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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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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.
Jack Curry / New York Times:
If Rays Are Feeling the Pressure, the Red Sox' Ortiz Says It's Apparent — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — David Ortiz of the Red Sox saw faces, lots of faces, on Friday night. They were different from the faces Ortiz had noticed before. To Ortiz, the Tampa Bay Rays' expressions made them seem tentative.
Tony Massarotti / Boston Globe:
Beckett now a question more than an answer — ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — And so now, after so much consternation, the Red Sox have their pitching lined up just the way everyone imagined it. Beginning today, Josh Beckett is first. Jon Lester is second. And the Sox already have one game tucked in their pockets.
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.
Ian Browne / MLB.com:
Dice-K, bullpen answer opening bell — Right-hander flirts with no-no, trio of relievers close door — ST. PETERSBURG — It turns out that those same escape hatches that Daisuke Matsuzaka found so routinely from April through September still work during the ultra-pressurized month of October.
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
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.
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 …
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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 …
Buster Olney / ESPN:
A's assistant GM Forst won't interview with M's … David Forst, an assistant general manager with the Oakland Athletics, turned down an opportunity to interview for the vacant GM job with the Seattle Mariners, because of forthcoming opportunity with the Oakland organization.
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