RIP to Ernie Harwell (1918-2010)

I'm currently reading some articles on MLB.com about the passing of Ernie Harwell last night. He had incurable bile duct cancer. I stopped at Comerica Park today to pay my respects and to say a short prayer. I was shocked and saddened when I heard of his passing yesterday. My prayers are with his family and close friends that knew him the best. I pray that the Lord gives him rest and brings Mr. Harwell closer to Him in Heaven. There's a viewing at Comerica Park tomorrow (May 6) for all who may want to pay their respects. There will not be a public memorial service for him, and I read in the paper that the funeral will be private. Rest in Peace, Mr. Harwell. Everyone misses you dearly.

Mary, Fu-Te Ni and Red Wings, Oh My!

It's May, and I thought about the month of May being the Month of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Catholic Faith. Us Catholics honor Mary as the mother of our Savior, and a popular devotion is the Rosary. Here's a link from the Marist Messenger of a few Marian traditions that are popular and some feast days in May dedicated to Mary.
For all of my fellow Tiger Fans, especially my Taiwanese readers, here are a couple of pictures of Fu-Te Ni that were taken this past Saturday at the game. He currently sports a 1.54 ERA and fifteen strikeouts of as of Tonight (May 4, 2010). Fu's doing a great job with the Tigers, so we all have a reason to be pretty proud of him :-D

The Red Wings are playing San Jose this evening downtown at Joe Louis Arena :-D Go Wings! THey're behind, 2 games to 0, but I feel confident that they'll bring their "A" Game and advance in the playoffs

Holding May Day Clinics

Here are some pictures I took during the Tigers pregame clinics on May 1. The gates opened early at 11 AM, and I sat in section 115 during the clinics.
The First clinic was about catching. Alex Avila and bullpen catcher Scott Pickens talked about how to catch, and how to call signs to the pitchers. Someone asked who called the game, the catchers or the managers/coaches, and the answer was that the catchers usually call the game.
The next clinic was about fielding. This clinic was conducted by infield coach Rafael Belliard and Scott Sizemore, the Tigers Second Baseman. They talked about how to field the balls appropriately, and how to catch the ball when it's hit in your general direction. I found it informative that you have to stay on the balls of your feet when you're getting ready to catch and field the ball.
The next clinic was about Batting. This segment of the clinic was conducted by hitting coach Lloyd and Austin Jackson, the Tigers center fielder. This clinic talked about the proper way to stand in the batters box and how to hold your bat. There was also instruction on how to swing your bat correctly.
The fourth and final clinic was about pitching. It was held by bullpen coach Jeff Jones and Pitcher Rick Porcello. This clinic told you how you are suppost to get ready to pitch and how to deliver your pitches. There were many informative pointers on the way to set up and to pitch.

Celebrating the Tigers

Here's a picture I took at the Detroit Tigers game on May 1. The Tigers had just won the game, 3-2 on a Johnny Damon walk-off home run. Ryan Perry got the win (he's number 45 in this picture), while Fu-Te Ni and Eddie Bonine did well in relief of Jeremy Bonderman, who started and pitched six good innings. Many of the Tigers did a great job. I always enjoy seeing the Tigers. Before the game, there was a clinic, where some of the players and coaches talked about pitching, catching, hitting, and fielding. It was interesting. I'll post more pictures soon.
Lauren

Miscellaneous Friday

A few things to Blog about today. First off, Congratulations to Magglio Ordonez for hitting his 2,000th hit yesterday afternoon (click the link for the story in the Detroit Free Press). From what I've read in the article, everyone at the game gave him a standing ovation. This picture was taken earlier this month at the Tigers game.
Today, Governor Granholm signed a law banning Text messaging and driving (click the link to go to the article on the State of Michigan's website). This means that starting in July, you can be pulled over if the cops see you texting and driving . I think that this is a good idea, because you should be keeping your eyes on the road instead of doing other things while driving. I always try to talk on the phone before I leave or when I get to where I'm planning to go.
I saw this mural on the old Wurlitzer Building as I was waiting for the People Mover on Saturday afternoon. Whoever did this did a fantastic job on it. I like the colors on here. I hope you do, too.

Dmitri pays a visit

While reading the Detroit papers, I read this article about Dmitri Young coming back to see old teammates and new faces in the Tiger Clubhouse yesterday (April 27). He was let go from the Tigers in 2006 after some personal issues arose. He's currently working in the front office of a Frontier League team here in Michigan. I remember he was with the Washington Nationals for a spell in the past few years. He was there to see his brother, who plays for the Twins, play the Tigers at last night's game at Comerica Park. It seems he's doing all right for himself now. He was a pretty popular player among the fans and a great teammate with his fellow Tigers. He was my Mom's favorite player, along with Craig Monroe and Rondell White. When I saw this article in the paper, I thought about these pictures, which were taken during On-Field Photo Day in July 2006 at Comerica Park. These are some of the only pics I have of him. I'm glad to see that he's getting his life back on track again, and I think he'll be spectacular in his new role.

Best of Luck to the Tigers and Wings

I'm watching the Tigers and preparing to watch the Red Wings this evening. I wish both teams the best of luck this evening. I've been a fan of the Red Wings since 1997 and the Tigers since 2003. When I see Al the Octopus on Joe Louis Arena downtown, I think of the Legend of the Octopus. It dates back to the old days, when eight wins were necessary for the Stanley Cup. I still see Al in the Wings Victory Parade in 2008 with a crown on his head. I call him "King Al of the Octopus Garden" when I see that picture. The Tigers are at Comerica Park this evening, so that's why I post the picture of the Tiger on the Comerica Park scoreboard. They are playing the Twins tonite, and it looks like a good crowd is assembled at Comerica this evening. Hopefully us fans can cheer the Tigers to victory this evening. They just had a long road trip out west, and have more games ahead.