Grandyvision

So the Freep decides that torture is a valid form of journalism, and posts a 27 photo gallery of Curtis Granderson as a Yankee. There are photos of Curtis engaged in all manner of Spring Training activities, from fist bumps with Robinson Cano (while standing with his thumb tucked adorably under his belt loop) to chatting it up with Derek Jeter (sigh), to palling around with other former Tiger Marcus Thames (straight to the heart!), to mournful shots of his Yankee equipment, emblazoned with number 14 (whyyyyyy?).

I'm serious, it's like someone at the Freep just found out his/her significant other was cheating and had to inflict equal pain on the rest of us. Some solo shots of Jeter and A-Rod are thrown in there at the end, because....um, they're Yankees, and everyone must care about what they are doing every waking moment of every day.

So, if you're feeling emotionally strong, go ahead, subject your self to the whole gallery.

Old English D on Blog Talk Radio

I'll be making an appearance on Blog Talk Radio tonight at 7:00 pm Eastern, along with Tigers blogger Lee Panas of Tiger Tales. Fellow bloggers Greg Eno and Al Beaton host the show, and we'll be talking Tigers, so tune in and check it out.

Johnny Damon Makes Us All....

Oh, Johnny Damon. You need to just keep your mouth shut until you make a decision on which of the lucrative, although less lucrative than you'd wish, offers on the table you will accept. Comments have been made. Feathers have been ruffled. Fans have alternated between wanting you to make our offense more left-handed and potent, to wanting you to fall into a volcano in Hawaii.

You'd love to play in Detroit and make us a winner.

Detroit isn't cosmopolitan enough for you and your wife.

You're a fan of Steve Yzerman and you eat octopi.

You and Beelzebub (I mean, respected agent Scott Boras) play us against our division rival the Chicago Black Sox.

You make us feel like our heads are spinning, and they are, because of all your spin.

Just stop it now. Just make your choice. Just pick a freaking city to play for 2010, then go out and play the free agent auction to the highest (and most cosmopolitan) bidder again in 2011. Just shut up and get ready to report to Spring Training. Just...just...stop toying with our emotions, which have been shredded up like so much confetti.

Turning the Page

I'm not a person that likes making pre-season predictions. Even if I did enjoy sooth-saying, I wouldn't bore you with my stupid opinion here. I'd just make some wagers and try to fatten my wallet. It's such a crap-shoot anyway, players go down with injuries, teams overachieve or tank inexplicably...what's the point? I guess it could be satisfying to successfully predict a player's resurgence...or flop, and some of it is based on good analysis of previous years' stats, like a pitcher's BABIP. But, it's just not for me. Many experts will make their picks known, so go check those out if you're into it.

I prefer to savor the drama that unfolds for me over 162 glorious games. Now, it's 2010. The horror show of 2009 is fading from the rearview mirror. Pitchers and catchers, that most magical of phrases, will be reporting in two days. Spring isn't just a mirage in the desert that is winter anymore. It's now tantalizingly within reach. In a couple weeks, actual games will be played on sun-warmed ballfields in Florida and Arizona.

On March 20, I will no longer be a Spring Training virgin. I'm going to my first Spring game in Lakeland this year. I'll see our boys take on the Phillies. I'll be drunk on sunshine and baseball. The sight of my Tigers in the Old English D will only intoxicate me further. Don't let your jealousy get the best of you here. I wish I could take every Tiger fan with me. Every fan deserves to be there to end the baseball fast that lasted four long months.

On a side note, Ernie Harwell continues to be our voice of baseball. Although the inoperable cancer is taking its toll on his body, he decided to keep writing a column for the Detroit Free Press as long as he is able. I look forward to that column every week. I plan to savor every word.

Finding a Free Agent

So, Marcus Thames signs a minor league contract with the New York Yankees (boo, hiss). This prompts Buster Olney to point out Thames' "isolated power" as a good fit for Yankee Stadium. He also listed the 15 major leaguers who rank higher than Thames in this category. Number 11 on the list is Russell Branyan, who fellow blogger Rogo of Designate Robertson told me a while back would be one of his picks for the Tigers to sign. Branyan would bring a lefty bat at a much lower price tag than Johnny Damon, eater of octopus, fan of Steve Yzerman (spare me).

Are we too late for Branyan? What have the fish got on Motown? Sunny climes? The ocean? Michigan sees its fair share of the sun in the summer months, and we have the Great Lakes.

Who's your pick among the remaining free agents?

Verlander Backs Bondo

MLB Network's Hot Stove caught up with Justin Verlander to discuss that fat contract he just signed. Most interesting to me, however, were Justin's comments about Jeremy Bonderman. He said that he and Jeremy worked out together in Florida last week, and Bondo's stuff is "night and day" compared to last year.

Is Bonderman poised for comeback player of the year? I don't know about all that, but it sure would be most gratifying to see Jeremy on the mound NOT giving up three runs the first inning of every outing. A return to form would go a long way toward our shot at the weak AL Central.

Go Bondo!

(Also watch the video to see Sean Casey telling JV that he owes him some steak dinners, since Casey picked up many a tab back when Justin was a young'un in 2006.)

Pitching Prospects on Parade

In my previous post on Luke Putkonen, I mentioned that JAYRC had done a nice piece on Robbie Weinhardt over at The Spot Starters, which he most definitely did.

I found another really good read on Weinhardt, posted by Matt Wallace at Take 75 North. Give it a look.