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Fox Sports:
Keuchel strikes out 10, Astros beat Yanks 2-1 in ALCS opener (Oct 13, 2017) — HOUSTON (AP) Dallas Keuchel dominated the Yankees again, striking out 10 in seven scoreless innings to lead the Houston Astros over New York 2-1 on Friday night in the AL Championship Series opener.
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ESPN:
Yankees manager Joe Girardi has no plans to drop Aaron Judge in order during ALCS — HOUSTON — Despite Aaron Judge's struggles in the ALDS, New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he has no plans to move Judge down in the order during the ALCS. — “I never talked about moving him down,” Girardi said.
Discussion:
baseballmusings.com
ESPN:
Astros aces take first swing in one-two punch plan — HOUSTON — Dallas Keuchel throws his fastball an average of 89 mph from the left side, then stares in for the catcher's next sign behind a Tom Hanks-in-Cast-Away beard that adds to his aura of anonymity.
Jorge L. Ortiz / USA Today:
Super utilityman Marwin Gonzalez quiet hero in Astros' ALCS Game 1 win over Yankees — HOUSTON — Shortstop Carlos Correa told him not to throw to home plate. Right fielder Josh Reddick, a former Gold Glover who likes to show off his accurate arm, said he wouldn't have attempted it.
Discussion:
CBSSports.com
John Harper / New York Daily News:
Yankees' missed opportunities let Dallas Keuchel off the hook in ALDS Game 1 — HOUSTON — On many a night against Dallas Keuchel, including the wild-card game two years ago, the Yankees have walked away whistling with admiration at the soft-tossing lefty's brilliance.
Scott LauberESPN / ESPN:
Astros' Marwin Gonzalez goes from Game 1 to wife's side for birth of third child — HOUSTON — Marwin Gonzalez delivered the biggest play Friday night in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series. — And then, his wife was ready to deliver a baby boy. — EDITOR'S PICKS
Discussion:
Associated Press
Kristie Ackert / New York Daily News:
Marwin Gonzalez's versatility was big part of Astros' Game 1 win — As soon as Marwin Gonzalez tumbled to the ground, Brian McCann knew the Astros had him. Gonzalez, a utility player who is more of an infielder, had fired off a throw that was hard, fast and true to the plate.
Peter Botte / New York Daily News:
Dallas Keuchel quiets Yankees' bats yet again as Bombers fall to Astros, 2-1, in Game 1 — HOUSTON - They have a problem. — The Yankees were no match once again for the Houston star named after that other Texas town, as puzzling lefty Dallas Keuchel continued his career-long domination …
Mike Mazzeo / New York Daily News:
Matt Holliday goes 0-for-3 as team's DH in Yankees playoff debut — HOUSTON — The Yankees tried Matt Holliday at DH in Game 1 of the ALCS, but the result was still the same: no hits. — Holliday went 0-for-3 in his playoff debut as a Bomber, and the Yankees lost 2-1 to the Astros on Friday night at Minute Maid Park.
Stefan Stevenson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Rangers' fans forced to choose lesser of two evils in postseason — sstevenson@star-telegram.comBy Stefan Stevenson — Here's your quandary: You're a diehard Texas Rangers fan. But you're also, at heart, a lover of the great game. This should be your favorite time of the baseball season …
Scott LauberESPN / ESPN:
Jose Altuve: Aaron Judge's power, humbleness makes him MVP favorite
Discussion:
The Ringer - All
Anthony Castrovince / MLB.com:
ALCS stacks up teams with MVP candidates
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue
Peter Botte / New York Daily News:
Jose Altuve makes the case for Yankees rookie slugger Aaron Judge as AL MVP
Bradford DoolittleESPN / ESPN:
Dodgers stick with division series rotation as they prep to face Cubs in NLCS — LOS ANGELES — Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced his rotation for L.A.'s National League Championship Series matchup against the Chicago Cubs on Friday. — Roberts said that after Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw starts …
Discussion:
True Blue LA
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Fox Sports:
LEADING OFF: Dodgers get weary Cubs; Verlander vs. Severino — A look at what's happening all around the majors Saturday: — RESTED DODGERS, WEARY CUBS — Los Angeles has been waiting comfortably at home since Tuesday to begin their NL Championship Series, while Chicago enters the opener fatigued and well-traveled.
Fox Sports:
A capsule look at the Cubs-Dodgers playoff series — A look at the best-of-seven National League Championship Series between the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers: — Schedule: (All times EDT) Game 1, Saturday, at Los Angeles, 8:08 p.m. (TBS); Game 2, Sunday, at Los Angeles, 7:38 p.m. …
UPI:
NLCS Game 1: Chicago Cubs arrive late in Los Angeles after unscheduled stop — The Chicago Cubs' overnight flight to Los Angeles lasted into Friday afternoon before arriving more than five hours behind schedule. — The United charter plane landed at Los Angeles International Airport at 12:09 p.m. PT …
Fox Sports:
Dodgers look to turn tables on Cubs in NLCS (Oct 14, 2017) — LOS ANGELES — One year later, the teams in the National League Championship Series are the same so it makes sense that the plot lines are similar. — There is a team four victories away from getting a chance to vanquish a long World Series drought.
Matt Snyder / CBSSports.com:
NLCS: Cubs Game 1 starting pitcher still unnamed, but there are two possibilities
Discussion:
Beyond the Box Score
Anthony Fenech / Detroit Free Press:
Detroit Tigers-centric observations from 2017 MLB postseason
Discussion:
USA Today
Jeff Barker / Baltimore Sun:
No billy goat or ‘Bambino’ but Washingtonians wonder if baseball team is jinxed
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs-Dodgers in NLCS: Who has the edge?
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune
USA Today:
Jon Lester says he ‘blacked out,’ only saw last three outs of Cubs' win against Nationals
Discussion:
CBS Chicago and The Week
Chris Kuc / Chicago Tribune:
Cubs plane diverted to Albuquerque
Discussion:
Chicago Tribune and MLB on Yahoo! Sports
ESPN:
Alex Rodriguez on PED suspension: ‘How stupid can you be?’ — Alex Rodriguez said his admitted use of steriods during his 23-year MLB career cost him millions of dollars and potential spot in Cooperstown. But the desire to put up big numbers and chronic pain in his hip pressured Rodriguez to take performance-enhancing drugs.
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Christian Red / New York Daily News:
‘Jackass’ Alex Rodriguez makes lame excuse for using performance-enhancing drugs
Discussion:
Pinstripe Alley and MLB on Yahoo! Sports
ESPN:
Giants' Bruce Bochy ‘feeling better’ after heart ablation procedure — San Francisco Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he was “feeling better” after undergoing a heart ablation procedure to correct an atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat. — “The procedure went extremely well and I'm feeling better …
Alex Butler / UPI:
Miami Marlins: Diddy welcomes Derek Jeter to Miami with dinner — Longtime New York Yankees star and new Miami Marlins owner Derek Jeter received a grand welcome to Miami Thursday from Diddy. — The rapper hosted Jeter, DJ Khaled, Busta Rhymes, French Montana and Prince Royce at Miami restaurant Komodo in the Brickell area.
Discussion:
TMZ.com
Jeff Fletcher / Orange County Register:
Angels Notes: ‘Dialogue’ ongoing with Justin Upton — Angels general manager Billy Eppler said Friday he recently had a “positive conversation” with Justin Upton and agent Larry Reynolds and “there is dialogue going on,” although he wouldn't characterize the situation any further.
Discussion:
MLB Trade Rumors
Clark Spencer / miamiherald:
Marlins new owners plan to slash payroll to $90M. What that could mean for the team — Derek Jeter warned of “unpopular decisions” ahead when he bought the Marlins. Slashing payroll could be the first. — According to a Major League Baseball source, Jeter and fellow owner Bruce Sherman proposed cutting …
Discussion:
McCovey Chronicles and MLB Trade Rumors
Cincinnati.com:
The Reds will add this offseason, but they won't go bananas — In 2014, the Chicago Cubs made a marginal improvement after spending years in the cellar. After averaging 96 losses a season over the previous three years, they'd gone 73-89. They'd still finished last in the National League Central …
