SnakeBytes, 9/22: Autumn Edition

Officially done with summer today, and while I don't know how it is where you are- or if it's even necessarily the end of summer for you- but Phoenix's weather has decided to reward us by dropping down below triple digits. It's a nice surprise.

But a busy 24 hours for the Diamondbacks, what with the Colonel shutting down the Rockies to dim their playoff hopes and the announcement of our new GM.

Recaps:

• [azcentral.com] Arizona Diamondbacks beat Colorado Rockies to open last 2010 homestand - "At least there's the satisfaction of making the opponents feel miserable." Yessssssssss.

• [dbacks.com] Saunders cools off red-hot Rockies - After rough starts his last few time out, Saunders was on his game, retiring 10 of the first 11 he faced.

• [foxsportsarizona.com] Saunders, Johnson, D-backs make road rough for Rockies - What was Saunders doing different? "The biggest key tonight was throwing strike one. That was what I tried to do."

• [denverpost.com] Rockies bedazzled by D-backs' Saunders, lose 3-1 - "Squint hard enough and you could practically see the Rockies' purple minivan — or maybe bandwagon is more accurate — turning into a pumpkin." Well, as long as you don't over-dramatize it too much.

• [azcentral.com] Diamondbacks manager Kirk Gibson thinks maple bats are more dangerous - I didn't read the comments, but is there a Mark Grace rant in there?

• [dbacks.com] D-backs set single-season strikeout record - Ugh. Also, news that Justin Upton might be finished for the season.

• [ktar.com] Gambo: Towers a good choice for GM by Diamondbacks - "But make no mistake about this, all decisions going forward, including who will be the manager, will be made by Towers."

• [azcentral.com] Nick Piecoro - Morning thoughts on the Towers hiring - Among other things, Piecoro talks about how this will add to the Padres-Diamondbacks rivalry, and that he has heard that Towers is likely to keep Gibson as manager.

Around Sports

• [yahoo.com] Twins two time AL Central, hold baseball's first clinching party - The Twins became the first team to clinch a playoff spot this year, their sixth division title in nine season. The Reds are the next closest team, with a magic number of four.

• [nytimes.com] Manuel Questions Torre's Integrity - That is pretty rough to have someone say to the national press that they're interested in your job.

• [latimes.com] Attorney acknowledges changing key word in contested property agreement between McCourts - "An attorney acknowledged under oath Tuesday that he changed a key word in the contested property agreement between Frank and Jamie McCourt — after the parties had signed the agreement and without informing either one." Uh, I'm not clear on the legality of such an act, but it sounds sketchy to me.

• [deadspin.com] EXTRA! EXTRA! Jeter Has Best Year Yet! - The guys who used to run Fire Joe Morgan are back for a day at Deadspin. If you weren't familiar with FJM, they used to take poorly written articles, and rip them apart piece by piece. NSFW language, but I find this hilarious. This piece's target: Jim Caple asserting that runs are the most underrated stat.

• [slate.com] England's greatest soccer teams and American owners, a match made in hell. - "Liverpool Football Club, one of the most successful teams in English soccer history, is owned by a pair of American billionaires, and the fans absolutely hate their guts."