Tiger Geist

Still getting back into the swing of things, here are some thoughts:

1) I’m assuming Detroit wins the Central.  It’ll be interesting to see the playoff roster.  They still only have three starting pitchers, questionable health of the probable fourth (assuming its Robertson or Galarraga), and the #3 guy is someone I can’t legally buy a beer for.  I’m also feeling a Huff / Thames question is coming; even with Raburn’s defensive issues lately (nice throw last night though), he might be a better DH candidate then Thames.  Never thought I’d think that.

2) Did you know that Lynn Henning thinks Magglio’s contract will be a burden in 2010?  Henning’s becoming white noise with these articles.  Maybe the Detroit News will START WRITING HIS ARTICLES IN ALL CAPS SO HE CAN GET HIS POINT ACROSS.  Its kind of like if I wrote that you have a better chance of getting hit by a car if you jaywalk vs crossing in a designated cross-walk.  I get it.  Magglio contract not good for team.  Dombrowski and Ilitch bad.  Henning smash!

3) I might be in the minority, but I’m not nearly as excited about the Tigers making the playoffs if they can’t compete.  Granted, you just need to get hot for 11 games or so to win the entire world series, but I’d like to feel that Detroit can compete in the first round.  Their performance against the Royals… kind of sucks.  Trying to stay out of mood swings on this.

4) Here’s where I sound like an ass… but I wasn’t entirely thrilled with the Ernie ‘thank you’ celebration.  Just underwhelming.  Don’t know how i’d improve it either.  Ernie Harwell may be the most iconic ‘Tiger’ in the last 50 years.  All the others either left town in their prime (Gibson, Morris, Parrish), stayed but left quietly (Whitaker), or stayed and got canned (Trammell).  Ernie is really the only person who could bridge the gap between generations due to his longevity.  I don’t know if I expected a Lou Gehrig type moment or what.  You could say “thats just not Ernie’s way”, and that’s fine.  Would have been nice to have more fans at the stadium, or maybe have the ceremony last sunday (which had 10k more fans); though the date was probably determined by Ernie’s health.  I don’t know, just watching it on TV, it seemed so short.  Sounds like people at the game enjoyed it, and I enjoyed his speech immensely.  I feel like there could have been… more.  Sorry.  When one of the more touching moments involved Rusty Kuntz, I feel we might look back on this and wish we had done more.

5) Detroit Tigers Weblog has a nice gathering of video data if you’d like to re-live it.

6) If you’re the douchebag in the front row near the tunnel screaming “HEY ERNIE, SIGN MY BALL” before and after the ceremony, shame on you.