Links of note, or stuff I find interesting, or stuff I think you might find interesting

• Offseason Outlook: Detroit Tigers: MLB Rumors – MLBTradeRumors.com – Tim Dierkes continues his series by looking at the Tigers
• From a Uni Watch interview of NY Times’ Yankees beat writer Tyler Kepner: UW: Who is the most… – Bless You Boys – Shef is a wee bit particular about the cut of his uniform.
• THE BOOK–Playing The Percentages In Baseball – Team UZR numbers from MGL. The ones in the post are combined with 05-07 data, but just the 08 numbers are included in a comment. The Tigers are a couple runs below average.
• Ryan maturing beyond his experience | tigers.com: News – Getting to know Dusty Ryan
• BaseballAmerica.com: Majors: Organization Reports: Detroit Tigers: Tigers Final Report – BA rates Cale Iorg as the Tigers best position player. Wilken Ramirez and others may take some issue with that. Iorg had a decent season, but not the best. Porcello got the nod for top pitcher.
• Whitecaps promo video – In a season like this, this video is a nice reminder that baseball is supposed to be fun.
• Who are the best fielding pitchers – Hint: his name rhymes with country music legend Kenny Rogers
• Remembering Tiger Stadium – New blog about the corner.

Zach Miner starts again

The question of the 5th starter has been answered – for now. Zach Miner will take the spot formerly occupied by Eddie Bonine and before him Dontrelle Willis. Miner had some struggles with control out of the pen this year. But in two “stretch-out” starts for Toledo he has posted a 12:2 strike out to walk ratio in 8.1 innings. I’m in favor of giving Miner a shot, but I think there will be a pretty quick switch if he starts running every count full and walking people.

Is Tiger Stadium saved?

There have been deadline extenstions, and votes to keep some parts, and votes to knock the whole thing down. But now the Daily Fungo points to a news release on Carl Levin’s web site that there is $4 million earmarked for Corktown preservation and redevelopment. Presumably this is the money that the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy is hoping to obtain to save a portion of the stadium.

Injured middle infielders littered throughout the system

When the Tigers traded away their stud centerfield prospects middle infield became the organizational position of strength. Instead it’s become the organizational position of DL stays and ibuprofen. Edgar Renteria is battling a hamstring injury that he reagravated tonight.

Cale Iorg, the Tigers big time bonus pick from last year just hit the DL for Lakeland. His keystone partner Scott Sizemore has missed a big chunk of the season with a broken bone in his hand. Danny Worth, another draft pick from last year who has been a defensive whiz for Erie is now missing time. And high ceiling shortstop Audy Ciriaco just went on the DL for West Michigan.

And while they are health now, both Ramon Santiago and Mike Hollimon missed time this season due to separated shoulders.

It must be something they are putting in the water at second base.

I haven’t written much about the demolition of Tiger Stadium, mostly because I haven’t had a lot to add to the discussion. There are many who feel it’s an eye sore and that there’s been enough time for something to happen. There is talk of moving on to spur development and revitalization. I guess there’s probably some truth to that, maybe. I just look at all the abandoned buildings and empty lots in Detroit and I guess I don’t understand why one more hulking mass can’t be there. At the same time I’ve pretty much resolved myself to the fact that it is going to be gone in a matter of time.

I had the chance last fall to walk around the field a little bit and head into the Tigers dugout. The place was beat up, and it was sad to see it in its current state. But it helped to get that one last glimpse of the place and to say good bye.

If you want the same chance, or at least a chance to peer inside you better head down to the corner quickly. The walls are coming down.

For now it is just the outfield walls as there is a last ditch effort by the Old Tiger Stadium Conservancy to save the areas from first to third base, including the clubhouses and press box. Gary Gillette who sits on the board of the conservancy is optimistic that something can be done by the August 1st deadline but there is a lot of inertia to overcome.

If you’re interested in learning more about the efforts to save the old park, visit SaveTigerStadium.org

On a related note, Paul DePodesta recently reminisced about the stadium on his blog.

Over the last couple weeks fans who purchased items in the Tiger Stadium auction were able to head down to the Michigan and Trumbull and pick up their items. There were some items that weren’t bid on, or discovered after the auction ended that were also available so I went to check it out. The items available didn’t tempt me, but the field was open and that was too much to resist.

I wandered out onto the centerfield grass and tried to soak the stadium in one last time. She wasn’t the same at all as the evening in 1999 when the Tigers brought all the greats back to roam the field one last time. We’ve all seen the pictures of paint peeling, rust, and other evidence of decay. Many of the seats had already been removed.

Still, I couldn’t help but get chills. I’d never been on the field at Tiger Stadium. Sure it was a mix of weeds and grass now, with the weeds winning, but it was still the same plot that so many baseball greats had roamed. I looked up into the stands to see what they saw while they were playing.

I looked up into the overhang in right field, that was warm with the glow of the setting sun and remembered right where I stood for the last game.

But the biggest thrill came when I was about to leave, and Dan, the guy who oversaw the auction came out and offered to take my picture in the home dugout. So I wandered across the infield and crossed over the warning track which is basically all mud at this point. I got to duck my head as I crept into the dugout and peered down the dark tunnel to the locker rooms. It was simply awesome.

I never knew if I’d want to see the stadium again. My last memories were so perfect. And yet I’m glad I went, that one more goose bump inducing time. Seeing it decaying made it a little easier for me to prepare for the wrecking ball.

Here’s where I hand it over to you the readers. Earlier this year I celebrated the 25th anniversary of my first Tigers game. I was able to pinpoint the date by searching through retrosheet.

After seeing the amazing pictures that were taken of the Tiger Stadium last week, and the auction and upcoming demolition, it left me feeling more than a little nostalgic and melancholy.

So here’s the challenge, see if you can find the box score from your first Tigers game and please post it in the comments.

Was it at Tiger Stadium, or some place on the road?

Looking back at the boxscore is there anything that surprised you about the game or didn’t match your recollection?