Thinking (and linking) over lunch

♦ That sound you may have heard earlier today was from the Brandon Inge Haters Club, lamenting his new contract extension (four years, $24.4 million) from the Detroit Tigers.

Some people point to Inge's error totals and say he's a poor defensive third baseman. Others (a group in which I include myself) say he gets to balls that most other guys at his position wouldn't come near. Yes - sometimes that leads to errors, and he makes some throws he probably shouldn't, but knocking down balls that would otherwise go to the outfield saves quite a few runs, too.

To me, that defensive ability makes up for his offensive shortcomings. No, he's not Aramis Ramirez and probably never will be. He's the Tigers' ninth-place hitter, and is hardly the easy out often expected at that position. And hey, Detroit isn't paying Inge $15 million a season, either.

Here's more from The Detroit Tigers Weblog.

♦ Speaking of contract extensions, Brian at Beyond Boxscores thinks the Tigers need to work out a deal with Jeremy Bonderman - and pronto. When you see the deals handed out to middle-of-the-road starters like Vincente Padilla, Ted Lilly, and Gil Meche, it's hard to argue such a good point.

Given what Bonderman's achieved at his age, he'd attract some serious interest on the open market, and the Tigers should be lock him up before it gets to that point. They're smart, proactive guys over there, right?

♦ ESPN.com's Keith Law compares Gil Meche's five-year, $55 million deal with the Royals to what the Tigers did two years ago with Magglio Ordonez.

Is this an indication, by the way, that baseball's revenue-sharing plan is working? Kansas City giving a five-year deal, at $10 million a season, to a starting pitcher? (The Big Lead seems to think it's making things worse.)

♦ Nothing makes me smile more than Mike McClary's persistence in wanting the Tigers to get rid of Craig Monroe. As I've said before, the man deserves credit for consistency in his beliefs.

And now, Mike has Billfer on his side, too - though with a bit less fervor.

♦ Did the Tigers pick up Jamie Walker's replacement in yesterday's Rule 5 draft? What can be expected from young Edward Campusano? 81 strikeouts in 55 1/2 innings. Here's more from TigerBlog (who warns not to get too excited about those K numbers).

(Tip o' the cap to Tiger Tales)

♦ Sifting through all the transactions and rumors from the Baseball Winter Meetings, I'm thinking the best deal made in Orlando is the Braves trading Horacio Ramirez for Rafael Soriano. Suddenly, Atlanta's bullpen - which has been an annual weakness, and may have been the difference in knocking them out of the NL Wild Card race - could be looking pretty good.

I'm not sure the Mets are sweating it, though. And I don't know why the Mariners would trade Soriano. But I might be biased because he was very good to my fantasy baseball team mid-season.

So I hear the Tigers got Gary Sheffield...

The best cure for a baseball hangover? Attack the off-season right away.

Gary Sheffield was being fitted for the Olde English D almost before Detroit fans could settle in to talk about what the Tigers could do to improve the team this off-season.

That's how fast Dave Dombrowski made this deal. He basically pre-empted our Hot Stove talk.

This is very much unlike, for instance, how fast I got around to writing about this trade.

When did it happen? Friday afternoon, after I decided I'd spent entirely too much time in front of the computer and was ready for the weekend. When am I writing about it? Five days later. (Long after every blogger with an interest in the Tigers said their piece on the matter.) When news breaks, Sweaty Men Endeavors apparently does not break in.

And here I was, all set to joke about the big trade in the AL Central over the weekend: The Indians acquiring Josh Barfield from the Padres.

Nothing? Not even a chuckle or an eye-roll? Okay. I know how it goes. Snooze and you lose. And then you hear crickets chirping.

Actually, according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer, that Barfield deal may have had an indirect effect on the Sheffield trade. San Diego was desperate for 3rd base prospect Kevin Kouzmanoff, and feared that Cleveland was ready to send him to the Yankees for Sheffield. So they pounced on the deal, leaving Detroit's offer as the best one (it may have been the best one, anyway) on Brian Cashman's table. (It turns out, however, that the Indians probably would've traded Kouzmanoff to Atlanta for Marcus Giles.)

But that's all a moot point, isn't it? Sheffield is with the Detroit Tigers - making perhaps the biggest deal of the off-season before the GM meetings could even begin.

Last Friday, just a couple of hours before the deal was done, I wrote that Sheffield's history of petulant behavior when he wants a contract extension made me nervous. That was really the only problem I had with getting him. I certainly couldn't take issue with his baseball skills. He's a fabulous hitter, with rock-solid consistency over the past eight years (excepting 2006 when he was injured). 30+ home runs and 100 RBI is almost a guarantee.

If a guy like that is available, and the one crying need on your team is for a big bat, you make that deal. Every time. And if that player's contract is the only potentially thorny issue, it's in your best interests to take care of it immediately. So the Tigers did just that. (Even if they hadn't, I neglected to consider Jim Leyland's influence in the matter when expressing my original fears.)

I sort of felt like a kid after I heard the news and subsequent reactions on sports talk radio. Suddenly, I was making out lineups in my head. It seemed like a trade you'd make on a video game, when you can just load up your favorite team with the best players. "Say, how about we put... Gary Sheffield on the Tigers? How would that look?"

I can't say I've always been a fan of Sheffield, but I've always admired his talents - and have long been fascinated by the way he waggles his bat threateningly at the plate. Trying to emulate that waggle - snapping the bat back and forth as if waving at a bee near my right ear - led to a couple of embarrassing swings while playing softball. How the hell does he do that and still get his hands back in a position to hit the ball? (And not just "a ball," like some slow-pitch toss, but a major league fastball.)

And now that guy is playing for our team? (I had much similar feelings after the Pistons hired Larry Brown as head coach. A guy I'd watched and admired for years was now going to do his thing in Detroit? How cool is that?)

Though the Tigers haven't yet addressed their other off-season concerns (still to come: the baseball winter meetings), it seems like there was a big exhale of relief to go along with that burst of excitement this weekend. Now you know that the Tigers intend to keep that championship door open until they can barge right through it. For those of you who used to wonder why Mike Ilitch didn't employ the same "whatever it takes" philosophy with the Tigers that he did for the Red Wings, you can probably shuffle those thoughts to the back of your mind now.

These are now much different days in Detroit - at least on the baseball side of the street.

Musings with your lunch?

Tuna sandwich or chicken salad? Anyone have thoughts on that? I'm leaning toward the sandwich...

♦ Is it completely lame that I opted for "regular" TV last night, instead of Louisville-Rutgers?

See, I kind of forgot about it. I intended to watch, but last night, I just felt like some fictional laughs and drama before falling asleep. Yes, even though it was a good game (25-22 in the fourth quarter, when I remembered to turn the game on), and I missed a great finish, along with perhaps one of the recent amazing events in college football.

Was that wrong of me? Look, the body clock just can't get attuned to Thursday night college football. Unless it's a bowl game in December or January. (Big Al knows what I'm talking about.)

♦ MLive.com's Danny Knobler is reporting that the Detroit Tigers have what the Yankees could be looking for in a Gary Sheffield trade. (Namely, young utility infielders and starting pitching.) And a deal could be close to happening.

I'm not crazy about this idea. Sheffield's bat would be amazing in the Tigers' lineup. But I don't know where you'd put him on the field, and Sheff doesn't strike me as a guy who'd enjoy playing most of his games at DH. A small problem? Maybe.

The big problem, as I see it, is that Sheffield wants a contract extension. And if he doesn't get it, he's historically pouted, sulked, and dogged it until he's either given what he wants or sent to another team that's willing to meet his demands. (Search for the archives of Buster Olney's ESPN.com blog, if you're interested in some stories on this.)

Does that sound like the kind of guy who'd fit well in Detroit's clubhouse? Do the Tigers seem like a team interested in a potential chemistry killer? If you're nodding yes, I have Dmitri Young holding for you on Line 1 with some thoughts on that subject.

♦ According to the Detroit News, you can scratch Steve Mariucci off your list of potential new coaches at Michigan State. Is that a sigh of relief I hear from Spartan Country, or is that just a gust of wind outside my window? I can't quite tell (though most of my Sparty friends have said they hope Mooch isn't the choice).

The article goes on to tout LSU defensive coordinator Bo Pelini pretty strongly, though Todd Grantham (who could be the favorite for the job) is the first name listed. I think it's interesting that Pat Shurmur (another favorite, depending who you ask or what you read) isn't even mentioned in the piece.

The long way home

I'm not ready to write that "If you'd have told me back in April that the Tigers would make it to the World Series..." post just yet. Obviously, it was a fantastically surprising baseball season in Detroit. As Big Al said, it's been the "most unexpectedly enjoyable season" many - if not all of us - in this area have ever experienced. And in a couple of days, I'll be able to articulate my thoughts on the 2006 Detroit Tigers, which I've been wanting to write for the last couple of months. (Billfer is already way ahead of me - and eloquently so.)

What's most disappointing is how the Tigers played on baseball's biggest stage. I don't want to say they beat themselves, because that sounds like sour grapes and I was sore enough after Game 4. But I don't think most of the country (those who bothered to watch the World Series, if you pay attention to all the chatter about ratings) didn't get to see these Tigers at their best. They weren't able to see what we witnessed all summer long in Detroit, as our team danced with the best record in the majors.

But as I watched the Cardinals get their trophy, I felt really good for the St. Louis fans. Two years ago, I was able to visit a friend out there and I demanded that we spend a big chunk of the weekend at (the old) Busch Stadium. And that was some of the most fun I've ever had at a baseball game. The fans are great. It's like a college football game out there, with the love, support, and spirit they show for the Cardinals. So I'm really happy they get to celebrate.

I'm also happy for Jeff Weaver. Okay, I took a shot at him in the comments of my last post, but it was good-natured. After the Angels cut him earlier this season, he looked like he might be done. But he revived himself in St. Louis in the best way possible.

Weaver beating the Tigers to clinch a World Series victory is the kind of situation that compels a lot of sportswriters to abuse the word "irony." But he gave a lot to the Tigers during the four years he was here, racking up a bunch of innings without many positive stats to show for the effort. He fought hard to give his team - which was usually bad - a chance to win, and was easily the only thing worth watching during some rough years at Comerica Park.

And I was pissed when Dave Dombrowski traded him in 2002. Obviously, that deal worked out for the Tigers. Weaver was essentially a sacrifice for a franchise that just finished losing the World Series.

(I even remember where I was when I heard about that deal. I was helping my sister put together a TV stand at her first apartment in South Carolina. And I whapped one of the shelves with a screwdriver when I saw the news on TV. Don't tell Lil' Sis that's why the VCR shelf was kind of wobbly.)

So here's a sincere tip of the cap to the Cardinals and their fans. If the Tigers weren't involved, I surely would've rooted for them to win the World Series.

And warm hugs and pats on the back to the Tigers and their fans. It was one hell of a season, as we were all reminded just how fun baseball could be in Detroit. Let's hope this is the start of some sustained excellence at the corner of Montcalm and Witherall (I know - it'll never have the same ring to it), a la the 1991 Atlanta Braves. It didn't have the ending we wanted, but it's been just about the best story we've read in a long time around here.

P.S. Kudos to Mike McClary for a great title to his pre-Game 5 post. I wish I'd have thought of that one. Further thanks to Mike for asking me to participate in The Daily Fungo Podcast throughout this season. He picked one hell of a time to get into the Tigers blog and podcast business.

Ramblin' through the Game Four follies

You can tell me that this series isn't over yet, the fourth win is often the toughest to get, and the St. Louis Cardinals have blown 3-1 leads before (perhaps most memorably - for old-time Tigers fans, at least - in 1968). But it sure feels like the Detroit Tigers lost the World Series last night.

This one hurt, man. Because there was so much that the Tigers did right. Pudge Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson joined the got-a-hit club. Sean Casey hit a home run (alas, a day too late to give America a free taco), which had me thinking today's post would be titled "The Greatest Trade EVER." And Jeff Suppan (whom I like a lot more after watching his instructional pairing with Scooter), the Cardinals' second-best pitcher in the playoffs, was gone by the sixth inning.

(Quick digression: I'm glad I won't have to watch Suppan pitch anymore in St. Louis, because all the signs with plays on his name were brutal. "Supp's On"? "Tonight's Supp: Tiger Stew"? Go crazy, folks! I was waiting for "Pardon me, sir, but do you have any Jeff Suppan?" Or "The Tigers are good... for me to Suppan!"

Never mind that someone went to the trouble of making a "J-Rod" sign for John Rodriguez, or "Coming Up Next... Late Local News," a blatant ploy to get on TV. Okay, I might be bitter.)

Meanwhile, Jeremy Bonderman fiercely maintained the oh-so-precarious one-run lead that his teammates gave him, and Fernando Rodney made Jim Leyland look like a stinkin' genius for holding that lead to close the sixth. It was the kind of effort that should've earned a win.

Unfortunately, the Tigers have gotten clumsy at the absolute worst times in this series. You could make a highlight (lowlight?) tape of Detroit's blunders set to Benny Hill music. Errant throws, players colliding, outfielders slipping... Oh, I'd love to watch that this offseason - while stabbing myself in the thigh with a Swiss Army Knife.

Of course I don't fault Granderson for slipping. (Yeah, yeah, yeah - Curt Flood in '68. A little before my time, okay?) That stuff happens - especially on a field that's been pounded by rain. It was just one hell of a moment for the grass to give out under his feet. And Craig Monroe's misplay of David Eckstein's drive into left-center field was just... unfortunate. Did Monroe misjudge the ball? Maybe. Probably. But he was also playing shallow to make a play at the plate. Eckstein just hit the ball in the right place. At the risk of tossing out a hollow, throwaway cliché, that's baseball.

(Besides, there never would've been a runner to score on that play had Joel Zumaya been able to find the strike zone. What is that, anyway? Is he too amped up? Does the wrist still bother him? Is he trying to throw the ball 150 m.p.h.? Forget the radar gun, kid. Throw a strike.)

But sweet Lord Jeebus, if another Detroit pitcher besides Kenny Rogers has to field a ground ball, I might just go stick my head in an oven. I'm ready for Leyland to go off on a Joe Riggins-esque tirade ("This... is a simple game. You throw the ball... you hit the ball... you catch the ball!") during PFP. And the Tigers' pitchers - especially the relievers - need some #@$%ing PFP right now.

Rodney's lollygagging toss to first base - don't you dare give me that "wet grass" excuse - should be used as an example to Little Leaguers for years to come as to why you throw the ball after you field it, not lob it like an alley-oop to Yao Ming (who's probably the only guy who could've caught that ball).

All the good that Rodney had accomplished - and he was well on his way to saving this game for the Tigers - just sailed away with that toss down the right-field line.

Sure, Detroit can do this. Just... play better. Sounds simple, right? If they can keep the mistakes to an absolute minimum (Pitchers, if the ball is hit back to the mound, run away like it's on fire) and maintain a tough approach at the plate, the rest of what they've been doing has been enough to win. I don't like the Tigers' chances against Chris Carpenter in a possible Game 7 (though it would be at Comerica Park), but the series has to get there first.

The Cardinals, of course, will want to close this out at Busch Stadium with the home folks going crazy, and will surely try like hell to make that happen. Personally, I think Tony La Russa is doing the Tigers something of a favor by starting Jeff Weaver tonight over Anthony Reyes. (What, did he not watch Game 1? Did he miss something while his sunglasses were on?) But maybe he figures Weaver will be extra motivated to beat his original team. Or he just honestly thinks that scarecrow is his third-best starting pitcher.

And if Justin Verlander gets rocked tonight, it'll be one cold winter of second-guessing in Detroit. (Hell, it's already started.) I'm not exactly sure why Leyland is so adamant against starting Kenny Rogers "in this environment." Maybe he thinks the Cardinals fans will rattle Dirty Hand Kenny, and perhaps compel the umpires to inspecting Rogers' hand, glove, and uniform closely. Or maybe he just thinks Rogers is in a zone at home and doesn't want to mess with a good thing.
Besides, Verlander would have to pitch at some point. Tonight's game isn't any more "do-or-die" than the next two would be. So does it really make a difference?

Either way, I know I'll be wearing gloves tonight, to prevent myself from biting my fingernails down to the bone. And yes, I love this. I could just use a bit less anxiety with the whole thing.

Doing the anti-rain dance...

▪▪ In his piece detailing the havoc that rainouts will wreak upon this World Series (70% chance of rain tonight, by the way - and Friday isn't looking so good, either), ESPN.com's Jayson Stark includes this gem of a quote from Jim Leyland.

When asked how he spent the three hours of waiting while MLB decided whether or not Game 3 would be played, Leyland responded: "I smoked about a carton. It was probably one of the worst days of the year -- for my lungs."

▪▪ Also at ESPN.com, Jerry Crasnick asks several Tigers and Cardinals a question I've heard from several casual-to-non-baseball fans over the past week: Should the World Series be played at a neutral (warmer) site each year? (You can probably imagine what most of the answers were.)

▪▪ Why would the media even bring up such a subject? Well, they hate the Busch Stadium press box, which is exposed to the elements. The Baseball Writers' Association of America hates it so much, in fact, that they're asking MLB not to award the 2009 All-Star Game to St. Louis until those facilities are improved.

▪▪ Did the Cardinals dial down the Busch Stadium radar gun to mess with Joel Zumaya's head? MLB.com's Jason Beck explores yet another conspiracy theory surrounding this series. (So does that explain Zumaya trying to throw to third on Tuesday night? Maybe he was trying to loosen up his arm some more?)

▪▪ I don't have any feeling for this, but Slate's Larry Borowsky seems to think that America is annoyed that the Cardinals are in the World Series (and two wins away from a championship). No rooting for the underdog, apparently.

▪▪ And here's a guy who seems annoyed that the Tigers are in the World Series. Former major league pitcher Mark Knudson now writes for Mile High Sports and holds Jim Leyland in rather low regard for the job he did in Colorado. Knudson also doesn't care much for Kenny Rogers - and he felt that way before the recent "pine tar" controversy in Game 2.

[Edited at 11 a.m.]

Hey, self-defeaters - quit looking down

First thing this morning, my buddy Rob told me not to worry. I wish he'd have been there for me last night when I was chewing on my remote.

It's not that I'm worried. Actually, I'm kind of mad. Because Chris Carpenter was very good - maybe great - but I think the Tigers more than helped him out with that.

How about making the opposing pitcher work for his victory? These were the "bad" Tigers creeping up again - impatient at the plate, swinging at bad pitches, making it easy for the opposing starter.

82 pitches in eight innings? As Billfer points out, no Tigers batter ever reached three balls in the count. No one in the road greys saw more than five pitches in an at-bat. I'm ready to join Jim Leyland in the smokers' lounge after typing that out.

And Carpenter was a guy that looked spent in the NLCS. Tony La Russa squeezed that sponge dry during the division series against the Padres, pitching Carpenter twice, getting anything and everything he could from the Cardinals' ace in order to advance to the next round. Against New York, he was tapped out. And the Mets didn't bail him out by chasing pitches out of the strike zone, either.

But last night's game also provided plenty of other stuff to worry about. Things that the Tigers had found dependable virtually all season, such as Placido Polanco at the plate, suddenly aren't looking working out for them. (Curtis Granderson and Pudge Rodriguez are obviously concerns, too, but they've been prone to strikeouts and lunging at bad pitches throughout the season.)

And then there's the bullpen, which perhaps had been the Tigers' most fearsome weapon. That was one hell of a meltdown by Joel Zumaya. Had his two-week respite taken away his edge? Is his wrist still bothering him? Regardless of the reasons, Zumaya essentially lit himself on fire by walking the first two hitters. ESPN.com's Keith Law thinks Zumaya was getting squeezed by an inconsistent strike zone. Yet Law's colleagues at "Baseball Tonight" said after the game that Detroit's Voodoo Child didn't look very sharp while warming up, either.

But Zumaya almost got himself out of trouble when he got Albert Pujols to hit a grounder back to the mound. A sure double-play ball. Just turn around and toss the ball to second base, and everyone on the Detroit side could exhale.

Well, not so much. For whatever reason, Zumaya opted to go to third, which no one expected, least of all Brandon Inge. What the hell was he thinking, especially when Jim Leyland came to the mound and told him to throw to second if just such a situation arose? Who knows? It was infuriatingly similar to Justin Verlander's ill-advised decision to try and pick Pujols off first base in Game 1 of the series.

Both of the runners Zumaya put on base scored, and the game was pretty much over after that. I was screaming at my television until I caught a glimpse of Zumaya looking up at the sky for answers. You could see it in his eyes. He knew he made a huge mistake and probably cost his team the game. At that moment, he looked a lot like the kid that his age says he is, and it was difficult to stay mad at the poor guy.

Still, some extra "PFP" with Todd Jones before tonight's game might not be a bad idea.

Yes, Carpenter had great stuff last night, and deserves plenty of credit for a dominating performance. But I just can't shake the feeling that the Tigers largely beat themselves. And if they don't begin to find some discipline at the plate - as well as some more bat finding the ball - this series, despite my friend's assurances, likely won't be coming back to Detroit.

Moving past "The Smudge"

You guys have probably already heard or read this stuff elsewhere, but I hate deleting drafts unless I really have to...

♦ Following up on Bill Madden's report that Alan Trammell would be brought onto Lou Pinella's coaching staff in Chicago, it's now official, if you haven't already heard: Tram will be wearing the blue pinstripes of the Cubs as their bench coach next season.

According to the Chicago Sun-Times, Tram's been a man in demand this off-season. He was also being considered as hitting coach for the Colorado Rockies, and could've either joined Bruce Bochy's staff if he was to take the manager's job in San Francisco, or succeeded Bochy as manager of the Padres.

I think there will always be some argument as to whether or not he was a good manager in Detroit. Me, I think he was always hired as a fall guy, to buy Dave Dombrowski both time and good will while he put together his team for just the right manager. We'll probably never know the entire truth on that, though Jim Leyland's success with this year's team might just render all that speculation moot.

The point I'm trying to get to is this: Trammell ultimately had to go because it became pretty clear he lost the team. But it killed my inner child Tigers fan to see him booed and mercilessly criticized (to those who say they want Steve Yzerman to be Red Wings coach someday, think hard about that), and I'm glad to see him landing on his feet elsewhere in baseball. Giving him the honor of throwing out a ceremonial pitch before Game 2 was a nice touch.

♦ Speaking of nice touches, it was also fantastic to see Sparky Anderson back in Detroit. Comerica Park suits him well. Mike McClary invited me to another Daily Fungo Podcast roundtable, and at the end of the show (which was recorded last Thursday), I expressed my hope that this meant the Tigers and Sparky have finally buried the hatchet, paving the way toward giving #11 the ceremony he deserves. Put that man's number up on that wall with the other retired numbers, Detroit Tigers.

♦ A buddy of mine in the St. Louis area e-mailed me earlier today and asked if Todd Jones was always like that in the 9th inning. Oh, Dave - you have no idea. Booting a relatively easy ground ball? Hitting a batter to load the bases and bring NLCS hero Yadier Molina to the plate? Standard operating procedure this year in Detroit, my friend. I know I'm not the only Tigers fan who had trouble using the bathroom this morning and damn near ate his cell phone in anxiety last night.

But at least we got a good Leyland line out of it: "He'll be taking PFP - pitcher's fielding practice - before we get on the bus tonight."

To the rest of America: That is what we endure in Detroit - bad public transit and adventurous 9th innings with Todd Jones. Oh, and the Lions, but no one cares about them right now.

♦ How much of a role did agent Scott Boras play in the building of the 2006 Detroit Tigers? How much credit does he deserve for steering Pudge Rodriguez, Magglio Ordonez, and Kenny Rogers to Detroit? What did he say to convince Pudge? What did Mike Ilitch do to impress Magglio?

Here's an interesting piece by Tyler Kepner from yesterday's New York Times about Boras' relationship with the Tigers - especially owner Mike Ilitch.

And if the Tigers end up beating the team that Boras toiled in the minor leagues with? I suppose that's some tasty gravy.

♦ Also from yesterday's NY Times is a feature on Marcus Thames' mother, Veterine, who's been bedridden in Mississippi for the past 24 years as the result of an auto accident. It's quite an insight into Thames' upbringing, and if you ever wondered why he never gave up trying to make it to the major leagues, this should give you a pretty good idea.

And just in case you wanted to know, Veterine reveals that Marcus was nicknamed "Slick" as a kid because he sucked his thumb.

(Salon's King Kaufman, by the way, thinks Leyland might be looney for not putting Thames in the line-up.)

If you weren't already sick of "The Smudge"...

The New York Times' "Bats" blog would like to bring you... "The Cap."

Rob Mackey's post cites Paul Luka's "Uni Watch" column at ESPN.com, which points out that Kenny Rogers' cap is worthy of some scrutiny, as well. Why's that?

Rogers prefers the batting practice cap, rather than the standard issue "5950" New Era version that everyone else wears. Normally, you'd be able to tell because of the bill of the cap has a white brim, which wouldn't be allowed in regular game-play. But Rogers apparently colors that in with magic marker. Why would this be any sort of issue?

The BP cap has a black underbill, instead of the Tigers' usual light gray. Now ask yourself, if you wanted to take a foreign substance out to the mound with you, wouldn't it be easier to hide it against a black background than a gray one? Far be it from Uni Watch to accuse the Gambler of taking cards from the bottom of the deck, but you have to admit it's an interesting coincidence at the very least. Uni Watch's suggestion: Make Rogers wear a 5950 like everyone else, and then let's see who holds 'em and who folds 'em.

(Besides the stuff about Rogers' cap, the rest of the column has an interesting analysis of the slight differences between the Olde English D on that cap and the one on the Tigers' jerseys. Did you know they were different? I sure as hell didn't. Of course, I haven't had a jersey in my hands to examine, either.)

If there's a Game 6, Rogers might want to plan on getting to Comerica Park early. I have a feeling he'll be inspected like a bag of luggage at the airport. Oh, and probably steam cleaned.

So are you ready for Game 3 to start already? I'm not sure I can take another day of this stuff. By tomorrow, we'll probably find out if Rogers has any allergies or a cold that might result in a runny nose while on the mound. And why were his eyes so moist following the game when he was interviewed by Chris Myers? What is he putting in his eyes that makes them tear up like that? Emotion? Bah! What happens if you put those tears on the ball?!

Deep World Series thoughts

▪▪ So did anyone else watch a "pumped-up" (surely because it was cold) Eric Byrnes on FOX's pre-game show and think of Pepper Brooks from Dodgeball?

Effin' A, Jeanne Zelasko! Effin' A!

I missed my chance at making fun of Byrnes' hair while he appeared on Baseball Tonight during the Tigers-Yankees series (though I felt strongly enough about it to text-message Mike McClary from Hawaii), but when did this guy become the go-to player analyst? And what exactly does he offer, other than looking and acting like he had way too much Red Bull in his trailer?

▪▪ While I'm at it, when Ronnie Belliard (not to be confused with Tigers' infield coach Rafael Belliard, as I briefly was) took second base for the Cardinals in Game 1, and you saw his unbraided, unfurled afro barely contained under his hat, were you at all reminded of Shirley from What's Happening?

No? That was just me?

Ooooh, that smudge!

Kind of a shame for the post-game chatter to focus on that "big clump of dirt" on Kenny Rogers' pitching hand during the first inning, eh?

Considering Rogers' pitched seven amazing innings after that with clean hands, the mysterious "discoloration" on his left hand would seem to be a moot point. I had kind of a sick feeling in my stomach, however, when ESPN showed clips from Rogers' other post-season starts, in which he also appeared to have something on his left hand.

But hey, if the umpires didn't think the smudge was suspicious enough to examine Rogers' hand, glove, hat, or anything else on his uniform, and if the Cardinals weren't demanding that kind of examination - or his immediate ejection from the game - then I guess it's not an issue, and Rogers isn't the real-life version of Major League's Eddie Harris.

If La Russa says "it's not important to talk about," Aaron Miles doesn't think Rogers was cheating, and Albert Pujols didn't notice anything, then that's it. No accusations. No excuses.

Or, as the St. Louis Post-Dispatch's Bryan Burwell (welcome back to Detroit, Bryan) speculates, Tony La Russa just didn't want to pursue that route. He wants his team to win because of their play on the field, not from pointing at the rule book.

As you might imagine, however, Cardinal Nation doesn't agree with that and is more than a bit upset about the smudge. Viva El Birdos cites the exact rule and calls Rogers a "cheat." Go Crazy, Folks! thinks Rogers was busted, should've been tossed, and may have still been cheating later in the game. (I'm eager to see what Mr. Leitch might have to say on the matter later today.)

Who can blame them? If Jeff Weaver had something on his hand last night, and the Tigers lost, I'd probably be writing about it right now, too. I'd like to think I'd let it go if Weaver pitched even better after washing his hands, but who knows?

But if Rogers ends up pitching Game 6 of this series back at Comerica Park, I'll bet he receives some much closer scrutiny, whether it's from the umpires, the FOX television cameras, or the Cardinals' dugout. Hey, if the series is on the line, that rule book could suddenly become quite a handy weapon.

And knowing is half the battle

So now we finally know. A rematch of the 1968 World Series, if you haven't already heard. Even though I said yesterday that I wanted the Mets because they looked weaker, pitching-wise (and Vance Wilson could wreak vengeance upon the team that spurned him), I'm glad the opponent is the Cardinals. It's more of a "classic" match-up, and I like that two supposed cornerstones from the Randy Smith regime will be returning to Detroit.

The Midwesterner in me also loves that the East Coast is being frozen out. But really, I'm most excited about the Battle of the Soul Patches, between Brandon Inge and Scott Spiezio. Keep the color natural, Ingie. (Note to FOX Sports, take it easy with the close-ups on Spiezio's red stripe.)

Let's create some new baseball memories, Detroit. Bubba Helms is dead. (There's a potential title for a new Tigers blog, if anyone wants it.) That brings us to the World Series edition of...

Like stripes on the fur coat of a Tiger...

▪▪ ESPN.com's Buster Olney lists the reasons why the Cardinals are in trouble. First and foremost? The Tigers have been watching you, St. Louis. And they've been taking notes.

▪▪ Anyone else looking forward to Jeff Weaver likely starting one of the first two games in Detroit (probably Game 2)? If I were FOX, I'd try to make sure Weaver bumps into Dave Dombrowski at some point during workouts or warm-ups. (Too bad he won't be matched up against Jeremy Bonderman...)

▪▪ Of all the nicknames I've tried to give Craig Monroe this season, "Monroeguez" never once occurred to me.

▪▪ I missed Endy Chavez's catch when it happened (I was joining Mike McClary for a recording of The Daily Fungo Podcast - to be posted within the next day or so, I'd bet), but after seeing the highlight a half-dozen times now, I'm thinking that has to rank among the all-time catches (especially among post-season highlights).

Salon's King Kaufman says it might have been considered the greatest, if the Mets had won the game. Slate's Josh Levin also has some thoughts on that subject.

▪▪ Do you think Carlos Beltran suffered a knee injury from the way he buckled at that last Adam Wainwright curveball? That, as they say, was nasty. (Mets GM Omar Minaya called it "unhittable.") Prediction for future Beltran nickname: Mr. Freeze. Or is that too lame?

▪▪ You already knew Deadspin's Will Leitch was a huge Cardinals fan. But apparently, an editor at Gawker (a colleague of Will's within the Gawker Media blog conglomerate) is a huge Detroit Tigers fan. Thus, the two editors are making a World Series bet: On the Tuesday following the completion of the Series, the loser has to post not only on his own site, but cover the posts at the other site, too. (Thanks to Fried Rice Thoughts' New York Bureau Chief, Mis Hooz, for passing this along.)

So if you really, really like Will Leitch (and here's his side of the bet), you'll root for the Cardinals, I suppose. Deadspin's been berry, berry good to us over the past year, but we're still going to cheer for the Tigers.

Thinking (and linking) over lunch

♦ I'd been re-reading Buzz Bissinger's Three Nights in August, hoping I might glean some insight into Tony La Russa's managerial approach in a pending match-up with the Tigers and his old friend, Jim Leyland. But after last night's 4-2 loss to the Mets, I'm wondering whether I should bother trying to finish the book before Saturday. I don't suppose Willie Randolph has a book on the shelf I can flip through?

♦ I'm kind of hoping the Mets win the NLCS and come to Detroit on Saturday. It's not (necessarily) about beating the other New York team for the championship. Or fearing a Cardinals team with arguably the best hitter and starting pitcher in baseball.

I just like the Tigers chances in the World Series against a team that is starting Oliver Perez (who the Pittsburgh Pirates decided was no good for them) in a do-or-die Game 7 tonight.

(Previously, the Mets had strongly considered giving Darren Oliver - now a middle reliever - the starting nod. As a Tigers fan, can you imagine Detroit starting Jason Grilli for a Game 7? I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you. But think about the situation the Mets find themselves in after spending much of the season fighting the Tigers for the best record in baseball.)

♦ Was the rainout before the original Game 2 (10-04-06) of the ALDS vs. the Yankees the turning point in the Tigers' post-season? Mike Bauman of MLB.com thinks so. The perception that the Yankees received preferential treatment (or worse, were deceitful) during the rainout ticked the Tigers off, giving them an edge that they may have taken all the way to the World Series.

♦ Complete Sports thinks Michigan is currently the best team in the country, and will eventually play Auburn for the national championship.

I'm certainly not going to argue, but am beginning to wonder if a potentially great Michigan football team has ever received less attention from the local sports community. (I'm speaking more of the metro Detroit area. Not Ann Arbor. People definitely care here.)

That's not a bad thing. It's just an indication of how Tigers-crazy it is around here. Fans will be pleasantly surprised, once the Tigers smoke clears (hopefully from celebratory fireworks), to see just how good a team the Maize-and-Blue have right now.

Ticket blasted?

Raise your hand if you actually managed to snag some tickets to Games 1 or 2 of the World Series this weekend at Comerica Park. I haven't talked to everyone - or even a lot of people - but almost all of the stories I've heard or read were frustrating accounts from those who spent hours trying to get tickets online and eventually had nothing to show for the effort.


Obviously, there was going to be a huge demand for tickets - not just from Tigers fans, but also from out-of-town baseball followers, as well as those who just want to take part in a big sporting event.

But the apparent World Series freeze-out kind of affirms a sad belief I've held for many years now: so-called "average" fans just aren't meant to attend events like this anymore. They've been priced out. Now, that's not to say that those able to acquire tickets through corporate means aren't "true fans." I don't want to get into that argument.

However, it would be nice to see everyone get a fair chance. And given how the ticket situation shook down, it seems pretty apparent that - despite the supposed best efforts to prevent this - ticket brokers were able to score a significant majority of the available seats. (Am I off-base on that?) It bums me out when people have decided to make a commitment to see something special, something they may never have another chance to witness live, and are left to watch on TV - especially when it's not a question of availability, but of affordability.

I've heard quite a few stories this summer from people who attended the 1984 World Series and 1987 ALCS at Tiger Stadium. Maybe it's not an entirely fair comparison, since Comerica Park has a lower seating capacity and we now simply live in a different era. But I just have a feeling that I'm not going to be hearing the same kind of nostalgia about the 2006 World Series 25 years from now. I hope I'm wrong about that.

Thanks, Steve Lyons!

Well, it's pretty easy to bash Steve Lyons in lieu of his dismissal from FOX over the weekend for "inappropriate" comments. I mean, the guy just wasn't that good of a baseball analyst. (And he'll always be the guy who pulled down his pants at first base in Tiger Stadium to me.) Plus, he's not nearly as funny as he thinks he is, which I think is a particularly annoying sin for anyone who works in sports or entertainment.

But I'm feeling pretty indebted to the guy this week. I've been getting a lot of hits from people looking for something on the story - what he said, what he may have said about Lou Pinella, etc. On a whim, I checked my stats, knowing that Sunday's almost always a slow day, and was astounded to see numbers that usually means I was "Deadspun."

And that couldn't have been the case, unless there was a surge of Friday Night Lights watchers or Shaun Bodiford fans flooding Google. And it was only then that I realized what had happened. Type in "Lyons" and "Pinella" on a search and this lil' blog pops up rather prominently. Luck of the Ian.

Sure, I noticed that Lyons wasn't in the booth Saturday evening. But I couldn't be absolutely sure who was or wasn't talking, as I watched 3/4 of the game in a bar. As unusual as replacing a broadcaster during a playoff series would be, I just hoped figured FOX had somehow come to its senses. Or that Lyons had some kind of emergency that took him away from the game.

Like Deadspin and Salon's King Kaufman, however, I'm a bit baffled by this - mostly because I just don't really get what Lyons was trying to say. At the time, I just thought, "What the hell is he talking about?" (Another ill-fated attempt to be funny, I guess.) I suppose I can see - especially with the remarks in print - why someone might get a little skittish about Lyons (who has a history of idiotic comments) inching close to anything racially insensitive. But he was just making a dumb joke about his broadcast partner. It's not like he was Al Campanis on Nightline.

But that's not even worth getting into anymore. The point is Steve Lyons has been unwittingly good to Sweaty Men Endeavors, and I'm grateful. Hello to all of you who have stopped by over the past couple of days. I hope you've found something enjoyable to read.

El Magglio Poderoso!

I don't suppose they're referring to Saturday night's hero as "Magglio F---ing Ordonez" out in Oakland, eh? Probably not. There's just not the same pent-up animosity between the Tigers and Athletics. But if Maggs was persona non grata in Oakland for the rest of his career, that'd be kind of cool, wouldn't it? Don't worry, Maggs - we'd have your back.

In this fantastic season that we'll be talking about for years around here, when fairy dust from the baseball angels continues to sprinkle down upon Comerica Park, was there anyone else who should've been at the plate in the bottom of the ninth on Saturday besides Magglio Ordonez?

That was some serious affirmation. Or redemption, if you think Magglio was something of a disappointment during the regular season, with diminished power numbers and a creaky knee in right field. But with one whip-like swing, Detroit's mighty Samson became the hero we'd all hoped for when he signed that huge contract with the Tigers.

Talk about a no-doubter of a home run. That thing absolutely soared toward the left-field seats, taking 22 years of frustration into the sky, hanging in the air just long enough for the reality to completely sink in.

All the worries and fears that this season wasn't "for real," that we'd have to settle for "Well, if you told me back in April that the Tigers would've made it to the playoffs" justifications, that stuff disintegrated like a meteor entering the atmosphere. And when that baseball landed, far past the original Comerica Park fences, it was like the world exploded - in a good way. In the best of ways.

And from home plate, the man who sometimes seemed like the loneliest man in Detroit last season - nursing a sports hernia, then rehabilitating in Toledo, before joining another disappointing Tigers team - while watching his former team win the World Series, slowly stepped toward first base like he was living a dream, like he couldn't believe, as Jack Buck would say, what he just saw.

Then the walk became a jog, a triumphant trot around the bases for a victory lap that we've all dream about whenever we picked up a bat. And if Magglio did indeed feel lonely last season, he had an entire team (and city) awaiting him back at home plate this year for the warmest of hero's welcomes.


You, Mr. Ordonez, will never be lonely in this town again. Cerveza libre para usted the rest of your life, if you know what I mean. (I remember reading that Magglio's more of a wine guy, however. Okay - make it vino libre.)

Do we really have to wait an entire week for the World Series to begin? That's okay, I suppose. (Especially if it means Joel Zumaya and Sean Casey have time to heal up.) This could be the best kick-back-and-enjoy-it week we've ever had in this town. Besides, that was a moment that truly deserves to be savored, and watched over and over again.

It's starting to take on that look...

I often cringe whenever the words "team of destiny" are strung together in a sentence, but I'd be lying if I said that particular phrase didn't run through my brain a couple of times last night (as well as throughout this entire season). When the Tigers' shining star in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series is Alexis Gomez - a guy who kept the pavement warm on I-75 between Toledo and Detroit all summer - it's becoming pretty clear that things are going their way.

Last night's batting order - with Gomez and Neifi Perez (batting 2nd!) on the field - could almost have been mistaken for one of those Sunday lineups where regulars get their one day of the week off. But Gomez certainly made Jim Leyland look like a super-genius for matching his left-handed bat against Esteban Loaiza. He put up the numbers you would've expected from one of the usual big boppers in the lineup, like Magglio Ordonez or Craig Monroe. Four RBIs? A two-run homer crushed down the right-field power alley in Oakland's canyon of a ballpark? (The "Anti-Virus Coliseum," as Mike McClary - who was in attendance last night, by the way - calls it.)

And how about Gomez calmly circling around the bases, like he's done this sort of thing before? This wasn't Mickey Hatcher in 1988, running at full speed with his arms raised up and waving around like a madman. Or even Milton Bradley, who blazed around the bases like he wanted to step right back up to the plate. Cool exterior aside, Gomez may have been savoring this one. Who the hell could fault him for that?

I have to agree with A's bloggers who point out (as linked to by Billfer) that Oakland's played well enough (or at least hit well enough) in both games to still be considered a factor in this series. (And it was scary as hell - sphincter-puckering frightening - to see Frank Thomas facing Todd Jones with the bases loaded in the 9th. So was that pitch from Jones that Thomas just missed.) Of course, we're still talking about a team down 2-0 and set to play the next two to three games in Detroit. If the Tigers were in that position, how would you be feeling about their chances?

A few quickies:

▪▪ I don't understand Oakland's rotation in this series. Someone explain to me why the A's are holding Dan Haren back until Game 4. I know Rich Harden can be great - if healthy - (and some putz picked him to win the AL Cy Young this season) but the ALCS could pivot on tomorrow's game. Why wouldn't you send out the guy who's been at least your second-best pitcher?

▪▪ Has any player (on a good team) in recent memory been more reviled by Detroit fans than Neifi Perez?

▪▪ Does any manager seem more invisible than Ken Macha? (Especially in comparison to Leyland, who seems to be working everything. But maybe that's TV coverage for you.)

▪▪ Do you wish either the Tigers or A's had a junkball/knuckleball pitcher, just to see if FOX's radar gun would clock them at 95 mph too?

▪▪ I'm not usually one to hope for such things, but I'm really hoping the Tigers draw my name for tickets this weekend. With the weather forecast, watching at home might be more comfortable, but I really want to be at Comerica Park now - especially after missing out on the Yankees series.

▪▪ Is anyone selling Magglio-esque wigs by the ballpark? If I attend a game, I might be sporting some fake curly locks. Think about it, Detroit - this could be the new 'fro.

So this playoff thing is pretty cool, eh?

I feel a bit funny writing about the Tigers now, since I pretty much neglected them for the final weeks of the season, as they let the AL Central slip away. And I was out of the country (at least it seemed that way with the six-hour time difference) while they completely shut down the Yankees in their first-round playoff series.

(The New York papers were so much fun to read during my layover in L.A., however. The NY Post had me laughing all morning on Monday. "Fire Torre," "Trade A-Rod, "Sheff's old as dirt," "Unless your last name is Wang, you're a Yankees pitcher that sucks." I'm paraphrasing (slightly), but those back page headlines are a delight of absurdity - which was much-needed, since I was shoehorned into a table at the airport Burger King, trying to ration out my $5.00 Croissanwich. Yuck.)

The Leelanau Sports Guy already called me out on whining about being in Hawaii during the Tigers-Yankees series, so I won't try to pretend that I wasn't enjoying the sun and beach while Detroit was apparently shocking the baseball world. But I did feel like I was missing out on something really special. I heard the last inning of Game 4 through the Batphone, so I wasn't completely tuned out.

But I was a lone doofus, standing in the thoroughfare of Honolulu's Chinatown, with one arm raised and yelling "Yes!" (Now that I think about it, I looked a lot like that Japanese dude on Heroes, after he teleports himself to Times Square... Hai!)

I've seen footage of the Tigers celebrating with the fans at Comerica Park (which ESPN's Buster Olney called "perhaps the greatest team celebration you will ever see"), Kenny Rogers soaking policemen with champagne, and Jim Leyland appearing to kiss anyone who'd stick his or her lips through the netting, and wish I could've seen that live - even if it was just on TV. Reading assorted blog posts about the victory is great, but makes the whole thing feel kind of distant to me.

"Boo-hoo"? Don't cry for you, Joel Zumaya? Okay, okay... You're right. Besides, I came back with a great-looking tan.

My biggest fear was that the Tigers' playoff run would flame out - start to finish - while I was away. So I wasn't just happy that Detroit would still be playing post-season baseball (and humbled the overlord Yankees in the process) when I came home. I was thrilled that I'd be able to watch some of that action. So last night's Game 1 vs. Oakland was my first real taste of playoff baseball, Detroit-style, and I enjoyed the hell out of it.

That 4th inning may have been more enjoyable than any one particular inning I can remember. Not only did the Tigers chase Barry Zito - possibly Oakland's best chance for a win from a starting pitcher - after making him work as we've been begging and pleading for them to do virtually all season long, but Nate Robertson came back from what looked like a stomach churning "Oh, $#!+" situation to blowing away the next three batters. If that wasn't a fist-pumping moment - one that could make a poor guy tear his rotator cuff - then I'm not sure I've ever seen one.

It seemed like a microcosm of the entire season. The Tigers did something unexpected, and showed that they’re capable of playing truly good baseball. Then they allowed their comfortable lead to suddenly become precarious. But when faced with adversity – a situation in which it looked like they’d wilt – the Tigers flexed their muscles and demonstrated just how tough they really are. It was an exhalation and an exclamation. Robertson yelled to no one in particular, yet to everyone watching, and walked back to the dugout triumphantly.

How was Oakland going to win the game after that?

But I think I could've done without seeing Sean Casey's left calf snap/spasm/explode like warm taffy in super-duper-X-slo-mo a dozen times, though. FOX Sports, thy name is not restraint. Was anyone else wondering if they were feeling a leg cramp after the first three or four viewings of that? Casey won't play tonight? No, you're kidding me.

Besides that 4th inning, however (and, well, you know, the Tigers winning), I think my favorite moment of the game was the awkward silence after Steve Lyons teased Lou Pinella about managing Tampa Bay. (Pinella: I like winning, too. Lyons: Then why'd you take that Tampa Bay job?)

Did the FOX director fall asleep there? How could you not get a camera shot of the look Pinella had to shoot at Lyons after that? (Yes, Mike McClary, I think Sweet Lou wants to deck Psycho Steve. Fiercely.) Or was he too in love with switching over to that stupid "Diamond Cam," which has to be the most useless camera angle in the history of sports. (The under-the-basket cam used in NBA games might be a close second.)

Let's see Milton Bradley strike out again from... a little lower angle than the one you just watched. Wow, that added something, huh? Hey, do we have a shot of Casey's calf exploding from that camera?

Okay, I'm definitely ready for tonight.

All apologies

(Or "In the sun, I feel as one" - whatever Kurt Cobain meant by that.)

I meant to post a message early last week before leaving, but ran right into a deadline crunch, and found myself trying to finish a magazine article just before I had to leave for the airport.

If you've been stopping by for the past week, wondering where the hell I was, or if I joined the many who finally crapped out on blogging after giving it a good try, I apologize for not saying anything. (And I'm not even going to look at my hit counter, for fear the numbers will make me cry.) This was quite possibly the worst week in the recent sports calendar to leave the continental United States, with the Tigers in the playoffs (and beating the Yankees!), along with Michigan playing Michigan State. This is what happens when the females of the family make the arrangements. (Just kidding, ladies.)

So where'd I go? Well, I've been in Hawaii for most of the past week, spending time on the beach in Waikiki with my family, after bouncing around northern California for a bit. And only now that I'm trying to kill some time before we're set to head back did I finally find the internet station here at the Marriott.


Thanks to my tricked-out test Sprint batphone, I was able to keep up on the Tigers' fantastic (and surprisingly dominant) first-round victory over the Yankees. But most of the games were during the day out here. The rescheduled Game 2, for example, started at 7 a.m. I tried to get up and watch, but didn't have much success. It's pretty cool to wake up that early and turn on some baseball, though. (If anyone's able to keep up with sports around here - other than, say, University of Hawaii football - they must be pretty damn dedicated. Hell, I thought I was.)

Back in Michigan on Tuesday, and I'll get back on the blogging horse - or try to, after readjusting to Eastern Standard Time.

Mahalo, as the people with grass skirts and coconut breast cups say here.

(Meanwhile, did you catch me on The Daily Fungo Podcast last week? It's interesting to hear our roundtable's thoughts, compared to what's actually happened with the Tigers recently.)

This has to be a joke

Is today's Jeremy Bonderman-Johan Santana match-up really not on TV in Detroit today?!

Seriously? Whose #@$%ing idea was that?

You have to be kidding. Do the Lions still have so much play in this area that FSN or TV20 said, "Thanks, but no thanks"?!

So what you're telling me is that I have no choice but to watch the Lions all afternoon.

This is making me angry. You wouldn't like me when I'm angry...

Maybe it's just as well, so I can be spared the pain of watching Detroit lose their third in a row at the Metrodome.

What a weekend this is turning out to be.