2008 is Grrrrrreat!

Whatever, dude.

Here's a few things on my mind.

1. Shutout? If it weren't for Edgar Renteria (aka "the other guy we got" in Detroit) the Tigers would have been NO HIT by the combined pitching power of the Kansas City Royals. Three hits and no runs? I hate to care this much about Game #2 (Game #1 was awesome, despite the loss...) but the 2008 Detroit Tigers should be able to put up at least one against Koufax on his finest day. Land!

2. Reyes of Confusion: Those ads for MLB 2K8 with Jose Reyes and the disembodied voice of Denis Leary just don't make any sense. I get a guy smashing a cheap little boom box with a bat that he'd just been stroking with a towel (should be funny, but I don't get it.) And we even get Mr. Met with his head in an ice bucket (this should be better even than the WKU red lump). But I don't get it. I miss the Baseball Tonight guys playing out classic scenes from baseball movies.

3. Fukudome Me? Fukudome You, Pal! What a debut for everyone's (read: my) favorite rookie...3 for 3, with a bunch of RBIs, 8 total bases and an entire stadium of drunks still thinking they won that game.

4. Larry Bowa v. Ed Montague: I've gotta say...seeing a guy get his stir-ups in a bunch on April 1 is kind of a new thing for me. But Larry Bowa was born angry and the sun never sets on his temper, I'm gathering. As reported on this blog earlier this spring, MLB wants base coaches in their designated boxes in addition to wearing their hard hats. With a runner on 2nd, that puts 3rd Base coaches like Bowa in a tough spot because of the angle required to judge balls to the outfield. Long story short, Montague (11) wanted Bowa in the box, Bowa wanted Montague to clam up. I love every part of this and I'm sure both gents would agree over a brew in a month or two...each did their jobs. But beyond the greatness of seeing a base coach care enough to hoot and holler and get tossed this early over a minor issue...appreciate the professional job done by Montague...having a tough nut like Bowa screaming at you like a crazy person is more rattling than I care to imagine. But with 31 years under his belt, Montague doesn't break character, wince or even afford Bowa the satisfaction of even a decent frown. He just tosses the old salt and walks right back to his position without batting an eye. BAD ASS!

5. Wait For It: The big leaguers like to tell young Umps to take their time making a call. You build the anticipation of the call (my theory) and then deliver it. Either way, they consider it good form to pause a moment after the ball hits the glove -- lest you risk calling what you were anticipating the pitch to be. Tim Welke (3) took his sweet time making the ball or strike call in Detroit on Opening Day and caught a number of batters ushering themselves to 1st thinking they'd earned a walk only to be punched out or otherwise detained by a "late" right-hand strike call. This starting off to first whenever a ball on the corners passes by on a 3 ball count seems new to me...did guys always do this? It really honks Umps off. So why are more guys doing it?