Top News:
Mychael Urban / MLB.com:
Bailey captures AL rookie award — Righty reliever recorded 26 saves to go with 1.84 ERA — OAKLAND — A's right-hander Andrew Bailey's rise from Minor League obscurity to Major League limelight turned historic Monday when he was named the 2009 American League Rookie of the Year.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Hardball Times, Lone Star Ball, Detroit Tigers blog and Sliding Into Home
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Associated Press:
Bailey named AL's top rookie; Coghlan wins NL's … NEW YORK (AP) — Florida Marlins outfielder Chris Coghlan is the National League Rookie of the Year, and Oakland Athletics closer Andrew Bailey is the AL winner. — Coghlan edged Philadelphia Phillies pitcher J.A. Happ in a close race …
Alden Gonzalez / MLB.com:
Coghlan is named NL's top rookie — Infielder-turned-outfielder stepped in and sparked Marlins — The franchise with a knack for producing some of the best young talent in the Major Leagues has another gem to add to its resume — Chris Coghlan. — That fact was evident through …
Discussion:
Batter's Box Interactive …
Brian Burke / Advanced NFL Stats:
Belichick's 4th Down Decision vs the Colts — New England coach Bill Belichick is taking a lot of heat for his decision to attempt a 4th down conversion late in the game against the Colts. Indianapolis came back to win in dramatic fashion. Was the decision a good one?
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Belichick gaffe unrivaled — INDIANAPOLIS - Ghastly. — This was as bad as anything the Red Sox ever did. Had it been a playoff game, it would be right up there with Bucky Dent, Bill Buckner, Aaron Boone, and History Derailed in Glendale, Ariz. — And Bill Belichick played the part of Grady Little.
Associated Press:
New York Mets hire Wally Backman to manage Brooklyn Cyclones — NEW YORK — Wally Backman has been hired as manager of the New York Mets' Brooklyn Cyclones farm team in the New York-Penn League. — A member of the Mets' 1986 World Series championship team, Backman was hired to manage the Arizona Diamondbacks in November 2004.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer …
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brooklyncyclones.com:
BACKMAN TO MANAGE BROOKLYN CYCLONES — Former New York Mets star Wally Backman has been named the newest manager of the Brooklyn Cyclones, tabbed to lead the club in its tenth season of play. — Backman was a standout second baseman for the Mets in the 1980s - a gritty …
MLB.com:
Twins unveil new uniforms and official team marks for Inaugural Season at Target Field — Merchandise Available Exclusively at Twins Pro Shops and twinsbaseball.com — MINNEAPOLIS - ST. PAUL, Minn. - The 2009 American League Central Division Champion Minnesota Twins today unveiled new official team marks …
Discussion:
Hardball Times
Alan Schwarz / New York Times:
As A.L.-N.L. Gap Widens, General Managers Tread Cautiously — CHICAGO — His shoulders shrugged. His lips pursed. But Kenny Williams bit his tongue one syllable too late. — “A guy going from the American League to the National League, no disrespect, but. ... ”
Tim Dierkes / MLB Rumors:
Vernon Wells Extension Reactions — On December 15th, 2006, Blue Jays GM J.P. Ricciardi signed center fielder Vernon Wells to a seven-year, $126MM extension. The heavily-backloaded contract included a full no-trade clause and an opt-out clause after the 2011 season.
Discussion:
Talking Chop
Andrew Zimbalist / Wall Street Journal:
The Yankees Didn't Buy the World Series — Since 2004, 20 of baseball's 30 teams have made the playoffs. — Printer — Friendly — Judging from the media coverage, it seems that the only thing the Yankees didn't do on their way to buying the 2009 World Series is ask the federal government for a bailout.
Jeff Blair / Globe and Mail:
Eight touches? Seven carries? — That's all the Hamilton Tiger-Cats asked of DeAndra' Cobb in a playoff game on a dry surface? “You just go to the line and go with what the coaches call,” said Cobb, the Tiger-Cats running back who had 267 yards rushing in two previous games against the B.C. Lions …
