killed us again.
