Fan News

Nearly 50 years of baseball. The last 39 of those years in Arlington. One of only three teams to have never been to the World Series. The Texas Rangers were not exactly a team with a rich tradition. However, when B.J. Upton popped out to left center to end the ninth inning, Texas fans finally had reason to celebrate.

The American League Division Series has now concluded, and the New York Yankees are set to face the Texas Rangers in the ALCS. While the Yankees had a relatively easy time of advancing by sweeping the Minnesota Twins, the Tampa Bay Rays took the Rangers to the limit, making it a five game series.

If anyone was surprised at Cliff Lee’s performance in today’s ALDS conclusion, they haven't watched enough baseball to call themselves fans.

If this postseason has made one thing perfectly evident, it is that a true ace in the postseason is worth many times his weight in gold. What’s more astonishing is how accurately one may predict the outcome of a series, especially a short series like the divisional round, simply by assessing the caliber of a team’s ace.

The Texas Rangers held what looked like a typical clubhouse celebration after winning the ALDS on Tuesday night in St. Petersburg. However, if you watched closely, the Rangers’ first postseason series victory in franchise history had one major difference during the locker room scene on TV: they were partying with pop instead of champagne and beer.

The regular season is over and it is that time for the end of the season awards. Much like the newspapers have the BBWAA that votes on the end of the year awards that everyone makes a big deal about, us bloggers have the Baseball Bloggers Alliance that votes on our own version of the awards.

Jays fans have put up with a lot. Former GM J.P. Ricciardi made mistake after mistake, from Alex Rios, to Vernon Wells, to B.J. Ryan, to Frank Thomas. The motto seemed to be "buy high, sell low" in Toronto.

But fear no more. Forget Austin Jackson; forget Jason Heyward. You want a Rookie of the Year?

Cue Alex Anthopoulos.

According to Dave O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal Constitution or the AJC to all the cool people, the Atlanta Braves will name former Florida Marlins’ manager Fredi Gonzalez as their new manager on Thursday.

Well that was quick.

The Atlanta Braves will name a new manager to their franchise for the first time since Bobby Cox joined the Braves for the second time in 1990.

"Multiple baseball sources have confirmed that the Braves will introduce Fredi Gonzalez as their new manager Thursday," reports MLB.com Atlanta Braves beat writer Mark Bowman.

Whoo! I’m not a fan of either of these teams, but just as a baseball fan I am pumped for this series. To look at the pitching that is going to be on display between these teams gives me the shivers.  What excitement. For instance, this season, the Giants were 1^st in ERA, 1^st in strikeouts, 1^st in saves, and 4^th in WHIP  . . . in the major leagues! How does that even happen?

With one game to go to decide who the New York Yankees will play in the American League Championship Series, it's time to jump ahead a little bit and do some assumption work.

Assuming the Phillies get past the Giants for the NLCS title and the Yankees win the ALCS, how would the Phillies and Yankees match up in the 2010 World Series?

Both these teams having pitching and they certainly have power on offense. But what sets these two teams apart?

Let's dive into a possible World Series matchup and take a look at who will take the World Series trophy home.