(Source) “Major League Baseball better get ready for a world-class performance!

 Yahoo Music can exclusively reveal that Mary J. Blige has been tapped to sing the national anthem at Game 1 of the 2013 World Series on Wednesday, when the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals take the field at Fenway Park.

“It is an honor to have the opportunity to perform the National Anthem,” Blige, who has sold more than 50 million records, including eight multiplatinum albums, nine Grammy Awards (plus 29 nominations) and four American Music Awards, dished. “I’ve conducted countless performances across the globe throughout my illustrious career, but performing the anthem at Yankees Stadium during the 2009 World Series was beyond a thrill, and so I’m looking forward to again being a part of baseball’s great history.”

While she’s clearly a fan of America’s favorite pastime, Blige has also been busy working on a grandslam of her own: her new holiday album, “A Mary Christmas,” which she released October 15.

Baseball fans are surely in for a treat since Blige is known for belting out powerhouse performances. We’re sure she’ll knock this one right outta the park. The question is: will she be rooting for the Sox or the Cardinals?

The 2013 MLB World Series airs on Fox, with Game 1 launching at 7:30 p.m. ET.”

I don’t hate Mary J. I actually think she’s great, but I don’t want her singing the national anthem at Fenway for game 1. Would it be so hard for the Sox to get a singer/ band who’s actually from Boston to perform? Aerosmith, James Taylor, Dropkick Murphys are just a few names that come to mind. Instead they go with a native New Yorker and longtime Yankee fan. Smart move. I really think we should all stop kidding ourselves and get George Michael a one way flight to Boston and get the entire stadium sobbing uncontrollably.

– Ryan