Top News:
Gordon Edes / Boston Globe:
Survival test — Sox call on Beckett to keep them alive — Is Terry Francona pointing the way toward victory to Game 5 starter, Josh Beckett? The Sox certainly hope so. Beckett knows how to overcome 3-1 deficits - he did it in '03 with Florida. (BARRY CHIN/GLOBE STAFF)
Discussion:
Peter's Red Sox Forever
RELATED:
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Boston turns to Beckett to save season — Righty shut out Cubs in 2003 NLCS to keep Marlins alive — CLEVELAND — Josh Beckett has been here before. The fate of Boston's season is being placed upon his shoulders, and history would appear to indicate that the pitcher is up to the task.
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Red Sox' Ramirez 'not trying to show anybody up' — CLEVELAND - Manny Ramírez crushed a batting practice ball, sending it up about 12 rows into the seats in left-center field. He sent the next one a handful of rows into the seats in left. Then, on the final ball in his set …
Discussion:
FanHouse
Howard Ulman / Associated Press:Wakefield wilts in Game 4 loss to Tribe
Discussion:
Baseball Musings
Spencer Fordin / MLB.com:
Orioles name Kranitz pitching coach — Veteran instructor spent 22 years working in the Cubs' system — BALTIMORE — The Orioles filled one of their few remaining high-profile coaching slots on Wednesday when they reached a deal with former Florida pitching coach Rick Kranitz.
RELATED:
Chicagosports / Hardball:
Novoa claimed by Orioles — CLEVELAND — The Baltimore Orioles continue to corner the market on Cubs cast-offs, claiming reliever Roberto Novoa on waivers on Tuesday. — Novoa, who didn't pitch in 2007 after injuring his right shoulder in an off-season automobile crash in the Dominican Republic …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Hunter interested in joining Nationals — Twins' potential free agent-to-be has close ties with Young — WASHINGTON — After the World Series comes to an end, Twins outfielder Torii Hunter is expected to file for free agency, and he said on Wednesday that he has an interest in playing …
Phil Birnbaum / Sabermetric Research:
New Bill James study on Pythagoras — In the light of lots of discussion on why the Diamondbacks beat their Pythagorean Projection, and what that means, Bill James wrote up a new study on whether such teams improve beyond expected in the following season. — Bill sent the study …
Discussion:
The Griddle
MLB.com:
Dontrelle Willis to host "Weekend With The D-Train" to benefit the Children's Home Society — The "D-Train" Dontrelle Willis is set to host two events this weekend to benefit the Children's Home Society. — SATURDAY, Oct. 20: Day With The D-Train: Willis will host 30 children …
Discussion:
FishStripes
Canadian Press:
Blue Jays promote LaCava — TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays promoted player development director Tony LaCava, one of GM J.P. Ricciardi's most trusted executives, to assistant general manager, player personnel on Wednesday. — LaCava, 46, has drawn interest from other teams …
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …
Ben Shpigel / Bats:
Tampa Meetings End With No Decision — Yankees General Manager Brian Cashman left Legends Field around 4 p.m. today to fly back to New York. On his way out, he told reporters that no decision has been made about the future of Manager Joe Torre. — Cashman was headed to the airport …
RELATED:
Associated Press:Torre still in limbo after meetings
Discussion:
New York Post, Associated Press, NJ.com, Pinstripe Alley, River Ave. Blues and The Yankee Despiser
Bill Madden / NY Daily News:Yankee silence doesn't bode well for Joe Torre
Discussion:
New York Post, NorthJersey.com, NJ.com, Bronx Banter, WasWatching.com and The LoHud Yankees Blog
Paul Meyer / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:
Remaking Of A Team — Red Sox's Farrell strong candidate for manager's job — John Farrell's candidacy for the Pirates' manager's job seems to be picking up some momentum. — And it could be that, if Farrell's the man, he could have a hand in hiring the Pirates' next scouting director, too.
Discussion:
Honest Wagner
Jenifer Langosch / MLB.com:
GM Huntington to evaluate players — Club's front office, manager decisions put on back burner — PITTSBURGH — Pushing pending front-office hires to the back burner for a few days, Pirates general manager Neal Huntington began a three-day set of meetings on Tuesday that will target …
Discussion:
FanHouse
Baseball Think Factory:
2008 ZiPS Projections - Pittsburgh Pirates — Not the prettiest projections in the world, but did anyone really expect otherwise? It's unfair to put any blame on the recently hired Frank Coonelly, but considering how competitive baseball is, this seems pretty much what one should expect …
Don Walker / JSOnline:
Success isn't all sweet for Brewers — Attendance, profit mean less of the revenue-sharing pie — Baseball's revenue-sharing program has been a boost to the Milwaukee Brewers from day one, but the franchise expects to see less of that money next year, according to Mark Attanasio, the team's chairman and principal owner.
