Ah…Baseball. The all-American sport (with one Canadian team, but technically Canada is in North America). I love baseball. I remember watching baseball back in the 80s when Jose Canseco was my hero, until that whole steroid thing occurred and I felt like my childhood hero worship was for a false prophet, but c’est la vie. Baseball. I love it.
I’m an AL fan. Always have been. Sure, I kind of liked the Mets back in the day, but really, my overall love for the game started with my love for the As. Don’t ask me why the As were my team, but as a 7 year old I loved them. I collected and carried around baseball cards I still have. You could buy a pack for cheap and get bubble gum in them. Now they’re like five bucks a pack!
Once I was a pre-teen I followed the crowd and liked the Blue Jays for a season. That was back in 1993. My friend had predicted they’d win the world series, so we all followed the team in eager anticipation. Once our team won the series, I found a team closer to home…the Cleveland Indians.
I always liked the Toledo Mud Hens, and by default the Detroit Tigers. I’m from Toledo, but back in the 80s (excluding 84) and 90s you never admitted to being a Tigers fan. C’mon! They sucked. Cleveland was nearby and I was old enough to totally immerse myself into the game. I got my dad into watching and he too became a Cleveland fan. We even went to a game or two back when Progressive Field was called “The Jake.” I followed the Indians through good and bad, until my dad died in 2001.
Then I lost all interest in baseball. It was one thing we’d shared and I was too sad to watch. Well, then I moved to Michigan and I got over it. I missed baseball, but Cleveland games were hard to come by, so I started out rooting for the New York Yankees. It wasn’t the right fit. My girlfriend wasn’t a big sports fan, but she was a good sport and rooted the Yanks on with me.
Then I realized something. The Tigers played on my set, all the time. I had always liked the Tigers. The Yanks just weren’t my team anymore. I wasn’t fond of A-Rod (I knew he used steroids – and well the Jose thing still shook me up) and Derek Jeter, while great at SS, was pompous. I got to know the Tigers, loved their link to the Mud Hens and now, I’m proud to say I’ve been a Tigers fan for the past four years.
It’s been a roller coaster ride for the team. I grew up in the town next to where Jim Leyland grew up, so I spend half my time cheering him on for reppin’ Perrysburg and the rest of the time screaming at him for his decisions. Last year they sucked, but this year, they’ve been bringin’ it…sometimes. When the All Star ballots were tallied and Miguel Cabrera wasn’t one of the chosen ones, I wasn’t thrilled. He’s a great player and deserved a spot on the team. I was pleased that Verlander, Jackson, Granderson and Inge made it, though.
My son has become interested in baseball, especially Tigers baseball. He’s still learning about the game and sometimes gets a little too excited. In the meantime, I yell at the TV. It’s a trait I inherited from my dad. It comes naturally to me and I do it without thought. Sometimes I get a little too excited and have to simmer down.
I couldn’t watch the All Star Game this year with my son. I just couldn’t. Between screaming at the television and maniacally “man giggling” at my computer, he would have been in sensory overload. You see, sports fans get ugly online, especially on Twitter, and I had to deal with a moron running his mouth all night.
This little piss ant had the nerve to call me son. He’s lucky to be 20 if that, and he called ‘me’ son. Uh uh whipper snapper! Then he explained to me…’its an expression’ as though I just didn’t get it. Wow, youth have no respect for their elders these days. Then he proceeded to tell me how awesome all these players were, how biased I was towards Detroit, and how little I knew about sports.
As if loser boy. I was watching sports before you even were a seed in your Mama’s tummy! Just because I don’t wish to lick Halladay’s butthole, doesn’t mean I’m ‘not knowledgeable’ about the game of baseball. As he praised Halladay, aka the jackoff who f’ed up the second inning giving the NL the lead in the game, he probably forgot his little avatar had him proudly wearing his Blue Jays cap.
This flake went on to declare multiple players the best player of the past ten years. First, it was Halladay. He’s the best pitcher of the last ten years, according to him. Then there is A-Rod. He’s the best player of the past ten years. Funny, when I brought up how I’d be the best player too if I used steroids, he didn’t have a comment. I guess cheating doesn’t count in Toronto.
Next, Joe Mauer was, you guessed it, the best player of the last ten years. He wins ‘batting titles’ all the time. Okay, twice does not equal always. He’s good, but c’mon! Then Kevin Youkilis had way better numbers then Miguel Cabrera (who had a 20+ point avg higher than Youkilis and more home runs), according to this guy, and the list goes on and on. I guess averages don’t matter in the grand scheme of baseball. The public voted Youkilis in because they wanted to see him “dance” at the plate.
He was mad that I said Justin Verlander is currently the best pitcher in the AL. His strikeout record shows that (149 before the break). That assessment is also shared with ESPN journalist, Buster Olney. He said back in June he felt Justin was the best pitcher in baseball. Since then Verlander’s been consistent. He only has losses because the offense sucked on his pitching nights. Still, I was told that I’m a Tigers fanatic and only like Tigers.
In the All Star Game I only have one desire…the AL needs to win. I don’t care who plays on the team, so long as they ensure we win. We have a rep to uphold! Still, my Tigers (who played) did good. I wish Verlander would have started not Halladay. He never would have let the NL score. Jackson pitched a shut out 1,2,3 inning, which was good and Curtis Granderson scored the winning run. All in all, my Tigers did a great job, but…had they truly sucked I would have been disappointed to see them get an All star Spot. For example, I don’t think Magglio Ordonez should have gone and he didn’t. He’s been disappointing this year.
I admitted Mauer and Morneau (as much as I hate how good they are when we play them) deserved to be at the game. I’m glad Ichiro was there, too. I even complimented Mark Buehrle, who I believe pitched phenomenally well, even though I hate the Sox. It’s the All Star Game. I cheered on Jeter and even Youkilis (even though he gave nothing to the team). That’s what the All Star Game is all about…BUT…I do believe my Tigers ARE all stars. Well, at least the four that went.
The funny thing about all this is this twitter annoyance told me that only two Tigers deserved to be there. According to him, Edwin Jackson, the same Jackson who went on to pitch a 1,2,3 Fourth, wasn’t an All Star. Sure his 2.85 ERA (at the time) was “ok” but not the lowest in the league. It was lower than most of the other pitchers at the All Star Game, which he neglected to acknowledge. Then, he said Granderson wasn’t an All Star. Yes, Curtis “triple hitting” Granderson, whose triple (almost home run) put the AL in scoring position for a sac-fly that led him home! Without him we might not have won the game. He sealed our victory.
So, as I sat there, watching the game, cursing Halladay, and laughing at my computer, especially when I could no longer be spoken to because I’m so not knowledgeable about sports according to this kid, I could hear my son’s mom in the other room telling him not to come in because…Dad’s watching baseball!
Technorati Tags: Baseball, MLB, All Star Game, Sports, Dominick Evans, Father, Son, Dad, Watch Sports, Detroit Tigers
Written by Dominick Evans – Visit Website
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Dominick is in his late 20s. He lives in Michigan with his life partner, Ashtyn, their 14 year old son Robert, and their Shih-Tzu, Oliver. Dominick is a writer and the head editor for both LI Kids and Literary Illusions. He enjoys composing music and is an aspiring director/screenwriter. In his free time he enjoys spending time with his family, playing and watching sports, playing video games, watching movies, and singing.
