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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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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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
Melvin talks Crew's bright spots, offseason plans
Discussion:
Al's Ramblings
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, CBSSports.com, The LoHud Yankees Blog, Deadspin, HardballTalk 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
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Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Casey McGehee Considering Return To MLB — Masahiro Tanaka has gotten most of the attention from those looking at the Rakuten Golden Eagles' roster this season (and deservedly so), but the team's third baseman warrants some consideration as well. Former Major League infielder Casey McGehee …
Discussion:
Sportsnet.ca
Steve Adams / MLB Rumors:
Astros Claim Raul Valdes, Decline Humber's Option — The Astros have issued a press release announcing that they have claimed left-hander Raul Valdes off waivers from the Phillies and declined their 2014 club option for right-hander Philip Humber. Humber is one of four players …
Discussion:
MLB Daily Dish, The Crawfish Boxes and Phillies Nation
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 and River Avenue Blues
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:
Lookout Landing, Seattle Mariners blog and U.S.S. Mariner
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
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