Fan News

While technology has brought us all increased familiarity with athletes, baseball has remained somewhat localized. For instance, the casual fan in Philadelphia isn't likely to be all that familiar with the pitch arsenal of the Mariners' Hisashi Iwakuma. 

This helps make the All-Star game such a fun event. It also provides an opportunity for players to make an impression on a national level.

According to a tweet from ESPN sports business reporter Darren Rovell, Major League Baseball may be preparing to attempt to ban Alex Rodriguez and Ryan Braun from baseball for life.

The Chicago White Sox have traded left-handed reliever Matt Thornton and cash to the Boston Red Sox for minor league outfielder Brandon Jacobs.

The White Sox announced the move via their official Twitter feed.

The Chicago White Sox made their first of many moves before the 2013 MLB Trade Deadline, dealing reliever Matt Thornton to the Boston Red Sox.

The ChiSox sit 13.5 games back in the AL Central at 36-53, and the team is about to have its own fire sale, dealing its current pieces for future ones.

Don't look now, but Josh Hamilton and the Los Angeles Angels are kind of hot at the moment.

Actually, my bad. Please do look now, because this is something that we have to talk about.

The Angels have played 25 games since June 12. They've won 17 of those, which is a .680 winning percentage. And that's a nice number for them to look at, because their winning percentage in their previous 65 games was .415.

Top prospect Jarred Cosart made his MLB debut for the Houston Astros on Friday night, giving hope that the worst team in baseball has a bright future ahead of it.

Cosart was nearly flawless against the Tampa Bay Rays, throwing eight shutout innings and allowing just two hits and three walks while striking out two en route to his first big league win.

Houston Astros center fielder Brandon Barnes made what could possibly be the best catch of his career on Friday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Jarred Cosart was making his MLB debut and pitching a no-hitter at the time, and Barnes kept his no-no alive.

Mariano Rivera received another parting gift during his retirement tour on Friday, but this one didn't come from an MLB team, it came from Delta Airlines.

That's right, the airline dedicated a 757 plane to Mo, placing his number and signature near the cockpit of the plane.

The Atlanta Braves could be in for even more bad injury news as star center fielder B.J. Upton was pulled from Friday's game with a right adductor strain. 

The team reported the news via their Twitter:

B.J Upton left tonight's game with a right adductor muscle strain.

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) July 13, 2013

The 2013 first-year player draft signing deadline expired at 5 p.m. ET on Friday and was just as uneventful as expected.