Fan News

Yesterday I wrote a post about how strong the AL East is and how hard it is for a small market team like the Orioles to compete in it (although I note that the small market Rays have managed to compete quite nicely, thank you, at least for the last three seasons).  An obvious follow-up would be to look at how MLB’s other divisions have done when playing against outside teams.

“I’d play against these guys with one leg. We have to beat these guys. I hate the Cardinals. All they do is bitch and moan about everything, all of them, they’re little bitches, all of ‘em.

The Cincinnati Reds have been one of the biggest surprise contenders of this baseball season, having last made the playoffs 15 years ago, in 1995. Before this season, the Reds had finished below .500 nine straight seasons, never finishing better than third in the NL Central since the year 2000. This year's success, therefore, much like the success of the 2008 Tampa Bay Rays, has come as quite a shock to many baseball fans.

Heading into 2010 Pablo Sandoval was a consensus top seven third baseman. That may not mean much, but given the lack of depth at the position, he was the swing point between getting a good option and getting a big risk.

While some of the risks have paid off (i.e. Adrian Beltre), Sandoval’s 2010 has been nothing short of disastrous. Looking at his line thus far will make you cringe if you are one of the unfortunate owners who selected him:

After shellacking the Chicago White Sox 12-6 on Tuesday night, the Minnesota Twins have moved into first place in the AL Central by one game.

Both teams are hot, with the Twins winning 12 and the White Sox winning 10 of the teams' last 15 games. White Sox have gone 39-16 since June 8th, overcoming a horrendous start to get to this point, while the Twins have gone 19-10 since the All-Star break without one of, if not their best, hitters.

Dave Jauss is a man of few words, but when he speaks, people listen.

He has a unique perspective on the game, where neither the past nor the future has any impact on his opinions, and where the here and now are the only things in the world.

He's an astute baseball man with more than two decades of experience and know-how to draw from, and he encapsulates the "taking it one day at a time" cliche better than anyone in pro sports.

I know, I know. You’ve never heard of Tom Milone.

Brandon Phillips escalated the Cardinals/Reds feud when he said this about the Cardinals:

“I’d play against these guys with one leg. We have to beat these guys. I hate the Cardinals. All they do is b---- and moan about everything, all of them, they’re little b------, all of ‘em. I really hate the Cardinals. Compared to the Cardinals, I love the Chicago Cubs. Let me make this clear: I hate the Cardinals.”

Imagine spending 20 years of your life working for one of the most storied franchises in Major League Baseball history, then showing up for work on a Sunday morning only to be told by your boss that you no longer have a job.

On Sunday, August 8, this was the case for one such person, as well as nine other workers who walked away from Dodger Stadium unemployed.

Shortly after securing their future long-term home, Marlins Ballpark, in Little Havana near Downtown Miami, the Marlins began their long-term deals with their marquee players. 

In 2008, the Marlins signed their all-star shortstop Hanley Ramirez to a six year, $70 million extension that goes through the 2014 season. It was their first such long-term deal since they signed first baseman Carlos Delgado to a five year deal in 2005. 

The Marlins continued that trend by locking up their ace, Josh Johnson to a four year extension worth $39 million in 2010.