*Yo here's an interesting article from Ol Boy Evan Drellich about what was apparently a pretty intense outburst from Alex Cora. Drellich:
On August 31, less than two months before he was named Sox manager and at a time of peak anxiety off the field, Cora cursed out Astros broadcaster Geoff Blum on a team bus heading from the airport to the stadium in Houston. When the bus arrived at the Astros' Minute Maid Park, Cora went off again, screaming at his boss, Astros manager A.J. Hinch.
*The Rangers signed lefty free agent - and potential Astros target - Mike Minor to a contract and the plan is to use him as a starter. The Rangers are also confident they can sign Shohei Ohtani.
*You probably have already come to terms with this, but the Astros aren't going to land Ohtani.
*Jon Heyman actually makes some pretty good points in why the Padres will sign Ohtani.
*Jose Altuve and the Big White Football Guy were named SI's Sportspersons of the Year. SI Editor-in-Chief Chris Stone:
People understand the depth of what Houston endured, and we hope this will bring some measure of excitement and joy while acknowledging that it's just an award. We're not honoring just J.J. and Jose. We're honoring an entire city. It's their story just as much as Jose's and J.J.'s story.
Jake Kaplan notes that Altuve is the 18th baseball player to receive the honor, and the first since Madison Bumgarner in 2014.
*Minor League baseball teams raised over $300,000 for hurricane relief.
*Astroline is tomorrow evening from 6pm-7pm at the Pluckers on Shepherd and will feature Bill Brown interviewing Jeff Luhnow.
*Josh Reddick went to his old elementary school and read "The Little Engine That Could." George Springer went back to UConn to visit...pretty much everybody, it looks like.
We didn't come out here to play tiddlywinks, son.
-Hal Smith
