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Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:
The lineup explained — The Red Sox, as posted previously, made some alterations to their lineup tonight, most notably taking out right fielder J.D. Drew and inserting Coco Crisp. The move had nothing to do with Drew's health, either his long-ailing back or his right shoulder, which was struck by a Grant Balfour fastball last night.
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Cliff Corcoran / Sports Illustrated:
Breaking down Game 2 of ALCS — Breaking down Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. All stats for starting pitchers are for this postseason only. — Red Sox at Rays — Series: ALCS, Game 2 — TV: TBS — Starters: Josh Beckett (0-0, 7.20) vs. Scott Kazmir (1-0, 3.38)
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Boston Globe
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Dice-K sparkles as Sox take Game 1 — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - It's only one game. So how come it already feels like the Red Sox are going to the World Series? — The Sox beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 2-0, in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series at Tropicana Field last night.
Amalie Benjamin / Boston Globe:
Sweet nothings — Matsuzaka, Red Sox blank Rays in opener — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - There is time for David Ortiz. In between at-bats, in between trips to the cage, the designated hitter has time to observe the game, and his teammates. His opposition. And that was where he saw the differences.
Fred Goodall / Associated Press:Dice-K pitches Red Sox by Rays in Game 1
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Boston Globe, The House That Dewey Built, ESPN, Over the Monster, SOX1FAN and Washington Post
Adam Kilgore / Boston Globe:Pregame notes — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — First pitch is in roughly two hours.
George A. King III / New York Post:
HANK: I'M STILL IN CHARGE HERE! — TAMPA - Sitting behind his desk at George M. Steinbrenner Field, Hank Steinbrenner yesterday spit on the notion he has taken a step back in running the Yankees. — “There is one very important point here,” Steinbrenner told The Post during an exclusive half-hour session.
Ken Gurnick / MLB.com:
Dodgers leave Philly down 0-2 in NLCS — Manny homers, but starter Billingsley exits after 2 1/3 innings — PHILADELPHIA — Before the Dodgers went down in order in the first inning, Russell Martin had to pull himself out of the dirt after being flipped by a 94-mph fastball under the chin …
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Associated Press:
Philadelphia takes control — PHILADELPHIA — There are so many big hitters in Philadelphia's potent lineup, no one ever expected it would be pitcher Brett Myers who put the Phillies in control of the NL championship series with his bat. — Myers did better at the plate than on the mound …
Phil Rogers / Chicago Tribune:
Whispers: Helms pays off for Marlins — The Marlins, who have 17 players eligible for salary arbitration, have signed only two to multiyear contracts since getting Carlos Delgado as a free agent almost four years ago: Hanley Ramirez and Wes Helms, who agreed to a two-year contract rather than become a free agent.
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MLB Rumors
Dave Anderson / New York Times:
An Ebbets Field Confession From That ‘Brennan’ Kid — If confession is good for the soul, it's even more healing when it occurs after more than 60 years and some 3,000 miles from the site of the dastardly deeds. — Bob Natiello, who grew up in the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn …
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ShysterBall
Mark Feinsand / NY Daily News:
Yanks mull coach switches — ST. PETERSBURG - The Yankees haven't held their organizational meetings yet, but a change in Joe Girardi's coaching staff could come before the team's brass meets later this month in Tampa. — According to a source, Brian Cashman has been asking some players …
Jason Parks / Baseball Time in Arlington:
Rangers Fall Instructional League Report: Part II — Tim Murphy: Yet another player that I will struggle to remain objective about (see a developing pattern here?), Murphy has a very mature approach to the game of baseball. He is extremely focused and possesses the ability to disregard …
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Lone Star Ball
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Architect of Phillies, Gillick Will Listen to Anyone's Plans — PHILADELPHIA — Pat Gillick learns by listening. In his first dinner with his staff in Philadelphia, in 2005, Gillick took the time to hear a trade proposal from the waiter. As the new general manager, and perhaps …
