Top News:
Lyle Spencer / MLB.com:
Rodriguez strikes out on 4-2 pitch — Angels don't notice mistake and have no course for appeal — DETROIT — Yes, it even can happen in the Major Leagues. — Angels second baseman Sean Rodriguez actually struck out in the fourth inning on Thursday at Comerica Park on a 4-2 pitch.
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Associated Press:
Angels cut AL West magic number to 6 — DETROIT (AP)—The Los Angeles Angels showed the Detroit Tigers what playoff teams look like. — Torii Hunter homered to back Ervin Santana, and the Angels beat the Tigers 7-1 Thursday to cut their magic number to six for clinching their fourth AL West title in five seasons.
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Rogers ponders future after tough day — Southpaw lasts only two-plus as Angels take rubber game — DETROIT — The fact that Kenny Rogers took the mound Thursday on one of the Tigers' Senior Days promotional games was an odd coincidence, not a reason for reflection.
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:Angels' Jon Garland struggles as Detroit wins
Discussion:
Associated Press
Peter Abraham / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
Game 140: Yankees at Rays — YANKEES (75-64) — RAYS (84-53) — Darrell Rasner (5-9, 5.08) vs. the Tampa Bay hitters. — Scott Kazmir (10-6, 3.13) vs. the New York hitters. — Notes: The Yankees have won three straight and 5 of 7 overall. ... Yankees are 9-5 against the Rays, 5-2 at the Trop.
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Bill Chastain / MLB.com:
Wily Kazmir dominates Yanks in finale — Rays ace allows just one hit in picking up his 11th victory — ST. PETERSBURG — Six goose eggs by Scott Kazmir and a healthy dose of Willy Aybar put the Rays back in business on Thursday night. — Thanks to the pair's contributions …
Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:Instant replay goes off without a hitch
Discussion:
The Soxaholix, Where have you gone …, The House That Dewey Built and 24 Hours From Suicide
Mike Klingaman / Baltimore Sun:
Ex-O's infielder Cruz dead at 52 — Member of 1983 world championship team died while swimming Tuesday — Former Orioles infielder Todd Cruz died on Sept. 2, 2008, in Bullhead City, Ariz., while swimming at the apartment complex in which he lived. He was a member of the 1983 World Series champions.
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Associated Press:
Former Orioles INF Todd Cruz dead at 52 — BALTIMORE (AP)—Todd Cruz, an infielder with the 1983 world champion Baltimore Orioles, has died. He was 52. — Cruz died Tuesday while swimming at the apartment complex in which he lived in Bullhead City, Ariz. The cause of death is pending results …
Discussion:
The Griddle
David Singh / MLB.com:
Twins end road trip with loss to Jays — Team falls 1 1/2 games behind White Sox in AL Central — TORONTO — It was a road trip the Twins had been dreading all season. — Their longest such trek in 39 years, the Twins endured 14 games in 15 days, across four different cities …
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Jim Baumbach / Newsday:
Sheppard hopes to return for Yankee Stadium finale — Everyone knows the only fitting way to close Yankee Stadium is with Bob Sheppard returning to be the public-address announcer for the final game. His health has kept him from doing a single Yankees game this season - which would have been his 58th …
Bart Hubbuch / New York Post:
RELIEF! WAGS PAIN-FREE — PASSES TEST, EYES REHAB START — MILWAUKEE - The Mets said they got good news on the Billy Wagner front yesterday when their veteran closer threw 20 pitches without incident off the mound at Shea Stadium. — Wagner, sidelined since early August by a swollen left elbow …
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Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Brewers suffer fourth straight loss — Milwaukee's lead in NL Wild Card standings cut to four games — MILWAUKEE — After an awesome August, the Brewers are sputtering in September. — On the heels of a 20-7 August, the Brewers have dropped four in a row to start the final month …
Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
The Empire Strikes (Again). Star Wars Ads Invade MLB.com — A few short months ago, the baseball community was abuzz regarding the integrated advertisement for Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull within MLB.com's schedule of games. — Now, get ready for Darth Vader.
Buzz Bissinger / New York Times:
Sympathy for the Slugger — I don't like Barry Bonds. I don't like his insouciance and swagger and surliness, his general contempt for anybody who doesn't share the familial intimacy of his last name. I prayed that he would not break the single-season record for home runs in 2001 …
Howard Ulman / Associated Press:
Red Sox poised to set sellout streak record — BOSTON—David Ortiz remembers visiting Fenway Park with Minnesota and seeing empty seats. — “The only sellout was when Pedro was pitching,” he said. “Otherwise, it was a regular crowd.” — Pedro Martinez is long gone from the Boston Red Sox …
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Passing on Garza, Scouting Director Is Left to Wonder — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — When Damon Oppenheimer watched Matt Garza pitch for Tampa Bay on Tuesday, he could not help wondering what might have been. It is a natural feeling for a scouting director, whose job it is to predict how amateurs will play as pros.
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George A. King III / New York Post:JASON LOSES BOUT WITH BATHROOM DOOR
Discussion:
Deadspin, With Leather, Walkoff Walk, MLB FanHouse, My Pinstripes, Fenway West and Sliding Into Home
Dave van Dyck / Chicago Tribune:
Harden pushed back in rotation, says he's not hurt — What was supposed to be the Cubs' new-look “rested” rotation is in shambles now after Carlos Zambrano's apparent arm pain during Tuesday night's 9-7, 11-inning loss to Houston. — Ted Lilly, Jason Marquis and Zambrano were supposed …
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Gordon Wittenmyer / Chicago Sun Times:Discomforting list now includes Harden
Discussion:
MLB FanHouse
