>>Cardinals Battle Braves In NL Wild Card Game
(Atlanta, GA) -- The St. Louis Cardinals and Atlanta Braves meet in tonight's National League Wild Card game at Turner Field. It's a one-game playoff as part of Major League Baseball's new postseason format, with the winner advancing to take on the NL East champion Washington Nationals in the best-of-five National League Division Series. Kyle Lohse [[ Loash ]] will start for St. Louis, while Atlanta counters with Kris Medlen. The Braves have won a record 23 consecutive starts by Medlen. The Cardinals begin another postseason run without former manager Tony La Russa and slugger Albert Pujols. La Russa retired after St. Louis won the World Series last year, while Pujols signed as a free agent with the Angels. The Braves were eliminated from postseason contention on the last day of the regular season in 2011. This could be the final game for future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones, who is retiring at the end of the season after 20 years in an Atlanta uniform.
>>O's, Rangers Meet For Spot In ALDS
(Arlington, TX) -- The Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers will clash tonight in the American League Wild Card game at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Joe Saunders will start for Baltimore, while Texas counters with Yu [[ Yoo ]] Darvish. The Orioles are back in the postseason for the first time since 1997. The Birds battled the Yankees all season in the quest for the American League East Division title before settling for one of the two Wild Card spots this week. The Rangers squandered a bid for their third straight AL West crown by losing five of their last six games down the stretch. Texas blew a 5-1 lead in a 12-5 loss to Oakland on the final day of the regular season that gave the Athletics the division title. The Rangers have won the last two American League pennants, but came up short in the World Series both times. The O's last won the World Series in 1983. The winner of this game will host the Yankees in the first two games of the best-of-five AL Division Series beginning Sunday.
>>Sandberg To Be Phillies Third Base Coach
(Philadelphia, PA) -- Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg is joining the Philadelphia Phillies coaching staff. The former Chicago Cubs second baseman will serve as the Phillies third base coach and infield instructor next season. Sandberg has been a minor league manager in the Phillies' system the last six years. Also being promoted from the minor league system are new hitting coach Steve Henderson and bullpen coach Rod Nichols. Current Phillies pitching coach Rich Dubee will be back next year.
