Top News:
Peter Botte / NY Daily News:
New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez halfway to World Series record of 12 strikeouts — Alex Rodriguez basically carried the Yankees for the first two rounds of the playoffs. — It looks like it's time for his teammates to begin returning the favor. — A-Rod struck out three times …
RELATED:
Mark Newman / MLB.com:
Buzz growing as Series has classic feel — Ratings soar as heavyweight battle lights up October — NEW YORK — It's hard to say what Mother Nature might have in store this weekend when the 105th World Series comes to Philadelphia — especially after what happened last fall — but at this point …
Associated Press:
Yankees come to life — Hideki Matsui, Mark Teixeira fuel win — NEW YORK - Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui shook the New York Yankees from their lumber slumber and sent the World Series to Philadelphia all tied up. — Teixeira and Matsui hit solo homers off familiar foe Pedro Martinez …
Eric Simon / Amazin' Avenue:
I'm Changing My Vote — More photos » by Elise Amendola - AP — Can I really bring myself to root for these guys? (AP Photo/Elise Amendola) — Browse more photos » — After much consternation and internal debate, I finally indicated here that I'd be “rooting” for the Yankees in the World Series.
Bowman's Blog:
Now it's Braves fans who are jealous of Philly fans — After Cliff Lee produced his dominant performance against the Yankees in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night, I asked Phillies backup catcher Paul Bako if the pinpoint control that Lee has displayed during his past two outings merited a comparison to Greg Maddux.
Sam Borden / The LoHud Yankees Blog:Yankees helpless vs. Lee, fall in Series opener
Discussion:
The Yankee Universe
Sam Borden / The LoHud Yankees Blog:
World Series Game 2: Phillies at Yankees — YANKEES — Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett (0-0, 4.42 ERA in postseason) — PHILLIES — Pitching: RHP Pedro Martinez (0-0, 0.00 ERA in postseason) — WEATHER: Looking good. Maybe some clouds and there will be a chill in the air, but it's dry and (hopefully) not too windy.
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Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles decline Mora's 2010 option — Expected move likely ends third baseman's tenure with club; 'I'll never close my doors to the Orioles. I still have a lot of people in the Orioles organization who love me' — The Orioles announced Thursday that they won't exercise third baseman …
Discussion:
Sabernomics
RELATED:
Jeff Zrebiec / Baltimore Sun:
Orioles decline Mora's 2010 option — Expected move likely ends veteran third baseman's tenure with club — The Orioles announced today that they won't exercise third baseman Melvin Mora's $8 million contract option for the 2010 season, an expected move that likely ends the tenure …
Discussion:
Fox Sports, Amazin' Avenue, MASNsports.com, The Schmuck Stops Here, MLB Rumors, MLB Daily Dish, Yahoo! Sports and MLB FanHouse
New York Post:
Umpires botch ‘close’ call to end eighth — Another night, another botched call by the umpires. — The October to forget for the men in blue continued in Game 2 of the World Series when first base umpire Brian Gorman called the Phillies' Chase Utley out on an eighth-inning-ending double play.
Ben Nicholson-Smith / MLB Rumors:
Commissioner's Office Says Rodriguez To Red Sox, Not Royals — 3:04pm: WEEI's Alex Speier writes, “According to a major-league source, the MLB Commissioner's Office has ruled that the Red Sox still possess the rights to Reynaldo Rodriguez, a first baseman whom they acquired from the Yuma Scorpions …
Discussion:
The Bottom Line
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Jorge Arangure Jr / MLB:
MLB playoffs: Philadelphia Phillies' Pedro Martinez returns to New York the enemy once again — Phils' Game 2 starter knows all about pitching under the bright lights against Yankees … NEW YORK — Yankee Stadium — the old, crumbling version with all the history, not the new monument …
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Kelly Thesier / MLB.com:
Inbox: How did Morneau's surgery go? — Beat reporter Kelly Thesier answers Twins fans' questions … How is Justin Morneau doing? I read this week that he had surgery on his wrist. I was wondering how his wrist is doing and also how his back was feeling? — Jim N., White Bear Lake, Minn.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors
Tommy Bennett / Beyond the Box Score:
How the Economy Will Affect Salaries — More photos » by Jae C. Hong - AP — How will the economy impact the fortunes of free agents to be, like Bobby Abreu? (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) — Browse more photos » — It is possible that the recession in the United States has already ended.
Jim Callis / Baseball America:
Dodgers Draft Report Card — POSITION PLAYERS — BEST PURE HITTER: C J.T. Wise (5) or OF Brian Cavazos-Galvez (12). Wise hit .338/.401/.566 at Rookie-level Ogden, while Cavazos-Galvez batted .322/.353/.618 there. >> BEST POWER HITTER: OF Blake Smith (2) needs to cut down on his strikeouts …
Discussion:
Dodger Thoughts
Marc Hulet / FanGraphs Baseball:
Breaking Down Burnett — A.J. Burnett, the veteran starter with the New York Yankees, has made three post-season starts in 2009. The right-hander has gone from quite good to OK to pretty bad in his three starts, which makes a person wonder just what to expect in Game Two of the World Series.
