Top News:
Fox Sports:
Francona expected to leave Red Sox — Terry Francona will meet with Red Sox management on Friday morning, and the expected resolution is that he no longer will be the team's manager, major league sources say. — While Francona's departure is not certain, it is the likely outcome …
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Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Francona, Red Sox meeting this morning; he will be out as manager — What seemed evident yesterday is expected to become final today with the Red Sox and Terry Francona parting ways after eight seasons. — The manager will meet with GM Theo Epstein and ownership at 10 a.m. today …
Daryl Van Schouwen / Chicago Sun Times:
Francona wants out of Boston; White Sox are logical landing spot — TORONTO, CANADA - SEPTEMBER 5: Manager Terry Francona of the Boston Red Sox looks on during batting practice prior to MLB game action against the Toronto Blue Jays September 5, 2011 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Discussion:
Full Count, WEEI, Over the Monster, HardballTalk, NESN.com and Baseball Nation
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Post-mortem leaves question of Francona's future unanswered — For nearly 33 minutes yesterday, Red Sox manager Terry Francona sat next to general manager Theo Epstein on a small stage in a crowded room at Fenway Park and took questions about how the 2011 team had so utterly failed.
Discussion:
Associated Press and The Soxaholix
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
As Francona departs, who is next? — Here at Fenway Park for the stakeout. — John Henry and Terry Francona are inside. DeMarlo Hale is here, too. — It's probably just a matter of how they word the press release at this point. — When Theo Epstein last hired a manager …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Steve Silva / The Buzz:
Terry Francona reportedly could be out as Red Sox manager
Discussion:
Baseball Nerd
Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Dream year ends in tatters
Discussion:
Bats, Yahoo! Sports, NESN.com, The Big Lead, Deadspin, ESPN, Associated Press, Sports Illustrated and Fox Sports
Jackie MacMullan / ESPN:
Unlikable Red Sox flunked chemistry — Somehow the team became what it once abhorred — arrogant, complacent and entitled — You can wring your hands all you want over whether Jonathan Papelbon served up the wrong pitch to Robert Andino or why Marco Scutaro hesitated just long enough …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
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Aaron Gleeman / HardballTalk:
Report: Red Sox pitchers drank beer during games on their off days
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
Chris Jenkins / Denver Post:
Diamondbacks coach Baylor faints at Miller Park — MILWAUKEE—Arizona Diamondbacks batting coach Don Baylor was taken to a hospital after fainting at Miller Park on Friday morning. — Diamondbacks general manager Kevin Towers said Baylor had a “fainting episode” after eating breakfast in the clubhouse …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
Bill Plaschke / Los Angeles Times:
Dodgers need to swing for the fences on new deal with Matt Kemp — The Dodgers will probably need to pay close to $200 million to keep the star center fielder in Los Angeles. And they'll need to move quickly. The question is, do they have the resources?
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, True Blue LA and Los Angeles Times
Associated Press:
Firefighter's Son to Throw 1st Pitch for Rangers — ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — The 6-year-old boy who saw his firefighter father fall to his death while trying to catch a ball for him during a Rangers game this summer was back at the stadium Friday to throw out the ceremonial first pitch of the playoffs.
Discussion:
Associated Press
Marc Topkin / St. Petersburg Times:
Tampa Bay Rays pick rookie Matt Moore to start Game 1 of AL Division Series — ARLINGTON, Texas — Of course they are. — In picking among three potential starters for today's opening game of the best-of-five AL Division Series, the Rays made the most unconventional and boldest choice …
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Sports Illustrated, Bats and Brew Crew Ball
Jennifer Mann / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Cards broadcaster McLaughlin cited for drunk driving — Cardinals broadcaster Dan McLaughlin has been cited for drunken driving for the second time after a stop by Chesterfield police on Sunday. Police said McLaughlin, 37, was stopped at 10:13 p.m. on Baxter Road and Isleview Drive after he crashed his vehicle.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and The Big Lead
Sports Illustrated:
Where collapses by Red Sox and Braves rank among worst ever … Wednesday night was not only one of the most thrilling nights of baseball in recent memory, it was also one of the most significant. Not one but two of the most severe regular-season collapses in the game's history were completed.
Discussion:
BBTF's Baseball Primer … and FiveThirtyEight
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Maury Brown / The Biz of Baseball:
Analysis: 2011 MLB Playoff Teams By Player Payroll — Baseball is broken. That's what they say. It's only teams with high payrolls that have a shot. Well... With heart-stopping excitement that the baseball gods gave us on the final day of the 2011 MLB season now in the books, the postseason is now set.
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Ben Lindbergh / Baseball Prospectus:
NLDS Preview: Phillies vs. Cardinals — Why the Phillies Will Win: The Phillies boast the best pitching staff in baseball and can throw three of the NL's top 10 starters in four of five possible games. Should they fail to sweep, they'll be forced to hold their nose, avert their eyes, and hand the ball to... Roy Oswalt.
Discussion:
Viva El Birdos
Associated Press:
Offense drops to two-decade low — NEW YORK — If you thought the 2011 season seemed like a throwback, you were right. — Offense dropped to a level not seen since Greg Maddux, Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling were dominating on the mound. — Nearly two decades later, Justin Verlander …
Discussion:
ESPN
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