Top News:
Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Lee's stellar pitching lifts Texas, but free agency is looming — ARLINGTON, Texas — As the Texas Rangers convened behind closed clubhouse doors July 9, manager Ron Washington announced to his players the move that forever changed the franchise. — “We have traded,” Washington said, “for Cliff Lee.”
Discussion:
Bats, Yahoo! Sports, Bronx Baseball Daily, Crossing Broad, New Jersey Online, River Avenue Blues, SPORTSbyBROOKS, The Zo Zone, Fanhouse MLB Blog, HardballTalk, Mike Silva's …, The LoHud Yankees Blog, LA Times Sports Blog, The700Level.com, NESN.com, Texas Rangers, Sliding Into Home, It's About The Money, Baseball Crank and CBS New York
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Andrew Marchand / ESPN:
Cliff Lee's wife harassed in NY … Fans' treatment of Cliff Lee's wife at Yankee Stadium was ugly, but it might not have hurt the Yankees' recruitment of one of the game's top left-handed pitchers. — During the American League Championship Series games in New York between the Yankees and Rangers …
Discussion:
NESN.com, Lone Star Ball, Mets Merized Online, MLB Rumors, It's About The Money, Associated Press, Sliding Into Home and SportsNet NY
Adam J. Morris / Lone Star Ball:
Cliff Lee's Wife Likes Texas, Doesn't Like the Yankees
Discussion:
Bronx Baseball Daily, Pinstripe Alley, ESPN and Subway Squawkers
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Ortiz: I'll be with the Red Sox in 2011 — David Ortiz is at the Heat-Celtics game tonight and the Globe's Mike Vega tracked him down at halftime. — Big Papi said the Red Sox have yet to tell him whether they will pick up his $12.5 million contract option for next season.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Source: Red Sox to talk to Curt Young — BOSTON — The Boston Red Sox intend to interview Curt Young, who just cut ties with the Oakland Athletics after seven years as pitching coach, a club source told ESPNBoston.com. — He would appear to fit the profile of what the Sox are seeking in a replacement for John Farrell.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish and ESPN
Alex Speier / Full Count:
Red Sox announce ticket prices for 2011 — The Red Sox issued a press release announcing ticket prices for the 2011 season. The team said that ticket prices in 16 categories of seats would remain the same, while approximately 30 percent of seats will be increased by no more than $5 a ticket.
Discussion:
The House That Dewey Built and HardballTalk
Alex Belth / BronxBanterBlog.com:
Tragedy — My favorite part about sitting in the Yankee Stadium press box is getting the chance to watch Bill Shannon, the official scorer, in action. Shannon, who for years was the head of public relations at MSG, was ripped out of the pages of Damon Runyon.
Discussion:
Associated Press, River Avenue Blues, Yahoo! Sports and The LoHud Yankees Blog
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Rest in peace, Bill Shannon — It's impossible to say who is the best at what they do. We all have opinions on who is the best player in baseball, the best manager, the best GM or which is the best ballpark. — But the best official scorer in baseball was unquestionably Bill Shannon …
Discussion:
Patrick Flood
Dan Steinberg / D.C. Sports Bog:
Nats to unveil uniform changes Nov. 10 — After months of rumors and speculation, the Nats are set to unveil significant changes to their uniforms on Nov. 10 at Nats Park. The team will hold a fashion show event at the stadium, and will show off at least three styles of uniforms.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, William World News, The Nats Blog, Nationals Inquisition, NATIONALS NEWS NETWORK and Let Teddy Win!
Mike Sielski / Wall Street Journal:
Alderson's Skill Set A Good Fit for Mets — When Kevin Towers learned that he would be working under Sandy Alderson, he considered changing jobs, so great and wide a shadow did he believe his new boss cast. — Mr. Towers had been hired as the San Diego Padres' general manager in 1995 …
Discussion:
Mets Merized Online
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Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Jon Daniels out of Mets' plans for next GM, will decide between …
Discussion:
Ducksnorts, MLB Rumors and MetsBlog.com
Associated Press:
Baseball union head says players open to expanding playoffs — SAN FRANCISCO — Baseball's playoffs could be expanding in two years. — The new head of the players' union says his members are open to adding more wild-card teams for 2012 and possibly extending the division series to a best-of-seven.
Discussion:
ESPN, Bats, baseballmusings.com, Halos Heaven, Bless You Boys, The Goessling Game, Yahoo! Sports, USA Today and Fanhouse MLB Blog
Jon Heyman / Sports Illustrated:
Yanks, Girardi will open contract talks — The Yankees and Joe Girardi are beginning contract talks Monday that are expected to keep Girardi as manager an additional three years. — Girardi's new deal is expected to pay him about $3 million a year, according to sources.
Discussion:
River Avenue Blues, baseballmusings.com and HardballTalk
Matt Eddy / Baseball America:
Minor League Transactions: Oct. 15-25 — Arizona Diamondbacks — Atlanta Braves — Removed from 40-man roster: C J.C. Boscan — Baltimore Orioles — Assigned to Arizona Fall League: RHP Oliver Drake, RHP Pat Egan, RHP Wynn Pelzer, C Caleb Joseph, 1B Tyler Townsend, 2B Ryan Adams, SS Greg Miclat, OF Xavier Avery
Jason Beck / MLB.com:
Jackson voted AL's top rookie by peers — DETROIT — Tigers center fielder and leadoff man Austin Jackson won his second American League rookie honor in just over a week, this time winning the vote of his fellow Major Leaguers for AL Outstanding Rookie in the Players Choice Awards.
