A’s and Hideki Matsui finalize $4.25M deal

OAKLAND, CA - DECEMBER 14: Hideki Matsui(notes) waves during a press conference where he was introduced as the newest member of the Oakland Athletics at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on December 14, 2010 in Oakland, California. The Oakland Athletics signed designated hitter Hideki Matsui to a one-year deal worth $4.25 million plus possible incentives for the 2011 season. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)


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Texas’ Josh Hamilton easily wins AL MVP award

NEW YORK (AP)—Josh Hamilton(notes) thought back to the days when his career was derailed by drugs and alcohol.

“I would say a 99 percent chance that this would never happen,” he said. “I mean, honestly, I think a lot of people would agree with that.”

In one of baseball’s most inspirational turnarounds, the Texas Rangers outfielder was a runaway winner of the American League’s Most Valuable Player award Tuesday. Hamilton received 22 first-place votes and 358 points from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Former Cincinnati Reds teammate Joey Votto(notes)was voted the NL MVP a day earlier.

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Yankees 1, Rangers 6 (ALCS 2-4)

ARLINGTON, TX - OCTOBER 22: Vladimir Guerrero(notes) #27 of the Texas Rangers dives on the pile as he celebrates with his teammates after the Rangers won 6-1 against the New York Yankees in Game Six of the ALCS during the 2010 MLB Playoffs at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington on October 22, 2010 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Elsa/Getty Images)


WP: C. Lewis (2-0)
LP: P. Hughes (0-2)


HR - N Cruz (2, 5th inning off D Robertson 1 on, 2 Out).


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Rangers 5, Rays 1 (ALDS 3-2)

ST PETERSBURG, FL - OCTOBER 12: : Pitcher Cliff Lee #33 of the Texas Rangers pitches against the Tampa Bay Rays during Game 5 of the ALDS at Tropicana Field on October 12, 2010 in St. Petersburg, Florida. (Photo by J. Meric/Getty Images)

WP: C. Lee (2-0)
LP: D. Price (0-2)

HR - I Kinsler (3, 9th inning off R Soriano 1 on, 0 Out).

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Twins 1, Yankees 6 (ALDS 3-0)

New York Yankees Marcus Thames hits a two-run home run in the fourth inning in Game 3 of the American League Division Series baseball game at Yankee Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 9, 2010 in New York. Minnesota Twins catcher is Joe Mauer.

WP: P. Hughes (1-0)
LP: B. Duensing (0-1)

HR - N Swisher (1, 7th inning off S Baker 0 on, 0 Out), M Thames (1, 4th inning off B Duensing 1 on, 0 Out).

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Athletics 4, Mariners 3 (81-81)

Oakland Athletics' Kurt Suzuki (8) rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners in the second inning of a baseball game, Sunday, Oct. 3, 2010, in Seattle.

WP: D. Braden (11-14) S: C. Breslow (5)
LP: A. Varvaro (0-1)

HR - K Suzuki (13, 4th inning off R Rowland-Smith 0 on, 0 Out), K Kouzmanoff (16, 8th inning off G Olson 0 on, 1 Out).

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Athletics 5, Mariners 3 (80-81)

Oakland Athletics' Jack Cust hits a home run against the Seattle Mariners in the fourth inning during a baseball game Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010, in Seattle.

WP: B. Anderson (7-6) S: C. Breslow (4)
LP: D. Pauley (4-9)

HR - M Ellis (5, 4th inning off D Pauley 0 on, 2 Out), J Cust (13, 4th inning off D Pauley 0 on, 2 Out), C Carter (3, 5th inning off D Pauley 1 on, 1 Out).
HR - M Saunders (10, 9th inning off C Breslow 0 on, 1 Out).

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Athletics 9, Mariners 0 (79-81)

Oakland Athletics' Daric Barton hits a grand slam in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners in a baseball game, Friday, Oct. 1, 2010, in Seattle.

WP: T. Cahill (18-8)
LP: L. French (5-7)

HR - D Barton 2 (10, 1st inning off L French 0 on, 1 Out, 2nd inning off L French 3 on, 1 Out).

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Athletics 8, Mariners 1 (78-81)

Oakland Athletics' Chris Carter (22) is met at home by Kevin Kouzmanoff(notes) on Carter's two-run home run against the Seattle Mariners in the sixth inning during a baseball game Thursday, Sept. 30, 2010, in Seattle.

WP: G. Gonzalez (15-9)
LP: D. Fister (6-14)

HR - C Carter (2, 6th inning off D Fister 1 on, 1 Out), C Pennington (6, 8th inning off A Varvaro 0 on, 2 Out).

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Athletics 2, Angels 4 (77-80)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Dallas Braden throws to the Los Angeles Angels during the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010.

WP: D. Haren (4-4) S: F. Rodney (14)
LP: D. Braden (10-14)

HR - K Kouzmanoff (15, 4th inning off D Haren 0 on, 1 Out).
HR - T Hunter (22, 2nd inning off D Braden 0 on, 0 Out).

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Athletics 5, Angels 6 (77-79)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Brett Anderson throws against the Los Angeles Angels in the first inning of a baseball game in Anaheim, Calif., Monday, Sept. 27, 2010.

WP: M. Kohn (2-0) S: F. Rodney (13)
LP: B. Ziegler (3-6)

HR - J Hermida (6, 2nd inning off E Santana 0 on, 0 Out).

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Rangers 16, Athletics 9 (77-78)

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 26: Rajai Davis #11 of the Oakland Athletics can't reach a home run hit by David Murphy of the Texas Rangers in the sixth inning during a Major League Baseball game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 26, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

WP: C. Lewis (12-13)
LP: T. Cahill (17-8)

HR - D Murphy (12, 6th inning off V Mazzaro 1 on, 0 Out), J Francoeur (2, 4th inning off T Cahill 0 on, 0 Out), M Moreland 2 (7, 3rd inning off T Cahill 1 on, 1 Out, 9th inning off R Wolf 2 on, 2 Out).
HR - M Carson (4, 9th inning off C Rapada 0 on, 2 Out), S Tolleson (1, 8th inning off M Harrison 2 on, 2 Out).

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Rangers 4, Athletics 3 (77-77)

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 25: Ian Kinsler #5 of the Texas Rangers safely slides under the tag of Mark Ellis #14 of the Oakland Athletics to steal second base at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 25, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

WP: D. O'Day (5-2) S: N. Feliz (38)
LP: M. Wuertz (2-3)

HR - M Young (21, 3rd inning off G Gonzalez 0 on, 0 Out), J Cantu (1, 8th inning off M Wuertz 0 on, 2 Out).
HR - C Pennington (5, 7th inning off C Rapada 1 on, 2 Out).

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Rangers 10, Athletics 3 (77-76)

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 24: Matt Carson #25 of the Oakland Athletics hits an RBI single against the Texas Rangers during a Major League Baseball game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 24, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

WP: T. Hunter (13-4)
LP: B. Cramer (2-1)

HR - V Guerrero (28, 2nd inning off B Cramer 0 on, 0 Out), J Francoeur (1, 7th inning off B Cramer 0 on, 0 Out).

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Rangers 0, Athletics 5 (77-75, 47-31 home)

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 23: Chirs Carter #22 of the Oakland Athletics hits a RBI sacrafice fly against the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning during a Major League Baseball game at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 23, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

W: D. Braden (10-13)
L: C. Lee (12-9)

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White Sox 4, Athletics 3 (76-75, 46-31 home)

OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 22: Juan Pierre #1 of the Chicago White Sox slides past Kurt Suzuki #8 of the Oakland Athletics to score in the eighth inning at the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on September 22, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

W: M. Thornton (4-4)
L: B. Ziegler (3-5)
S: C. Sale

HR: C Carter (1, 3rd inning off E Jackson 0 on, 0 Out)

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White Sox 2, Athletics 7 (76-74, 46-30 home)

Oakland Athletics' Cliff Pennington hits a two-run triple off Chicago White Sox's pitcher Mark Buehrle during the fourth inning of a baseball game Tuesday, Sept. 21, 2010, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Ben Margot)

W: T. Cahill (17-7)
L: M. Buehrle (12-12)

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White Sox 0, Athletics 3 (75-74, 45-30 home)

Oakland Athletics Rajai Davis (11) beats the tag of Chicago White Sox third baseman Brent Morel as he steals third base during the third inning of a baseball game Monday, Sept. 20, 2010, in Oakland, Calif. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar)

W: B. Bonser (1-0)
L: S. Linebrink (3-2)
S: C. Breslow (3)

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Athletics 6, Twins 2 (74-74, 30-44 away)

Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Bobby Cramer delivers to the Minnesota Twins in first-inning bseball game action on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2010, at Target Field in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jack Rendulich)

W: B. Cramer (2-0)
L: F. Liriano (14-8)

HR: M Ellis (4, 5th inning off F Liriano 1 on, 2 Out)
HR: M Cuddyer (13, 6th inning off B Cramer 0 on, 1 Out); J Thome (24, 6th inning off B Cramer 0 on, 2 Out)

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Athletics 2, Twins 4 (73-74, 29-44 away)

Oakland Athletics third baseman Akinori Iwamura, left, tags out Minnesota Twins' Joe Mauer as he attempted to steal third in the fourth inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 18, 2010 in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Jim Mone)

W: K. Slowey (13-6)
L: D. Braden (9-13)
S: M. Capps (14)

HR: L Powell (2, 2nd inning off K Slowey 0 on, 1 Out)
HR: D Valencia (4, 6th inning off D Braden 2 on, 1 Out)

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