Bet Baseball Club100’s of Professional Baseball Betting Tips, Handicapping Techiques & Winning Strategies - MLB Local Team News, Scores, Odds, Schedules, Trades & Rumors from around the League

NL-best Cubs pick up Piniella’s option for 2010

Manager Lou Piniella plans to stick with the Chicago Cubs for a while. The Cubs picked up the option on Piniella’s contract for 2010 on Tuesday, a day before the NL Central champions open the playoffs against …

Dempster gets first chance to back up assertion

On the very first day of spring training, Ryan Dempster made a bold statement. “I think we will win the World Series.

Dodgers-Cubs, Angels-Red Sox playoff schedules announced

The playoff schedule has been announced. First the local teams, followed by the rest of the schedule : Dodgers vs.

Pitching Cards’ biggest question

St. Louis — This season, the St. Louis Cardinals devoted about a quarter of their $100 million payroll to pitchers who didn’t pan out.

A capsule look at Brewers-Phillies playoff series

A look at the best-of-five National League division series between the Milwaukee Brewers and Philadelphia Phillies: Schedule :@ Game 1, Wednesday, at Philadelphia ; Game 2, Thursday, at Philadelphia ; Game 3, …

LIVE: ChiSox need win to force 1-game playoff

Weeks homers to help Brewers take wild-card lead

The Milwaukee Brewers control their own destiny again. Rickie Weeks hit a three-run homer in the seventh, Seth McClung pitched four scoreless innings in relief and the Brewers rallied to beat the Chicago Cubs …

Pennant-race roundup

White Sox try to force playoff with Twins
Thought yesterday was the regular-season finale? Think again. The White Sox need a win today (LIVE) to force a playoff with the Twins.

Pirates fire two coaches after last-place finish
Pitching coach Jeff Andrews and first base coach Lou Frazier were fired Monday by the Pittsburgh Pirates after only one season in their jobs. Andrews, a former Pirates minor league pitching coach whose hiring was recommended by several of the club’s pitchers, had season-long problems with one of the worst staffs in the franchise’s history. The last-place Pirates didn’t have a 10-game winner for the first time in 108 seasons and their 5.08 ERA was the fifth-highest in club history.

Angel Rally To Usher In ‘Red October’

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will hold a 90-minute rally Monday night at Angel Stadium to build support for the team in its American League Division Series against the Boston Red Sox .

Primer for a postseason without New York
For the first time since 1995, neither New York team is in the playoffs. Randy Hill says, luckily, baseball has star power to spare.

Analysts: Tough to determine if there is such a thing as clutch
The night before this year’s All-Star Game, Nike held an A-List marketing party to showcase Derek Jeter’s new line of shoes. …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/406920822″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Blue Jays president and CEO Paul Godfrey steps down after 8 years in role

Paul Godfrey stepped down as president and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, ending an eight-year run in which his success on the team’s business side was never matched by similarly strong improvements on …

Gallardo to start Game 1 for Brewers (AP)
Yovani Gallardo will start Game 1 for the Milwaukee Brewers in the NL playoffs against Philadelphia, followed by ace CC Sabathia for Game 2. “I don’t know how to explain it. I’m very excited, just ready to go,” Gallardo said Monday. “I’m just going to give my team the opportunity to win.” Gallardo returned from a torn knee ligament and pitched four innings last Thursday against Pittsburgh in his…

Sabathia comes up big again as Brewers claim NL wild card
CC Sabathia and Ryan Braun put the Milwaukee Brewers in the playoffs for the first time since 1982 with big help from the Florida …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/405675042″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Yankees are looking to future

Joe Girardi rounded the corner, bounded into the New York Yankees clubhouse and began dragging a big garbage can back to the manager’s office.

Rangers make coaching changes

Texas Rangers‘ bench coach Art Howe and third base coach Matt Walbeck won’t be back next season.

Angel Rally To Usher In ‘Red October’

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will hold a 90-minute rally Monday night at Angel Stadium to build support for the team in its American League Division Series against the Boston Red Sox .

White Sox win, force playoff vs. Twins (AP)

Alexei Ramirez spread his arms wide, raced around the bases like a little kid and jumped into Paul Konerko’s embrace at home plate. No wonder they were so happy. The White Sox would play one more day. Ramirez set a rookie record with his fourth grand slam of the season, and Chicago beat Detroit 8-2 in a rainout makeup Monday, forcing a one-game tiebreaker against Minnesota for the AL Central title.

Rodriguez, Ausmus Shine As Astros Best Braves

Wandy Rodriguez threw seven strong innings as the Houston Astros closed out the regular season with a 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves at Minute Maid Park.

Howard comes through in clutch

Ryan Howard was leaving the field after taking batting practice before a game in early May when he spotted a group of young fans standing near the Philadelphia Phillies dugout frantically trying to get his …

Rays beat behemoths with patient plan
Rays beat behemoths with patient plan If the Rays had three times the payroll, they might be the Red Sox. Then again, if they were the Red Sox, they’d have finished in second place.

Rays closing in on playoff roster
Rays closing in on playoff roster With the Rays needing to finalize their playoff roster by Thursday, manager Joe Maddon has some decisions to make — especially regarding Carl Crawford and Troy Percival.

Twins win, will root for Tigers to knock out White Sox
The Minnesota Twins wrapped up their regular season with a win. Up next? Another agonizing afternoon spent cheering against the …

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/405699562″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Extra innings for baseball’s regular season
Seven of baseball’s eight postseason teams are set. The other might not be determined until Tuesday.

MlbAl-TopStories/~4/406264320″ height=”1″ width=”1″/>

Blue Jays president and CEO Paul Godfrey steps down after 8 years in role

Paul Godfrey stepped down as president and CEO of the Toronto Blue Jays on Monday, ending an eight-year run in which his success on the team’s business side was never matched by similarly strong improvements on …

Red Sox-Yankees game postponed by rain

Mac and Danny go 700 feet below ground to investigate when a construction worker is killed in a tunnel explosion.

M’s end miserable season with 4-3 win over A’s

Ichiro Suzuki had two hits and scored the decisive run as the Seattle Mariners rallied for a 4-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, ending a pair of forgettable seasons.

The perennial All-Star finished the season tied with Boston’s Dustin Pedroia for the most hits in the major leagues at 213. It is the fifth time Suzuki has led the majors in hits. Only Cobb, Rose, Musial and Gwynn have done that.

Suzuki finished the season batting .310, his 15th consecutive season above .300 in Japan and the major leagues.

Sox still alive

Angels try to inch closer to home-field advantage vs. Texas

On the verge of wrapping up home-field advantage throughout this year’s playoffs, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim close out their regular season with a three-game home series with the Texas Rangers that …

CC pitches Brewers into playoffs

October’s burning questions
The postseason has just about arrived. Now it’s time for Dayn Perry to set the stage by asking October’s burning questions.

Twins win to keep Central lead

Manuel names Hamels Game 1 starter
Phillies ace Cole Hamels will pitch Game 1 of the division series when the NL East champions open Wednesday at home against the Los Angeles Dodgers or Milwaukee Brewers. Hamels went 14-10 with a 3.09 ERA this season and struck out 196 batters in 221 1-3 innings. Manager Charlie Manuel said he was undecided about his Game 2 starter and might wait until Monday to name one. The Phillies beat the Washington Nationals 4-3 on Saturday to win their second consecutive NL East title.

Rangers set doubles record in 8-4 win over Angels

Josh Hamilton overtook Justin Morneau for the AL RBI lead, Nelson Cruz and Chris Davis hit consecutive home runs, and the Texas Rangers set a major league single-season record for doubles in an 8-4 victory over …

N.Y. loses

Oakland Athletics (75-83) at Seattle Mariners (58-101),

The Seattle Mariners begin the final series of what’s been a miserable 2008 season with tonight’s first of three straight meetings with the Oakland Athletics from Safeco Field.

Joe Mauer Nears Batting Title

The Twins are about to take the field with the American League Central race still in the balance.But they know they’re at least safe from elimination on Sunday, thanks to the half-game lead over the White Sox …

Chicago-Detroit makeup game set for Monday

The Chicago White Sox announced Friday a makeup game with Detroit, if needed, would be played Monday at 2:05 p.m. EDT.

Playoff hope alive for Guillen, Sox

It’s rarely a good sign when the manager is ironing out the details of his getaway plan a few hours before the first pitch in a must-win game.

Tampa Bay Rays (96-64) at Detroit Tigers (73-86),

With their first AL East title in team history secured, the Tampa Bay Rays continue to tune up for the postseason with the third of four games against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.