world-series

Phillies Win 5-4 to Oust Rockies, Will Meet Dodgers in Baseball’s NLCS

October 12, 2009

By Dex McLuskey Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) — The Philadelphia Phillies beat the Colorado Rockies 5-4 to win their Major League Baseball first- round playoff series by three games to one. The defending World Series champions will play the Los Angeles Dodgers in the best-of-seven National League Championship Series. The Los Angeles Angels begin their American League Championship series at the New York Yankees Oct. 16.

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Chicago Cubs Team Files For Bankruptcy as Part of Sale to Ricketts Family

October 12, 2009

By Steven Church Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) — The Chicago Cubs filed for bankruptcy as part of a plan by owner Tribune Co. to sell the baseball team to the family of TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. founder Joe Ricketts . Chicago National League Ball Club LLC listed assets and debts of more than $1 billion in documents filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. The company’s board approved the bankruptcy, saying it “is desirable and in the best interest of the company,” according to the Chapter 11 petition. Under a process approved last month by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Kevin Carey , Tribune plans to transfer the Cubs to a new entity controlled by the Ricketts family. Tribune, the bankrupt newspaper and television company, would retain a 5 percent stake in the team. The deal, worth about $845 million, would bring Tribune creditors $740 million, according to court records. Because the transaction is a so-called leveraged partnership, it will enable Tribune to avoid paying about $300 million in taxes, according to tax consultant Robert Willens , who teaches a class on tax law at the business school at Columbia University. December Filing Should Carey grant final court approval for the deal, Tribune would take cash out of the partnership, which is funded by debt. The structure allows Tribune to avoid taxes it would pay as part of a traditional sale, Willens said. Tribune filed for bankruptcy court protection in December, about a year after billionaire real-estate developer Sam Zell led the $8.3 billion purchase of the company. Tribune’s properties include the Los Angeles Times and the namesake Chicago newspaper. The Cubs have drawn more than 3 million spectators to their 95-year-old stadium in each of the past six seasons. Those fans fill Wrigley Field, on the city’s North Side, to root for a squad that hasn’t won a World Series since 1908, the longest drought in baseball. The team finished 83-78 this season, second place in the National League Central division behind St. Louis. The Cubs haven’t reached the World Series since 1945, when the team lost to the Detroit Tigers in seven games after tavern owner William Sianis cursed the franchise because his pet goat was ejected from a game. The case is In re Tribune Co., 08-13141, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, District of Delaware (Wilmington). To contact the reporter on this story: Steven Church in Wilmington, Delaware, at schurch3@bloomberg.net .

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Dodgers Score Two in Ninth to Beat Cardinals 3-2; Rockies, Angels Win

October 9, 2009

By Erik Matuszewski Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) — The Los Angeles Dodgers scored two ninth-inning runs to win 3-2 against the St. Louis Cardinals, while the Colorado Rockies beat the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 to tie their Major League Baseball playoff series at one game each. Los Angeles rallied after Matt Holliday dropped a James Loney line drive that would have given the Cardinals a 2-1 win at Dodger Stadium. A one-run single by Ronnie Belliard off pitcher Ryan Franklin tied the score at 2-2 before pinch-hitter Mark Loretta drove in Casey Blake for the win. “It’s just the confidence we have in the last inning,” Loretta said in a televised interview. “I knew he was going to come hard at me.” The Dodgers lead 2-0 and can advance to the National League Championship series with a win in St. Louis on Oct. 10. “Right now we’re feeling disappointment,” Cardinals manager Tony LaRussa told a press conference. “We can win a game. We have to wait until Saturday.” Franklin took the loss after giving up two runs, two hits and walking two in one-third inning of work. Andy Wainwright , who was 19-8 in the regular season, allowed three hits, one run and struck out seven in the first eight innings for an earned- run average of 1.12. Holliday homered to left in the second inning to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead, which Andre Ethier canceled out with a solo home run in the fourth inning. Colby Rasmus then doubled to deep center in the seventh to drive home Mark DeRosa and give St. Louis the lead. Phillies Lose At Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Yorvit Torrealba struck a two-run homer off Phillies starter Cole Hamels in the fourth inning as the Rockies opened a 4-0 lead and then held off the defending World Series champions. The best-of-five National League division series now moves to Coors Field in Denver for two games, with Game 3 scheduled for Oct. 10. The weather forecast calls for near-freezing temperatures in Colorado and possible snow showers. “We wanted to win at least one game here,” Torrealba, who shares time with Chris Iannetta at catcher, said during a news conference. “It’s huge because we’ve been playing really well at home, especially the past month and a half. So now we go home and play in front of our crowd.” Hamels took the loss today for the Phillies, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings. Hamels, who was 4-0 during the team’s World Series run last postseason, has a 0-7 record in 10 day starts this season, with a 5.60 earned run average. Early Start Hamels had complained before Game 1, saying the early start times for the first two games were unfair and that most players would rather play at times they’ve grown comfortable with over the season. The Rockies pushed across a run in the first inning, as Carlos Gonzalez singled, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on a groundout. With two outs in the fourth inning, Torrealba pushed Colorado’s lead to 3-0 by hitting his third homer of the season and first since May 6. Dexter Fowler’s sacrifice fly made it 4-0 for the Rockies in the next inning. It was the last inning for Hamels, who later left the stadium after his wife, Heidi, went into labor with the couple’s first child. The Phillies cut the deficit to 4-3 in the sixth inning, as Ryan Howard had a run-scoring double to chase Rockies starter Aaron Cook from the game and Raul Ibanez added a two-run double against reliever Jose Contreras . Cook had scattered three hits over five shutout innings before giving up three straight hits to start the sixth. Fowler hit another sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning as the Rockies pushed their lead to 5-3. The Phillies again got within a run on Jayson Werth’s solo homer in the eighth inning and put two runners on base in the ninth before Rockies closer Huston Street retired Shane Victorino on a line drive to seal the win and even the series. In tonight’s other game, the Boston Red Sox visit the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of their American League series. To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski in New York at matuszewski@bloomberg.net

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Dodgers Score Two in Ninth to Beat Cardinals; Rockies Tie Series at 1-1

October 8, 2009

By Erik Matuszewski Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) — Yorvit Torrealba hit his first home run in more than five months as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 to tie their first-round playoff series at one game each. Torrealba hit a two-run homer off Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels in the fourth inning as the Rockies opened a 4-0 lead and then held off the defending World Series champions at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The best-of-five National League division series now moves to Coors Field in Denver for two games, with Game 3 scheduled for Oct. 10. The weather forecast calls for near-freezing temperatures in Colorado and possible snow showers. “We wanted to win at least one game here,” Torrealba, who shares time with Chris Iannetta at catcher, said during a news conference. “It’s huge because we’ve been playing really well at home, especially the past month and a half. So now we go home and play in front of our crowd.” Two other Major League Baseball playoff games are scheduled for today, as the Los Angeles Dodgers host the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 2 of their NL series after winning last night, and the Boston Red Sox visit the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of their American League series. Hamels took the loss today for the Phillies, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings. Hamels, who was 4-0 during the team’s World Series run last postseason, has a 0-7 record in 10 day starts this season, with a 5.60 earned run average. Early Start Hamels had complained before Game 1, saying the early start times for both the first two games were unfair and that most players would rather play at times they’ve grown comfortable with over the season. The Rockies pushed across a run in the first inning, as Carlos Gonzalez singled, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on a groundout. With two outs in the fourth inning, Torrealba pushed Colorado’s lead to 3-0 by hitting his third homer of the season and first since May 6. Dexter Fowler’s sacrifice fly made it 4-0 for the Rockies the next inning. It was the last inning for Hamels, who later left the stadium after his wife, Heidi, went into labor with the couple’s first child. The Phillies came within 4-3 in the sixth inning, as Ryan Howard had a run-scoring double to chase Rockies starter Aaron Cook from the game and Raul Ibanez added a two-run double against reliever Jose Contreras . Cook had scattered three hits over five shutout innings before giving up three straight hits to start the sixth. Fowler hit another sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning as the Rockies pushed their lead to 5-3. The Phillies again got within a run on Jayson Werth’s solo homer in the eighth inning and put two runners on base in the ninth before Rockies closer Huston Street retired Shane Victorino on a line drive to seal the win and even the series. To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski in New York at matuszewski@bloomberg.net

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Rockies Win 5-4 at Phillies to Tie National League Playoff Series at 1-1

October 8, 2009

By Erik Matuszewski Oct. 8 (Bloomberg) — Yorvit Torrealba hit his first home run in more than five months as the Colorado Rockies defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 5-4 to tie their first-round playoff series at one game each. Torrealba hit a two-run homer off Phillies starting pitcher Cole Hamels in the fourth inning as the Rockies opened a 4-0 lead and then held off the defending World Series champions at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The best-of-five National League division series now moves to Coors Field in Denver for two games, with Game 3 scheduled for Oct. 10. The weather forecast calls for near-freezing temperatures in Colorado and possible snow showers. Two other Major League Baseball playoff games are scheduled for today, as the Los Angeles Dodgers host the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 2 of their NL series after winning last night, and the Boston Red Sox visit the Los Angeles Angels in the opener of their American League series. Hamels took the loss today for the Phillies, allowing four runs on seven hits over five innings. Hamels, who was 4-0 during the team’s World Series run last postseason, has a 0-7 record in 10 day starts this season, with a 5.60 earned run average. Hamels had complained before Game 1, saying the early start times for both the first two games were unfair and that most players would rather play at times they’ve grown comfortable with over the season. Early Score The Rockies pushed across a run in the first inning, as Carlos Gonzalez singled, stole second, moved to third on a sacrifice and scored on a groundout. With two outs in the fourth inning, Torrealba pushed Colorado’s lead to 3-0 by hitting his third homer of the season and first since May 6. Dexter Fowler’s sacrifice fly made it 4-0 for the Rockies the next inning. It was the last inning for Hamels, who later left the stadium after his wife, Heidi, went into labor with the couple’s first child. The Phillies came within 4-3 in the sixth inning, as Ryan Howard had a run-scoring double to chase Rockies starter Aaron Cook from the game and Raul Ibanez added a two-run double against reliever Jose Contreras . Cook had scattered three hits over five shutout innings before giving up three straight hits to start the sixth. Fowler hit another sacrifice fly in the top of the seventh inning as the Rockies pushed their lead to 5-3. The Phillies again got within a run on Jayson Werth’s solo homer in the eighth inning and put two runners on base in the ninth before Rockies closer Huston Street retired Shane Victorino on a line drive to seal the win and even the series. To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski in New York at matuszewski@bloomberg.net

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Yankees Beat Twins 7-2, Phillies, Dodgers Also Win Openers in MLB Playoffs

October 8, 2009

By Erik Matuszewski Oct. 7 (Bloomberg) — Derek Jeter became the first player to hit a postseason home run at the new $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium as New York beat the Minnesota Twins 7-2 in the opening game of their playoff series. “We did a lot of good things today,” Jeter said during a news conference. “We couldn’t have drawn it up any better.” The World Series-champion Philadelphia Phillies also got off to a winning start, beating the Colorado Rockies 5-1 in the opener of their first-round National League playoff series as Cliff Lee pitched a complete game. CC Sabathia allowed one earned run over 6 2/3 innings to take the win in his Yankee playoff debut as New York improved to 8-0 against the Twins this season. Jeter, the Yankees’ captain and one of four players remaining from the teams that won four World Series titles from 1996-2000, hit a two-run homer during the third inning in the first playoff game at the stadium. Alex Rodriguez drove in two runs and Hideki Matsui added a two-run homer for the 26-time World Series champions, who missed the Major League Baseball playoffs last season and haven’t won a postseason series since 2004. New York will host Game 2 of the best-of-five first-round series on Oct. 9. In the NL’s other first-round playoff series, the St. Louis Cardinals visit the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight. Twins Lead The Yankees fell behind 2-0 in the third inning against the Twins, who made the playoffs yesterday by winning a 12-inning tiebreaker against the Detroit Tigers for the AL Central title. Sabathia, who signed a seven-year, $161 million contract with the Yankees during the offseason, started after tying for the major league-lead with 19 wins. Although he was just 1-3 with a 9.47 earned run average in the playoffs the past two years, Sabathia scattered eight hits and struck out eight to improve to 12-2 for the Yankees since the All-Star break. The Twins’ only runs came with a two-out rally in the third inning. Orlando Cabrera singled, advanced to third on a double by Joe Mauer and scored on a single by Michael Cuddyer . Mauer then scored from third on a passed ball by catcher Jorge Posada who, like Jeter, was on the Yankees’ past four championship teams. Jeter tied it in the bottom of the inning with a homer off Twins starter Brian Duensing just inside the left-field foul pole. It was his 18th career postseason homer, tying him with Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson for the third-most in franchise history. Rodriguez The Yankees took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as Nick Swisher ripped a run-scoring double down the left field line. A three-run fifth pushed the lead to 6-2, as Rodriguez had a run-scoring single with two outs and Matsui greeted reliever Francisco Liriano with a two-run homer. Rodriguez, who drove in just one run for the Yankees over the past three postseasons, knocked in the seventh run with a single off the right-field fence in the seventh inning. “It felt good to christen the new stadium, so to speak,” Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira said in the clubhouse. “Short series are tough. For us to get ahead 1-0, it’s a big win for us.” Phillies Win At Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Lee allowed six hits and struck out five batters in his playoff debut. It was his 14th complete game and his fourth since joining the Phillies in a July trade with the Cleveland Indians. Raul Ibanez had two runs batted in while Ryan Howard , Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz also drove in runs for the Phillies. The Rockies broke up Lee’s chance for a shutout in the top of the ninth inning when Troy Tulowitzki doubled to right-center field, scoring Carlos Gonzalez . Ubaldo Jimenez took the loss for Colorado, allowing five earned runs over as many innings. Game 2 of the best-of-five-game series is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon in Philadelphia. Also tomorrow, the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels begin their AL division series in Anaheim, California. To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski at Yankee Stadium in New York at 8797 or matuszewski@bloomberg.net

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Yankees Beat Twins 7-2 as Derek Jeter Homers in Playoff Opener

October 7, 2009

By Erik Matuszewski Oct. 7 (Bloomberg) — Derek Jeter became the first player to hit a postseason home run at the new $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium as New York beat the Minnesota Twins 7-2 in the opening game of their playoff series. CC Sabathia allowed one earned run over 6 2/3 innings to take the win in his Yankee playoff debut as New York improved to 8-0 against the Twins this season. Jeter, the Yankees’ captain and one of four players remaining from the teams that won four World Series titles from 1996-2000, hit a two-run homer during the third inning in the first playoff game at the stadium. Alex Rodriguez drove in two runs and Hideki Matsui added a two-run homer for the 26-time World Series champions, who missed the Major League Baseball playoffs last season and haven’t won a postseason series since 2004. New York will host Game 2 of the best-of-five first-round series on Oct. 9. Earlier today, Cliff Lee pitched a complete game as the World Series-champion Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Colorado Rockies 5-1 in the opener of their first-round National League playoff series. In the NL’s other first-round playoff series, the St. Louis Cardinals visit the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight. Twins Lead The Yankees fell behind 2-0 in the third inning against the Twins, who made the playoffs yesterday by winning a 12-inning tiebreaker against the Detroit Tigers for the AL Central title. Sabathia, who signed a seven-year, $161 million contract with the Yankees during the offseason, started after tying for the major league-lead with 19 wins. Although he was just 1-3 with a 9.47 earned run average in the playoffs the past two years, Sabathia scattered eight hits and struck out eight to improve to 12-2 for the Yankees since the All-Star break. The Twins’ only runs came with a two-out rally in the third inning. Orlando Cabrera singled, advanced to third on a double by Joe Mauer and scored on a single by Michael Cuddyer . Mauer then scored from third on a passed ball by catcher Jorge Posada who, like Jeter, was on the Yankees’ past four championship teams. Jeter tied it in the bottom of the inning with a homer off Twins starter Brian Duensing just inside the left-field foul pole. It was his 18th career postseason homer, tying him with Mickey Mantle and Reggie Jackson for the third-most in franchise history. Rodriguez The Yankees took a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the fourth inning as Nick Swisher ripped a run-scoring double down the left field line. A three-run fifth pushed the lead to 6-2, as Rodriguez had a run-scoring single with two outs and Matsui greeted reliever Francisco Liriano with a two-run homer. Rodriguez, who drove in just one run for the Yankees over the past three postseasons, knocked in the seventh run with a single off the right-field fence in the seventh inning. At Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Lee allowed six hits and struck out five batters in his playoff debut. It was his 14th complete game and his fourth since joining the Phillies in a July trade with the Cleveland Indians. Raul Ibanez had two runs batted in while Ryan Howard , Jayson Werth and Carlos Ruiz also drove in runs for the Phillies. The Rockies broke up Lee’s chance for a shutout in the top of the ninth inning when Troy Tulowitzki doubled to right-center field, scoring Carlos Gonzalez . Ubaldo Jimenez took the loss for Colorado, allowing five earned runs over as many innings. Game 2 of the best-of-five-game series is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon in Philadelphia. Also tomorrow, the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels begin their AL division series in Anaheim, California. To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski in New York at matuszewski@bloomberg.net

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Phillies Beat Rockies 5-1 in Opening Game of National League Postseason

October 7, 2009

By Michael Buteau Oct. 7 (Bloomberg) — Cliff Lee pitched a complete game as the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Colorado Rockies 5-1 in the opener of their first-round National League playoff series. The game was the first of three Major League Baseball playoff contests scheduled for today. Lee allowed just six hits and struck out five batters as he recorded the 14th complete game of his career. It was Lee’s fourth complete game since joining the Phillies, the defending World Series champions, in a trade with the Cleveland Indians in July. The Rockies broke up Lee’s chance for a shutout in the top of the ninth inning when Troy Tulowitzki doubled to right-center field, scoring Carlos Gonzalez . Ubaldo Jimenez took the loss for the Rockies, allowing five earned runs off nine hits over five innings. Game 2 of the best-of-five-game series is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon in Philadelphia. The winner will face either the St. Louis Cardinals or Los Angeles Dodgers, who begin their first-round series tonight in Los Angeles. In today’s other game, the New York Yankees will host the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium. The Rockies and Phillies were scoreless through the first four innings at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, as Jimenez and Lee combined to strike out seven batters. The Phillies took the lead in the fifth when Raul Ibanez hit a hard ground ball past first baseman Todd Helton , scoring Jayson Werth from first. Philadelphia went ahead 2-0 when Carlos Ruiz hit a 3-2 breaking ball to right field, scoring Ibanez. Three Runs The Phillies stretched their lead to 5-0 with a three-run sixth inning. The Twins advanced to the playoffs last night with a 6-5, 12-inning win over the Detroit Tigers in a tiebreaking game at the Metrodome in Minneapolis for the American League Central Division title. Minnesota won 17 of its final 21 games to slip past Detroit, which became the first team in major-league history to lose a division title after holding a three-game lead with four to play. To contact the reporter on this story: Michael Buteau in Atlanta at mbuteau@bloomberg.net

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Tigers Seek to Avoid Historic Collapse in Baseball Tiebreaker With Twins

October 6, 2009

By Erik Matuszewski Oct. 6 (Bloomberg) — The Detroit Tigers will look to avoid a historic Major League Baseball collapse in a tiebreaker against the Minnesota Twins to decide who plays the New York Yankees in the playoffs. The Tigers and Twins meet tonight at the Metrodome in Minneapolis after 162 regular-season games failed to produce an American League Central champion. The winner gets the final spot in baseball’s postseason. Detroit spent 146 days atop the division before Minnesota tied the Tigers for first place on Oct. 3, the next-to-last day of the regular season. Detroit had a seven-game lead in the AL Central one month ago and is in danger of becoming the first team in major-league history to lose a division title after holding a three-game lead with four to play. “As a player, you’re thinking of all the games you lost during the season,” said former Cincinnati Reds shortstop Barry Larkin , now an analyst for the MLB Network . “So you’re kind of kicking yourself, but you’re also thinking that you have to do whatever it takes to win a ballgame.” The Tigers are underdogs, having lost 15 of 26 games in the past month, while the Twins have won four straight and 16 of their past 20. Minnesota also went 11-7 against the Tigers this year, including a 7-2 record at the Metrodome. It would take a winning $160 bet on the Twins to earn $100, while a successful $120 wager on the Tigers would return $100, according to Las Vegas Sports Consultants, which advises Nevada sports books on betting lines. Tiebreakers This is the eighth extra game to decide a division title or wild card since baseball expanded its postseason format in 1969, according to MLB.com , and the third in the past three years. Minnesota also had a tiebreaker for the AL Central title last season, losing 1-0 on the road to the Chicago White Sox. This time the Twins are home for at least one more game at the Metrodome, where they’ve won 54 percent of their games the past 28 years compared with 44 percent on the road. The Twins won World Series titles in 1987 and 1991 at the Metrodome , which features artificial turf, a white roof that can make fly balls hard to see, and a soft right-field wall called the “baggie” that creates awkward caroms. It’s also considered one of the loudest stadiums in sports, with peak decibel levels close to that of a jet airliner. “We’ve seen in the past how well we play in front of our fans and how much it can affect the outcome of the game,” said Twins pitcher Scott Baker , who will start today’s game. Shutouts Baker has a 15-9 record with a 4.36 earned run average this season and the 27-year-old right-hander threw five shutout innings in an 8-3 win over the Tigers five days ago. He’ll be opposed by 20-year-old rookie Rick Porcello , who wasn’t born when the Tigers last won a division title in 1987. The right-hander went 14-9 with a 4.04 ERA this season and won four of his final five decisions. Whoever wins, they’ll be the underdogs in their first-round playoff series against the Yankees, who had a major league-best 103-59 record this season. New York would be a -500 favorite against the Twins, meaning a winning $500 wager would return a $100 profit plus the initial stake, and a -300 favorite against the Tigers. CC Sabathia will pitch the opening game for the Yankees, who haven’t won a playoff series since 2004. New York had a 7-0 record against Minnesota this year and was 5-1 against Detroit. “Once we figure out who we’re going to play, then we’ll start going to work,” Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira told reporters. Red Sox In the other AL Division series, the Boston Red Sox are favored -140 over the Los Angeles Angels. Jon Lester will be the starting pitcher in Game 1 of the best-of-five series for Boston, while the Angels turn to John Lackey . In the National League’s opening-round series, the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies are -165 favorites against the Colorado Rockies, and the St. Louis Cardinals are -150 favorites against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Cole Hamels will start the Phillies’ playoff opener against Ubaldo Jimenez of Colorado, while the Cardinals will go with Chris Carpenter against the Dodgers’ Randy Wolf . To contact the reporter on this story: Erik Matuszewski in New York at matuszewski@bloomberg.net

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Bobby Cox to Retire After One More Season as Manager of Atlanta Braves

September 23, 2009

By Larry Siddons Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) — Bobby Cox will manage the Atlanta Braves for one more season and then retire, ending a 20-year run in which he helped turn one of baseball’s doormats into a World Series champion and perennial contender. Cox, 68, signed a one-year contract extension through 2010, the Braves said in a news release. He then will become an adviser to the Major League Baseball club under a five-year agreement. The manager of mediocre teams in Atlanta and Toronto for seven seasons, Cox got hot with the Blue Jays in 1985, winning the American League East Division and capturing the AL Manager of the Year award. He retired from managing after that season to become the Braves’ general manager, then returned to the dugout midway through 1990 to manage the club. That team finished last in the National League West with a major-league-worst 65-97 record, but went 40-57 under its new manager. The next season, the Braves became the first team to reach the World Series a year after posting baseball’s worst mark, falling in seven games to the Minnesota Twins. That started a run of 14 straight postseason appearances for Atlanta and Cox, including the World Series title in 1995. The postseason run stopped in 2006 and the Braves haven’t returned to the playoffs. They are in second place in the NL East this season with an 81-70 record, 7½ games behind Philadelphia in the division and 4½ behind Colorado in the race for the league’s wild-card playoff spot. Cox has won four Manager of the Year awards and is fourth in baseball history with 2,408 regular-season victories. To contact the reporter on this story: Larry Siddons in New York at lsiddons@bloomberg.net .

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New York Yankees Return to Baseball Postseason After Missing Out in 2008

September 23, 2009

By Nancy Kercheval Sept. 23 (Bloomberg) — The New York Yankees clinched the first of Major League Baseball’s eight playoff berths as the Texas Rangers lost to the Oakland Athletics. The record 26-time World Series champions last year missed the postseason for the first time since 1993. To contact the reporter on this story: Nancy Kercheval in Washington at nkercheval@bloomberg.net

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Former Met Lenny Dykstra Accused of Taking $40,000 Stove After Bankruptcy

September 3, 2009

By Linda Sandler and Aaron Kuriloff (Corrects property’s value in 10th paragraph.) Sept. 3 (Bloomberg) — Lenny Dykstra , who helped the New York Mets win the World Series in 1986, was accused of taking goods from his home including a $40,000 French stove two weeks before a bankruptcy judge appointed a trustee to oversee his finances. Fixtures and furniture were “removed and presumably sold” by the former Major League Baseball All-Star, who filed for bankruptcy in July, according to court papers filed by the mortgage lender Index Investors LLC, a creditor in the case. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Geraldine Mund in Los Angeles said this week she will appoint a trustee who will assess prospects for Dykstra to lead a reorganization, said Bruce Speiser, a lawyer for Index Investors, which asked the court to let creditors liquidate the ballplayer’s assets instead. A person in bankruptcy isn’t allowed to dispose of assets. Some do it anyway. Prosecutors of jailed con man Bernard Madoff , whose company is under trusteeship in U.S. Bankruptcy Court, said he mailed items including a diamond bracelet and watches to family in violation of a court-ordered asset freeze. Dykstra was “apparently in the process of stripping furnishings, fixtures and equipment from the estate property,” Index Investors said in an Aug. 19 court memorandum, “doubtlessly to fuel his lifestyle at the expense of his creditors.” Gretzky’s Old House Wayne Gretzky , a Hall of Fame hockey player who’s now a coach and team part-owner, sold Dykstra the house in Thousand Oaks, California, for $17.4 million, Dykstra said in court papers. Gretzky bought the La Cornue range for $51,750 including tax and freight, Index Investors said in its court filing. Jonathan Hayes, a lawyer for Dykstra, didn’t immediately return a call and e-mail seeking comment. Dykstra told ESPN.com in April he was worth $60 million. His July bankruptcy petition listed debt of $10 million to $50 million. He owed JPMorgan Chase & Co. $12.9 million, according to the filing, and Bank of America Corp.’s Countrywide and credit-card units a combined $4.2 million. Dykstra’s Aug. 10 court declaration said after the bankruptcy he was required by family law court to turn over his $5,700 monthly pension from Major League Baseball to his wife, Terri, who filed to dissolve the marriage. He has had no other income since the bankruptcy filing, his lawyer said in court papers. Second House Has Mold The Dykstra’s 17,000 square-foot Thousand Oaks residence, which he valued at as much as $20 million in court papers, has three guest houses. JPMorgan has the first priority mortgage and Index Investors, which is owed $900,000, has the second and third- priority mortgages, he said. Dykstra valued a second 8,000-square-foot house in Westlake Village, California, bought in 1999, at as much as $8 million even though it has a “water leak and mold caused by the leak,” he said. Countrywide has a $4 million first priority mortgage on it and a second lien is held by Wachovia Home Mortgage, he said. He filed for bankruptcy to stop Index Investors from holding “a scheduled illegal foreclosure sale,” he said. The lender subsequently asked the court to let it start foreclosing, and to convert Dykstra’s Chapter 11 proceedings to a Chapter 7 liquidation. Dykstra opposed the motion in court, saying he has tried to co-operate with the lender, to reinstitute his interrupted insurance on the house and find a buyer. The buyer “actually entered into a purchase agreement to buy it for $23 million” before withdrawing from the deal, he said. Reclaim a Porsche Porsche Financial Service Inc. asked this week for permission to reclaim a 2009 Porsche Cayenne S, a sport-utility vehicle. Dykstra, 46, known as “Nails” by fans for his aggressive playing style, became an entrepreneur after injuries ended his career, opening a chain of car washes, a subscription Web site that offered stock picks and The Players Club. The ballplayer owes almost $1 million to jet charter services, about $342,000 to the lawyer Daniel Petrocelli and $229,000 to the literary agent David Vigliano . Dykstra broke into the major leagues in 1985 with the Mets and helped the team win a World Series title the following season. He joined the Phillies in 1989, and four years later finished second to Barry Bonds in National League Most Valuable Player Award voting as he helped the franchise reach the World Series. Dykstra had a career .285 batting average with 81 home runs and 404 runs batted in. The case is In re Lenny Kyle Dykstra , 09-18409, U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Central District of California (San Fernando Valley). To contact the reporter on this story: Linda Sandler in New York at lsandler@bloomberg.net ; Aaron Kuriloff in New York at akuriloff@bloomberg.net .

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Chicago Cubs Purchased by TD Ameritrade’s Ricketts Family for $845 Million

August 22, 2009

By Adam Satariano Aug. 22 (Bloomberg) — The Chicago Cubs baseball team, which hasn’t won a World Series in more than 100 years, will be acquired by the family of TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. founder Joe Ricketts for $845 million. The sale by Chicago-based Tribune Co. , the newspaper publisher driven to bankruptcy last year by debt and falling ad sales, requires the approval of Major League Baseball’s owners and the court, the parties said yesterday in a statement. Bidding for the team and its home field began more than two years ago after billionaire real estate developer Sam Zell led the $8.3 billion purchase of parent Tribune, the owner of the Los Angeles Times and the namesake Chicago newspaper. The price includes Wrigley Field and a 25 percent interest in Comcast SportsNet, the company said. “Certainly the price point is eye-popping,” Paul Swangard , managing director of the University of Oregon’s Sports Marketing Center in Eugene, Oregon, said in an interview. “It speaks of the inherent value of a great baseball brand.” As part of the sale, the entity holding most of the Cubs assets will voluntarily file for Chapter 11 protection so the franchise can emerge free of Tribune’s financial obligations, according to the statement. The court is expected to rule on the transaction early in the fourth quarter of 2009, said Tribune, which will keep a 5 percent stake. Gary Weitman , a Tribune spokesman, said the company wouldn’t comment beyond the release. The Ricketts family also declined to comment, according to Dennis Culloton , a spokesman. Ricketts Family Ricketts, 63, who grew up in Omaha, Nebraska, continues to own a 15.6 percent stake in TD Ameritrade , the retail brokerage, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The family’s pursuit of the team has been led by his son, Tom Ricketts , 43, the chairman of Incapital LLC, a Chicago-based investment company. “Our family is thrilled to have reached an agreement to acquire a controlling interest in the Chicago Cubs, one of the most storied franchises in sports,” Joe Ricketts said in the statement. “The Cubs have the greatest fans in the world, and we count our family among them.” Zell, 67, announced plans to sell the Cubs in April 2007, soon after complete a buyout of the broadcasting and publishing company. He entered into exclusive talks with the Ricketts family in January. In a May interview, Zell said the sale was taking longer than expected because the buyer was having trouble raising the money during the credit crunch. Court Protection Tribune sought protection from creditors less than a year after Zell took the company private because of almost $13 billion in debt and a deteriorating ad market. The team and Wrigley Field weren’t included in the bankruptcy at the time. The Cubs are one of the most popular franchises in baseball, drawing more than 3 million spectators to their 95- year-old stadium in each of the past five seasons. Fans pile into Wrigley Field, on the north side of Chicago, to root for a squad that hasn’t won a World Series since 1908, the longest drought in baseball. In April, Forbes valued the franchise at $700 million, fifth in the league. The New York Yankees, at $1.5 billion, were the most valuable franchise, the magazine said. The Cubs haven’t been in the World Series since 1945, when they lost to the American League champion Detroit Tigers in seven games. In 1969, the Cubs spiraled out of first place in a season remembered by fans for the black cat that ran in front of the team’s dugout during a September game just before the string of losses began. Famous Failings In 2003, the Cubs were five outs shy of a return to the World Series when a fan deflected a fly ball in Wrigley Field. The team ended up blowing a 3-0 lead. The team, which first played in 1876, has legions of fans and traditions. One involves spectators throwing home run balls hit by opposing teams back onto the field. The club also is known for its singing of “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” during the seventh-inning stretch, sometimes led by celebrities. U.S. President Barack Obama , who is from Chicago, roots for the cross-town rival White Sox. This season, the Cubs are in second place in the National League’s Central division, with a 61-58 win-loss record, behind the St. Louis Cardinals. To contact the reporter on this story: Adam Satariano in San Francisco at asatariano1@bloomberg.net ;

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`Man of Steal’ Rickey Henderson, Rice Enshrined in Baseball’s Hall of Fame

July 26, 2009

By Erik Matuszewski July 26 (Bloomberg) — Rickey Henderson joined baseball’s Hall of Fame today in his first year of eligibility, while Jim Rice was enshrined in Cooperstown, New York, in his 15th and final year on the ballot.

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