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Albany, NY – Well the Chicago Cubs are looking for a new manager...
Theo Epstein has made his first major decision since becoming the Cubs' president of baseball operations, firing manager Mike Quade. Epstein praises Quade, but says the Cubs will benefit from someone who can come in "with a clean slate and offer new direction."
In other baseball news, one day after taking home three gold gloves, the Red Sox have come away with three Silver Slugger awards. Red Sox first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, DH David Ortiz, and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury have each won the award, which is handed out annually to the best offensive player at each position in both leagues.
Other winners of regional interest include Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano and Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson. Oddly, AL batting champ Miguel Cabrera and NL batting leader Jose Reyes did not win Silver Sluggers.
The embattled owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers has reached an agreement with Major League Baseball to sell one of the sport's most storied franchises. It ends Frank McCourt's seven-year stewardship of the NL franchise that included four trips to the postseason.
Two House Democrats want big league baseball to test for human growth hormone and to ban chewing tobacco. Representatives Henry Waxman of California and Frank Pallone of New Jersey have made those requests, in a letter to Commissioner Bud Selig.
To the ice, the Flyers scored three times in the first 6 1/2 minutes, chasing Sabres goalie Ryan Miller from net, as Philadelphia hung on to beat the Buffalo 3-2.
Elsewhere, Joffrey Lupul's hat trick powered Toronto over New Jersey 5-3. Devils net-minder Martin Brodeur stopped 18 shots in his return after missing the previous six games with a shoulder injury.
And Radim Vrbata scored twice as Phoenix topped Colorado 4-1.
An autopsy shows former NFL player Bubba Smith died of acute drug intoxication and other conditions. The Los Angeles County coroner's office says Smith had high levels of a weight-loss drug in his system. He also had an enlarged heart. Smith played five seasons with Baltimore and two each with Oakland and Houston, winning the 1971 Super Bowl with the Colts. Smith also played soft-spoken Officer Moses Hightower in the "Police Academy" series.
I'm Tristan O'Neill, WAMC News.