Fan News

Face of the Franchise:  Ken Griffey, Jr.
 
Manager: Lou Piniella

I can't help but feel this is utterly trivial.

Why do we try? After 2008 and all that went into it, where is the motivation to keep going?

The Rays went to the World Series. Justin Hamilton put on one of the greatest shows in Derby history in July, then hit 130 RBI. Cliff Lee, who made the Indians 25 man roster out of Spring Training by a hair, won 22 games and the Cy Young. A 5'6 man, playing in one of the games' biggest stages, won the AL MVP.

But, we drudge on, because that's why we love baseball (although if the Pirates make the World Series in 2009, I quit).

Maple bats have got to go! Sure, they may not splinter and may last longer, but when they do break, they are by far more dangerous.

This year alone we have seen an umpire get impaled in the neck, a base coach who needed stitches after he got hit in the head, a spectator incur a broken jaw, and a player who got hit in the shoulder by the broken off barrel of his own bat.

“I can drive.”

How many times have you heard people say that, even though they have had too much to drink? It is an all too common occurrence in America.

Too many people think they are capable of driving, ignoring the fact that they are impaired. You may have driven home drunk before and not been caught.

You may have not endangered your life or the life of another. On Thursday morning, April 9, 2009, drunk driving claimed another life, Nick Adenhart's.

To the majority of New York Yankees fans, CC Sabathia looked great in Pinstripes...until last Tuesday at roughly 5pm EST.

Ah, if only we could be transported back in time to a place where Sabathia was throwing darts at opposing hitters, and registering goose eggs on the scoreboard.

Say, 4pm EST.

Baseball fans are fickle—especially those who belong to the Pinstripe persuasion. And by April 13th, nobody will know that better than Sabathia, who incidentally, had his name legally changed from "C.C." to "CC".

The St. Louis Cardinals web site announced today that Minor League pitcher Deryk Hooker has been suspended for 50 games because of a violation of the Minor League Drug Prevention and Treatment Program today.

In today's age of PEDs, I wish Minor League and Major League Baseball would distinguish between drug violations of PEDs and recreational drug use. Especially when you are dealing with a young kid, like Deryk Hooker, and with today's sensitivity to the use of PEDs in Major League Baseball.

Minute Maid Park celebrates its 10th anniversary this season as home to the Houston Astros. When the ballpark officially opened for the 2000 season, the initial name was The Ballpark at Union Station.

For a three-year period, the name of the park frequently changed. Enron bought the naming rights to the stadium in April, 1999, for a 30-year, $100-million deal.

Unfortunately, the Astros organization experienced a shocking situation when Enron declared bankruptcy in conjunction to one of the most greatest corporate scandals in U.S. history.

Picture this: A chilly April day in Philadelphia. Phillies fans have packed into Citizens Bank Park to watch their beloved Phils get their World Series rings they deserve. The players begin to get called.

The PA announcer starts by naming the Phillies who could not attend. Then players who are in attendance, yet no longer members of the Phillies begin to hear their names. The PA announcer reads from his sheet, "Pitcher. Adam Eaton!"

Huh?

Yesterday, we went to the Indianapolis Indians season opener. It was great fun, until they started getting blown out. Then we made our own fun. More on that later.

The game opened up with some promise, as Indians pitcher Jason Davis sat the Toledo Mud Hens down quickly. Two flyouts started the game, followed by a hit, which then became a stolen base and an advance to third on a throwing error by catcher Erik Kratz on the steal attempt. However, Davis then got Mike Hessman (he still plays baseball?) to fly out to right. No runs scored.