I just finished reading an article from the AP on Sheffield and comments he made today about Jim Leyland. It seems that Sheffield is excited to be with the Tigers and this article really got me looking forward to 2007. From the article:
”Mr. Leyland asked me if I wanted to come to Detroit, and I asked him if he was still going to be the manager,” said Sheffield, who played for Leyland when the Florida Marlins won the 1997 World Series. ”When he told me that he would be, I said I wanted to do it. There weren’t a lot of issues after that.”
This goes back to everyone “Loving the English D“, as billfer says.
Gary also made some great comments on facing the Tigers pitching last year:
”I got to see firsthand that this is a great up-and-coming ballclub,” he said. ”I especially got to see that pitching staff. It was discouraging to face those guys, because you’d be facing one guy who threw hard, and then the bullpen doors would open and someone who threw even harder would come out.”
With the payroll nearing $95M, the money is there, the players are there, the fans are there and the 2007 season couldn’t look much better for the Tigers. These comments were made while traveling with the Tiger Caravan which I’m thinking about trying to go by and see over at Eastern Michigan tomorrow.
Anyone else stop by the caravan?
D-Town Baseball
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I’ll be checking out Our Fair Tigers tonight. I’m curious to see who all will be here.
Unfortunately the caravan doesn’t make it past US10 this year. It used to stop in TC. Not that it would help me in Marquette, but seriously, the Tigers seem to be thinking less and less about the rest of the state.
I wonder how much of Michigan follows the Tigers. Once you start getting up that north is it mainly Tiger fans still or do you start seeing Milwaukee fans, Minnesota fans?
When you get to west Michigan I’d think there are some Sox/Cub fans as well. Actually, I’ve run into too many cubs fans here in Ann Arbor!
Jessie, Which gathering are you going to?
There is the Fandemonium in Toledo as well as some Tigers at Colonial Lanes in AA.
Let us know how it is!
Well, as someone who’s lived all over the place, I can tell you. West Michigan has a few Cubs fans, but it’s Tigers country. Northern Michigan is totally Tigers country. And most of the UP is too, even the areas bordering Wisconsin. There are some Brewer holdovers, but as soon as Detroit started winning, everyone was wearing Tigers stuff up here. Just because you’re further from Detroit doesn’t mean you’re any less of a fan. You should see all the Wings stuff up here! But baseball is a pretty big sport, just not at the HS level.
Interesting, I was curious about how far the Tiger fandom reached. I grew up in Columbus Oh and much of it is split between Cleveland and Cincinnati, Toledo is Tigers country too. There is quite a bit in this area (upper midwest) but south of Cinci you don’t have much until Atlanta.
Glad to hear though!
does anyone know of a game between the traveling Tigers team and the McNamaras of Ceylon, Wisconsin, probably back in the ’30s? Trying to find info on this.
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