August Baseball

I have not been glued to the television broadcasts of Detroit Tiger games this summer like I have done in other years. After losing my Dad in May, this has been a summer of gardens and golf and quiet times for reading and knitting and doing art.

But I couldn't help but tune in the game tonight as the Tigers took on the Tribe in Cleveland. My friend Desert Jim has a bet going with his friend Idaho Jer. Jerry says that the Tribe, under the management of Terry Francona, will be a big force in the American League Central.

Jim and I are Tiger fans, so, at the start of the season, we disagreed. Jim agreed to a bet with Jer. I don't make bets (life is risky enough without going out on a limb here and there) but I definitely would be in the ballpark with Jim on this one.

So tonight Alex Avila had a great home run in the 9th inning and the Tigers won, putting them four games ahead of Francona's Cleveland Indians. What joy, especially coming on the day when Major League Baseball finally announced suspensions of players due to the performance enhancing drug issue.

I took a moment to dig out my last year's journal and discovered that one year ago today, on August 5, 2012, the Tigers beat the Indians 10-8 in the 10th inning with a walk-off home run by Miguel Cabrera. That one I remember since we were at Comerica Park in Detroit and got to see Cabrera's expertise as he was on his way to the Triple Crown.

My husband Ed always says that when you are at the ballpark and the game is getting long, you should tough it out because something really cool can happen. One year ago, it was the tenth inning that was getting long until the Tigers and Cabrera ended the game with gusto.

The Tigers play three more games in Cleveland and winning all of them would put them seven games up in the American League Central.

Ah, August baseball! I hope Idaho Jer is watching!

Copyright 2013
Wanda Hayes Eichler