Top News:
Justin Sablich / New York Times:
Highlights and Analysis: 2013 N.L. Wildcard — Pirates 6, Reds 2 — Anyone who has even casually followed the Pittsburgh Pirates this season is probably familiar with one particular number: 21. That's how many years it had been since the Pirates have made the postseason, let alone had a winning season.
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Zach Links / MLB Rumors:
Brewers Waive Mat Gamel, Taylor Green — The Brewers have placed Mat Gamel and Taylor Green on waivers, a source tells Adam McCalvy of MLB.com. Both players suffered injuries in 2013 that cost them the entire season. — Gamel was set to fill in the gap at first base after Corey Hart …
Discussion:
Brew Beat and Al's Ramblings
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Adam McCalvy / MLB.com:
Melvin talks Crew's bright spots, offseason plans — GM confident club can win with current roster, intends to add to first-base depth — MILWAUKEE — Two days after the end of a season that saw the Brewers win 12 of their final 18 games but finish 14 games under .500 …
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
Julian Linden / Reuters:
Braves Happy Entering Playoffs Under the Radar — (Reuters) - For the first time in nearly a decade, the Atlanta Braves have won the National League East division crown, raising fresh hopes they can rekindle their glory days and make a charge at winning the World Series.
Discussion:
Bless You Boys and Talking Chop
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NY Daily News:
Alex Rodriguez tells panel he was duped into taking steroids: source — The embattled Yankee and his lawyers have presented a case based partly on the idea that Rodriguez believed the substances he procured from the Biogenesis anti-aging clinic were innocent legal supplements.
Discussion:
ESPN, HardballTalk, CBSSports.com, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Deadspin and The Big Lead
ESPN:
Yu Darvish dealt with nerve problem — ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers ace Yu Darvish suffered from a nerve problem in his lower back and buttocks area in September, a source familiar with the situation told ESPN Dallas.com on Wednesday. — The issues caused numbness down Darvish's right leg …
Discussion:
Dallas Morning News and HardballTalk
RELATED:
Peter Abraham / Boston Globe:
Red Sox will face Rays or Indians
Red Sox will face Rays or Indians
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com, Let's Go Tribe, DRaysBay, Red Sox Monster, Bless You Boys, Twinkie Town and Surviving Grady
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
Santo family to receive memorabilia tossed out by Cubs — The Ron Santo memorabilia mistakenly tossed into a dumpster by the Cubs on Monday was fished out by bartenders at Murphy's bar and will be given to the Santo family. — “I'm glad the stuff was saved by Beth Murphy and I'm looking forward …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Sam Mellinger / Kansas City Star:
What Royals GM Dayton Moore really meant by his ‘World Series’ comment — Dayton Moore said something stupid. This stupid thing he said will hang on him. His words will be mocked. — To some, Moore has already been the Royals' general manager too long. Seven years already.
Discussion:
Baseball Nation, HardballTalk and CBSSports.com
Ryan Divish / Mariners Insider:
Sitdown interview with Mariners CEO Howard Lincoln (Part 1). — It was an odd end to yet another disappointing season for the Seattle Mariners. They finished the 2013 season with 91 losses - their fourth straight losing season. And in the final days of the season, manager Eric Wedge decided …
Discussion:
Seattle Mariners blog, Lookout Landing and U.S.S. Mariner
Buster Olney / ESPN:
Sources: Cubs have serious interest in Girardi — Brian Cashman's meeting with Joe Girardi's agent Wednesday comes at a time when the Chicago Cubs have serious interest in hiring the New York Yankees manager, sources told ESPN. — Chicago fired Dale Sveum on Monday, and sources …
Discussion:
CBSSports.com
Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Mariners Will Make Qualifying Offer To Morales — The Mariners will “definitely” make a qualifying offer to impending free agent Kendrys Morales, general manager Jack Zduriencik said on 710 ESPN Radio in Seattle (h/t: MLB.com's Greg Johns on Twitter). — A qualifying offer …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, HardballTalk, U.S.S. Mariner and Lookout Landing
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Rays praise Delmon Young's impact — CLEVELAND — Evan Longoria proved again in Monday's tiebreaker win that — even in a season marred by inconsistency — he is still the biggest force in the Rays lineup. And Wil Myers has been putting an impressive finish on his first big-league season.
Discussion:
HardballTalk and Baseball Prospectus
Andy Martino / NY Daily News:
Yankees GM Brian Cashman's lose-lose dilemma on Robinson Cano; Girardi return seems likelier; NY Mets likely to tender Turner — The Yankees need to sign Robinson Cano. The Yankees need to let Robinson Cano decline in some other city. You have heard both arguments many times …
Discussion:
Amazin' Avenue and Metsblog