Top News:
Carl Crawford / ESPN:
Crawford diary: 'Sorry for the year I've had' — Boston Red Sox left fielder Carl Crawford has kept a diary all season for ESPNBoston.com. In this final installment, he talks about how a Tampa Bay Rays comeback would devastate him, what Boston needs to do to get to the playoffs and how he handles hecklers.
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Yahoo! Sports:
Epstein's blunders paved way for Boston's collapse — It is difficult to figure out the proper spelling of how a choke sounds. Is it ggggaaahhh? Or ccccccchhhhh? Maybe aaaaaack? In lieu of a proper answer, perhaps it's best to go with something anyone can spell and on which everyone should agree: B-O-S-T-O-N.
Discussion:
Projo Sox Blog, baseballmusings.com, The Captain's Blog, HardballTalk, ESPN and Ultimate Astros
Associated Press:
BoSox wild-card lead cut to 1 1/2 games after loss to Orioles — BOSTON — The reeling Red Sox lost for the 12th time in 15 games when Jeremy Guthrie pitched the last-place Baltimore Orioles to a 6-5 win Monday in the opener of a day-night doubleheader, cutting Boston's AL wild-card lead to 1 1/2 games.
Discussion:
Camden Chat and Boston Herald
Joe Strauss / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Theriot gets a rare start — PHILADELPHIA • Ryan Theriot found his way into the starting lineup Sunday night for only the third time this month as he received an opportunity against Philadelphia Phillies lefthander Cole Hamels. — Unseated as Cardinals starting shortstop …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Baseball Nation
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Associated Press:
Cards boost playoff hopes — Cardinals 5, Phillies 0 — Philadelphia — Allen Craig hit two homers and drove in three runs, Chris Carpenter gave up eight hits in eight innings, and the St. Louis Cardinals improved their playoff chances with a 5-0 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Sunday night.
Discussion:
Blogging Baseball, The Good Phight and Phillies Nation
Sports Illustrated:
The current favorites for Fielder … Brewers star first baseman Prince Fielder is generally considered one of the three mega free agents of the 2011-12 offseason, along with Albert Pujols and Jose Reyes. But so far Fielder's impending free agency hasn't garnered quite the publicity as the other two.
Discussion:
MetsBlog.com, MLB Rumors and HardballTalk
Bill Plunkett / Orange County Register:
Wells doesn't expect to opt out of contract — BALTIMORE - The ink was barely dry on the seven-year, $126 million contract extension Vernon Wells signed with the Toronto Blue Jays in December 2006 before it was being called one of the worst contracts in baseball.
Discussion:
NotGraphs Baseball, Angels blog, HardballTalk and baseballmusings.com
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Peter Schmuck / Baltimore Sun:
Reynolds thinks Angels' Santana hit him on purpose — Orioles third baseman was plunked on head by Los Angeles starter Saturday — First baseman Mark Reynolds was out of the starting lineup Sunday for precautionary reasons after he was hit in the head by Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ervin Santana …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Ian Begley / ESPN:
Yankees' Rivera sets MLB mark with 602nd save — NEW YORK — It's been said again and again over his 16-year career. And now it's official: Mariano Rivera is the top closer in baseball history. — Rivera — The seemingly ageless right-hander recorded his 602nd career save on Monday …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com and Pinstripe Alley
David Waldstein / New York Times:
Investor Talked to Mets but Buys Part of Yankees — Ray Bartoszek, a longtime Mets fan and former oil trader who was a finalist to buy a significant stake in the Mets earlier this year, has instead emerged as the newest limited partner with the Yankees, according to two people with knowledge of the transaction.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Bill Mitchell / Baseball America:
2011 Arizona League Top 20 Prospects — The Rookie-level Arizona League expanded for a third straight year, increasing to 13 teams in 2011 with the Diamondbacks adding a third short-season affiliate to play at their new Salt River Fields training complex. The addition of four clubs since 2008 …
Discussion:
redsminorleagues.com and Halos Heaven
Joe Frisaro / The Fish Pond:
High-profile names on Marlins wish list — Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder and Jose Reyes headline the list of potential free agent position players expected to hit the market after the World Series. — Already, all three have been mentioned as possible targets of the Marlins.
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, Purple Row, HardballTalk and MLB Rumors
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Tribe finalizes Thome deal with Twins — MINNEAPOLIS — The Indians brought Jim Thome back to Cleveland once already. Whether or not the team will try do so again this coming offseason remains undetermined. — First, Thome has to decide if the time has come to hang up his spikes …
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