After years of wrangling with local preservation groups and other distracting matters, the city of Detroit has awarded a demolition contract for the final knee-whacking of Tiger Stadium. The city will pay nothing for the service; selling off the scrap from the neglected ol’ girl will raise over a million dollars for the firm awarded the contract. (We expect more auctions.)
The preservation groups continue to fight to save some piece of the ballpark, whether it be a corner or a grandstand or one of Ernie Harwell’s laminated scorecards. However, they don’t seem to have the money to make it happen, so let the mixed-use development begin!
The game was drawn out longer than Kevin Costner’s “The Postman,” but the budget was higher and featured a better script, even though it didn’t have one. New York’s 15-9 win over their Bostonian counterparts in the first of a quick little two-game series was, as begrudging as it is to admit as a non-New Englander, entertaining.
(The first pitch was thrown from space by Dr. Garrett Reisman. Because of this, the game was delayed three light years to wait for the baseball’s re-entry and parachute landing somewhere over the Mariana Trench.)
Fourteen runs were scored in 1½ innings between the two teams, effectively hurting the feelings and ERA of both starters, Clay Buchholz and Chien-Ming Wang. But the Yankee bullpen only allowed one run after Wang’s departure, while the Red Sox pen was far more generous. Every Yankee scored at least one run, and only Hideki Matsui failed to drive in a run.
• STEROID NATION comes across strange news of Chinese authorities reportedly testing performance-enhancing drugs on prisoners, and somehow hoping the results can help disqualify Western athletes & give more medals to China.
As the Tigers limp along in their horrid start, Detroit pitcher Joel Zumaya sits on the shelf, as he recovers from offseason shoulder surgery. But one can only take shelf-sitting for so long. So, MAC G’s WORLD checks in to see how Zumaya’s rehab is going.
Looks like Joel’s making progress. Good to know he’s still on fluids.
• INTENTIONAL FOUL tosses up a group of cheerleaders taking the whole “Be Aggressive! B-E Aggressive!” thing a bit too far, as they beat up a teammate - and are stupid enough to videotape it.
• THE DENVER POST throws out news that Mark Grace says he was only joking, but the Rockies aren’t laughing about the commentator’s comments that pitcher Manny Corpas“didn’t have enough Vaseline on that ball.”
Will wonders never cease? The Kansas City Royals - yes, the Royals - are still sitting atop the AL Central, as they completed a sweep of the Detroit Tigers with a 4-1 victory at Comerica Park on Thursday.
These are historic times in KC, indeed, as it’s been a while since Royals fans have witnessed success of any kind.
