The Tigers defeated the Blue Jays 7-3 at Comerica Park earlier this afternoon. Detroit combined for 15 hits, four of those coming courtesy of Miguel Cabrera. Torii Hunter went 3-5, including his 2000th career hit (we'll get to that later). New dad Alex Avila was 2-4 with a solo home run - his second of the year.
Melky Cabrera finished 3-4 with one RBI. Colby Rasmus connected for a solo home run in the ninth inning off Joaquin Benoit (new permanent closer? We shall see!)
Anibal Sanchez went 7 innings, giving up two runs on five hits. It's nice to see another Tigers pitcher go more than five innings.
But here's the really cool, interesting stuff that happened that had to be immortalized on the internet forever in GIF form.
First of all, Don Kelly made a super amazing catch in left field. Look at him bounce off the wall like it's made of clouds. Absolutely no regard for his body, and it resulted in what's easily one of the top plays of the season in Major League Baseball. Yes, the season is a week old. But this catch will be played in every season-ending montage that is made: COUNT ON IT.
Cabrera hit an absolute BOMB for his first home run of the season. Not only was it a BOMB (I can only type this word in all caps. Not sorry) but it was also a three-run shot. And why was it a three-run shot? Because Austin Jackson and Hunter both singled to get on base. Because they play the way 1-2 hitters should. They are amazing. I am happy. This lineup is freakin' awesome.
In the sixth inning, Hunter notched his 2,000th career hit. 2,000 is a big number. It's really big.
And then at this very moment right here, I had one of those "oh wow" realizations. Torii Hunter is a Detroit Tiger. You guys. I'm a young gal, so I literally grew up watching Hunter play. I remember those 11 years he spent in the AL Central with the Twins. I remember how he killed the Tigers, and then continued to do so in an Angels uniform for five years. And now he's got that beautiful Old English D on his chest, and he earned hit number TWO THOUSAND at Comerica Park. As a Tiger. What?!
And then the fans and the team gave him a nice long ovation and Lindsay got goosebumps.
While this was a very good game for the Tigers and their fans, I think we can all agree on the most memorable moment. And that moment was this....
Former University of Michigan QB Denard Robinson: Not a pitcher
So there you have it! Tomorrow, the Tigers will play the Jays at 1:08 p.m. Here's to hoping mother nature is kind.
As I said in my previous blog, I'm doing a project on sexism in sports journalism for my Ethical Issues in Media Class. I decided to conduct an anonymous survey to see what my Twitter followers really felt about women in sports journalism.
I don't want to dwell on this topic. I want to ignore the ignorant. I don't want to give sexists and misogynists the time of day. But while looking at these results, I couldn't not share some of the responses I received. I want a chance to answer some of the things that were said, while also showing opinions that demonstrate maybe society and sports culture is on the right path. Maybe.
As I write this post, I've collected 131 responses. Since I don't have a premium account, I'm only able to analyze 100 of them. So this is out of a pool of 100 sports fans.
We'll start with the demographics.
A 25-34 year old male answered:“No, and they shouldn’t be.”
I would love to find out which of my Twitter followers feels this way to ask him more questions. If a woman is working just as hard as a man and is just as familiar with the sport (or sports) that she is covering, why has she not earned that respect?
An 18-24 year old male said: "They can be color commentators, but I'd still want a man to be a play by play announcer."
A common response I had for this one was that they didn't want the sound of a woman's voice calling the games. One person did respond that he couldn't answer the question fairly because he had never heard a woman call a game before. I believe that a woman is perfectly capable of describing the action in the game. If it became more commonplace, people would more accurately be able to judge whether they prefer a woman or man doing play-by-play.
A 25-34 year old male asked the question, "Should men be allowed in women's locker rooms?" The answer is: they already are. This is a common misconception and an argument many people try to bring up (as evidenced in my survey). An article from USA Today in 2010 clears this up.
An 18-24 year old female, who answered "yes," said: "People need to be able to handle the fact they are in control of their bodies and their actions, not what someone else’s attire or lack of."
So many people are quick to blame the victim. When someone is harassed or assaulted, people immediately ask what the victim was wearing. Who were they with? What time of day was it? Instead of implying that the victim did something wrong, we need to focus on the people doing the harassing. This happens in the locker room for all different sports. Female reporters are there to do their job, not to be leered at.
An 18-24 year old answered: "I look at the article first and the name of the author second. The article is what is important."
To me, this would be an interesting experiment. Give someone a few articles in the 10% who don't take women sports journalists as seriously as men, but don't reveal the author for any of the articles. See if they can tell which "gender" is the voice of the story.
A 25-34 year old male said that gender has influenced his opinion because: "Women don't know shit about sports."
Sigh. Do I even need to touch on this one? It absolutely, positively, completely blows my mind that there are people out there who believe women are incapable of having sports knowledge. No, not all women are sports fans. And not all men are sports fans either. A sports fan is a sports fan. A sports journalist is a sports journalist. This doesn't need to be segregated into genders.
More results
When I asked for people to name their favorite sports reporters, I had plenty of different answers. The most popular ones were Ken Rosenthal, Erin Andrews, Bill Simmons and Colin Cowherd.
I also asked for people to name which sport they follow the most. MLB (77 votes), NFL (51), NHL (35) and NBA (18) were among the most named. College basketball, soccer and tennis also received multiple votes while a variety of other sports were each named one time.
Back to the survey
I was mostly encouraged by some of the answers I received. However, some responses made me seriously question some of the people that follow me. Seriously. Seriously.
An 18-24 year old female said she doesn't take women as seriously as men because, "They just want the attention from the male dominated career. 'Oh I'm so unique, I'm one of the guys.'"
Now obviously I can't speak for all journalists. But as a female who has absolutely adored sports since she was about four years old, and as a professional who now covers sports for a job, I can safely say that I have never done it for the attention. I have never done it to be "one of the guys." This is my passion. Finding something you truly love to do and being able to make a career out of it is so rare, and I've found that through sports.
This respondent also went on to say that women are "oogled at" but that the females "ask for it and want it." I've already touched on this topic above, so I'm not going to repeat myself. I'm just seriously concerned that people feel this way.
An 18-24 year old male said that he does not take women as seriously as men "because they have never played football or baseball."
This is another argument that I have never quite understood. Yes, someone who has played the sport they are covering will have a different perspective with more experience. But does that mean all journalists should be athletes? If you've never played the sport, can you not be a fan either? Because you've never played the sport? Does that really seem logical?
So...moving on
I have been inspired by so many journalists, both women and men, as I continue to move forward in a career in sports reporting. This is what I want to do for the rest of my life. I can't change the minds of sexists and misogynists. It's not my job to prove to anyone that women are just as capable as men at covering sports.
I know that I'm smart when it comes to sports. I know plenty of women who are smart when it comes to sports. As long as I carry that with me, not a single negative thing I hear or see can stop me from doing what I want to do.
There is a gene in the human body's DNA. It is a baseball gene. Not everyone has it. In fact, some would lead you to believe that only those of a certain gender are able to possess this gene.
Men.
Men have a special gene. They are automatically superior in their baseball knowledge. Their opinions are immediately more valid than anyone else's. Because they are men. And they have the gene.
Except...not.
Yes, I've touched on this subject before. It's a topic that I care deeply about and something I will continue to talk about for as long as I have the ability to type, write and speak.
Me with a couple of ladies who know their stuff.
For my Ethical Issues in Media class, I decided to do my topic on sexism in sports journalism. Women have come a long way since the days of Mary Garber, and progress continues to be made every day. That doesn't necessarily mean everything is perfect. Women are still disrespected. Our opinions are still met with criticism. Whether it's in the comments section on an article or in the wonderful world of Twitter, there are still men (and even some women) who see through sexist eyes.
Over the last year, I've gained a lot of Twitter followers. I tweet about baseball nonstop, as well as other sports too. That's where my following came from. I have some great people who follow me. They ask me questions relating to baseball. They link me to news topics.
But then I have those who act condescendingly toward me. Those who, just because they disagree, use the fact that I'm a woman to attack me. What does my gender have anything to do with my knowledge and love of baseball? I will forever be baffled by this. You cannot give me a valid reason or explanation as to why my gender plays any role in what I have to say.
Also, I'm not trying to impress you. I'm not flirting with you. If I want to talk baseball with you, it's because I want to talk about baseball. Don't be surprised when I can debate statistics with you. Don't think that I'm doing it to win you over. It's about baseball. Respect the game and respect me, and we'll get along just fine.
So, I realize I haven't updated this blog in about a year. I don't really have any reason for that, but I decided to begin posting more regularly for this 2013 season. About five minutes ago, a link to a story titled, "20 Reasons Baseball Is the Worst," was retweeted on my timeline.
So naturally, me being the psycho, crazed, obsessive fan that I am, was a little bit upset at this. I've decided to write a rebuttal. In no particular order, here are my 20 Reasons Why Baseball is the Best:
20. Web Gems
By John Munson, US Presswire
They can come at any time, for any player, against any team. It can be a catch that preserves a perfect game or a catch to win the game. It can end an inning or kill a potential rally. Whether it's a diving, sliding or hey-I-just-flipped-over-the-fence-and-somehow-survived catch, it will always garner "OOOHs" and "AHHHs" from me.
The web gems that always tickle my fancy are the diving catches in the outfield. Anytime I see a player lay out and land flat on their stomach to catch a ball, I'm just amazed. How do you recover from that? How are they able to jump back up like they didn't just belly flop on solid ground? Who are you people?!
19. Walk off wins
There is nothing like the satisfaction of watching a hard fought game that ends on a single swing for your favorite team. On the other hand, there is nothing as painful as watching a hard fought game that ends on a single swing against your favorite team.
But that's what makes baseball so great. There is no timer. You can't run out the clock. Who cares if it's 8-0 in the bottom of the 9th inning. It's not over! The home team still has a chance to put up that nine spot to win it. And the craziest part? It happens. It happens all the time.
Buzzer beaters are cool. Last second touchdowns are fun. But nothing can touch that moment when a player is barreling around third to beat a throw to the plate to win the game. Nothing comes close to a ball that leaves the park, landing in a sea of crazed fans as they celebrate a victory. Nothing is like watching a group of grown men beat each other up in a dog pile out of pure joy.
This is me on Opening Day in 2008. It was freezing.
18. Opening Day
I don't want to sound like I'm comparing baseball to other sports, because that would be silly. All sports are different and great for their own reasons. But let's be real here. Nothing comes close to baseball's Opening Day. Nothing. It's a holiday. Sure, it's not officially a holiday yet, but give it some time. It will happen. (My friend Marcus tackles that topic here, you should read it).
Opening Day gives every fan a feeling of hope. It's a new start. You know what it's like? Say you just had a bad breakup, or lost a job, or something else that involves things not working out your way. Then think of that moment of clarity when you say, "Hey, I'm going to be just fine. There's greater things waiting for me." That's what Opening Day is like. Forget what happened last season. Forget what happened in spring training. It's a new day. A new season. Every team has a fighting chance.
17. Pitchers' Duels
A wise woman once told me, "When two pitchers can go for nine long innings, matching each other pitch for pitch and embarrassing the opposing offense, that's when you know you're watching something special."
That wise woman was me. I told myself that. Just now.
It's true though, isn't it? It is special to watch a real, true duel between two pitchers. These are Major League hitters. Really, really good, professional, All Star hitters. So when you get to see pitchers who are also really, really good, it's something to enjoy. Of course, not when it's against your team. Bad things against your team are never good. That's why they're called "bad things."
But knowing that a single hit can change the outcome of a game because the two pitchers are lights out at the exact same time? That's what baseball is all about.
16. Late nights at the park
I love myself a day game, I really do. Sitting in Comerica Park with the sun beating down on my face is one of the greatest feelings in the world. Awkward sun burn on the top of my thighs? That's what baseball season looks like.
Kauffman Stadium. Photo by Mark Whitt.
But for me, night games are where it's at. You do get some daylight for about four innings, depending on the pace of the game. Then when the sun goes down and the lights are on, there's a certain magic. I mean sure, I think anything and everything related to baseball is magic. Night games though. Night games are different. The grass is so green and the lights are glowing, sometimes I don't realize we're actually sitting in the dark until I look up at the sky. I love how the scoreboard is a little brighter, the crowd a little louder. Everything just seems more magnified during night games.
15. Rich history
I think the phrase "Nothing is like..." has become a recurring theme in this post, but COME ON. There is nothing like baseball's history. I can't even begin to think about all of the amazing players, moments, coaches, games and stories that have unfolded over the years without getting emotional. Yes, I get emotional over baseball. Yes, I get emotional when I think about events that I was not even alive for but still impact me.
Because that's what baseball does. It impacts people. Do you know why 2006 has been my favorite year of life so far? Because the Tigers went to the World Series for the first time in my life that year. I remember what happened in certain years of my life based on what happened in baseball during that time. Am I sorry? Absolutely not. That's just the way it goes with me.
14. It's unpredictable
It's become predictable that something unpredictable is going to happen in baseball every season. We just never know what that unpredictable thing is going to be, therefore we can't predict it.
Photo by Kim Klement
Teams play 162 games in a season. 162 chances to get to first place and stay there. "It's a marathon, not a sprint." That's probably the most common quote you hear during the first month of the season. But what happens when it's the last week of the season, and it's time for teams to sprint? What happens when after 161 games, you still don't know which teams will be playing in the postseason?
Oh, that's right. Baseball happens. In all its glory, it gives us something like Game 162 in 2011. It gives us Dan Johnson, a guy whose first hit since April 27 came in the form of a pinch hit game-tying home run to send the Tampa Bay Rays to extra innings, where they eventually went on to clinch the Wild Card.
Would anyone have predicted that at the start of the season? At the start of the game? At the start of the inning? Nope. How can people say baseball is boring when you don't even know what's going to happen next? 13. Strategy
Baseball is more than just someone walking up to the plate and swinging a big wooden stick. It involves matchups. It involves timing. It involves knowing when to go and knowing when to put on the brakes. It's about trying to have a guy steal a base while the batter tries to get a base hit at the same time. A successful hit and run is one of the most beautiful things a fan can see.
Strategy comes from all over. The catcher, manager and third base coach are among the anchors. It's such a meticulous game. One wrong step - or one wrong pitch - can change the entire outcome.
12. "This is a real family"
Is there a better way to ask someone to Opening Day?
Admittedly, Fever Pitch is one of my favorite movies of all time. It has everything I want in a movie: romance, comedy and baseball. And Jimmy Fallon. I always want Jimmy Fallon.
Fallon's character, Ben Wrightman, is basically the male version of me. This particular quote stands out to me every single time:
They're here. Every April, they're here. At 1:05 or at 7:05, there is a game. And if it gets rained out, guess what? They make it up to you. Does anyone else in your life do that? The Red Sox don't get divorced. This is a real family. This is the family that's here for you.
I love baseball for many reasons (hence, this list). I've loved it my whole life. This quote just about sums up why. The Tigers were consistently bad for pretty much my entire childhood. But did I care? Well, yes. I did. I was pretty bummed about it. But it only made me a bigger fan. Weird, right? I realized that I loved this sport so much, it didn't matter if the Tigers could hit a beach ball off a tee or not. They were still there. I could still root for them, good or bad, because they were there. Growing up, I couldn't ask for much more.
11. Baseball movies
Speaking of Fever Pitch, let's talk about the movies that have generated from this sport. Field of Dreams, The Sandlot, Rookie of the Year, Bull Durham, Major League, Angels in the Outfield, Moneyball, The Natural, For The Love of the Game, A League Of Their Own and many, many more.
Personally, I think all movies should be baseball movies. Just make all films from here on out about baseball. Every last one of them. Because then quotes like these will be in my life. Quotes that say how I feel, but much more eloquently and beautifully:
The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This field, this game: it's a part of our past, Ray. It reminds of us of all that once was good and it could be again. Oh... people will come Ray. People will most definitely come.
Gosh darn it Field of Dreams, you make me weep!
10. It's diverse
When you look at any baseball roster in MLB, you see a melting pot of cultures. It is a game for people from all over the world. Players ranging from Cuba to the Netherlands and everywhere in between are able to come together because of their love for this game.
Photo by Mike Blake
Can I be cheesy for a minute? Okay. I will. Not every player on every team speaks the same language. There are some barriers which I imagine make it hard to communicate. But you know what? Baseball is one language that all of them speak.
As a society, I think we can learn a lesson from this. Don't be afraid of people who are different than you. See? That's baseball. It's more than just a sport.
9. It brings people together
Going off what I said above, baseball is a sport that bonds people together like no other. Baseball fans get it. We understand each other. I can tell when I'm talking to a casual fan and when I'm talking to someone who really gets it. When I was in Arizona for the MLB Fan Cave and surrounded by 29 other baseball fans, I was with people who got it. These were my people.
And just like that, I became best friends with fans from all over the country. Do I hate the White Sox? Of course! Do I want the Indians to win? No way! But guess what? Two of my best friends from that experience ended up being a White Sox and Indians fan. Seriously. This isn't a joke.
But once again, that's the beauty of baseball. Did I ever think I'd have something in common with a Rockies fan? Or a Cubs fan? Did I ever imagine myself watching cartoons with a Yankees fan? Sure, we all root for different teams. But in the end, we're baseball fans.
These are all really cool people.
8. The voices
No, not the voices in your head. We'll talk about that later. I'm talking about the voices of baseball. The voices of summer. The voices that raised us. Ernie Harwell, Vin Scully, Russ Hodges, Harry Kalas, Bob Uecker, to name just a few.
These voices have defined some of our favorite baseball memories. Baseball is about the audio as much as it is about the visual. You don't just watch baseball, you listen to it. You listen to the stories. You listen to the way they describe each play, almost like they're painting a picture.
Please, just listen. Thank me later.
7. The stadiums
From classic, historic parks like Fenway and Wrigley Field, to a modern stadium like Target Field in Minnesota, each home for baseball is unique and different in its own way. Each place has something different to offer, something that they can claim as their own.
I've been to seven parks in my young life (Tiger Stadium, Comerica Park, Progressive Field, Rogers Centre, Great American Ballpark, Turner Field and Chase Field) and I can safely say that each one was different from the last. My goal, like most baseball fans, is to see a game in each stadium. It'll happen one day. And when it does, I'll report back to this little ol' blog and confirm the fact that each park has its own personality.
6. It's every day
I think that's why it's easy to get so attached to baseball. It happens every day. Each series is usually three or four games (with rare two-game series popping up every now and then) so each day is a chance for you, as a fan, to be either really happy or really bummed out.
But it's also a chance for each team to have short term memory. Unlike football, where a team has a week to mull it over (or sometimes two, depending on if it's a bye week or not), in baseball, they have the chance to fix what they did wrong the very next day.
162 games is a long season. Playing nearly every day for 6-7 months is also very long. But as I said above, sometimes even that isn't enough. Each game matters. That phrase is never more true than it is in this sport.
5. Comebacks
Photo by Todd Gannam
Whether the comeback comes in the form of a game, a player or a team, there's nothing like redemption in baseball. Oh look, there's that phrase again. Nothing like it.
Remember 2003? When the Tigers record was 43-119? No, that's not a typo. That is an actual record. That's an actual thing that happened. But then remember 2006? Three years later? When Magglio Ordonez hit a walk off home run to send the Tigers to the World Series?!
Because I remember it. I remember it like it was yesterday. That's a comeback. That's a team that came back from losing an American League record just a few years before.
Or what about Rick Ankiel? You remember that story. Here's a guy who left the league after failing dramatically as a pitcher. Seven years later, he's back as an outfielder with the St. Louis Cardinals and then goes on to SMASH the ball for the rest of the season like he had been doing it for years.
4. Statistics
Of course, every sport has statistics. That's how you measure who's great and who's not so great. But no sport's statistics are more debated and more discussed than that of baseball.
Photo by Chris Buck
Do I even have to mention the Trout vs. Cabrera debate of yesteryear? Because I'm pretty sure that's what you were all thinking as soon as I said "statistics" and "debated" in the same sentence. There's advanced stats, traditional stats, fun stats, weird stats, pointless stats, stats and stats and stats.
(I just realized "stats" is a palindrome. I love palindromes.)
I'll forever scream that the win/loss statistic for a pitcher is overrated. If you ever judge a pitcher based solely on their wins, I'll probably judge you based on your judgment. But see? That's why it's so fun.
3. Trade deadline and winter meetings
July 31 is almost like a holiday. But it's not the same kind of holiday as Opening Day. No, this holiday is a bit different. But much like Opening Day, anything can happen before the trade deadline. Surprise deals, no deals, any deals at all.
Fans and writers come up with crazy scenarios. Twitter is constantly abuzz with the latest news and rumors. And this is all happening while baseball is still being played. It's pure chaos.
And the winter meetings help hold people over until spring training begins. Favorite winter meeting memory? When the Tigers traded for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis. Unexpected, huge and left me speechless. That's baseball.
2. The fact that I can even talk about it like this
Seriously. It's almost 4 in the morning and I'm writing a short novel about why baseball is amazing. I love sports. I love them all. But I could never, ever feel as passionate and as strongly about those sports as I do about baseball. 1. It's personal
I love baseball for more than just the game itself. I love what it symbolizes. I love the traditions that I've started because of it. I love that because of baseball, I have a career path that I know I want to take.
It all started with my Paw Paw. I watched every single game with him from when I was about five years old until the last day of his life. He was in hospice, and the last thing I did with him was sit and watch a Tigers game. It'll always bring comfort to me. Every time I watch a game, I think of him. I think of what he would say during certain situations. This is my second season watching without him, and it's not something I'll ever get used to. But it's just one more way that I'm able to keep his memory alive.
Baseball is much more than just a sport, and it's much more than just a game. And that's why it's the best.
To be fair to the article from Bleacher Report, he does end it by saying that he continues to love baseball in spite of all the things he listed. But still. The reasons that make baseball the best will always outnumber the rest. (Ended with a rhyme. So clutch)
One thing that seems to get lost in the sports fandom is the realization that every single one of those athletes are human beings. They all have families, they all have friends, and they all have lives outside of their sport. The behavior of some fans that I have seen at games and on Twitter is downright disrespectful, unnecessary, and unacceptable.
When I was a young girl, going to Tiger Stadium and then Comerica Park was the highlight of all of my summers. I watched every game that I could on television and seeing them in person was a surreal experience. I will admit that my favorite Tiger as a young'n was none other than Bobby Higginson. Being a kid, I was innocent and naive to the game. I didn't know about contracts, or how much each player was making. All I wanted to do was watch the Tigers and celebrate the rare moments in which they won. So when I encountered my first heckler at a baseball game, I was entirely too confused for my own good.
“Why is that guy in the Tigers shirt booing Higgy?!” I asked my Paw Paw, who I always sat next to.
“He isn't hitting the way they're paying him to. He's letting everyone down,” my Paw Paw would answer.
Ahh, money. The root of all problems. I started to realize the business side of baseball, and it was a side that I did not like.
From the first day I witnessed a heckler until now, I still find it to be the most disrespectful type of “fan” that there is. Yes, worse than the loud person sitting behind you who doesn't know a single thing about baseball. Worse than the people who kick the back of your seat. I find hecklers more annoying than people who try to start the wave at a crucial moment in the game.
Who are you benefiting by yelling at a ballplayer? Who gains anything from you saying nasty things to an athlete on Twitter? When a player is batting poorly or a pitcher can't seem to find the plate, why boo? Why kick a player while they are down? It's not as if they want to do bad. They've worked their entire life to make it to The Show. Do you think they WANT to blow that chance? How is booing going to help them in any way at all? Show some respect.
I realize I'm talking to myself here. The people who treat baseball players as just a number on the back of a jersey rather than real human beings will never change. And you know what? I understand the frustration. It isn't fun watching a baseball player struggle. To say it bluntly: it sucks. Every baseball fan wants to see the best 25 players on their favorite team. Trust me, I get it. But as mad as it makes you to watch a player have a hard time, imagine how it feels for them. Imagine how it feels for their family members. Yelling from the stands or typing from behind your computer isn't going to solve anything. “That player couldn't hit a beach ball off a tee! He sucks! I'm going to tell him about it!” As if he doesn't already know? As if telling a player how bad they're doing is going to magically make them do better? Get real.
Yes, I know there is a such thing as “playful heckling.” I know when people are joking around. I might have been naive when I was younger, but I'm a little bit smarter now. I don't expect any fan base to be all sunshine and rainbows but I do expect fans to learn a thing or two about what it means to respect others.
I said in my first blog post that this would be like my “baseball diary” of sorts. Well, here's a perfect example. I enjoyed the rant session. :)
I am not writing to you today to force my beliefs upon you. I believe that everyone is able to think for themselves and make their own choices. I'm not writing to question your sanity, wonder what is wrong with you, or act like you are stupid for not liking baseball. No, I am writing to you today to open your eyes to the greatest game on Earth.
I feel that a lot of people who are baseball fans were born with it in their blood. It's a game of tradition with a rich history, one that you never stop learning from. If one has a grandparent who has loved the game their whole life, they most likely passed it down to that child's parents. Their parents probably then took them to their first ballgame, sat them on their lap while explaining what the purpose of a sacrifice bunt is.
But then again, some might not have been born with it. Some become fans because of recent success that their local team is having. There's nothing wrong with that. It doesn't matter when you become a fan, it's whether or not you're there through thick and thin.
So why become a fan? No single game is the same. You can see the Yankees smash the Red Sox by a score of 13-1, and then the next day they're playing in a 2-2 tie until the 14th inning. Every day there is a chance for a new hero to shine. It could be the All Star first baseman or it could be the minor leaguer getting his first taste of The Show.
Since you're not a baseball fan, you've probably heard that it's a boring game. I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you've been hearing lies your entire life. Baseball is not boring. In fact, it's far from it. When the bases are loaded in the bottom of the ninth and the home team is down by 3 runs, is that boring? Is it boring when a pitcher is hitless going into the 7th inning, and the reality of a no hitter is slowly becoming more real? The fans know it, the teams know it, the announcers and the pitcher knows it. It's a universal feeling of anxiety, hanging on to every pitch until the final out - or the first hit.
If you think the season is too long, I say it's not long enough. 162 games and yet, it could all come down to one. 162 chances for teams to separate themselves from each other in the pennant race, yet it could end in a one-game playoff.
You might be a football, basketball, or hockey fan. Each sport is exciting and unique in its own way. Each game is timed, so maybe if the team is able to kill some time or just hope that they can make it to the end without blowing it, they can win. Not in baseball. Every team gets a fair chance to win. You can't hold onto the ball until the buzzer. There's no easy way out when it comes to baseball.
Baseball is a game of fun and it is a game of statistics. It can be debated to death. There's nothing like watching the manager run out onto the field to argue with the umpire, defending his players like they're his sons. There's nothing like watching a player like Pablo Sandoval or Prince Fielder leg it out for a triple. If you think you've seen it all, you haven't.
Baseball is relaxing on a lazy summer afternoon while you fall into your normal routine. It's rooting on your favorite team, no matter how good or bad of a season they're having. Baseball is waiting through a rain delay for 3 hours, because even though there's 162 games in a season, it'll ruin your day if one gets cancelled. Baseball is the feeling of hope and agony, simple yet complex. It's when you can't help but give a standing ovation to a player like Jim Thome when he hits his 600th homerun, no matter what team you affiliate yourself with.
Most importantly, baseball is love. It's the love you feel for your favorite players and favorite team. It's the love you feel when you go to the ballpark and soak it all in. Baseball is the kind of love that can torture you or give you butterflies. There's no love like the love baseball fans have for baseball.
If you're not a baseball fan, I can't make you become one. I can only hope that you realize what you're missing out on. Don't worry, baseball will always be waiting for you.
When I first found out that I would have the chance to interview Tigers players, one of my top priorities was to interview Alex Avila. When I saw the All Star catcher walking from one of the practice fields and back to the clubhouse, I knew I had to go catch up with him. He was another really easy and fun interview and I enjoyed talking to him.
I warned him that these would be random questions and when I asked him my first question, he was stumped. I loved watching his face as he tried to come up with an answer! Anyway, without further ado, here are Alex Avila's answers!
If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Uh. These really are random questions. Um.... [long pause] I don't know, I like war movies. So, any movie like We Were Soldiers or anything like that. I just saw Act of Valor, that was good.
What is your go-to snack?
They're called Powerberries from Trader Joe's. They're like chocolate covered raisin type of things, almost like raisinettes. They taste pretty good.
Who is the funniest guy in the clubhouse?
I'd have to say it's probably a tie between Gerald Laird and Jose Valverde.
Who is the smartest?
I'm going to go with Doug Fister.
What is one skill you wish you had?
I don't know, maybe sing, have a good voice.
What's your favorite thing about being a Detroit Tiger?
Definitely the tradition that the club has. Not too many clubs that have a hundred year history like the Tigers do and that's pretty cool to be a part of.
Let me start off by saying that I am so glad I had the chance to interview Dirks. This past offseason, he played winter ball in the Dominican Republic. If you haven't heard by now that he turned himself into a superstar down there, then you missed out on some pretty great highlights. Talking to him was so easy, I could have probably done this interview for the rest of the day. He was laid back, easygoing, and funny. I hope you enjoy!
If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Tombstone.
What's your go-to snack?
Beef jerky.
Who's the funniest guy in the clubhouse?
Austin Jackson.
What's one skill you wish you had?
I wish I could sing.
What was your favorite TV show growing up?
Like, little kid? Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, when I was little.
Did you want to be a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle?
Yes. I had the costume and everything.
What's your favorite show now?
I watched The Walking Dead, zombie movie. It's pretty good.
What's your favorite thing about being a Detroit Tiger?
Favorite thing about being a Tiger? I get to play baseball .
I caught up with Jeff Jones before the Tigers and Braves game on March 8 to ask him a few random, off the wall questions. Jones is from Detroit and played for the Oakland Athletics from 1980 until 1984. He has been with the Tigers on and off since 1995 and was named the pitching coach after working in the bullpen during the 2011 season.
If you could only watch one movie for the rest of your life, what would it be? That's a good question. I always loved the movie Pretty Woman. I've probably seen it 5 or 6 times and I can probably watch it 5 or 6 more.
What's your go-to snack?
Popsicles. Tropical Pops by Popsicle brand.
Where is your favorite place to eat?
Probably Carraba's. I enjoy their food, I don't think I've
ever had a bad meal there.
What is one skill that you wish you had?
Jump. I wish I could jump. I've never been able to jump, I have white man's disease.
Who is the funniest player in the clubhouse?
Probably Jose Valverde. He's always happy, always smiling, always having fun.
Who is the smartest?
We've got quite a few of them but I'm going to say
Max Scherzer probably ranks right up there.
What's your favorite thing about coaching for the Tigers?
It's kind of a dream come true for me, being from Detroit. Just watching the guys get better, progress, and winning.
Wow, I'm a week late in putting this blog up. I apologize! I didn't realize how little time I had when it came to sitting down and watching a movie. But I did watch The Natural for the first time in quite awhile. I pretty much didn't remember any of it before I started watching!
If you haven't seen it before, The Natural is the story about a baseball player named Roy Hobbs. Hobbs is a virtually unknown player who comes out of nowhere to take a terrible team and turn them around to make them great. He's able to realize the glory he would have had when he was younger, before he was shot. His bat is no ordinary bat; it was made from the wood of a tree struck by lightning. The league, of course, believes that his bat is loaded and...well I don't want to give it all away for those who have yet to see this classic!
I thought it was a very good baseball film. Like I said, the last time I watched it was MANY years ago so it was almost like watching it for the first time. Maybe if you have some time, you can go out and rent it and make it your movie tonight!
The next movie I plan to watch is Rookie of the Year!
Fan #1: What a terrible game! We need to make a trade for a big bat, we're just not getting any production from the middle of the lineup.
Fan #2: Oh really? YOU aren't getting any production? I guess I missed it when you were playing today.
Okay, Fan #2, lighten up.
I can't speak for everyone who refers to their favorite team as "we", but I think the majority of us understand that we are not, in fact, playing on the team. But thank you for your swift observation, otherwise I would have accidentally grabbed my cleats and glove on my way to bat clean up in the Tigers lineup.
Baseball is made up of so many components, and one of the most important of those includes the fans. The suckers who show up season after season, emptying their wallets on team apparel, tickets, drinks, and food. Without the fans, Major League Baseball would not be Major League. It would be your local recreation team at the community park up the road.
We know that we don't have anything to do with the playing on the field. We don't affect the outcome of the game (except the Tigers did have a pretty good run at the end of the 2011 regular season when I watched each game from the same exact spot on the couch...just saying). The two teams that battle each day are the only people who control what appears in the win/loss column the next day. But that doesn't mean that we can't feel it. A heartbreaking loss, a thrilling win, a blowout victory; those are the moments when the team and the fans become "we".
I guess I just don't understand the big deal over this. Ever since I was a little girl, I referred to the Tigers as "we". They've been "my" team since I was four years old. "They" are the opponents, and "we" are the good guys.
“By the way, thank you to all the fans back in Detroit. I doubt that you’re up right now, I don’t know maybe you are, but thank you for the support. I really appreciate it, I mean that. I can’t tell you how proud I am of you guys and the loyalty that you’ve shown to us, and uh, I hope you’re proud of us tonight. It’s tough times for people in Detroit, and we know that. And believe me, it’s not something that we don’t think about, you know, ‘cause we do. I come from a big family, my dad was a factory worker, I know all about stuff like that, worrying about getting laid off and stuff, so I have a great appreciation for that. It means so much to me, but I think during times like this, a sports team can uplift your spirits. And I hope that we’ve lifted up the spirits of our fans in Detroit because they deserve it.” - Jim Leyland after the Tigers clinched the 2011 AL Central
a week late in putting this blog up. I apologize! I didn't realize how little time I had when it came to sitting down and watching a movie. But I did watch The Natural for the first time in quite awhile. I pretty much didn't remember any of it before I started watching!