April Showers Bring May Flowers
And Tiger Baseball Fever

April 29, 2009       Leave a Comment
By: O. J. Cunningham

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I am a Detroit Tiger baseball fan . . . always have been . . . always will be . .

But last year was such a disappointment that I had actually considered jumping off the bandwagon, becoming a "fair weather" fan and just "blowing off" baseball for the 2009 season.

But I can't.

Methinks it's the burned-in 1960s memories of Harvey Kuenn , Reno Bertoia, Paw-Paw Maxwell, Ray Boone, Frank Bolling, Norm Cash, Frank House and Al Kaline . . . that always seem to find their way to the surface when the first rays of April sunshine filter across baseball diamonds in the good old U.S.A.

Maybe it's the math . . .

When it comes to baseball, I have always been a "numbers kinda guy." I just get downright interested in ERAs, batting stats, pitch counts, etc.

For example . . . Did you know . . .

If a player bats 4 times per game in 162 game . . . he will have 648 at-bats. Let's (for easy math) say that he walks and/or sacrifices 48 times during the year.

That gives a our full-time player about 600 official at-bats.

Here's the fun . . .

If our batter averages one hit (162) per game --> batting average = 270 (acceptable -- average)

Twelve less hits (150) over the course of 162 games . . . batting average = 250 (he better be a great glove man)

200 hits in 162 games (600 at-bats) = 333 batting average and an all star batting champion.

Just 4 hits more each month and your a superstar. That's just an extra hit per week . . . Imagine that . . .!

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Before the season began, I was quick to bad-mouth the returning starting pitchers for the Tigers.

But it is not the "starters" that will make this 2009 Tiger team shine. It will be the bullpen.

As of Sunday, April 26, Joel Zumaya, Bobby Seay, Ryan Perry, and Fernando Rodney all have an ERA under 3.00

The Tigers, with their 3-2 win over Kansas City on Sunday improved their record to 10-8. (Projected Season record 90-72)

Brandon Inge and Curtis Granderson (each) have 6 home runs in the first 18 games Projected Season 54)

Miguel Cabrera is batting .385

The Yankees are in town for a series. It's almost May.

Don't ya just love baseball

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Agree? or Disagree? Leave a Comment!

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O. J. Cunningham
O. J. Cunningham is the Publisher of MyBayCity.com. Cunningham previously published Sports Page & Bay City Enterprise. He is the President/CEO of OJ Advertising, Inc. More from O. J. Cunningham

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