>>Cubs Name Dale Sveum New Manager
(Chicago, IL) -- The Chicago Cubs have a new manager. The Cubs offered the position to Milwaukee Brewers hitting coach Dale Sveum [[ SWAYM ]] on Thursday and he accepted. A press conference is scheduled for this morning to introduce him. Sveum originally interviewed with Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer for the job on November 7th and had a second interview on Tuesday evening. Sveum's only previous managerial experience was in 2008 when he took over the Brewers job from Ned Yost, who was fired with 12 games remaining in the season. Sveum's team went 7-and-5, gaining the Brewers' first playoff berth since 1982. Epstein and Hoyer's history with Sveum dates back to 2004, when he was the Red Sox's third base coach for two seasons before leaving to become the Brewers' bench coach.
>>MLB To Add Two More Wild Card Teams
(Milwaukee, WI) -- Major League Baseball is set to add two more Wild Card teams to its playoff format, an expansion that could occur as soon as next season. The expansion will be fairly simple. The American and National League will each get an additional wild card team. A one-game playoff will begin the postseason. The playoffs will then follow their current three-round format, Division Series, League Championship Series, and World Series. Commissioner Bug Selig said Thursday that MLB would like to have the expansion in place for next season. With the addition of the two wild card spots, 10 out of the 30 major league teams will make the playoffs.
>>Report: MLB Labor Deal Done
(Undated) -- FOX Sports reports a labor deal has been reached in Major League Baseball. According to the report, the deal is for five years, meaning their will be 21 straight years of labor peace in the sport. An official announcement will reportedly be made on Monday. The latest report is just one of many developments in Major League Baseball on Thursday. In addition, Major League Baseball approved the sale of the Houston Astros. The longtime National League franchise will move to the American League West for the 2013 season. The move will give each league 15 teams apiece.
