Top News:
Tyler Kepner / New York Times:
Royals and Giants Make It a Wild-Card World Series — A hard-luck American League wild-card team wins a long-awaited pennant at home in the late afternoon. The next night, the wild-card San Francisco Giants beat the St. Louis Cardinals with a game-ending hit to clinch a pennant of their own.
Discussion:
AZ Snake Pit, Royals Review and Purple Row
RELATED:
John Perrotto / USA Today:
Royals put no stock into regular season sweep of Giants — The Kansas City Royals swept the San Francisco Giants in a three-game interleague series in August. — That is quite fitting since sweep has been the operative word for the Royals during their first postseason appearance in since 1983.
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score and Royals Review
Associated Press:
S.F. stations ban Lorde's ‘Royals’ — SAN FRANCISCO — The popular song “Royals” by New Zealand artist Lorde is getting caught up in the fervor over the upcoming World Series between the Giants and Kansas City Royals. — Two San Francisco radio stations say they won't play the song during the duration of the World Series.
Andy McCulloughthe / Kansas City Star:
Royals' James Shields passed kidney stone during ALCS but is ready for World Series — The back pain surfaced late at night two Sundays ago. Waves of nausea soon followed. As the Royals wrapped up their first berth in the World Series since 1985 last week, James Shields was grappling …
Discussion:
USA Today and HardballTalk
Bill Ladson / MLB.com:
Club can wait until after World Series to pick up $9 million option on center fielder
Club can wait until after World Series to pick up $9 million option on center fielder
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and HardballTalk
Greg Johns / MLB.com:
Young awarded Sporting News' AL Comeback Player — 8/17/14: Chris Young fires six scoreless innings vs. the Tigers, fanning four batters and allowing just four hits to push his record to 12-6 — SEATTLE — Believing he'd finally overcome a series of shoulder issues that had hindered much of his career …
Discussion:
U-T San Diego stories and Bluebird Banter
RELATED:
Greg Johns / MLB.com:
Righty scratched from AFL start, team says he's completely healthy
Righty scratched from AFL start, team says he's completely healthy
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Greg Johns / MLB.com:
After comeback campaign, veteran pitcher sure to draw interest this offseason
After comeback campaign, veteran pitcher sure to draw interest this offseason
Discussion:
Sporting News Feed RSS, Lookout Landing and MLB Trade Rumors
Nick Cafardo / The Boston Globe:
Hitting coaches blamed for lack of offense — Hitting coach jobs are available in Atlanta, Boston, New York (both teams), and Milwaukee, and the Cubs and Astros fired their hitting coaches then hired new ones (John Mallee in Chicago, Dave Hudgens in Houston).
Discussion:
HardballTalk, CBSSports.com, Metsblog, NESN.com, MLB Trade Rumors, Amazin' Avenue, Over the Monster and ESPN
William Boor / MLB.com:
Baseball's top prospect hits RBI double, scores run in win for Salt River — John Hart, Jim Callis and Bill Ripken discuss Twins outfielder Byron Buxton being ranked No. 1 on MLB.com's list of top prospects — Byron Buxton played only 30 games for Advanced A Fort Myers and one game for Double …
Discussion:
Minor League Ball, twinsdaily.com and Lookout Landing
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William Boor / MLB.com:
Twins prospect Rosario flashes speed as Peoria, Salt River play to 11-inning draw
Twins prospect Rosario flashes speed as Peoria, Salt River play to 11-inning draw
Discussion:
Purple Row, Minor League Ball and HardballTalk
Full Count:
Source: Red Sox hire Chili Davis to become hitting coach — According to multiple major league sources, the Red Sox have agreed to terms with Chili Davis to become their next hitting coach. — Davis, who worked as the hitting coach for the Triple-A Pawtucket Red Sox in 2011 …
Jayson Stark / ESPN:
Is Buster Posey the next Derek Jeter? — San Francisco Giants catcher chasing his third World Series title in five seasons — So ... do you think Derek Jeter is starting to get jealous of Buster Posey? — He probably should be. Because if you just substitute wholesome family dude …
Discussion:
ESPN, Lookout Landing, Washington Post, NESN.com, McCovey Chronicles and HardballTalk
Ryan Fagan / Sporting News Ryan Fagan Feed RSS:
Sporting News MLB awards 2014: Mets' Jacob deGrom voted top NL rookie — Sporting News has selected a Rookie of the Year since 1946, a year before MLB began its official award. This year's winners, as voted on by fellow players in their leagues, are Jacob deGrom of the Mets (National League) …
Discussion:
New Jersey Online, Amazin' Avenue, South Side Sox and Metsblog
Lee Enterprises / St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
Jay set for surgery — and for CF in 2015 — • By Derrick Goold dgoold@post-dispatch.com 314-340-8285 — ST. LOUIS • The Cardinals view returning center fielder Jon Jay as their starter at the position for 2015, and they expect him to be healthy and ready for spring training …
Discussion:
HardballTalk
Cincinnati.com:
Reds 3B coach Steve Smith will not return in 2015 — Steve Smith will not return as the Reds third base coach in 2015, but the rest of Bryan Price's first coaching staff with the Reds is expected to return, the team confirmed on Monday. — Smith said he had been told on Sept. 30 …
Discussion:
Redleg Nation and Red Reporter