Chicks Dig the Long Ball

Just putting out juicy headlines to inflate my blog hits.  No, I'm kidding.  That was my favorite commercial of all time.  I still look it up on YouTube once in a while.  Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux looking the part all nerdy, trying to get pumped up to catch the eye of Heather Locklear, who only has eyes for slugger Mark McGwire (as if).  Anyway, if you need a laugh to distract you from the interminable off-season, which has been devoid of any real news for the Tigers, other than that we declined to offer arbitration to any of our free agents, and, oh yeah, Curtis Grandrson's charity hoops event will be held on January 17 , check it out.

In "real" (if you equate rumor with truth) news, the Tigers' Hot Stove Report blog reports that our talks with free-agent, lefty Beimel are heating up.  Beimel was in Dodger blue last year, and was 5-1, 2.02 ERA.  Also held lefties to .210 BA last 3 yrs.

In other mind-numbing non-news, we're still linked to free agent SS and former divisional foe Orlando Cabrera, who interestingly has a massive feud going with our former shortstop Renteria.  They're both from Columbia, and there's some squabble over youth league teams and Cabrera allegedly running one of the teams into the ground on purpose and then selling the club back to Renteria.  ESPN the Magazine reported that Cabrera tried to make nice and talk to Renteria when he was on second at a game at Comerica, and also asked to meet with him after the game, and got the icy frozen shoulder.  I'm not sure who's right or wrong, but "can't we all just get along," ballplayers?

Anyway, go string some twinkle lights or bake some ginger snaps, and quit wasting your time on my stupid blog, would ya?

Evidence of Clubhouse Chaos

There was a lot of talk, and a lot of rumors about clubhouse malaise this past season.  I rather scoffed at the idea, and didn't really see any evidence of it.  Jim Leyland darn near bit Jason Grilli's head off for suggesting it after his trade to Colorado.

Now there's some pretty convincing evidence that the clubhouse was indeed troubled.

In an article in today's Freep, Jon Paul Morosi chronicled Jair Jurrjens' recent visit to his host family from his days with the West Michigan Whitecaps.  Jurrjens was quoted in the article as saying:

"When I came  up, the team was so united.  Everybody was getting along with each other.  I can't remember who I was talking to, but they said it's not the same thing (as) when I came up.  I didn't ask who--they just said it wasn't the same environment.  I think everybody was trying to press so much-- be the leader, be the superstar."

The scenario described by Jurrjens is very plausible to me.  I don't think guys were in there all disgruntled with each other, but I sure believe that many of them were trying too hard to do too much.

I think (no, hope) that after the past year of adjustment, the clubhouse will be just fine.  Guys will feel more comfortable in their roles, with their teammates, and positions (think of those shuffled mercilessly around the diamond).

It's telling to me that Edgar Renteria wants to return next season, despite a very sub-par performance, a lukewarm to angry fan reaction, and the rotten egg of a season overall.  There must be something there worth coming back for.  I believe it's there, too.  I'll be looking for it next year.