Top News:
Gordon Edes / ESPN:
Departure makes your head spin — Did Terry Francona decide to leave on his own or did ownership help make up his mind? — ESPNBoston.com — BOSTON — It never ceases to amaze how an employee's termination notice can be spun to sound like a winning lottery ticket.
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, NoMaas.org and Boston Globe
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Dan Shaughnessy / Boston Globe:
Ignore that spin from the brass - he was fired — Terry Francona was fired yesterday. The longtime manager and the Red Sox brass used a lot of polite words and tried to make it sound mutual, but Francona turns out to be the first victim of the greatest collapse in baseball history.
Discussion:
Deadspin
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
It's official: Francona leaves Red Sox — It's official, the Red Sox have released a statement saying they have parted ways with Terry Francona. — These statements from the Red Sox: — FROM JOHN HENRY, TOM WERNER AND LARRY LUCCHINO ON BEHALF OF THE BOSTON RED SOX:
Discussion:
Fenway West, Surviving Grady, Over the Monster, FenwayNationWorld, baseballmusings.com, Bats and Pinstriped Bible …
Alex Speier / Full Count:
Red Sox, Terry Francona part ways after eight years — After eight years, Terry Francona is done as Red Sox manager. (AP) — In the aftermath of a historic nosedive that took the Red Sox from an apparent playoff lock to a team that lost the largest September postseason lead in major league history …
Discussion:
Fenway West and HardballTalk
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
As Francona departs, who is next?
Discussion:
The Buzz and The Big Lead
Mike Fitzpatrick / Associated Press:
Tigers-Yankees playoff opener suspended by rain — NEW YORK—The playoff opener between the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees was suspended because of rain in the second inning Friday night, probably wiping out the ace of each pitching staff for a few days.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys and TSN.ca
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Barry M. Bloom / MLB.com:
Rain suspends ALDS opener in Bronx — Game 1 tickets honored Saturday; Game 2 tickets good Sunday — NEW YORK — Game 1 of the American League Division Series between the Tigers and Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday night was suspended because of rain and will resume on Saturday …
Discussion:
ESPN and Baseball Nation
Stephen Hawkins / Globe and Mail:
Rays shell Rangers in ALDS opener — Matt Moore dominated in his second major league start, pitching seven innings of two-hit ball as the improbable Tampa Bay Rays opened the real playoffs with a 9-0 victory over the defending AL champion Texas Rangers on Friday.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
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Stephen Hawkins / Associated Press:
Rays rookie Moore dominates Texas in ALDS opener
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
Sports Illustrated:
Mystical pull of magical numbers … Last Wednesday night may have provided the most gripping and bizarre interval in baseball history. The Boston Red Sox couldn't close out the Baltimore Orioles ?and instead closed out one of the great collapses in modern memory.
Discussion:
Baseball-Reference Blog
Chris Jenkins / Globe and Mail:
‘Incognito’ Diamondbacks prepare for Brewers — When it comes to star power, even the Arizona Diamondbacks acknowledge they're no match for the Milwaukee Brewers. — Milwaukee has a pair of MVP candidates in Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, and pulled the surprise of the off-season when they traded for standout starter Zack Greinke.
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball, MLB Daily Dish and AZ Snake Pit
Kevin Baxter / LA Times Sports Blog:
Tony Reagins resigns as Angels general manager — A day after saying the Angels would have to be creative this off-season to address their roster deficiencies, General Manager Tony Reagins abruptly resigned Friday. — He will remain with the ballclub as a special assistant to club chairman Dennis Kuhl.
Discussion:
Los Angeles Times, MLB Daily Dish, Halos Heaven, 6-4-2, baseballmusings.com and Yahoo! Sports
JSOnline:
Greinke to start Game 2, Marcum in Game 3 — By Tom Haudricourt of the Journal Sentinel — The Brewers just announced that right-hander Zack Greinke will start Game 2 of the NLDS on Saturday against Arizona and right-hander Shaun Marcum will go in Game 3 on Tuesday in Phoenix.
Discussion:
Brew Crew Ball and Yahoo! Sports
Jayson Stark / MLB:
Stark: And the World Series winner will be … — Why the well-balanced Rangers will defeat the Phillies and their vaunted rotation — I've been trying to play Nostradamus for 11 Octobers now. It's not a good gig. — The assignment I'm always handed is: Pick the team that's going to win the World Series.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, The Good Phight and ESPN
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