Top News:
Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
7 candidates to replace Pedro Strop as Cubs closer — Cubs closer Pedro Strop discusses the hamstring injury he suffered in the team's 4-3 win at Washington on Sept. 13, 2018. (Paul Sullivan/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune — Who will manager Joe Maddon choose to be the new Cubs closer for the stretch run?
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Paul Sullivan / Chicago Tribune:
3 things we learned from the Cubs' 4-3 win over the Nationals — Cubs closer Pedro Strop discusses the hamstring injury he suffered in the team's 4-3 win at Washington on Sept. 13, 2018. (Paul Sullivan/Chicago Tribune) — Chicago Tribune — Here are three things we learned …
Discussion:
Bleed Cubbie Blue and MLB Baseball News …
David Schoenfield / ESPN:
Trevor Story is pushing Javier Baez in crowded NL MVP race
Trevor Story is pushing Javier Baez in crowded NL MVP race
Discussion:
Baseball Prospectus
Mark Gonzales / Chicago Tribune:
Can Javier Baez carry the Cubs to the NL Central title?
Daily Record:
Last Slide — The Yankees open their final home stand of the season with a three-game series that begins Friday night (7 p.m.) against the Toronto Blue Jays. — After not playing the final two games of the Twins series in Minnesota, Brett Gardner will be back in the lineup and hit in the No. 9 spot.
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Bill Madden / New York Daily News:
If Yankees aren't home for wild-card game, Aaron Boone will be to blame
If Yankees aren't home for wild-card game, Aaron Boone will be to blame
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
George A. King III / New York Post:
Hal Steinbrenner throws support behind Aaron Boone amid swoon
Hal Steinbrenner throws support behind Aaron Boone amid swoon
Discussion:
Sporting News and MLB Trade Rumors
Eddie Matz / ESPN:
'It's like group therapy': How a rookie skipper won over the Cards clubhouse — Somehow, Mike Shildt got the St. Louis Cardinals to buy into “Ball Talk.” — It would've been all too easy for the Cardinals players, especially the veterans, to roll their eyes.
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Michael Kelly / Associated Press:
Arenado, Story homer to help Rockies beat Diamondbacks 10-3 — DENVER (AP) - Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story homered, Kyle Freeland pitched effectively into the seventh, and the Colorado Rockies beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 10-3 on Thursday to extend their NL West lead.
Discussion:
The Crawfish Boxes and baseballmusings.com
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Dave Clark / Cincinnati.com:
Former Reds exec Bob Miller of Nats auctions World Series ring for colleague with leukemia — Washington Nationals assistant general manager Bob Miller, who spent nine seasons with the Cincinnati Reds as vice president and assistant general manager, put the World Series ring he earned …
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Kyle Newport / Bleacher Report:
Mike Trout Reportedly Expected to Receive ‘Lifetime’ Contract Offer from Angels — While Bryce Harper and Manny Machado will be the biggest names on the free-agent market this offseason, it could be a player already under contract for the foreseeable future who could make the biggest splash.
Discussion:
The Comeback, Halos Heaven and MLB Daily Dish
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Scott Boeck / USA Today:
MLB playoff picture: Updated look at division, wild card races — With just more than two weeks remaining, the Boston Red Sox are the only team to officially punch their ticket to the postseason. — The Red Sox still have work to do to clinch the American League East, although that …
Ramona Shelburne / ESPN:
Matt Kemp is finally home again in LA — There is no easy way to tell a player he's been traded. But generally whatever awkwardness or emotion an executive feels from those calls is offset by the excitement of the calls welcoming the players joining the club.
Bob Ford / Philly.com:
The 2018 Phillies. So what the heck was that? | Bob Ford — The lone saving grace of the Phillies' late tumble from postseason contention was that the baseball they played while exiting the race wasn't much uglier than what they played while taking part.
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David Murphy / Philly.com:
As a season wanes, a complex set of decisions awaits the Phillies
As a season wanes, a complex set of decisions awaits the Phillies
Discussion:
MLB Baseball News …
Mike Puma / New York Post:
Jose Reyes hopes to be next to David Wright in his finale … Before David Wright announced he would return and start one last game in his Mets career, on Sept. 29, he found Jose Reyes in the clubhouse Thursday and shared the plan. — “We were both crying, it was a tough moment,” …
Discussion:
Sporting News and Amazin' Avenue
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Marc Topkin / Tampa Bay Times:
How big is Rays-A's this weekend? Well ... That the Rays are playing a series with even the slightest amount of playoff implications in mid-September is somewhat of an accomplishment. — How big the matchup with the A's that starts tonight at the Trop is depends on your perspective.
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Bob Nightengale / USA Today:
Braves, Giants franchises molded by 1993, MLB's last great pennant race — SAN FRANCISCO — The last great pennant race left some with the most beautiful memories in their careers and others with the ugliest of scars. — It created the most radical change in baseball's playoff format …
New York Daily News:
New book “Baseball Cop” explores MLB's investigation into the Biogenesis PED scandal by one of the men who uncovered it … “Tell THE DEA I WANT THIS DONE F— NOW!” — The DEA agents we first met in the Biogenesis investigation weren't exactly your type A sports fans.
Jeff Wilson / Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
And the Star-Telegram's No. 1 Rangers prospect is ... The debate over who should be the No. 1 Texas Rangers prospect in the Star-Telegram's rankings came down to the value of a position player or the importance of developing a front-line starting pitcher. — And there was debate on who should be No. 1 among the two groups.
Discussion:
Lone Star Ball
ESPN:
Braves try to secure division title in homestand starting with Nationals — ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves have built a 7 1/2-game lead in the National League East thanks to 42-21 record within the division and a 45-30 overall road record — the best in the league.
Discussion:
Federal Baseball and Talking Chop