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It’s playoff time in major league baseball and not only did we get the wild card playoff but before that we got the Texas Rangers hosting the Tampa Bay Rays in a game 163 just to get into the wild card game. Tampa Bay and the Pittsburgh Pirates won their wild card game and advanced into the best of 5 division series. It looks like the loss to the Pirates in the wild card game cost Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker his job. The Reds fired Baker on Friday with one year remaining on his contract. Some of the stories out there have said that Baker’s choice to start Johnny Cueto in the wild card game and Cueto’s poor performance was the reason Baker was let go. There was also some talk that the way Baker handle the bullpen during the wild card game had something to do with his release. A lot of the experts didn’t understand why Baker didn’t go to another starting pitcher when Cueto was removed from the wild card game. Baker had guided the Reds to the playoffs two of the last three seasons but it looks like the failure to win a World Series title in Cincinnati cost Baker his job. The division series match ups started with a few blow out games but Game 2 of the Atlanta Braves/Los Angles Dodgers series and the opening game of the Oakland A’s/Detroit Tigers series where closer games. With the division series being five game match ups no one has taken control of a series just yet. With the Dusty Baker firing there are four major league baseball teams looking for new managers. Washington, Cincinnati, Seattle and the Chicago Cubs all have openings for a manager right now. A couple of names have surfaced on some of these cities. Cincinnati has been rumored to be interested in Tony LaRussa. LaRussa has said he has no interested in the Reds job but that’s what you’d expect him to say. Reds general manager and President of baseball operations Walt Jocketty has a working relationship with LaRussa from the time they spent together in the St. Louis Cardinals organization. In Chicago the Cubs are interested in hiring Joe Girardi and there’s a report out today that said the Cubs are willing to make Girardi one of the highest paid managers in baseball. The New York Yankees would like to keep Girardi’s managerial services and they haven’t given the Cubs permission to speak to Girardi. Girardi’s contract runs until the end of the month and the Yankees would like to have a new deal done with him before his contract ends. The interesting name that has come up in Washington Nationals manager search is Cal Ripken Jr. While Ripken has no managerial experience he was a student of the game while he played; everyday by the way. I haven’t heard any names mentioned for the Seattle Mariners job as of yet. I’m sure there will be a few more opens for managers before we get to next season, so will see how this plays out.

Over shadowed by the baseball playoffs the National Hockey League season kicked off. I actually get a NHL free preview this week, so I’ve been able to check out some games from different markets. Chicago Blackhawks got a win opening night as they celebrated winning the Stanley Cup last season. It’s a full season for the NHL this season after a strike shortened season last year. I’m wondering how many of you are watching hockey with the baseball playoffs going on?

The National Basketball Association exhibition season starts today as well and there has been a lot of talk about what kind of season Derrick Rose will have. Rose didn’t play at all last season and this was a big topic in and around the NBA. You’d think Rose will be 100% to start this season and one of the rumors is that he’s improved his jump shot. Dwight Howard has been a topic of off-season conversation as well this week. I guess Howard can make free throws with his eyes closed and has had a little war of words with Kareem Abdul – Jabbar.

How was your Week? You can follow me on Twitter @Burketime

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