When The Stars Align

To euphemize, Friday's home opener was a smidge on the chilly side. Some people are ill prepared and easily irritated and find it impossible to enjoy a game under such circumstances.

Fortune smiled for Saturday's game, and I enjoyed blissful sun and temps so mild I didn't get to show off my new Tigers warm up jacket. Well, I did forget to put sunscreen on, and my nose glowed Ruldolph-style for the next two days. Just my nose. The rest of my face remained paste-white. That's attractive.

I have shared with you my status as a charmed individual. Ask me for some lottery numbers, because at Saturday's game, the guy I buy tickets from upgraded me from bleacher seats to infield boxes 26 rows behind the Tigers dugout for free (thank you Gary). I can't explain it people. Just accept it before it destroys you. The only downside to this whole development was that I didn't bring my camera, because its zoom doesn't perform that well from right field. I had wonderful views of players in the on-deck circle and coming into the dugout, and no way to capture them. That's ok. I just soaked up the vistas--when people weren't constantly getting up and down in our row.

I try not to be too much of a baseball snob, but really, I must protest. The bases were loaded...LOADED with Tigers, and idiot fans are doing the wave. Repeat with me now. "These vapid drunkards pay the salaries of our ballplayers. Without them, our starting lineup would include a bunch of no-names and has-beens." Does that help you at all?

Jeremy Bonderman looked really good. I was a little concerned before the game, wondering about some rust from his suspension, and that dreaded first inning. Imagine the excitement as Jeremy took a no-hitter into the fourth inning. Hafner broke it up with a single. I was actually relieved, because I think the pressure of a no-no would have caused Bondo to spontaneously combust somewhere around the seventh inning. Jeremy's day ended after the fifth when 90 pitches had been thrown. Very satisfying. I was glad to see him come back with a clean, quick fifth, after struggling a little with command in the fourth.

I cannot write this post without reminding you that in the third at bat of the Tigers' half of the first, Magglio Ordóñez launched a laser down the left field line. It got out so fast I almost missed it. But grinning and laughing, I jumped up and down with childish glee.

So you can see that the day at the park was shiny and perfect, wrapped up with a big red bow of a Tigers victory and a four-out save for Ryan Perry.