As the most boring day in the sports calendar draws to a close, BYB's thoughts turn to the second half. Hopes for the end of the Tigers' season:
--That the right balance between competing and rebuilding is struck. Perhaps the Tigers can continue to threaten .500 while getting something for veterans who either won't be with the team next year or are eminently replaceable. It's not an easy high-wire act for Dombrowski and Co. to maintain, but that's why he gets the big bucks.
--That Chris Shelton is as good as he seems.
--That Jeremy Bonderman stays on this track without getting overworked.
--That Wil Ledezma pitches effectively again in a Tiger uniform.
--That Joel Zumaya and Justin Verlander are handled with their long-term interests in mind, not the short-term interests of either themselves or the team.
--That Curtis Granderson's September call-up paves the way toward a 2006 Rookie of the Year Campaign.
--That the Tigers not only finish above .500, but that they wreck the playoff hopes of some other AL teams (hopefully the White Sox and/or the Yankees).
--That at least one fraction of one percent of the visitors that came to Detroit for the All-Star game decide to invest in the city, or move to the city, or at least to visit it again.
What are yours?
A housekeeping note: I'll be away for the weekend (I'm moving to San Francisco), so Mark, a frequent BYB commenter and diarist, will be taking over front-page duties for a few days. He'll do excellently.