Top News:
Toronto Sun:
SPORTS BASEBALL — Yankees analyst David Cone refers to Ichiro Suzuki's bat as ‘chopstick’ — Yankees batter Ichiro Suzuki hits a single against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium in New York, N.Y., Oct. 1, 2012. (RAY STUBBLEBINE/Reuters) — David Cone might have some explaining …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Minor League Ball
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David Waldstein / New York Times:
Valentine Hurt After Reading Text Message on Bike — In the final days of one of the most painful seasons of his career, Red Sox Manager Bobby Valentine on Tuesday lay entangled with his bicycle at the bottom of a ditch next to the Central Park Reservoir. — On the wet, slippery path …
Discussion:
Boston Globe, NESN.com, Associated Press, HardballTalk and Deadspin
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com Sports News …:
Red Sox intend to fire Valentine when season ends — Bobby Valentine has been mired in controversy since the season began. (US Presswire) — In a move that will be seen as anticlimactic at this point, Red Sox upper management intends to remove Bobby Valentine as manager soon after the season ends …
Discussion:
ESPN, MLB Rumors, HardballTalk and Baseball Nation
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Game 162: Red Sox at Yankees — One more time this season, here is a preview of the game: — RED SOX (69-92) — Ellsbury CF — Pedroia 2B — Nava LF — Ross RF — Loney 1B — Saltalamacchia C — Lavarnway DH — Ciriaco 3B — Iglesias SS — Pitching: RHP Daisuke Matsuzaka (1-6, 7.68)
Discussion:
Over the Monster
Dan Steinberg / DC Sports Bog:
Teddy wins first Presidents Race — To the list of momentous firsts accomplished during this crazy joyride of a Nationals season — first winning record, first playoff berth, first division title, first injection of Natitude — add this: for the first time, Teddy Roosevelt won the fourth-inning Presidents Race.
Discussion:
Bats and Federal Baseball
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Associated Press:
Teddy finally wins Presidents Race at Nats game — WASHINGTON (AP) — Teddy wins! Teddy wins! — For the first time, the Teddy Roosevelt mascot won the Presidents Race in the middle of the fourth inning at Nationals Park — a pursuit that drew attention even from a White House spokesman and Sen. John McCain.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports
Associated Press:
Nationals down Phillies, wrap up home-field advantage — WASHINGTON — The NL East champion Washington Nationals secured home-field advantage throughout the post-season by beating the Philadelphia Phillies 5-1 Wednesday for their majors-high 98th victory, with Ryan Zimmerman homering moments …
Discussion:
Phillies Nation and Associated Press
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Miami Marlins' Adam Greenberg returns for his Moonlight Graham moment - and he strikes out against NY Mets ace R.A. Dickey — Mets looking to add veteran arms to bullpen for next season as general manager Sandy Alderson will likely enact a plan far different from last offseason, when he spent big for Frank Francisco.
Discussion:
MLB Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
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Brian Erni / Metsblog:
Final Score: Marlins 4 Mets 3
Final Score: Marlins 4 Mets 3
Discussion:
Fish Stripes, Amazin' Avenue and Yahoo! Sports
Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
Alomar knows he's got stiff competition — CLEVELAND — Sandy Alomar Jr. has served as the interim manager of the Indians for the past five days, but he has yet to sit behind the desk in the manager's office. If he gets the full-time job, Alomar will feel more comfortable shifting to the chair.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and NESN.com
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Jordan Bastian / MLB.com:
C. Perez says ‘different dynamic’ will boost Tribe
C. Perez says ‘different dynamic’ will boost Tribe
Discussion:
Let's Go Tribe, MLB Daily Dish and MLB Rumors
Colin Wyers / Baseball Prospectus:
Mariners to Move Safeco Fences In — Over time, baseball teams develop identities, and even if the players change, the identities stay the same. The Yankees (and the Red Sox, for that matter) have cultivated a slow, plodding, methodical style of three-true-outcomes baseball that scores lots of runs and takes its time doing it.
Discussion:
U.S.S. Mariner and MLB.com
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Greg Johns / MLB.com:
New dimensions to make Safeco more hitter friendly
New dimensions to make Safeco more hitter friendly
Discussion:
FanGraphs Baseball, MLB Daily Dish, U.S.S. Mariner, Lookout Landing, Kings of Kauffman, Baseball Nation and ESPN
Dylan Hernandez / Los Angeles Times:
Mark Walter says Dodgers willing to spend this winter — Chairman Mark Walter says Dodgers still have money for major acquisitions 'if it's right for us,' despite having already added more than $400 million in contracts. — The Dodgers added more than $400 million in player contracts this season …
Discussion:
MLB Rumors, True Blue LA and MLB Daily Dish
Mike DiGiovanna / Los Angeles Times:
Dan Haren finishes 12-13, might not be back with Angels — Team isn't expected to pick up $15.5-million option for 2013. Right-hander was slowed by back trouble in first half of this season.
Discussion:
HardballTalk, MLB Rumors and MLB Daily Dish
Mark Bowman / MLB.com:
Sheets to retire after Wednesday's start — PITTSBURGH — When Ben Sheets takes the mound in Wednesday afternoon's regular-season finale against the Pirates, he will be doing more than filling just a few innings for the Braves. The veteran pitcher will be making the final start of his injury-plagued career without any regrets.
Discussion:
Yahoo! Sports, Talking Chop, Bucs Dugout and MLB Daily Dish
csnphilly.com:
Ruiz to play next month, have option picked up — WASHINGTON - When the Phillies' season ends Wednesday afternoon, club officials will turn their attention to constructing the 2013 club. Manager Charlie Manuel would like to see the club chase down a bona fide centerfielder (B.J. Upton?) and add some accomplished bullpen help.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and MLB Daily Dish
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Todd Zolecki / MLB.com:
Amaro has high praise for scouting department
MLB:
Cabrera won't sit, closes in on Triple Crown — Miguel Cabrera apparently plans to continue his pursuit of the elusive Triple Crown. — Cabrera, who currently leads the American League in all three Triple-Crown categories, will bat third in the lineup Tuesday even though the Detroit Tigers already have clinched the AL Central title.
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Associated Press:
Max Scherzer twists ankle
Max Scherzer twists ankle
Discussion:
Bless You Boys, MLB Daily Dish and MLive.com