Back from Lakeland

Well, what a time we had in Lakeland.  Made new friends and seen old friends.  What a great time was had down there.

Tigers look like they will be really good this year.  Good pitching and great hitting.  They should win the Central no problem.  But that is why they play the games.  Prince is a good guy.  Signing autographs for everyone down there if you wait in line.  There was a lot more people in Lakeland this year.  Stands were always full.  Hotels full.  Restaurants full.  Good for the city of Lakeland and their businesses.  Thanks Prince fielder.

Cabby looks okay at 3rd and Raburn is killing the ball.  Is this the year Ryan lives up to his potential for the whole year?  Time will tell.  Who is the last man on the roster?  Clete Thomas or Andy Dirks?  Both looked good down here and Thomas is out of options.  We will see what the Tigers think.  Looks to me like Duane Below could be the 5th starter. 

Rose and I also rode about 850 miles on the motorcycle while we were in Lakeland.  Hmmm....Baseball, motorcycles, and BBQ.....what more could you ask for.  Can't wait for the season to begin.....Go Tigers.

PS:  if you are in Lakeland, stop by the field north of the stadium before the game and say hello to my buddy Patrick shagging balls behind the Right Field fence.  He is the one with the first basemen's glove....

138 days till pitchers and catchers

The Tiger's season is over. 81-81. 3rd place in the Central Division. We will see what the off season brings. Damon, Laird and Bondo will not be back. Inge appears to be ready to sign on for a couple of more years and Jhonny Peralta appears to be coming back. Phil Coke will be a starter and Schlerth looked unhittable the last few times out. Time will tell what all this will bring. About 148 days from now Rose and I will get back to Lakeland to start all over again in the quest for a World Series win....yeah right...more for the BBQ!

Almost Ocotober

Can you believe the calender is about to switch to October? Man oh man that seems impossible. Last week of the baseball season. Starting to get cold in the morning and and evenings and makes for less motorcycle miles. I love fall, but it needs to stop there! No Winter!

People Ask me What I do in the winter when there is no baseball......I'll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.....in Lakeland that is....PLAY BALL!

Getting colder in Wauseon, OH

Better than Baseball

Well it has been about 10 days since Grandson #3 arrived in the world. Tyge Bradley Klopfenstein joins brother Jacob on Co Rd F. Seems crazy that the baby got home about 24 hours after being born. Jacob is a great big brother. He reads to Tyge...well he thinks he is...since he is only 2.. He weighed in at 7 lb 5 oz and 21" long. All grandpa and grandmas are happy.

New baby means new ballglove. Nice rawlings glove. Just something grandpa has to do. You knew I would get some baseball in here. How awesome to see how God works. 10 fingers and 10 toes and so perfect. Jacob got to stay at our house 1 night and then down to the hospital. It was great...well grandma thought so. Glad I had to go to work on Friday!

Well, the Tigers are out of it and there are only 2 weeks left in the season.....what will I do? Oh yeah, Shell corn and harvest soybeans....well haul them...dad won't get out of the combine.

Long Time

Man, has it really been that long since I last posted? Busy summer, just the way I like it. Hot Just the way I like it! My Tigers do stink! Since the All-Star game they have went from 1/2 game back to 12 games back and out of contention. Who would have known the injury to Maggs would have done this?

Now, do we trade Inge? Damon? Do we bring them back? Does Maggs come back? It will be an interesting off season. With so many contracts coming off the books. Think about it...Robertson, Willis, Bondo, Inge, Maggs, Damon, who am I forgetting. Cabrera is just an awesome player. He needs to stay here long term. Have heard people saying he is the best player in Detroit since Al Kaline. If not he is really close. Sorry, Alan, Sweet Lou, etc.....

Thinking of a 2nd Bike trip....where do we go? Grandchild #3 is almost here and that is holding us close to home for now. Corn is ripening fast...could be an early fall. Time will tell....before we can blink an eye it will be time to start thinking of heading to Lakeland....

Back from the Mountains

Back to work....love it.....After a week of Goldwinging through the Smokies it is back to work time. Too bad I can't find a way to make a living riding the motorcycle! Now that would be awesome! Only bad part of vacation is no Tiger baseball on the tube!

Tigers are in 1st place by a game of the Sox and 1.5 games over the Twins as I type. They need to keep it going. Where would we be without Brennan Boesch? What a hitter! Great protection for Miggy. If we can get Johnny Damon to really get it going we will be in great shape. Zumaya out for the season...who really thought he would get through the season? I fear for Carlos Guillen also playing 2nd base....we will see. We need Carlos in the lineup.

Go Tigers

Oh Armando

What a game! Armando gets the shaft. This feels like a loss, not a win. What is going on with the Ump. Jim Joyce from Toledo, OH screws up the game. HE WAS OUT! Give me a break..everyone saw it and even Jim Joyce apologized. HE was out that is all I can say. Could not even sleep good it made me so mad. But all in all Armando had a great game. Only 88 pitches. Threw strike 1 to 24 of the 28 hitters faced. 67 strikes and only 21 balls. 5 of those pitches were to the 28th batter that should not have even batted.

HE WAS OUT JIM JOYCE!