Baseball

The St. Louis Cardinals are an exemplary franchise, but are they on the verge of becoming a dynastic one?

David Freese left Game 3 of the NLCS between the St. Louis Cardinals and Los Angeles Dodgers Monday with a sore right calf muscle.

The Los Angeles Dodgers finally showed some signs of life in the NLCS, as they got back on track with a Game 3 win on Monday against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Still down 2-1 in the series, the Dodgers have some work to do as Lance Lynn (15-10, 3.97 ERA) takes the hill for the Cardinals. The Dodgers will counter with Ricky Nolasco (13-11, 3.70 ERA).

After a dramatic two-game split in Boston, the Detroit Tigers return home for a crucial Game 3 in the first of three consecutive games to be played at Comerica Park.

Despite a late-game collapse in which Detroit allowed five Boston runs over the final two innings of Sunday’s Game 2 loss, a combined one-hitter from Tigers’ pitchers in Game 1 gives Detroit a theoretical chance to win the ALCS at home.

It’s difficult to imagine where the St. Louis Cardinals would be without their rookie pitchers.

Between Carlos Martinez, Seth Maness, Trevor Rosenthal, Kevin Siegrist and Michael Wacha, the Cardinals' young hurlers have individually and collectively played a crucial role in the team's success this October.

However, one very important name has been absent from the mix: Shelby Miller.

According to baseball writer Peter Gammons, some Boston Red Sox players are upset about Jhonny Peralta's inclusion on Detroit's postseason roster after a 50-game suspension for his connection to the Biogenesis scandal.

According to Mark Feinsand of The New York Daily News, there is mutual interest between impending free agent Carlos Beltran and the New York Yankees.

The Cubs will do some much-needed fine-tuning this offseason, making upgrades in the outfield and possibly around the infield. The bullpen will need some support after barely hanging on in 2013 and the Cubs will need a strong bench. 

The New York Yankees' failure to reach the playoffs in 2013 has been written about ad nauseam, but rather than lament the disappointments of the recent past, there are some good reasons to look toward the future.

The dust has finally settled after the Boston Red Sox mounted a glorious comeback against the Detroit Tigers at Fenway in Game 2. The ALCS is officially knotted up at one game apiece as both teams travel to Detroit for three more meetings as they decide who will represent the American League in the 2013 MLB World Series.