When it comes to mascots, bird is the word

I have a big soft spot for baseball mascots because of the way they interact with young fans and get them interested in our national pastime.

My two favorite mascots are redbirds—Fredbird of the St. Louis Cardinals and Rockey the Rockin' Redbird of the Triple-A Memphis Redbirds.

I took this photo of Fredbird on June 18, 2008, at Busch Stadium in St. Louis at a game between the Cardinals and Kansas City Royals.

Keep your beaks held high, guys, and someday you'll end up in the Mascot Hall of Fame.