Fan News

When the Yankees signed Alex Rodriguez to an obscene 10-year, $275 million contract, they did so with the  idea that he would not only help them win ball games, but also pack some seats. It’s part of the reason why he could qualify for up to $30 million in bonuses based on how many historic home runs he hits.

After reading through the article "Inglorious Relievers" by Peter Douglas, one fact is agonizingly clear to me. I think the list is entirely too dependent on the very small sample size of the first month of the 2010 season. 

In order to create a complete list of the top set-up men in baseball, there has to be at least some consideration given to past success and failure.

No, I'm not saying he always did. Just that he does now.

I, like many Phillies fans, barely stifled a sigh of disappointment when old "Carlos Ruissss"(as PA Announcer Dan Baker refers to him) steps into the batter's box. A dribbling grounder seemed inevitable, and then the pitcher was up. How thrilling.

At the end of last season however, an entirely new player had filled the squat, stubby body of the Phils' starting catcher. He even called himself Carlos Ruiz. The nerve.

I can hear Yankees Featured Columnist Joseph Del Grippo saying somewhere, "another Javier Vazquez article from Doug."

Yes it is, because tonight could be a major night in deciding the future of the Yankees right-hander.

The Yankees will send Vazquez out to pitch in the second game of their four game series with the Tigers at Comerica Park.

This will be the first time since May 1 that Vazquez will be stepping on a mound for the Yankees to start a game.

  According to Chad Jennings of the Journal News , Yankees reliever Chan Ho Park , who has been on the DL with a hamstring issue, is close to returning to the Bronx after throwing a 45-pitch bullpen session on Monday.

Ken Griffey, Jr.'s baseball career is about to come to an end, probably within the next month, according to this column in the Tacoma News Tribune . According to the column, Griffey, 40, who is hitting .208, with no home runs and five RBI in 23 games this season as the left-handed-hitting DH for the Seattle Mariners, will be asked to retire or will be released after he apparently could not be used as a pinch hitter in a game last week because he was sleeping in the clubhouse.

Gotta love Keith Hernandez.

Whether he is snorting lines, allegedly, all the way to the World Series, putting down women for having the audacity to be in a major league dugout, or simply asking you to help him move too early in your friendship, he is certainly an interesting character.

Here is a clip from the Mets 5-4 victory over the San Francisco Giants last Saturday that shows he was caught sleeping.

New York Yankee Designated Hitter Nick Johnson has been placed on the Disabled List for 15 days.

I am not going to pretend to not be the guy who says, "I told you so". But you know what, I told you so!

In an article here on Bleacher Report, I wrote that I couldn't imagine why the Yankees with all of the money in the baseball universe, would want to throw $5.5M down the toilet.

In April 2006, two American League first basemen, both in their second year in the Show, had similar smokin'-hot starts:

Player A 

10 homers, knocked in 24 runs, a .313 average and a .404 on-base percentage.

Player B 

10 dingers and supported a .404 OBP, with 20 RBI and batting .326.

Let me preface this by saying that I am not Nostradamus. I cannot predict the future and will never claim to be able to.

Now that we have that out of the way I can tell you that Austin Jackson will not win Rookie of the Year.

So far in 2010, Jackson has put together a very impressive resume. In 30 games, he has scored 26 runs and stolen six bases while sporting a fancy triple-slash line of .371/.420/.508. Not too bad considering he is currently head and shoulders above any rookie in the American League right now.