Elephant Rumblings: Melvin Wins TSN Manager of the Year, Shadiness Defines Playoffs

A’s Coverage:

• Lee: Melvin named AL Manager of the Year by TSN...
• Shea: Recalling Dennis Eckersley-Kirk Gibson, 30 years later...
• Evaluating A’s arbitration in 2018 MLB offseason: Mark Canha...
• Report: A’s believed Astros were stealing signs during late August game...

MLB News:

• ESPN: MLB clears Astros of sign-stealing allegations; Dave Dombrowski defends Red Sox...
• Source: Dodgers’ Manny Machado fined for running into Jesus Aguilar...
• Doolittle: Brewers’ Wade Miley five pitch gambit fails as Dodgers win Game 5...

Baseball Interest Stories:

• Baumann: Is the Astros’ Trade for Justin Verlander the Best Deadline Deal in Baseball History?
• Yahoo: Beware of shady s**t in the baseball playoffs...
• Sullivan: The Fan Interference Call Was Probably Good...
• Torres: Why is Eduardo Núñez getting so much playing time?

Today in Baseball History:

• 1972 - The Cincinnati Reds defeat the Oakland Athletics, 1 - 0, in Game 3 of the World Series. Cincinnati wins despite some successful strategy by the Athletics. In the 8th inning, with runners at second and third, Oakland manager Dick Williams apparently calls for Rollie Fingers to intentionally walk Johnny Bench, only to have Fingers whistle a third strike past the confused Reds catcher. Pitcher Blue Moon Odom strikes out 11 Reds, but Jack Billingham is the winner as the Reds win their first game of the Series.
• 1973 - New York Mets Jerry Koosman and Tug McGraw combine to pitch a three-hit, 2 - 0 shutout against the Oakland Athletics to take a 3-2 lead in the World Series .

Best of Twitter:

• What are your thoughts?

• Will the aces get off the playoff schneid?