Opening Day in Detroit

As usual, the home opener for the Tigers provided a festive atmosphere in downtown Detroit. Many people were out for the game; in addition, the fans were also tailgating in places I've never seen them tailgating before! It was great to see. The Tigers, off to a 5-2 start, have people excited again.

The radio show after the game, though, had people really negative about the Tigers. They were blasting Jeremy Bonderman's performance, the hitters’ patience, and anything else they could come up with. Bonderman actually pitched a pretty good game today giving up only four runs in seven innings of work. The defense looked good again and the hitting was okay. The only problem I saw was Brandon Inge's failure to get the sacrifice bunt down when he needed to. Inge has to learn to be a role player in order for the team to be successful.

Watching the Tigers on Opening Day is a ton of fun. It will be a good season in Detroit. I think this team is capable of 85 wins -- if all goes well, maybe 90. The pitching looks decent, the hitting is going to be pretty good, and the defense looks better than it has in a long time. I would like to credit, once again, Jim Leyland. His presence has had a major influence on the organization!

It'll be fun watching them in 2006! On another note, it's time to let go of the past. Yes, let's remember the great teams of the past, but it's time to move on. A new era really has arrived ... let's celebrate that!