Morning Prowl: Imaginary Chats, Keen on Fien, Funny Photos, and Joyce Plays

by Ian Casselberry on Mar 18, 2009 8:00 AM EDT in Detroit Tigers News

Nobody does a season preview like The Dugout. Here's their look at the Detroit Tigers and... a chat between Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez about Hugo Chavez?

Be honest: Even though Team USA's walk-off win over Puerto Rico last night was exciting, as a Tigers fan, were you disappointed that this will keep Curtis Granderson away from Lakeland a bit longer?

In a St. Louis Post-Dispatch Q&A with Cardinals' GM Jeff Luhnow, one fan laments the team's decision to draft shortstop Pete Kozma instead of Rick Porcello.

Lynn Henning likes Casey Fien's chances of making the team. Just pardon his awful attempt at pop culture hipness in the simile that follows.

(I named Fien as a possible breakout player for the Tigers in my chat with Seth Stohs last night. Although I also mentioned Ryan Perry, just to cover my bases. Audio to be posted later today.)

This could be the photo of the day from yesterday's Tigers-Astros game. But this one is pretty good, too. You make the call.

But really, weren't these the funniest photos to be released yesterday? Oh, A-Rod.

Not that anyone was suggesting that Timo Perez be on the Tigers' bench this season, but Rob Neyer takes exception to Jim Leyland's praise of him anyway.

DRaysBay compares Matt Joyce to... Jeromy Burnitz? The two of them had similar starts to the major league careers, with a couple of differences. I remember wanting Burnitz in the Old English D badly when Phil Garner was Detroit's manager. Then Milwaukee had to go trade him to the Mets. Bah.

Joyce, by the way, hadn't played all spring until yesterday, due to tendinitis in his knee.

Someone who turned the Netherlands' improbable WBC run into possibly gainful employment? Sidney Ponson, who signed a minor-league deal with the Kansas City Royals yesterday. David Pinto gives him two months.

(Hat tip to Mike McClary)

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GirthZILLA!

We get to see Sidney Ponson regularly! This season is already starting off on the good foot!

by Zappatista on Mar 18, 2009 11:21 AM EDT reply actions

A-Rod

Those pictures were disturbing on so many levels. Ew.

by VivaTigres on Mar 18, 2009 1:23 PM EDT reply actions

kissing the mirror

That’s not normal????

by Detroit4lyfe on Mar 19, 2009 4:23 AM EDT up reply actions

The Dugout

gave me a good laugh.

I’m not gonna comment on the ARod pictures, but I liked looking at them…I mean him!

by densogirl on Mar 18, 2009 1:47 PM EDT reply actions

A-Rod

Those A-Rod pics made me throw up in my mouth a little bit.

Does anybody still like this guy at all? I mean, even Yankees fans kinda hated him before the steroid stuff anyway, didn’t they?

download my minimalist tigers wallpaper here

by explosivo2k2 on Mar 18, 2009 5:16 PM EDT reply actions

no I’m not disappointed C-Grands is gonna be away from Lakeland a little longer. I’m a baseball fan first and a Tigers fan second, and I’m thoroughly enjoying the WBC. If you’ve not been enjoying this tournament, there’s something wrong with you.

by BigDaddyJC on Mar 18, 2009 9:31 PM EDT reply actions

agreed

While I wouldn’t say I’m a general baseball fan above being a Tigers fan, I would say that I’d rather see USA win it all before Granderson returns to the Tigers, since he’s not actually missing any important time with them (regular season games).

I might be in the minority here, (and this could probably go in a fanPost) but I actually like the WBC—beyond patriotic reasons. If I were a manager of a club and some of my best players (mainly hitters) have a chance to go play some competitive baseball and get their timing down before some of these other players who aren’t playing in the WBC, I definitely want them playing in it. I certainly see the other side’s arguments (wearing down later in the season because they played more early on & injuries) but is playing in like 10 full games really that much different from playing bits and pieces in around 30 games? And surely ST injuries are going to happen sometimes anyway, I mean they are still playing baseball in ST if they aren’t in the WBC. I also kind of see the argument that it’s THEIR players playing for another team! Obviously, you don’t feel safe having your player under some other team’s control. But I think the benefits are far greater if the hitter gets to see more quality pitching, get ABs and get his timing down during competitive action as opposed to ST where players typically just go through the motions until opening day. Why else do we see so many struggle early on in the season?

Although I will admit, I don’t think Granderson’s getting too many ABs during the WBC. Is Victorino really better than him to be getting these big game starts over him!?

by Detroit4lyfe on Mar 19, 2009 4:38 AM EDT up reply actions