Fan News

After nearly a month-long hiatus, I have returned to Bleacher Report, but who cares, lets get on with the article.

It didn't take long Thursday night before Alex Rodriguez tied Reggie Jackson for 11th on the all-time home run list with his 563rd blast of his career in the first inning.

What more could I ask for since I was there?  Well the ball could of landed in my lap, but that would be too good to be true.  I got a nice view of it as I was three rows back in left and I knew it was gone as soon as it reached the outfield.  The wind was blowing out.

June 21, 2009.

That was the day.  Doesn't seem so long ago.  I was sitting in my weekend plan seats, watching the Mets' bullpen implode and force them to lose their fourth straight series. 

It was sometime late in that game where I realized the Mets were extremely depleted, and had no realistic shot at the division.  By the time Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Oliver Perez, John Maine, J.J. Putz and Billy Wagner (phew) returned, it would be too late. They might make a run, but it would be far too little.

Joe Girardi has been around the New York Yankees for a number of years in several different capacities. He has seen a bunch of Subway Series with the Mets.

And he has learned how much it means to Yankee owners to beat the Mets.

Girardi has apparently been under a great deal of stress to win the series with his cross town rivals to the point of ignoring the last few games trying to prepare for the Metropolitans.

The votes are coming fast and furious.

It’s the annual debate of who should be an starter in the All Game versus those who are being voted by you, the fans.

Yes, it’s that time where Major Leaguers who shouldn’t be selected by the fans, are.

People like Manny Ramirez, who was a leading candidate in the outfield for the National League after being suspended 50 games for PED's. Then once the outrage began, he mysteriously fell to sixth.

Or the injured Josh Hamilton.

Today we will take a look at the American League voting.

Do the fans have it right? Let’s take a look:

It's over. It's done. Forget about it Braves fans. This team is the most dysfunctional, mentally deficient Braves team I have witnessed since 1989.

Sure, the record doesn't indicate that, but the stats surely do.

For that reason alone General Manager Frank Wren should wave the white flag on this season and sell off valuable, veteran pieces that could net the Braves a serious influx of young, talented players for 2010.

Now I know what some of you will say.

"You're an idiot! We're only four games out!?!" or "You aren't a true Braves fan!"

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Scott Podsednik lined a two-out single to center field to bring an end to a marathon 13-inning game on Thursday afternoon.

The Chicago White Sox (35-37) mounted threats more than once in the late innings, but Podsednik's single plated Gordon Beckham and finally gave them a 6-5 victory over the majors’ best team, the Los Angeles Dodgers (47-26).

For the past three nights, the Tampa Bay Rays brought back memories of the 2008 World Series—a series they lost to the Philadelphia Phillies.

On Tuesday night, the Phillies returned to Tropicana Field for a rematch and Rays management expected a filled house to greet them. There were plenty of factors to assume this. First, no World Series rematch had ever drawn less than 37,000 fans.

Second, the Phillies have long trained in Clearwater—a short distance away from Tropicana field, creating a huge following.

Cleveland Indians mascot Slider has done a lot for his favorite team over the years. 

He's boogied to the radio hits of the day on the roof of the team's bullpen while wearing crutches.

He's sent foil-wrapped hot-dogs from slingshots into the stands.

He's cheered through unbearable heat, torrential rain, and yes, in this Rustbelt town, even swirling snow.

But one thing he hasn't done for this proud franchise is bring home a winner. And some of the teams' players and management are starting to take notice.