Detroit Tigers Links: Ty Cobb's Expensive Bat & Justin Verlander's Wicked Curveball

Someone spent way too much money on a baseball bat, Justin Verlander made the All-Star game exciting for a hot second, and Bryce Harper personalized a car that is probably going to inspire a mindless rant against him in the comments. These stories and the best article ever in today's Morning Prowl.

Ty Cobb bat sold for $253,000 to Colorado exec - The Detroit News
Meanwhile, I'm wondering if $253,000 is enough to cover my student loan debts.

Joey Votto, Justin Verlander, And A Defense Of The All-Star Game - Baseball Nation, Grant Brisbee
"Joey Votto is one of the best hitters alive, and he had two good rips at great fastballs, but the odds will always favor one of the best pitchers alive, especially when the pitcher can drop an 81-m.p.h. curveball into the middle of the zone after two straight 99+ fastballs."

Bill Simonson is an Idiot, Volume 185 - DesigNate Robertson
Instead of making the mistake that Melissa did yesterday by linking directly to Simonson, I'm going to link directly to the post that you've been waiting for since reading Huge's garbage.

Inconsistent pitching, slumping offense among reasons Detroit Tigers won't win AL Central - MLive, Josh Slagter
Josh Slagter: trying to out-Simonson one Mr. Bill Simonson himself. And yes, the irony of placing this directly below Rogo's link is intentional.

Second-half previews: American League - ESPN
For the Tigers? Don't suck and the division is yours.

Elsewhere in Baseball:

Bryce Harper gets his Mercedes pimped out with a curly W - The Washington Post
The old adage about music fits here: "if it's too loud, you're too old."

Relativistic Baseball - XKCD
This is probably the best thing I've ever linked here at BYB. Especially the last line.

Hey, Green Monster, who’s your daddy? - The Hardball Times, Frank Jackson
Turns out, the Green Monster wasn't so special back in its heyday. Still, whoever thought to hold the Home Run Derby in Boston in 1999 is a genius.

Major League Baseball Craft Beer Guide - The Sly Oyster, James Furbush
Shamelessly swiped from Craig Calcaterra at Hardball Talk. Sadly, the craft beer list at Comerica is shamefully small.