(MLB)For 86-year-old Bill "Brother Beans" Becker, it was three years and $300 well spent.

In his own words, that's how long it took the life long Yankees fan from Toms River, N.J. to create a Yankee Stadium replica using only matchsticks, and that's how much it cost him to burn through — literally — all 75,000 matches that were required to complete his unique, extensive and completely awesome project.

When broken down, that's roughly 70 matches a day that Brother Beans (his nickname may be my favorite part of the story) burned. He then scrapped off the charred tips before shaping them into perfect position and setting them in place. Tedious work for most of us, but not Becker. In fact, according to Becker, it's not the first such project he's undertaken. A number of years ago he also created a Lambeau Field replica, so he obviously enjoys the work it requires and the personal satisfaction it creates.

Speaking of satisfaction, the New York Yankees themselves were very impressed by his efforts once they learned of the creation and even put the replica on display at the new Yankee Stadium before their game against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday.

You can learn more about that cool event and how Brother Beans came up with the idea to create a matchstick Yankee Stadium in the video below.

The Juice returns for season No. 6! It's almost eligible for free-agency! Stop by daily for news from the action, along with great photos, stats, video highlights and more.

To say Raul Ibanez enjoys hitting at Yankee Stadium would be an understatement. After enjoying a terrific postseason in 2012 in which he delivered three home runs at the Stadium — including his dynamic Game 3 in the ALDS where he connected for game-tying and game-winning blasts — the 40-year-old veteran has returned with just as big a bang this season while wearing a Seattle Mariners uniform.

On Tuesday, Ibanez hit a two-run homer in Seattle's 4-3 loss. On Wednesday, he went deep two more times, including a first inning grand slam off Phil Hughes and a two-run shot in the fifth that iced away Seattle's 12-2 victory. That brings his totals to six home runs and 13 RBIs at Yankee Stadium since the beginning of the 2012 playoffs. He's 10 for 21 overall and obviously feels more confident taking shots at the short porch in right. Right, Raul?

''I can't tell that much of a difference even though when you hear it, depending on how you're doing, you know,'' Ibanez said with a sly smile.

The sly smile gives him away. Or maybe he just heard he became the oldest player (40 years, 347 days) with at least six RBIs in a game since Barry Bonds in July 2007. Thanks to Elias for that tidbit. On the flipside, Phil Hughes allowed seven earned runs in the first inning after allowing only two first inning runs in seven starts all season. That's a rough night for the old ERA.

D-Backs get last laugh: Justin Upton returned to Arizona with a four-hit game, including a monster home run, in Atlanta’s win on Monday night, but the Diamondbacks ended up winning the series with a 5-3 victory on Wednesday. New offensive centerpiece Paul Goldschmidt paced the attack with three doubles, while Eric Chavez knocked in three against former A’s teammate Tim Hudson. Heath Bell pitched the ninth for his sixth save.

An already disappointing start for reigning American League Cy Young Award winner David Price ran into another hurdle on Wednesday night after the left-hander was forced to exit his start against the Boston Red Sox with what was originally termed as "tightness in his left triceps" and later diagnosed as a strained triceps.

Price, who entered the game with a 1-3 record and a 4.78 ERA, had a fairly encouraging beginning to his outing, holding Boston off the scoreboard in the first two frames despite allowing two-out doubles in each. He then ran into serious trouble in the third after walking Stephen Drew to begin it. That was followed by three singles, the last of which was delivered by David Ortiz. It was at that point Price could be seen looking at his arm and shaking the fingers on his left hand while half-heartedly backing up the plate.

Head athletic trainer Ron Porterfield and manager Joe Maddon quickly converged on the scene to check him out. After a couple minutes of discussion and more hand shaking, the decision was made to get him out of the game and it was about an hour later than we heard the triceps tightness report.

It wasn't until after the Rays finished their 9-2 loss to the Red Sox and an MRI was completed that we received a more thorough report. Roger Mooney of Tampa Tribune provided those details via Twitter.

First off, if you haven't been following Modern Seinfeld on Twitter, you should probably do that. It imagines Seinfeldian scenarios in our current world — such as this one: George gets a Kindle so women on the train will think he's smart. G: "I read sports articles! They think I'm reading… like…" J: "A book?"

That brings us to the video above. Inspired by the Modern Seinfeld movement (Can we call it a movement? Eh, why not), the MLB Fan Cave crew gave us a baseball version of 2013 "Seinfeld" with an assist from Oakland Athletics pitcher A.J. Griffin.

(USA Today)Mariano Rivera will be an all-star in his 19th and final season. That's a foregone conclusion, regardless of performance or what statistical analysis might suggest.

By the way, through the first six weeks the numbers strongly suggest he belongs. He's a perfect 16 for 16 in save chances through the Yankees first 39 games, which is quickest he's reached that number of saves throughout his Hall of Fame career. He also owns a sparkling 1.56 ERA and opposing batters are hitting just .219 against him.

He's every bit as good now as he was before his ACL tear suffered last season, if not better. The only thing standing in his way of appearing at Citi Field on July 16 is injury, but if complete knee reconstruction can't slow him down, what can?

He'll be there, but now we're starting to hear some debate over what exactly his role should be at the Midsummer Classic.

Naturally, the first thought is "Mo" belongs in the ninth inning, but there's no guarantee the National League will hit in the ninth inning. let alone that there will be a save opportunity. If you hold him back waiting for that situation to develop, there's a chance Rivera's true impact on the game is minimal. So what would be the next most logical spot for Rivera to appear to guarantee maximum impact and presence?

According to Billy Chuck over at Billy-Ball, it's a pretty simple solution. He believes Rivera should start the game, and he offered his nine reasons why in a piece written on Wednesday.

(Sports Illustrated)In the full galaxy of sports, we can all admit that baseball isn't as sexy as some of its peers. But you know what's sexy? Money. And according to the Fortunate 50, Sports Illustrated's annual list of the top-paid U.S. athletes, baseball players are stacking up the dough.

The list — this year's update was released Wednesday — combines salary, winnings, bonuses and endorsements. Of the 50 athletes on it, 25 are baseball players. That means the MLB is batting a cool .500. That number is up from 19 last year.

Baseball players making monster money isn't exactly news, but it is interesting to see baseball players outnumber football players 25-7, when football is without question the more popular sport. There are many issues at hand beyond mere popularity — baseball's lack of a salary cap being No. 1 on the list, baseball players being more identifiable on the field being another — but it's still an interesting fact.

Here's the list of baseball players on the Fortunate 50 with their ranking and pay breakdown, as calculated by SI:

(Getty Images)

(9) Alex Rodriguez | Total: $29.9 million (endorsements: $900,000)
(10) Zack Greinke | Total: $29.02 million (endorsements: $20,000)
(13) Johan Santana | Total: $26.3 million (endorsements: $800,000)
(14) Felix Hernandez | Total: $25.6 million (endorsements: $600,000)
(17) Cliff Lee | Total: $25.28 million (endorsements: $280,000)
(19) Derek Jeter | Total: $25.1 million (endorsements: $8.1 million)
(20) Joe Mauer | Total: $25 million (endorsements: $2 million)
(22) C.C. Sabathia | Total: $24 million (endorsements: $1 million)
(23) Prince Fielder | Total: $23.5 million (endorsements: $500,000)
(25) Ryan Howard | Total: $23.2 million

U.S. Cellular Field on opening day 2013 (Getty Images)

Have a baseball road trip coming up? Well, in a bid to help you with your upcoming journeys, Big League Stew has solicited the help of the locals. Over the next month or so, we'll be hitting up our usual guest blogger crew to feature 10 tips for enjoying each of the 30 ballparks like the locals do. Have a suggestion in addition to the ones listed here? Make sure to list it in the comments below.

My good friend Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star likes to compare big league ballparks to supermodels. You might have your favorites, he says, but none of them are ugly.

It's a sentiment I really like, especially because I like to judge each of the 30 ballparks on their own merits. I'm the writer who once found 10 reasons to like Tropicana Field as a World Series site and I'm among the most vehement defenders of U.S. Cellular Field, the South Side home of the Chicago White Sox. "The Cell," as it's known by locals, is often derided for not being Wrigley Field or like any members of the avalanche of retro ballparks that followed The Cell's opening in 1991. It's a somewhat understandable reaction. Any honest White Sox fan will admit they'd love to go back in time to convince Jerry Reinsdorf to adopt the retro Armour Square plan that presumably would have beat Camden Yards to market by a season.

At the very least, they'd like to flog him with a wet noodle for not making sure The Cell faced Chicago's magnificent skyline instead of the since-demolished housing projects across the Dan Ryan Expressway.

But crying over those missteps over 20 years later takes energy and time away from touting what has become a very good place to watch a baseball game since some big renovations early last decade. The elimination of several rows of nose-bleed seats, the addition of a roof and presence of some underrated traditions make The Cell a cozy must-visit when you're in Chicago for a midsummer trip.

Once you get past that it's not Wrigley Field — something that should be an easy task for any true baseball fan — you'll find that U.S. Cellular Field brings a unique Chicago baseball experience in its own way. Here are 10 tips for maximizing your trip to the only place in town that has played host to a Windy City World Series winner.

(BLS Illustration)

The rattling that Bryce Harper of the Washington Nationals took by slamming into the outfield fence at Dodger Stadium on Monday has cost him his beard.

Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post reports that Harper needed to shave his face in order for medical staff to sew stitches were he cut his chin on the fence:

Harper said he's sore and feels nauseous, but otherwise no worse for the wear. Said he was most upset about having to shave his beard.

— Adam Kilgore (@AdamKilgoreWP) May 14, 2013

Though he is due for more tests, the Nats say Harper does not have a concussion — which is hard to believe not only because of the jolt he obviously suffered but also because Harper says he's nauseous. That's a classic symptom. But if Harper's beard has become a casualty, then maybe this is all al blessing in disguise. That facial hair made Harper look like a movie villain. Hey, don't you agree, Vin Scully?