Tigers On Top

I must begin this entry by admitting I did not really see this game in the literal sense. I was watching the Dodgers beat the crap out of the Giants and keeping an eye on the flashing out of town scoreboard. Seemed like typical good Tigers from there though!

Saw a couple highlights later, and they made me joyous. I’m sure they made every Tigers fan joyous, except for the part where Jonesy momentarily yielded to the Roller Coaster half of his brain and made his 23rd save of the year a little more “interesting.” So, on to the happy things!

The Tygs fell behind (though, amazingly, not in the first inning! Is Bondo learning?) and then answered back with a vengeance. By vengeance I mean a gigantic Gary Sheffield grand slam. I sort of view him like Bonds; I don’t particularly care for his personality, but I’m incredibly gleeful he’s playing for my team and not against. I’ll take lead-grabbing grand slams any day! Mr. Nice Guy Sean Casey added a blast of his own, bringing his season total up to a whopping two. The Mariners broadcasters (Thursday night) were most amused by his kick-starting the motorcycle before each pitch. They didn’t know that’s what he was doing though; I guess you have to be a Tigers fan in order to see the motorcycle.

Bondo preserved his unbeaten road record, notching his tenth win with seven solid innings. My favorite highlight that my computer spat out at 1 in the morning, though, was Brandon Inge’s grab at third. Sometimes that guy seems super-human. I still can’t believe he actually caught that ball. He had no time to think, just had to react, like a football goalie during penalty shots. That’s what he reminded me of most as he was flying through the air. Only Brandon snagged the ball, and usually goalies miss. I didn’t see Baseball Tonight–if that was the top Web Gem of the night, could someone please inform me so I can celebrate further?

Last night in San Francisco, we fortuitously ended up sitting next to a honeymooning couple from Detroit, both decked out in Tigers gear. Neither of them was entirely pleased when I identified Jonesy as my Tiger. So I will now briefly defend Jonesy for others of you who may think I’m a loony. I am a loony, make no mistake, but Jonesy is not evidence.

He is fifth in the AL in saves, and could probably be higher but sometimes those pesky Tigers just WHOMP teams and then there’s no opportunity for a save, is there? It boggles my mind that Bobby Jenks of the “most disappointing team in baseball,” the White Sox, has one more save than Jonesy. (The SF Chronicle said that about the Sox … I was just thinking it.) The other three ahead of him (only ahead by one or two saves, by the way) are Cleveland’s Joe Borowski, Seattle’s J. J. Putz, and Anaheim’s K-Rod. I’d say Jonesy’s in some pretty good company. He has two more saves than the vaunted Papelbon also. Jonesy saves games a hell of a lot more than he blows them; it’s just that his blowups are usually so spectacular that they stick in your memory longer than the nights when he mows down the other team in order. Jonesy is the all-time Tigers saves leader and is coming up on 300. Trust me, he is a lot better than you think. And appreciate him now, because he won’t be around for the next million years like Zumaya. (Knock on wood, don’t want to jinx anyone!)

 Well I’m off to the ballpark by the Bay once again … Go TIGERS!!!!