World Series Game 6 live chat

The New York Post is known for stirring the pot with its screaming headlines and creative uses of photo shop (Pedro’s head on a baby’s body?) But they can push the envelope just as well with word-play. This from Angela Montefinise: Big Apple women may soon be able to take a ride on Derek Jeter…

Given all of the indications that the team had no plans to offer free agent Rich Harden arbitration this winter, the Cubs must have been feeling confident about their 2010 rotation. Big-money pitchers Carlos Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempster were set to lead the way, with rookie surprise Randy Wells and summer acquisition Tom…

The Phillies managed to score four runs in six innings against a fully rested Andy Pettitte in Game 3 of the World Series on Saturday. Given that he’ll be working on short rest tonight, it seems doubtful that they’ll be shut down entirely. Pettitte hadn’t even started on four days’ rest since Sept. 5. His…

* After turning in an absolutely brutal second half that contributed to the Tigers coughing up their AL Central lead, Brandon Inge underwent surgery yesterday to address chronic patellar tendinitis in both knees. He’ll be shut down for about six weeks, but should have plenty of time to get healthy by spring training. Inge has…

During their press conferences yesterday Andy Pettitte spoke about how expects to feel pitching on three days’ rest and Pedro Martinez jokingly encouraged the media to praise him now rather than waiting until he dies: After attending Martinez’s press conference several of my favorite media members posted notes on Twitter marveling at how entertaining the…

Mark Bowman of MLB.com reports that Tim Hudson “has passed his physical and essentially made his three-year contract extension a done deal.” Unlike the Rays and Pirates with yesterday’s Akinori Iwamura-for-Jesse Chavez trade the Braves will likely wait until after the World Series to officially announce the Hudson deal, but he’s expected to receive about…

* Fired as Rockies manager in the middle of this season, Clint Hurdle is reportedly close to replacing Rudy Jaramillo as the Rangers’ hitting coach. Rangers Ballpark in Arlington isn’t quite Coors Field, but Hurdle definitely picked a good place to be judged on hitters’ production. * George W. Bush threw out the first pitch…

Chip Caray’s awful announcing caused me to watch much of TBS’ postseason coverage with the television muted and Richard Deitsch of SI.com recently asked Turner Sports president David Levy about the oft-criticized play-by-play man: Certainly, Chip made some on-the-air errors that we are well aware of, and like we do with all our sports, we…

I do my best to avoid Mike Lupica whenever possible, but my buddy Jason alerts me to the latest bit of wisdom from the New York Daily News’ alpha dog: Joe Girardi knows the deal as well as he knows his way out to the mound. He’s right about using only three starters in the…

Paul Hagen of the Philadelphia Inquirer offers five possible explanations for Ryan Howard’s struggles during the World Series: (1) He’s putting too much pressure on himself; (2) That’s just baseball. Slumps happen; (3) The time off between the NLCS and World Series cost him his “mojo”; (4) The Yankees pitchers are just executing; and (5)…

Or, if they’re tied or losing, who comes out of the pen late?  Lidge? Madson? Even when his usage suggested that he was going with the hot hand (or, in this case, the less cold hand) Charlie Manuel has at least verbally insisted for most of the postseason that Brad Lidge is still the guy. Now? He’s…

The latest collection of rumors and notes from SI’s Jon Heyman has a couple of interesting items: Before these playoffs, the Yankees were believed willing to go for two years and $16 million for [Johnny] Damon. But that was before his solo double steal in Game 4. That was a spiffy play and all, but…

Donnie Baseball was invited to come to D.C. to interview for the Nats job, but declined, says Alden Gonzalez at MLB.com.  The theory: that the Dodgers are working to formalize Mattingly’s heir-apparent status in Los Angeles, officially making him Joe Torre’s successor. I’d like to see Mattingly get the Dodgers’ job, but these heir-apparent situations…

Off days stink because they force writers to fill space with silly stuff like this article making an argument for Chase Utley as “the best second baseman in baseball. Ever.“  The evidence cited: his OPS is higher than Jackie Robinson’s!  He’s on pace to have more hits than Joe Morgan! He’s got more home runs…

What has been a disconcerting offseason for the Los Angeles Dodgers just got a little bit weirder. I’m talking Warren Zevon weird. Things have gone downhill since L.A. was ousted quite easily by the Phillies in the NLCS. There is of course, the ongoing saga of the McCourt divorce, which includes a non-stop stream of…

Rays second baseman Akinori Iwamura is headed to Pittsburgh, says the St. Petersburg Times and several other sources. According to ESPN’s Buster Olney, right-hander Jesse Chavez will be the return when the deal is announced, something that might not happen until after the World Series concludes. The Rays are expected to surrender a second player…

The Yankees confirmed Tuesday that Andy Pettitte would take the mound on short rest and start Game 6 against the Phillies and Pedro Martinez on Wednesday. It was obvious the Bombers would go that route from the moment that A.J. Burnett was chosen to start Game 5. If Chad Gaudin was going to pitch, it…

Mark Topkin of the St. Petersburg Times reports that the Rays “are on the verge of completing a trade” for Akinori Iwamura. Recent speculation had the Dodgers and Cubs interested in Iwamura, but Topkin writes that “an unexpected team” would be the destination. Tampa Bay holds a $4.85 million option or $550,000 buyout on Iwamura…