Fan News

The Cardinals head into Cincinnati on Monday looking to make up two games in the standings on their rivals, the Reds. For most of the season, the two teams have been locked in a to-the-death battle for first place in the National League Central. Who wins this three game series could likely have a major impact on the pennant race going forward.

With three of the National League's best starters taking the mound for St. Louis, they have the early edge in this series.

Today's 2-1 win over the Yankees may have saved the Red Sox' season.  Traveling to New York to play a four game set with the Bronx Bombers, it looked very bleak for the Sox.  The Yankees were ready to send a knockout blow and send the Red Sox ten games back with a sweep.  But the Sox wouldn't have it.

In the aftermath of Alex Rodriguez's 600th home run, many have downplayed his milestone because of his admitted usage of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), and have compared him to another user, the current home run king, Barry Bonds. 

The National League West isn't known for its rivalries in the same manner as the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees feud.

However, San Francisco Giants pitcher Jonathan Sanchez is doing his best to change that.

After the Giants lost 6-3 to the Atlanta Braves Sunday that extended San Diego's division lead to two games, Sanchez fired some heavy words in a tall statement.

After weeks of rumors, Mariners manager Don Wakamatsu has been fired. This comes as no surprise to anyone, due to Seattle's constant struggles; this season the Mariners are 42-70.

The Mariners had high expectations this season.

They acquired many good players last offseason: Milton Bradley, Chone Figgins, Brandon League, and Casey Kotchman. But of course, those players have not performed at all.

Bradley is now a full-time bench warmer, batting barely over .200 without any power or run production. 

Walt Jocketty, once again, has reached back into his past and grabbed a veteran to bring into the Cincinnati Reds organization.  This time, he has traded away Chris Dickerson to the Milwaukee Brewers for Jim Edmonds. 

Edmonds, now playing for his seventh Major League ballclub in his 16th year as a major leaguer, was hitting .286 with eight home runs and 20 RBI in 73 games for the Brewers.

It’s been nearly two months since we checked in on our second baseman rankings for 2011 and things certainly have changed.  Rickie Weeks has entrenched himself among the top 2B in the league. Chase Utley, Dustin Pedroia and Ian Kinsler have all been placed on the DL.  Brian Roberts returned to the field.  Let’s take a look at how things currently look.

The list of former Cardinals turned Reds grew again today. Cincinnati sent OF Chris Dickerson to the Brewers for the 40-year-old Jim Edmonds.

Former Cardinals and current Reds GM Walt Jocketty has acquired Scott Rolen, Jason Isringhausen, Russ Springer, and Miguel Cairo in the past year—all Cardinals at one point or another.

The big question: Does Edmonds have anything left in the tank?

Upon his return to the Bronx this season, Javier Vazquez was clearly a divisive figure among Yankee fans.

Some saw the potential in the one-time Yankee, thinking that the man who dominated for the Braves in 2009 after finishing fourth in National League Cy Young voting had learned enough since his uneven 2004 stint in pinstripes to be a solid back end of the rotation starter. After all, the rotation was much stronger this time around, lessening the pressure on Vazquez to be a front of the rotation type starter.

Not to pat myself on the back, but on Saturday I wrote a story asking some questions as to what the Reds might do to aid their efforts to secure a playoff spot or even win the National league Central.

One of those questions was whether or not they would find another talent bat to assist in their offensive onslaught and today Cincinnati traded Outfielder Chris Dickerson for veteran slugger Outfielder Jim Edmonds from Milwaukee. It’s a good move, though I would not call it Earth shattering.