Top News:
John Powers / Boston Globe:
Sox happily shed the underdog label — Isn't this somebody else's script? The Red Sox have the best record in baseball for the first time since 1946. They won their division for the first time in a dozen years and swept their Division Series. They have home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
RELATED:
George King / New York Post:
A SEAT AT THE TAMPA TABLE — JOE MIGHT MAKE MEETINGS; NEEDS TO PONDER A PAY CUT — If the Yankee brain trust can't agree on an alternative to Joe Torre next week in Tampa, and Torre wants to take a paycut, there is a chance Torre could return for a 13th year as the Yankees' manager.
Discussion:
New York Times, NY Daily News, Baseball Musings, FanHouse, Bronx Banter, YanksBlog.com, Pinstripe Alley and WasWatching.com
Jack Curry / New York Times:
Ortiz Says Losing Torre Would Hurt Yankees — As Joe Torre's future as the manager of the Yankees remained unresolved, the latest player to express support for him did so from enemy territory. David Ortiz of the Boston Red Sox praised Torre, called him a crucial figure on the Yankees …
Discussion:
Oriole Post
Pete Caldera / NorthJersey.com:
Yanks seem set to let Torre go — NEW YORK — The wait to discover Joe Torre's managerial fate will carry through the weekend. In a few days, the Yankees will transfer the whole show to Tampa, where organizational meetings are expected to begin Tuesday. — Topic A is Torre …
Roger Rubin / NY Daily News:David Ortiz to Yanks: Letting Joe Torre go would be error
Discussion:
New York Post
Ben Jacobs / Hardball Times:
Why the Red Sox will beat the Indians — The Red Sox dispatched the Angels with ease because Los Angeles wasn't completely healthy and matched up terribly with Boston. — The Red Sox aren't a particularly bad matchup for the Indians in terms of what they do, they're just a better team overall.
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe!
RELATED:
Jeff Horrigan / Boston Herald:Zeroes could abound — Pitchers' duel on tap
Discussion:
Fox Sports, Boston Globe, Hartford Courant, Boston Sports Media Watch, Hardball Times, Washington Post and Tribe Tracker
Bob Baum / Associated Press:
Francis bests Webb, Rockies win Game 1 — PHOENIX (AP) — Make it 18 out of 19 for the remarkable Rockies. Neither a ruckus by the Arizona crowd nor a four-day layoff could slow them down. — Jeff Francis outpitched Brandon Webb, Brad Hawpe got the big hit and Colorado won …
RELATED:
Amy K. Nelson / ESPN:
Upton call draws ire of bottle-heaving fans … Hurdle's Take On Controversial Playoff Game — PHOENIX — All the talk about the D-backs' lackadaisical fans leading up to Game 1 of the National League Championship Series must have irked those sitting in left field Thursday night …
Gerry Fraley / Rocky Mountain News:
Atkins gets to Webb at right time — PHOENIX - Brad Hawpe and Kazuo Matsui, Arizona ace right-hander Brandon Webb could understand. They have worn out Webb throughout his career. — But Garrett Atkins? — Meet the Rockies' newest Webb-killer. Chapter Two of Atkins' turnaround …
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
George King / New York Post:
BORAS, ALEX LOOKING AT 12 YEARS — Is Alex Rodriguez set to sign the final contract of his career? A pact that would dwarf the record-setting 10-year, $252 million he inked following the 2000 season? — According to agent Scott Boras, Rodriguez getting a 12-year deal isn't out of the question …
RELATED:
Bob Raissman / NY Daily News:
Scott Boras exaggerating A-Rod's value to YES — If Yankees brass wants to get Alex Rodriguez's signature on a contract, it better change its network's name from Yankees Entertainment & Sports Network to A-RodVision. — Scott Boras, Rodriguez's agent, believes his client's star power …
Discussion:
Hardball Times
Randy Miller / phillyBurbs.com:
Schilling, Rivera on shopping list — With big offseason plans dancing in their heads, the Phillies will closely monitor how the Joe Torre saga plays out in New York. — If Yankees owner George Steinbrenner makes good on his threat to fire Torre as manager, closer Mariano Rivera is threatening …
Discussion:
Hot Foot
RELATED:
Tim Dierkes / MLB Trade Rumors:
Latest Phillies Rumors: Lowell, Rivera, Schilling — Let's catch up on the rumors and minor moves involving the Phillies recently. — One offseason objective is, of course, third base. Abraham Nunez was an easy buyout decision; Pat Gillick will import a new third baseman this winter one way or another.
Discussion:
delawareonline
Jeff Passan / Yahoo! Sports:
Hello? Any Diamondbacks fans out there? — PHOENIX - The view from Section 307, Row 40, Seat 13 - the one that not a single person of the four million living in the Phoenix metropolitan area cared to inhabit Thursday night during the biggest baseball game of the Arizona Diamondbacks' season - was quite nice.
RELATED:
Michael Silverman / Boston Herald:
ALCS Matchups — Tying for the best record in baseball at 96-66 this season, the Red Sox [team stats] and Indians should have one very entertaining ALCS. Strong, sometimes excellent, pitching is a mark of both clubs, with the Indians having an unparalleled duo atop their starting rotation …
