• CC, Manny Head List Of Players Offered Arbitration. It's arbitration season, and as expected, the Brewers' CC Sabathia and the Dodgers' Manny Ramirez were among 24 players who got offers, up from 17 last season. The Red Sox made offers to Paul Byrd and Jason Varitek. They have until Sunday to accept. Among those not offered arbitration were Pedro Martinez of the Mets and John Smoltz and Tom Glavine of the Braves. [NBCSports]

• Phillies Release Burrell, Moyer Back Into The Wild. The New York Daily News reported on Monday that the Phillies declined to offer arbitration to ancient pitcher Jamie Moyer, leftfielder Pat Burrell and righthanders Tom Gordon and Rudy Seanez. Can this be wise? [Crashburn Alley]

• Early Christmas Shopping. At least three more people have expressed interest in buying the Chicago Cubs, as Chicago real estate investor Hersch Klaff; the Ricketts family, founder of online brokerage TD Ameritrade Holding Corp.; and a group led by Marc Utay, a New York private equity investor, all filing proposals by the Thanksgiving deadline. "Sources declined to comment on the size of the three bids, which include the team, Wrigley Field and Tribune's 25-percent stake in Comcast SportsNet, a regional cable sports network."

• Sadness In The Jays Nest. Canadian billionaire Ted Rogers, owner of the Toronto Blue Jays, has died of heart failure at the age of 75. [Toronto Globe And Mail]

• This Could Be Dan Plesac's Year. Rickey Henderson, Jim Rice and Tommy John head list of players on the Hall of Fame ballot released on Monday, with Henderson making his debut, and Rice eligible for the 15th and final time. Yes we can! [MLB.com]

You're lucky this is Tuffy-Who-Only-Writes-in-the-Same-Person-as-Leitch, or else we'd subject you to a 3,000-word fever dream about the Rick Ankiel Fishing for Charity extravaganza we once dreamed we were on.

(We, on the other hand, never get tired of that pic. That's the guy Cubs fans are supposed to hate?)

Break Out the Deer Sausage! [Out in Center Field]

We suspect this pictures are fairly common in spring training, and all told, it seems a little unfair to get all over Roger Clemens for his "training regimen" and then mock Beckett for being a little tubby in February. But we have to say: Do the Red Sox have the fattest rotation in recent memory? Even without Curt Schilling, they have Dice-K, Beckett and even Wakefield, who's starting to pork up a little, for a knuckleballer anyway. And this is without El Guapo.

But yeah, put this in the "Baseball Players: They're Just Like Us!" file of photos.

Belly Bulge Belies Buffing Up By Beckett [Boston Herald]

"Beckett is totally and utterly dominant right now. He has perfect form/mechanics and is splendid to watch. " — luminousmidnight

Wow, I almost cut myself on that one! Either ESPN commenters are really that boring, or the red-headed twin censors from Good Morning, Vietnam have found a new job.

ESPN Understand What The Kids Are Talking About [Deadspin]
ESPN.com

• Shippin' Up To Boston. Oh, and nice play by the Injuns to bring a former Beckett ladypal to sing at the game. As attempts to get in a guy's head, rolling out the ex is a pretty shrewd move. But it seems to have back-fired big-time. In fact, the extra shot of testosterone may have been just what The Commander needed to finish off the Indians. Because, as everyone knows, Josh Beckett is fueled by testosterone, Coors Light, and the blood of his victims. [Surviving Grady]

• This Just In, Beckett's Got Balls. ...and they're dirty big balls. Where have I seen this before? Josh Beckett on the mound, pressure cooking...game, season, dreams on the line. Oh wait, it happens every single time the dude steps on the hill during the postseason. Trust me, Cleveland fan,s I sympathize with you. And for the record, you can relax...I still think the Indians are going to win this series and I hope they do just that. However, every once in a while you've got to sit back and appreciate just how lights out Josh Beckett is during the postseason. [Ghosts Of Wayne Fontes]

• Beckett, Despite Intense Cleveland Mind Games, Forces Game Six. Absolutely superb. Josh Beckett clearly feels his WS MVP trophy is a little lonely on the mantle. After a dicey 1st in which he escaped partly due to a non-RBI DP off the bat of Travis Hafner, Becks gave a clinic on pitching, being efficient while also striking out hitters, and almost got an opportunity to teach Kenny Lofton some humility in the process. [Over The Monster]

• Big-Game Beckett Beats Tribe Again. I cannot stand Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. McCarver has a great T.V. voice, but my lord, when these guys get going on something...it's like a rabbit during mating season. They just can't stop or help themselves. Josh Beckett is really good. Anyone that watches baseball can see that. Apparently that wasn't good enough for 'Son of Joe,' and 'I've been around a little too long McCarver.' These two spent the better part of four innings ready to anoint Beckett the King of the World. At least they stopped short of saying Beckett was the greatest pitcher of all time. [Tribe Report]

• Shots Equal Victory. Legend has it that Kevin Millar and members of the Red Sox did shots of Jack Daniels before Game 4 of the 2004 ALCS. They won that game — and so they did shots before each of the next seven games — and won the World Series. In that spirit, Laura and I did JD shots tonight before 8 PM. It worked! [Joy Of Sox]

• A Five-Game ALCS? This Is Cleveland! You didn't think our guys could just reel off four straight against the team they tied for the best record in the whole damn league, did you? Did you?!? Listen, nothing is ever that easy for the Indians in October. In 1995, the year the Tribe lapped the frigging field in the A.L., the Mariners (the Mariners!!) even stretched the Wahoos to six games. Our boys just don't wrap up best-of-seven series in 5 games or less. That's just not how it works for us. This is Cleveland. Nothing comes easy for us. [The Sports Elitists]

• The Morning After: Salvation, And A Peck. Another eight innings with just one more run. That with the brimstone battle between himself and 86 year-old Kenny Lofton, who just fired Joshie up even more, if anything. [Sox Nest]

• Getting A Lead Was Big. It was good to get the lead tonight and build a little more confidence on this team. I think that was a huge factor, just trying to get ahead and trying to get some runs on the board against C.C. I was glad I was able to help there, with that solo homer in the first. [Yooooouuuuukkkkk]

• Round 2. (Oct. 18) Tonight is the night, Tribe fans, when Big CC has revenge on Big Papi and co. Tonight is the rematch where CC proves he is finally over the postseason jitters. Tonight, is the night when CC leads the Tribe to its first World Series in a decade. Every single critic has already dismissed CC as a choke. The east coast bandwagon continues to ride the Beckett/ Sox wagon saying they will come back to beat the Tribe in 7 games. It's not going to happen. [Let's Go Tribe]

We're not quite ready to declare this an epic series now that Beckett has staved off the executioner for a couple of days; the atmosphere will be more friendly in Fenway, but Mr. Carmona is a terrifying Game 6 prospect. But the Red Sox made it to the weekend, and Cleveland, once again, doesn't get to clinch a World Series at home. But they don't have to look at Josh Beckett again either.

New England Winter Postponed [Fair And Foul]

That's exactly what the Cleveland Indians are doing tonight.

Country music artist Danielle Peck will sing the national anthem and "God Bless America" at tonight's Indians game. She will not sing, "Stand by Your Man."

Peck, it turns out, dated Red Sox pitching ace Josh Beckett, who is starting tonight's do-or- die game against the Tribe and who handed them their only loss in the American League Championship Series.

The Indians claim they had no idea, and that's it's just a coincidence. Right. Of course. We think we might have just figured out a way to slow down Tom Brady this season.

Head Games? Tonight's Anthem Singer Is Beckett's Ex [Cleveland Plain-Dealer]

Since there's not much more to say, here's a very amusing KodakGallery slideshow of the Red Sox celebrating their AL East title the other night. Features special Dice-K dancing action!

Red Sox Photo Gallery [KodakGallery]
Big Game Hunter [SI.com]

• By Grabthar's Hammer, By The Suns Of Warvan, You Shall Be Avenged! Bouncing back from his worst slump of the season — one loss — Josh Beckett pitched six scoreless innings and had a run-scoring double as the Red Sox beat the Braves 4-0. At a time when big-name hurlers are going down like Glass Joe, Beckett (10-1) is a true workhorse. Of course your horse doesn't like to work in the rain; Beckett didn't return after a 48-minute rain delay Tuesday, letting three relievers finish up a five-hitter. John Lackey of the Angels also has 10 wins. And hey, no errors for Manny Ramirez! We think we know why.

• Uncle Junior Does It Again. There are some who are rooting for Ken Griffey Jr. to get his 600th homer before Sammy Sosa does, and even though Sosa is a lot closer, it just may happen. Griffey hit his 582nd career homer and 19th of the season, leading the Reds over the Athletics 5-2. It was also Griffey's 1,652nd career RBI, tying him with Tony Perez for 18th on the all-time list. Griffey makes his first appearance in Seattle this weekend since leaving the Mariners after the 1999 season, barring injury, of course ... ow! My hair!

• And Speaking Of Corky ... Sammy Sosa, playing against the Chicago Cubs for the first time in his career (technically), was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts during the Rangers' 5-4 loss. He remained one home run short of 600.

• Your Dan Uggla Update For Today. Dan Uggla's ninth-inning, broken-bat homer (yep) sent the Marlins to a 7-5 win over the White Sox. But Florida lost pitcher Dontrelle Willis after one inning with stiffness in his forearm.

• Make It Rain. Ryan Howard's 451-foot homer and four RBI led the Fightn' Phillies over the Cleveland Politcallly Incorrects, 9-6. It was Kyle Kendrick's first major league victory, which we will now celebrate with this cake.

• The Magnificent Seven. For those Red Sox fans who are even a little aware of Josh Beckett's record in the Skydome, Tuesday's first few pitches must have been grief on a stick. Beckett's first pitch of the game: Boom goes the dynamite! as Alex Rios goes yard. Then a strike to the next batter, Adam Lind, and on 0-1: Double! Hmm. But Beckett got Vernon Wells on a popup (presumably autographed), struck out Frank Thomas and got Troy Glaus on a grounder, and that was it for your Toronto Blue Jays. Beckett went on to become the majors' first seven-game winner as the Red Sox won 9-2. Mike Lowell and Dustin Pedroia each had three-run homers for Boston, and Beckett went seven innings, at one point mowing down 14 straight. The secret? More changeups, we're told. And the tendency not to panic when your first pitch of the game is sent amongst the foreigners. Your Coco Crisp update: He walked and scored ahead of Pedroia's homer. Skydome roof update: Open, sunny.

• Where Is Clayton Moore When You Need Him? According to the Washington Post, it's fun to hate the Yankees again. And much more convenient now that Alex Rodriguez is back hitting homers. Andy Pettitte pitched seven strong innings and Rodriguez homered in the fifth — his 15th — to lead the Yankees to an 8-2 win over the Rangers. Robinson Cano update: Ended a 1-for-21 slump with two doubles. Oh, and in case you were wondering if they prefer the Yankees or the Red Sox in Ecuador, wonder no more.

• Tokyo Is Next. They've tried guns, tanks and even rockets, but nothing the Nationals do can stop Prince Fielder from wading in from Monster Island and destroying everything. Fielder's three-run homer into Washington's bullpen led a 6-4 win for the rampaging Brewers, who have won five straight.

• Oh Cincinnati Reds Bullpen, What Have You Done Now? Brad Salmon (0-1) gave up a 6-5 lead and David Weathers allowed a run in the ninth as the Astros prevailed over the Reds 7-6. Lance Berkman (Astros) and Ken Griffey Jr. (Reds) homered, for Griffey his 568th. The Reds bullpen has a 4.61 ERA, worst in the NL.

• The Passive-Aggressive Offensive Onslaught Of Jack Wilson. Jack Wilson, 0-for-6 on the day, hit a sacrifice fly in the ninth to tie it and another in the 15th to win it, the Pirates beating the Cubs 4-3.

• 2. For His Next Trick, He'll Walk On Water. Here's something that makes more sense than the Easter Bunny: worshipping Albert Pujols. The Cardinals' slugger yanked three out of the yard on Sunday, including a 441-foot walk-off homer in the ninth to give St. Louis an 8-7 win over the Reds. We're not worthy! He had five RBI and four runs scored as the Cards ended a 4-2 homestand, their first at new Busch Stadium.

• 3. The Adventures Of Robinson Cano. Apparently, since Jason Giambi came clean to steroid investigators, he figures he can keep taking them. The Big G had two homers on Sunday and Robinson Cano and Alex Rodriguez had one each to lead New York to a 9-3 win over Minnesota and climb out of last place in the A.L. East. Personally, we'd rather loathe the Yankees than pity them, so we hope it's only one of many wins to come.

• 4. The Josh Beckett Drinking Game. Speaking of trends we'd like to see continue, we just can't get enough of Boston's Josh Beckett. Remember, this is a guy who went nuts when a hitter took a step toward first base on a pitch he thought was ball four. That's Julian Tavarez loco, if you ask us. But unlike Tavarez, Beckett has a 3-0 record and a 1.29 ERA after Sunday's 3-2 win over the Mariners. We propose a new drinking game: a shot for every Beckett fist pump. Even Curt Schilling is saying "Now, that guy's intense."

• 5. Los Tigres Son Muy Macho. Hey Barry: This is how it's done. Chris Shelton has eight home runs this season, the latest giving Detroit a 1-0 win over Cleveland on Sunday. The eight homers over his team's first 12 games is a feat that not even Babe Ruth accomplished; Shelton's the first to do it in A.L. history, actually. Mike Maroth (2-0) scattered three hits over seven innings and struck out five for the win, as the Tigers moved into a three-way tie for first in the A.L. Central.