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Homers help Hamels, Phils win Game 1 — Ibanez, Ruiz go deep; lefty stumbles after early success — LOS ANGELES — Raul Ibanez came up huge Thursday in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series against the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. — The Phillies had been clinging …
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Homer-happy Phils beat Dodgers 8-6 in NLCS opener — LOS ANGELES — Brad Lidge and the Philadelphia Phillies picked up where they left off a year ago against the Dodgers in the NL championship series. — Carlos Ruiz and Raul Ibanez hit three-run homers, reliever Ryan Madson got a key …

Dodgers will be looking inside for outs
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Philly.com, Boston Globe, Phillies Nation, The Good Phight, True Blue LA, Yahoo! Sports, St. Petersburg Times, MLB.com, 6-4-2, BBTF's Baseball Primer …, Bats, ESPN and Camden Chat

Martinez to start Game 2 — Pedro Martinez will start for the Phillies in Game 2 of the NLCS. — “It's a good ballpark for him,” Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. “He likes the moment. I actually like him better in this game than I did in the fourth game.” — Martinez
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CC is cool as October — NEW YORK — You search for even the faintest hint of anxiety or tension from the pitcher who's being asked to deliver the Yankees to the World Series. Of course there is none, nothing even close as CC Sabathia is flipping through mail Wednesday afternoon …
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Yanks keeping tabs on the weather
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Batter's Box Interactive …, Circling The Bases, River Avenue Blues and bronxbanterblog.com

Sox trying to re-work Saito deal — The Red Sox are currently involved in a procedural matter with reliever Takashi Saito's contract which would allow them to re-sign the right-hander but for less than the $6 million on his 2010 option, according to a major league source familiar with the deal.
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Saito Remains — For Now — on Red Sox Roster — Contrary to a report on Thursday afternoon, there has been no transaction to this point involving Red Sox reliever Takashi Saito, according to a major-league source. Specifically, as of Thursday afternoon, he has not been assigned outright …

PostCards: Is it time to trade Albert Pujols? — TOWER GROVE — The first edition of this offseason's PostCards mailbag begins with a favorite parlor game of the press box: Take the best player on the team. Put him on the trading block. Wonder just what it would take in return to make a deal happen.
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Abreu turns down Angels' $16M offer … The Angels offered outfielder Bobby Abreu a two-year contract extension for about $16 million, SI.com has learned. However, Abreu did not accept the offer and is believed to be looking for more after helping to lead the Angels to the ALCS against the Yankees.
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The Fallacy Of El Comedulce
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ESPN, Hardball Times, Mike Silva's …, MLB Rumors, The Bronx View Yankees Podcast … and New York Times

Guzman added, Burnett in Game 2 (and a live chat tonight!) — Still in the interview room where Joe Girardi just announced that Freddy Guzman has been added to the roster in place of Eric Hinske. — Also, A.J. Burnett is starting Game 2. Andy Pettitte in Game 3. Game 4 is TBA.
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Boston Globe, Fack Youk, Sox vs. Stripes, The Bronx Block, Sliding Into Home, Pinstripe Alley, River Avenue Blues and New York Post


Strasburg ready for Arizona Fall League debut — PHOENIX — Wearing a gray Washington Nationals No. 37 jersey and blue jeans, Stephen Strasburg looked forward to his debut today in the Arizona Fall League for the Phoenix Desert Dogs. — Strasburg said Thursday he is not planning to change …
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Free agency looms for John Lackey (Cont.) — • Pitching guru Rick Peterson may have a couple options. He has interviewed with the Brewers to become their pitching coach, and his close relationship with Willie Randolph from their days together with the Mets before they got fired together makes that a natural fit.


Superstitious Yanks cling to their good-luck charms — For Nick Swisher, it's a broken Yankees gnome in his locker. For Jose Molina, a hand-drawn picture of a bunny. For Jorge Posada, a quote from the Bible. — They're the trinkets, geegaws and personal items adorning the Bombers' lockers …
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Sliding Into Home

If Jays GM looking to make a splash, how about Bay? — Alex Anthopoulos is quickly putting his own stamp on the Blue Jays, reassembling the scouting and development staff, and good for him. — That's the best way to build for the long term. Plus, it also enhances his own job security.


The (Alleged) Tragedy Of How The Astros Are Treating Jose Cruz — So Jose Cruz is no longer the first-base coach of the Houston Astros. Now can someone please tell me why everybody is so upset? Seriously, what's the big deal? — The guy was the first-base coach.


Reflective Yost interviews with Astros — Ex-Brewers manager certainly remembers tenure's end — MILWAUKEE — Former Brewers manager Ned Yost has had 13 months to mull what went wrong in Milwaukee, and he broke a long period of relative silence Thursday after interviewing to be the next skipper of the Houston Astros.
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Al's Ramblings