Tigers On Top

It worked! All the voting, the fake Yahoo addresses, the repetitive typing in of garbled combos of numbers and letters all succeeded! FIVE, count ‘em, FIVE Tigers are going to the All-Star game, three as starters! Only the Mets got more All-Stars than us (6) and the Red Sox tied us. Remember the old days when All-Star managers said, “Wait just a minute, do I really have to take one of those guys from Detroit?” Well those days are OVER! We’ve got five completely and unassailably legitimate All-Stars, and you could make quite a convincing case for Grandy, Sheffield, Brandon, and Bondo as well. Fun, isn’t it, to have your once-awful team now fielding a lineup of All-Stars practically every day? I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of it!

I think we all knew that Pudge was going to the All-Star game. But with Polly and Maggs, we knew they deserved to start but didn’t know if the rest of the country would open their eyes to this fact. But I have new faith in the general population of baseball fans, to look past Cano’s pinstripes and realize that really, he is not even worthy of licking Polly’s spikes. And that Maggs would be the MVP of the American League if the season ended today. It almost feels weird, looking at the roster and thinking, “Yes indeed, he certainly does deserve to go to the All-Star game.” 

As icing on the cake, Justin Verlander made the pitching staff–really, how could he NOT?! but you never know with this, people get snubbed–and Carlos Guillen finally got some recognition for being one of the best shortstops in the majors. This was the first year I kind of resented the rule that every team has to be represented, because it might mean Carlos being pushed out for some Royal or Devil Ray to get on there. Yet somehow, it all worked out!

As for the rest of the All-Stars, I have to say that I’m happier with the teams overall this year than I have in a long time. If I were Jim Leyland, I would start Danny Haren, without hesitation (and if I were Tony La Russa and thus wanted the National League to win, which I most assuredly DON’T–I’d start Jake Peavy). Yeah, I’m a little biased, since the Coliseum is my favorite ballpark and the A’s are my second favorite team. But I’ve seen Danny Haren a lot this season, one of the perks of living out here in the Pacific time zone and 45 minutes from Oakland. He is amazing, flat-out unbelievable. And if, as we are to believe, This One Counts, Haren would put the AL well on its way to a win. (Knock on wood!)

I’m probably in the minority on this, but I’m glad Barry Bonds will get to start for the National League. Say what you want about steroids etc (just not in my presence)–there is no drug in the world that can give you the incredible eye-hand coordination that he has. The All-Star game is in his home ballpark, the only one where you can reasonably assume that the majority of the fans support him, and he should be out there. He’s put up some quality numbers so far this season, and however you feel about him personally, you never look away during his at-bats. That said, I look forward with great anticipation to watching our Justin strike him out on three blazing fastballs. Haha!

Gametime for the Boys is in about an hour, and hopefully the glee will continue with a win. I shall return tomorrow to rant or exult about tonight’s game, and then I’m leaving until next Sunday … for MICHIGAN!!! I am uncertain as to whether blogging will happen when I’m there, but rest assured I will return. My dear beloved friends are planning some sort of Grand Surprise for next Wednesday–perhaps we’ll be at the Tigers game!!! (See that? That’s what realistic people like to call wishful thinking.)

But you know what is NOT wishful thinking? When I return from my blissful interlude in my beloved Ann Arbor, I will head straight to San Francisco. Yes, we have tickets to the All-Star game, and yes, I am GOING, full Tigers regalia and everything. Wahoo!!!!!