Todd Jones -- Please Bring In Somebody Else
Any Jones Will Do

What do you think when Leyland summons Jones from the bullpen?

July 22, 2008
By: O. J. Cunningham

Got into a Gatzby discussion concerning baseball the other night. I mention Gatzby's cuz I want you to know (in advance) that there was beer involved.

Talking baseball in a bar is like talking about wings at Hooters. Everybody has an opinion.

Come to find out . . . Some people are still excited about the lofty 47-47 record that our Detroit Tigers have at the All-Star break. And . . . (why would I lie about this) . . . they still think the Tabbys have a shot at the season-end playoffs.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm a long-time Tiger fan.

Back in 1977, when I was newspapering as Bay County Sports Page, I even flew down to Lakeland to interview Trammel and Whittaker at Tiger spring training.

Just want to give you a little background and establish a little credibility when it come to Tiger history.

Anyway, I make the comment, in Gatzby's, that the "Tigers will have to score 13 runs a game as long as (Todd) Jones is their closer."

Well . . . you'd think I used the "F" word at mom's dinner table.

The general consensus at Gatzby's was: "Todd's our guy, has been for 4 years."

"Todd's the man."

"Todd had 15 saves out of his first 15 save opportunities."

"Todd's got over 300 saves in his career. He's a first-ballot Hall-of-Famer."

Everybody's like takin' shots at me like I was a 12-point buck on November 15th. And one un-named guy (I'll call him Greg, cuz that was his name) says I should "put my money where my mouth is."

I felt like Jim Arness at the Longbranch Saloon. So I looked over at Miss Kitty . . . then back at . . . errrrr Greg . . . and said . . . how much . . . and what's the bet?

"You make it," he says. I think . . . errr . . . stutter . . . drink . . . scratch . . .

And then it hits me . . . in the same way that Todd Jones hits the batter's bat. And I make THIS wager . . .

I bet that in the next 10 save opportunities that Todd Jones has . . . I bet he allows the tying run to be on base.

The guy . . .(Greg) says . . . (Why would I lie?) -- "O.K., for a a hundred bucks. (That would be $100).

My only defense is that I musta been "hammered." Cuz I didn't take the bet.

And as I watched the ninth inning the other night -- Todd Jones in relief of Verlander -- As Jones walked the bases full before being bailed out by Inge at third base with a circus defensive play . . ."

Hundred bucks or not, Greg . . . We really gotta get someone other than Todd Jones to close out Tiger ninth innings if we expect the Tigers to win 85 games and get into the playoffs.

I shoulda taken the bet . . . It's Easy money with Jones coming in from the bullpen.

So Get Your Jones Up & Take The Quiz . . . Click Here!
Would You Summon Todd Jones in from the Tiger bullpen in a 1-run game? Or would you rather have ANY OTHER JONES?