Top News:
Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
Report: Cubs to hire ex-Rays manager Joe Maddon — Rumors that surfaced immediately after Joe Maddon left the Rays last week that he was headed to the Cubs apparently are about to become reality. — Though agent Alan Nero told the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday night there was “not a done deal …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
RELATED:
Jon Heyman / CBSSports.com:
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Joe Maddon is about to become the new manager of the Cubs, sources tell CBSSports.com. — Maddon and the Cubs are on the verge of agreeing to a mega deal, according to people familair with the situation. — The Cubs denied that a deal was done in response.
Discussion:
Voices, River Avenue Blues, MLB.com, New York Times, Baseball America, DRaysBay, NESN.com and Bleacher Report
Steve Adams / MLB Trade Rumors:
Cubs To Hire Joe Maddon As Manager — The Cubs will hire Joe Maddon as their new manager, reports Jon Heyman of CBS Sports (Twitter link). Earlier today, Daryl Van Schouwen of the Chicago Sun-Times reported that Maddon and the Cubs had been negotiating. Rick Renteria, who had been serving as manager …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue, Metsblog, South Side Sox, DRaysBay and Bucs Dugout
Nate Silver / FiveThirtyEight:
Send Alex Gordon! — It would have been close. Alex Gordon might have scored, particularly if he'd been in the mindset to do so all along. Or maybe not. I'm sure there will be Zapruder-film-type breakdowns, and I'll look forward to seeing them. It would have been one hell of a moment …
Discussion:
MLB.com, baseballmusings.com, New York Times, Surviving Grady and Al's Ramblings
RELATED:
Associated Press:
Bumgarner, Giants Beat Royals 3-2 to Win Series — Madison Bumgarner closes it out and the San Francisco Giants hold off the Kansas City Royals 3-2 in Game 7 for their third World Series title in five years. — Alex Gordon hit a two-out single in the ninth inning and went all the way to third …
Discussion:
Surviving Grady and baseballmusings.com
David Pinto / baseballmusings.com:
Even Giants — The first and third innings saw the Giants go down in order, and now the fourth inning starts like the second. Pablo Sandoval and Hunter Pence both reach, Sandoval on an infield single rather than a HBP. We'll see if the Giants end up as successful.
Discussion:
Royals Review
Tim Dierkes / MLB.com:
Hot stove begins to warm as 121 players become free agents under Article XX B — Free agency and the Major League Baseball offseason represent a time of optimism and hope for baseball teams and their fans. By the time the last pitch in the World Series is thrown, all 30 teams are already hard …
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors, Federal Baseball, MLB Daily Dish, The LoHud Yankees Blog and Bleed Cubbie Blue
George A. King III / New York Post:
Yankees' next hitting coach could be in Royals dugout — Raul Ibanez greets Alex Gordon . — KANSAS CITY, Mo. — There was serious speculation running through Kauffman Stadium before the Giants' 3-2 victory over the Royals in Game 7 of the World Series that the Yankees were waiting …
Discussion:
HardballTalk and River Avenue Blues
RELATED:
Jeff Todd / MLB Trade Rumors:
Nationals Exercise Denard Span's Option; Decline LaRoche, Soriano — 3:01pm: The team announced the move on Span while also announcing that it has declined its club option on reliever Rafael Soriano and the team end of a mutual option for first baseman Adam LaRoche. — Neither of those moves surprised, either.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and MLB Daily Dish
Andy McCulloughthe / Kansas City Star:
Ribcage injury kept Danny Duffy from the Royals playoff rotation — Ned Yost had his rotation set. As the Royals prepared for the American League Division Series, with James Shields occupied by the Wild Card Game two days prior, Yost knew who would start the first game against the Los Angeles Angels.
Discussion:
Royals Review and HardballTalk
Lisa L. Colangelo / NY Daily News:
New York Mets hurler Vic Black and volunteer crew mark Hurricane Sandy anniversary by sprucing up Staten Island school — Vic Black and a crew helped create a baseball diamond and other improvements. The school took in 17 feet of water during Hurricane Sandy and the playground is still shuttered because of potential sinkholes.
Dick Kaegel / MLB.com:
Moore dissects moves carrying KC to postseason — 9/26/14: Dayton Moore, Ned Yost, Billy Butler and the Royals celebrate the franchise's first postseason appearance since 1985 — After the Royals clinched their first postseason berth in 29 years, MLB.com talked with general manager Dayton Moore.
Discussion:
Bleacher Report
