Piano Man

The first concert I ever attended was Billy Joel, back in 1990. I'll never forget the whole crowd singing "Piano Man" together to close the concert. I remember thinking, "That must be really cool to hear 20,000 people sing your own song to you." I later saw him a few more times, in different venues. The best show I saw was at the Palace of Auburn Hills, from the front row. I wasted two tickets to the show because I was able to purchase the front row seats the day of the show. And I couldn't find anyone to take the other two. I told one friend, the tickets will be in the behind the gas cap cover, if you want them.

I would love the opportunity to see him in his hometown of New York City. He recently played 12 sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in NYC over a couple of months and I just found out that on June 13, a live album celebrating the record-setting 12 sold out shows called 12 Gardens Live will arrive in stores.

Order it here: CLICK CLICK CLICK

I don't know about you, but "It's Still Rock 'n' Roll To Me."



Any Billy Joel fans out there?

The Great Bubblegum Conspiracy

You watchin' the Tigers game tonight?

Starting pitcher Nate Robertson has been fun to watch during this game. He's been attacking the Big League Chew ... and each time he's added a cud, the Tigers have scored some runs.

It's 6-5 right now, the Yankees are leading. But I saw Nate grab an unopened package for the last three innings ...

Look out, Yanks!

(Do you know who invented Big League Chew?)

DEEE-TROIT Basketbull

Things are a mess in Detroit. It goes back several weeks to Big Ben Wallace refusing to go back into a game from which he had been pulled. Talk radio was going nuts about it, saying that Flip Saunders had lost control of the team. I didn't believe it then, but it's becoming clear now that the "team that coaches itself" can't handle Saunders as the coach. Remember, he was supposed to bring an uptempo offense to this team ... but where is it? I would never doubt that the Pistons have a chance to win the series against the Miami Heat, but I think it's safe to say that if they don't win the Eastern Division that the coach will be once again unemployed. I thought he had received a bad wrap in Minnesota as a coach who coulnd't win in the post season; however, I don't think it was such a bad wrap.

The only person who can do the job next year is ... (are you ready for this?) ... the man who invented modern basketball, the person who put the "d" back in defesne ... NO! Not Isiah Thomas .... Chuck Daly. Chuck might be 76 years old, but he's a basketball legend and could probably instill something in the Pistons that's been lacking (strangely!): HEART.

Sure, they 're still paying Larry Brown, so I guess he could be an option (NOT!)

Come on, Pistons, show what you're made of ... BEAT the HEAT!

DO NOT PANIC

You are saying to yourself, "Oh, no, here come the real Tigers."

Be patient, though, loyal readers. The Tigers are going to be fine. It's a "Johnson-thing." Yesterday, Jason Johnson pitched out of the world and today, Randy Johnson did. The Tigers are going to be fine!

It's a marathon season, so be patient. Bumps and bruises will happen.

Remember, Bondy (Jeremy Bonderman) only gave up four runs.

Tune in for more later!

A Historical Analysis

The team won its 34th game on August 29. They had already lost 99 times. After 48 games, their record was 12-36. Their team leader in wins won nine times. He lost 21. Two guys led the team in saves, each had five. The team shut out their opponents a total of five times. As a team, they scored 591 runs.

Members of this team include guys with last names like Inge, Santiago, Monroe, Young, Infante, Bonderman, Maroth, Walker, Robertson, and Rodney.

The manager was a former All-Star. His coaching staff were all former teammates.

It was a long season.

It was not that long ago!

World Series Ticket

World Series Ticket
Originally uploaded by Rick Rock Radio.

INSPIRATION!

Trojan Baseball

Trojan Baseball
Originally uploaded by Rick Rock Radio.

As we waited for Amy to come in for the stretch run in Traverse City, I watched a little bit of the Traverse City Central and Clio high school baseball game. They were tuning up for next week.

This is a great time to remind everyone that next week is the beginning of the post-season for high school baseball and softball.

At this point, you never know who's going to surprise and make a little run; however, it usually comes down to three things: 1) competent coaching, 2) passionate pitching, and 3) dominating defense. Especially in softball, a pitcher can make a huge difference.

Good luck to all of the athletes competing. It's the best part of the high school season. Living near Mt. Pleasant, there is always the opportunity to take in some Michigan High School Athletic Association Quarterfinal action. It's well worth it!

Memorial Day Week-end

Hope to get down to the Copa for a game this week-end. I used to go quite often during the Memorial Day week-end. It's such an exciting season so far in Detroit. The pitching has been UNBELIEVABLE. Here's hoping it continues.

Tune in tonight on Fox Sports Detroit to see the Tigers battle the Indians!

Amy Running

Amy Running
Originally uploaded by Rick Rock Radio.

Up to Elk Rapids for the Memorial Day Week-end Show!

In Traverse City out on the Peninsula, my sister Amy took part in the Bayshore Marathon. I, personally, cannot imagine running 26.2 miles in my life, let alone in five hours and forty minutes (her time today). Her previous marathon experience took place in San Diego and today she cut forty minutes off that time.

Good job, Ame!

Did You Know

The Detroiters could play under .500 (57-58) the rest of the season and still win 90 games!

Thanks to the Detroit News for that stat!

Go, Tigers, Go!!!

Jim Leyland

Jim Leyland
Originally uploaded by Rick Rock Radio.

The reason. Period.

Something Special is Happening

It is pretty early in the year to be thinking this ...

Forty games have gone by already, and the boys in Motown are playing some special baseball.

Things are going their way, every day.

It's pretty early in the year to be thinking this ...

Jimmy Leyland has changed the culture, the mindset, the team.

These guys play nine innings every day and they come to win.

It's too damn early to be thinking this ...

Even when Tuna Can called and said the Tigers were down 6-0 in the first, I never thought they would lose. It hasn't been this fun being a Tigers fan since, well, "then." That was a special year, and this year is taking shape.

The pitching has been outstanding, the hitting has been timely, and the defense has been okay.

What is it that I'm thinking, anyway ...

The Detroit Baseball Club is playing some seriously electric baseball.

A 10-game homestand begins tomorrow night. I've got to get the Posse out there somehow. This is the summer to take in a bunch of games. When we pack Comerica, the team feels it. They are playing some serious ball.

Let's just enjoy whatever it is that's going on!

Play like a Tiger and ROAR!!!

The Skip's Word

Along with hearing the players say “nine innings,” Leyland said he was thrilled by Brandon Inge’s leadoff bunt single in the seventh that led to a run

“That’s baseball. We talked about that all spring, but we haven’t done it much. He got it down and started a rally”

-- Jim Leyland --



*Source: Detroit News

Justin Verlander

Justin Verlander
Originally uploaded by Rick Rock Radio.

What a great game last night by the Tigers rookie right hander!

He hasn't allowed a run in a couple of starts!

Here's thinking that he just might be the Tigers' first Rookie of the Year since 1978. Anybody remember who the ROY was that year?

Good luck, Justin!

Barry "Babe" Bonds

Read Jeff Passan's Literary Analysis of Barry Bonds

This must have appealed to the English Language Arts teacher in me!

Enjoy.

Analyze!

Ken Griffey, Jr.

Ken Griffey, Jr.
Originally uploaded by Rick Rock Radio.

If Junior had not spent parts of the last several seasons on the disabled list, I can only imagine what his career numbers would be. It was supposed to be dreamlike for Griffey to return to his hometown. It quickly, though, turned into a nightmare. Injury after injury has kept him from being the INCREDBILE player he once was. His grand slam on Saturday night -- even though it was against the Tigers -- was pretty cool.

I remember watching him play when he was a rookie back in '89 (I think) and he was so smooth, effortless. He's had a great career, but imagine what could have been!

It was awesome watching him yesterday!

F-Rod

F-Rod
Originally uploaded by Rick Rock Radio.

Fernando Rodney is having a fine season out of the bullpen. He's been both a set-up man and a closer. He's looked great so far and is throwing the ball HARD!

It would be really cool if he and Todd Jones each has 20-25 saves on the season. Amazingly, I think Joel Zumaya is probably going to be the closer of the future. His stuff is electric!

These guys come to work every day ready to do their job!

Keep it up!

Vance Wilson's Sacrifice Bunt

Vance Wilson's Sacrifice Bunt
Originally uploaded by Rick Rock Radio.

The biggest play of the day! I took 400 photos at today's Tigers-Reds game with my new Olympus SP-500UZ 10X Optical Zoom camera. It takes great pictures of pitchers (and batters, and fielders, and managers, etc.) Anyway, this is Vance Wilson, reserve catcher and recent Tiger hero, laying down a perfect bunt to move the runner along. The pitcher threw the ball away, though, and Vance was safe and the go-ahead run ended up on third base.

Placido Polanco pinch hit and knocked in the only run of the game.

The atmosphere at Comerica Park was electric. The Tigers are on a roll, they are in first place, and currently hold the best record in baseball. It's past the 40-game mark and it's time to start believing in these guys. They're playing some darn good baseball -- great pitching, solid hitting, decent defense ... and Jim Leyland (who signed my yearbook today) and his coaching staff have made some great moves!

I'm excited to see baseball matter in Detroit Rock City again.

Thanks for tuning in!!!

(P.S. Todd Jones threw a nice ninth inning today to earn another save. The save also made him the Tigers all-time saves leader, taking that title from Mike Henneman.)

Brandon's Failed Suicide Squeeze

"Listen, I take total responsibility for that. We had the squeeze on, because I knew going in that runs were going to be stingy and I wanted to get one on the board early. I had (coach Gene Lamont ) tell a couple of guys about it, but I didn't have him tell Brandon. That's my fault. If I'd told him to tell Brandon, it would not have caught him by surprise. Normally you don't squeeze in the second inning, totally my screw-up."

-- Jim Leyland, Manager --

Another new blog to point out ...

If you get a chance and want to read some interesting thoughts, check out this blog. The author takes an interesting journey through a number of avenues, trying out different thoughts and looking at different views.