Happy New Year to all of you in the BYB community!  As we've rehashed continually since October, this was a rough year.  But let's look forward.  Let's forget about the past and move on.

(Before you do, however, go check out The Daily Fungo's countdown of the Top 10 Tigers Stories of 2008.)

The MLB Network starts tomorrow!  (I know - it's been in previews for the past couple of weeks or whatever, but every time I've peeked in, there seems to be something about the Red Sox.  Enough of that.)  Yeah, yeah - it's the New Year.  Bring on 2009, Auld Lang Syne, champagne, and all that.

(I will not dismiss college football, however.  The bowl games - and all the couch slouching, food, and drink that come with them - are still glorious.  Go Hawkeyes!  You're going down, South Carolina.) 

But let's be honest: What are we really celebrating here?  We get Harold Reynolds back in the studio again!  And a whole channel devoted to baseball.  No more wondering if ESPN is going to bother showing "Baseball Tonight" in between its NFL Draft coverage, training camp reports, NBA games, World Series of Poker, and "SportsCenter."  (And no more settling for the likes of John Kruk, Fernando Vina, and Eduardo Perez for analysis.)

Doesn't that just make you want to hug someone?  (That was not intended as a Harold Reynolds joke.)  Or jump up and down in unison?  And... whatever else it is you might like to do - but perhaps shouldn't share in a public forum - when you're in a celebratory mood?

The baseball revolution begins at 6 p.m. EST.  If you don't know where MLB Network is on your cable or satellite system, a channel locator is provided at their official site.

Once again, Happy New Year.  Thank you for taking the time to stop by and read, and engage with your fellow Detroit Tigers fans.  Please have a happy and safe holiday.