The Whole Delivery

A year after Mario Rivera has returned, Derek Jeter has announced that he will retire after the 2014 season. The Yankees captain announced on his Facebook page that his 20th season would be his final one. "So really it was months ago when I realized that this season would likely be my last. As I case to this conclusion and shared it with my friends and family, they all told me to hold of saying anything until I was absolutely 100% sure." (More to come in a bit) 

It is a good thing that MLB is banning home plate collisions . We don't need to see this happen to another catcher: One Skip Bayless can sometimes make great points, and he made one for sure in indicating that catchers shouldn't be allowed to block home plate anymore and instead remain behind it with the new rule. Now that will be a little difficult with catchers needing to receive throws from certain angles (whether from the outfield or the cutoff men) allowing them to not remain behind home plate sometimes. But these are good steps and points in the right direction for the game. 2013-14 Europa League Group Stage Matchday 6 Information (First version)  More to come throughout the next few hours in this thread at TWD, stay tuned. 

Yup, he took a big spill for sure in another memorable moment from the NBA on TNT crew. No word on whether he slipped because of appearing in that ad for Chris Christie. Now for some Cristiano Ronaldo centric news. He can still be quite the angry A--hole , although the Swedes really made him angry with how sensitive he is. Also, he definitely wants to stay at Real Madrid for the rest of his career. Just a quick thought on the Prince Fielder-Ian Kinsler trade . With how bad Fielder was in the postseason and how he couldn't even hit 30 home runs in that tough ballpark, I just feel Kinsler is a better fit for being clutch for the Tigers. Plus they save a lot of money, although Prince could get back to having big numbers down in Arlington with the Rangers. To the surprise of no one, Serena is the player of the year on the WTA .   More on him tomorrow, but Baylor's Bryce Petty could snatch the Heisman away from Johnny Manziel (and, ugh, Jameis Winston...

Having had the pleasure and gratitude of being on Huff Post Live (HPL) four times in the past,  I say with all due respect that unless there is a disclaimer from their host starting a segment that they are not an expert in sports that they would stop doing sports segments until they get a host with a sports journalism background or truly respected sports reporting chops. It's emabrrassing, and frankly, it's pathetic when their male hosts try and do sports segments and look disastrous in doing so with incomplete or antiquated framing to begin the discussion and just wrong statements throughout. Later today as of this post, the HPL-LA with Jacob Soboroff will be doing two more sports related segments, though one of them will be on the Kasandra Perkins tragedy . The first will be about Barry Bonds, Roger Clemons, and Sammy Sosa being eligible for the Hall of Fame , and Soboroff has already framed it with the generic, tired fan cliche argument that if they were to get into...

A photo of Marvin Miller on July 16, 1981 (Photo from AP File) Most of the modern establishment media, whether in sports or in news in general, never mentioned Marvin Miller in his last years. In fact, many baseball players, from new phenoms like Mike Trout and Bryce Halper to Yankees legends like Mariano Rivera and Derek Jeter, probably don't even know who Marvin Miller was. And that really is another disgrace on our American and global society. Miller was quite frankly one of the exemplary figures in his time on Earth, and the fact that he and his accomplishments were largely hidden to both the general sports fan and the casual viewers of sports in America is quite alarming. His overall, fundamental union characteristics and empowerment for downtrodden figures with no voices (in this instance, the athlete of the middle 20th century before they became solid six figure,  affluent figures) is something the establishment in baseball has forever tried its...

After 56 years, with many of them residing in San Francisco, the baseball Giants have finally become champions once more. Behind an outstanding young pitching staff, a scrappy unit of unsung positional players, and an astute manager longing for ultimate glory himself, the Giants have ended a long drought by defeating the Texas Rangers 3-1 tonight to clinch the 2010 installment of the World Series 4-1. It was only fitting that staff ace Tim Lincecum was the man to spearhead a memorable evening, delivering eight terrific innings in outdueling Cliff Lee and allowing Brain Wilson to cap off a pitching masterclass in the 9th. The pitchers' duel that was expected in Game 1 certainly came to fore-wishing in this encounter. Lee regained his impeccable control that led some to believe he was carving out the mantle of "greatest postseason pitcher of all time", but the reigning 2 time NL champion Lincecum was determined to be the night's #1 protagonist on the mound. And...

Cliff Lee produced the desired return to the postseason for the Texas Rangers, as the ace left hander produced seven stellar innings to go along with an impressive offensive onslaught on David Price in their 5-1 win over the Rays. The full review is here .

Photo from MLB.com The playoffs are set, as the San Francisco Giants, behind Jonathan Sanchez and their brilliant bullpen, are National League West champions after defeating the San Diego Padres 3-0. The loss eliminates the Padres from postseason baseball and allows Bobby Cox another day to manage, as the Atlanta Braves have won the Wild Card based on the result. So the postseason in baseball is set, and more about it later at The Whole Delivery.

Quick news runthrough here: Getty Images' Joe Robbins A common sense move that needed to happen seems on the verge of being official : There are indications that manager Reds Dusty Baker will sign a contract extension, and that it will happen soon. The Dayton Daily News reported Thursday that Baker and the club were close to a deal that would bring back the 61-year-old skipper. Baker, the Reds' manager since 2008, was offered a new deal in mid-August but has refused to speak publicly about negotiations. The offer was believed to be for at least two seasons. He earned around $10.5 million during his current three-year deal. Alberto Contador really brought a needed level of integrity to the sport of cycling, didn't he? News on the Jets front, as they signed Trevor Pryce away from the Ravens today , while Darelle Revis has been ruled out against the Bills this weekend . David Stern really does represent his last name : Washington Wizards majority owner Ted Leonsi...

The long inevitable last four teams standing for the American League pennant is now official. Both the Yankees and the Rays won tonight, joining the Twins and the Rangers in the postseason. Meanwhile, the Reds have clinched the NL Central, as they finally reached the post season after 15 long years. Jay Bruce game winner gives his team the dramatic 3-2 win over the Astros. The Braves scored a huge come from behind 3-2 win over the Marlins to move a game up on the padres, who need to win tonight to bump it back down a half game against the Cubs.

Two weeks remain in the long winding road of ups and downs that is the Major League Baseball season, with two marquee series tonight. Both the American and National Leagues have their East divisions come down to the wire races and featured them starting their important series tonight. After a thrilling series last week, the Rays and the Yankees will duel in the Stadium tonight, while the Braves and the Phillies battle in their final three meetings this year (unless both make the postseason) at Citizens Bank in Philly. For the two time defending NL champs, they will send the resurgent Cole Hamels to the mound, as he oppose rookie Brandon Beachy, who replaces the injured Jair Jurrjens. You would favor the Phillies to pan their NL East lead to four games tonight in this matchup, but the Braves are coming off a confidence boost sweep over a Mets team that has packed it in for the rest of 2010. Meanwhile, Matt Garza will look for better success against the reigning World Champions, as...

Photo from AP He's back in the news . Federal authorities have decided to indict Roger Clemens on charges of making false statements to Congress about his use of performance-enhancing drugs, according to two people briefed on the matter. The indictment comes nearly two and half years after Clemens and his former trainer Brian McNamee testified under oath at a hearing before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, directly contradicting each other about whether Clemens had used the banned substances. It truly is amazing how we have time to indict Clemens on steroids by can't find the millisecond to get our powerful government and corporate crooks.

The Redskins demand that Mr. Weight Loss Program be given an MRI on his left knee : Even as the Washington Redskins ordered an MRI exam on Albert Haynesworth's sore left knee, coach Mike Shanahan gave yet another reason why he is adamant about having the two-time All-Pro defensive tackle pass the team's conditioning test. Haynesworth, according to the coach, missed way too many practices last season. "I've got all the stats in there, how many games he played where he didn't practice throughout the whole week," Shanahan said. "If you don't practice, you're not going to play well. ... My job is to make sure he can play the best once we start our season, and that's to get him in football shape. We'll make sure when he is ready to go, he can go full speed." Other training camp injury news on Elvis Dumervil (not good), Antonio Bryant , and Atari Bigby , No one in Kansas City will feel sad to see Jose Gullien go . It is a a shame...

FINALLY, off of Shaun Marcum of the Blue Jays in the first inning of the ongoing Yankee game in the Stadium. Now we can move back on to "The Life And Times Of Brett Favre." In all seriousness, Rodriguez becomes the youngest player the reach the coveted milestone, getting the monkey off of his back and possibly getting the Yankees to right the ship a little in the midst of their three game losing streak.

And here are the particulars on the Cardinals, Padres, and Indians three way deal : The Cardinals have improved their rotation, the Padres have boosted their batting order and the Indians have pulled in another prospect. The three teams pulled off a swap mere hours before Saturday's 4 p.m. ET non-waiver Trade Deadline, as right-hander Jake Westbrook and cash was sent from the Indians to the Cardinals, outfielder Ryan Ludwick was dealt from the Cards to the Padres and Double-A right-hander Corey Kluber was sent from the Padres to the Tribe. Minor League lefty Nick Greenwood was shipped from the Padres to the Cardinals. More about this in a second, but a shrewd move by the Padres, who just seem like the real deal and thensome more and more. Update: Meanwhile, after getting Lance Berkman yesterday, the Yankees have gotten Kerry Wood from the indians for needed bullpen help. Joba Chamberlain just isn't the same in the 8th inning like he used to be before he went back to bein...

Lance Berkman seems headed to the Yankees , Edwin Jackson gets traded again and returns to the AL Central with the White Sox , the Rangers add to their bench by getting Cristian Guzman from the Nationals , and no word on whether Adam Dunn will leave the DC outfield like his former teammate just did. The Dodgers were talking to the Cubs about Ted Lilly . Other than that, no other name is coming to the forefront of the discussion. And with some many teams still in contention (or believing they still have a shot), the biggest deals of Cliff Lee to the Rangers, Roy Oswalt to the Phillies (pitching already tonight for his new team) and potentially Berkman to the Yanks look to be the big mid season deals for 2010. Stay tuned.

All that is required is for Roy Oswalt to wave his no-trade clause : Oswalt is scheduled to pitch for the Astros on Friday at Minute Maid Park, and the both sides are hoping to get the deal done at some point Thursday. Oswalt is owed about $5 million more this year and is due to make $16 million next season in the last year of his contract, but there's a club option for 2012 that would pay him another $16 million. He said last week the option wouldn't be an issue when it came to approving a trade. The Astros have scouted Phillies left-hander J.A. Happ's most recent starts, and he likely would be included in the deal. Wade also personally scouted Philadelphia's Class A Lakewood affiliate earlier this month. First baseman Jonathan Singleton, an eighth-round pick in the 2009 First-Year Player Draft, could be included in the deal. Singleton, 18, is hitting .319 with 12 home runs, 57 RBIs and a .962 on-base-plus-slugging percentage in 248 at-bats. The Astros have be...

And we now have the fifth no hitter of the year. In what looked like a potential double no-hitter, Matt Garza was able to go the distance and accomplish the terrific feat. Garza's terrific performance overcame Matt Scherzer's own no-hitter attempt in a memorable night at Tropicana Field. I know Tampa Bay Rays fans are saying "Finally", as the Rays have been on the end of getting made the leader story by starling pitchers in the last 14 months. Mark Buerhle's perfect game last year, along with Dallas Braden's perfect game and Edwin Jackson's no-hitter, all came against Tampa Bay, making tonight all the more sweeter. Garza's no hitter is the first in club history, and much needed energy to try and stay with the Yankees in the AL East, as well as stay the team to beat in the wild card.

Photo from AP Showing why he is a legit performer and a key reason why the Braves could ripe the benefits of his hit last night in October . But this game was an embodiment of the entire MLB season. Great pitching dominating great hitting. However, maybe an even bigger storyline was the fact Alex Rodriguez did not play last night , though he said he was fine with the decision from his manager Joe Giradi.

Really gotten more apathetic as this has gone by, but here you go if you want to watch: Watch live video from Home Run Derby on Justin.tv