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UPDATE: Adam Dunn still loves Cinco De Mayo

May 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I apologize that it took a few days to get this up, but it was a holiday. And Adam Dunn delivered. Anyone out there catch this tweet?

It's Cinco De mayo. Adam Dunn's favorite holiday. He will go yard tonight
May 5, 2012 6:07 pm via TweetDeckReplyRetweetFavorite
@DiamondHoggers
Diamond Hoggers

He might be in a new city and a few years removed from when we knew him best, but we still know our Big Donkey.

If you missed it, below is video of Dunner ruining Jose Valverde’s heritage holiday this past Saturday. Yeah, he hit it where balls don’t belong in right field at Comerica Park.

I have illusions of grandeur–Dunn celebrating late into the night with a sombrero on and taking body shots of cheap tequila while disregarding the offered lime or lemon. Even if it didn’t happen, you know it probably should have happened.

How I miss Adam Dunn being in my big league city.

Filed Under: Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers Tagged With: , ,

Detroit adds a Prince

January 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

The Detroit Tigers signed Prince Fielder to a monster, 9-year $214 million dollar contract today. While you were busy thinking of him in a lineup that already contains Miguel Cabrera, or where the Tigers will put Fielder, Cabrera, and Victor Martinez once Martinez returns from injury in a year or so; you probably didn’t realize that this deal brought Fielder to the city where the Fielder name gained fame and notoriety in the baseball world.

Prince is going to the city where his daddy Cecil hit 284 big league home runs. The Tigers were the forgotten team all along while everyone seemed to speculate about Prince signing with the Nationals, Mariners and Rangers. All the while, this move makes perfect sense for the Tigers who were likely to jump into the sweepstakes once Victor Martinez went down with season ending surgery on his knee last week.

Our opinion is while it’s a great signing for the immediate term–Fielder got too much money. He’s not like an Albert Pujols in the sense that he’s likely always to remain in peak physical condition into his middle and late 30′s. By the time this deal is done, Fielder probably won’t be worth the value. This deal is really going to see the value come to the Tigers within the first four to five years of the contract. This is not unique for a lot of baseball contracts that are signed today. How many 9-year contracts ever even see the player live out the life of the contract in the same place?

It was that same length and money amount that got Prince Fielder through the door in Motown. And while we all thought the market for Prince Fielder was becoming extremely thin with the Rangers throwing big money at Yu Darvish, the market all along was very much alive.

Filed Under: Detroit Tigers, Free Agency Tagged With: , ,

I’m actually pulling for the Yankees tonight

October 6, 2011 By 1 Comment

I’ve definitely got reason to root against the Yankees tonight. I mean, New Yorkers are really a loud, brash, cocky breed of fan. My roomate, teammate, and probably my best friend from early on in my college career; George, was a big Yankees fan. I watched the entire 2001 and 2002 postseason with him. He changed my mind about Yankees fans, at least for a short period in my life.

I was the best man in his wedding back in 2009. To the outsider–it was that postseason when A-Rod went off. In fact he hit a dramatic home run the night of his wedding. What a great feeling that must have been for my lucky friend huh?

Well shortly after his wedding–of which I delivered a best man speech at–my friend disowned me. For no reason at all. The true reason was his new wife didn’t really like me and he lost his damn mind. That’s really all I can figure. At that point, I figured that every time the Yankees lost it was a good night for me because I knew that somewhere in this world my fraud of a friend might be distraught about it out in his new whine & cheese lifestyle of a world in Connecticut. That’s if, he could ask for his wife for his nuts back long enough to check the box score the morning after. I assume he stopped watching baseball altogether. He probably spends his days and nights buying her flowers or fancy chocolates and disowning other friends she doesn’t like.

But if he’s out there and he has her permission to watch television on his own for a little bit tonight, he’ll be tuning in to the game. And as fun as the thought is of his agony if they get pounded tonight–he would get over it. Because baseball isn’t that important to him anymore. Things that were important to the friend and teammate I knew now play second fiddle to his mean wife and his bullshit house and pets.

Wouldn’t you know three years after I met George, I met the girl I would marry. And as my damned luck would have it–Yankees fan. First line she ever said to me was about the Yankees. Her brothers love the Yankees. They’ll be in New Yankee Stadium tonight. Her best friends mostly love the Yankees. Again–they’re going to the game tonight. My father-in-law? Asks me my thoughts on the Yankees in whatever series they’re in before he asks me how work is going. Or how his daugther is doing.

So I realize, there’s enough people I love in my life right now who love the Yankees that sure; I’ll pull for your damn Bronx Bombers. Whether it’s negative or positive interest that I have in them, there’s always interest. They interest me more than the Tigers–minus that little chain-smoking managerial ball of perfection that they have standing on the top stoop.

They’ve got Doug Fister opposing them tonight. He’s been lights out scary good since becoming a Tiger. Hell, I might even say this guy will contend for 20 wins next year. He was a scrub for the Mariners. He’s definitely figured it out. I have a feeling that he is the story of tonight’s game when the dust settles. Let’s just call it a gut feeling.

George if you’re out there and you see this post, I still have your shoes that I thought I would someday get to return to you when I saw you again. In fact I’m wearing them at work right now while I write this post. They look older now and are stretched out because my feet were always a half size bigger than yours. You missed my wedding, you missed the birth of my child (we bought a puppy but close enough), you didn’t call on my birthday. I know your wench of a wife hates me but I hope your Bombers win tonight old buddy. But it’s not because of you.

Go Yankees.

Filed Under: Detroit Tigers, Game 5s, League Division Series, MLB Playoffs, Postseason, Yankees

My 2011 ALDS & NLDS Predictions Post

September 30, 2011 By 2 Comments

Arizona DiamondBacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers

Diamond Hoggers’ Prediction: D-Backs over Brewers in 5

St. Louis Cardinals vs. Philadelphia Phillies

Diamond Hoggers’ Prediction: Phillies over Cardinals in 4

 

Tampa Bay Rays vs. Texas Rangers

Diamond Hoggers’ Prediction: Rays over Rangers in 4
Detroit Tigers vs. New York Yankees

Diamond Hoggers’ Prediction: Tigers over Yankees in 5

Filed Under: Arizona DiamondBacks, Detroit Tigers, League Division Series, Milwaukee Brewers, Philadelphia Phillies, Postseason, St. Louis Cardinals, Tampa Bay Devil Rays, Texas Rangers, Yankees Tagged With:

The Cleveland Indians officially can’t do this

August 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

I had some guys over to the house this past Friday to watch the Indians gear up and try and make an unlikely run to the 2011 playoffs. After all, it’s not like the Reds are worth watching anymore; and I truly haven’t had a Cincinnati game on since before I went to Las Vegas weeks ago. I’ve quit on them. My interest has shifted to upstart underdogs like the Indians and Arizona Dbacks from now until the end of this season. Hopefully one of them gives me something worth watching when the playoffs roll around.

Long story short, the Indians proved to me this weekend that they amount to no more than a cock-tease. They seemingly searched out every way they could on Friday evening to blow an insurmountable lead; only to come back last night and blow a 3-0 lead with six outs to go.

At the risk of sounding like Colin Cowherd here (because I lack statistical fact and I’m only going off solid observation and opinion)–and granted the Indians never have a strong showing against the Texas Rangers–I’m officially selling the Indians as a true playoff contender. They’re done. I don’t care that they play Detroit 9 more times this season, including the final three games of the year.

They’re a solid, hard-battling, over-achieving group. There is a lot to like about them. They’re a lot better than I thought they would be and they made moves to do as much as they can to supplement what they started the year with in bringing in Ubaldo Jimenez and Kosuke Fukudome. But they’ve blown too many must-have games already at this point. They have shown me that they’re not going to be able to hang with the heat that a pennant race truly forces on a group of men.

They’re done. That said, Detroit isn’t good enough to put these guys away in the manner that Milwaukee has done to the Reds. They’ll hang around enough to be ‘in it’ until the last week or two of the season, but the Indians are largely just pretenders at this point. Come see me when you can get out of Texas with a series that you had on a platter.

After those deflating losses, they’ll lose two of three to Detroit in Cleveland this week (beginning on Tuesday) and the dream will never be real again.

Filed Under: Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers Tagged With: ,

Remember me? Benny Blanco from the Bronx?

May 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Couple of things here, boys and girls. And yes I saw Justin Verlander close it down today–and knew he had it when he struck out a Rajai Davis (forever a footnote on the wrong side of a trivia question) who is riding the interstate as far as his batting average goes.

  • First, this is the second time this week that a post gets tagged with the ‘no-hitter’ category on this blog. This coming after two guys (Derek Lowe, Jaime Garcia) had bids last night fall just short, and today both Verlander and Yovani Gallardo carried no-hitters into the 8th, with only Verlander holding on to his. I knew one or the other would come home with it. I was right.
  • This is the second no-hitter that Verlander has thrown since I’ve had this blog. In between all that? Well he broke down and I predicted him to be Comeback Player of the Year before the 2009 season. Five more until you run down Nolan Ryan.
  • Verlander was throwing 102 in the 9th during his last no-hitter. I saw him hit 100 MPH today in the 9th a couple of times. That’s serious, serious ched.

It’s been a pretty epic little sports Saturday. The Derby, which I missed. A bunch of NBA games down to the wire, which I also missed. A 5-time Major winner in Golf passed away early this morning. Oh yea, and that shithead closer that pitches for the Reds finally reared his ugly head just as I was starting to like him.

Happy Saturday all.

Filed Under: Detroit Tigers, History, No-hitters, Toronto Blue Jays Tagged With:

American League Central 2011 Season Preview

March 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Leading up to the start of the 2011 Regular Season, Diamond Hoggers will preview each of MLB’s 30 teams . Today’s preview features the Chicago White Sox. Stay tuned as Diamond Hoggers previews every team division by division until the start of the regular season. We’re running out of time, so here is a preview of the American League Central. You’ll get the American League East tomorrow, so be ready on the fly. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins Tagged With:

I know who won’t be my 3rd overall pick in Fantasy Baseball

February 17, 2011 By 2 Comments

Miguel Cabrera, when will you ever find what it is you’re looking for? Getting a DUI when he was seemingly on the brink of Pujolsian type numbers (and upper echelon fantasy status).

A deputy reported Cabrera was put in handcuffs after not following orders. Cabrera also “kept running out in the road with his hands up.”

A deputy asked Cabrera to get his a patrol vehicle, and he said, “(Expletive) you.”

Miguel Cabrera pushed off a vehicle into a deputy, who “delivered 3-4 knee spikes” into Cabrera’s left thigh.

So what’s this story got me thinking about?

A) What was Miggy drinking? I’m going with tequila. It’s demon fuel for a lot of men.
B) I’ve got the 3rd pick in my fantasy draft. Guy who drafts second says he’s taking Cabrera, allowing Tulo or Hanley to fall to me at 3. I was for sure taking Cabrera at 3 if he fell to me. I’m probably going to need to re-think this now that he probably is going to some type of Betty Ford center to dry out.
C) Cabrera obviously is going to be called an alcoholic in the days to follow. He probably is one. It’s no laughing matter. I hope he gets the help he needs to still carve out a big time career in this game because I enjoy watching him rake and I think the bottle is the only thing that can ruin a swing that pretty.

Update: He was drinking scotch. Apparently right in front of a deputy officer. If you’re going to go with something though, I’m with Cabrera in drinking scotch. It is a gentleman’s drink, you know. He probably had some Johnny Walker blue label. Maybe aged Chivas Regal.

Filed Under: Detroit Tigers, Miguel Cabrera

Garza gets his

July 27, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Last night, Matt Garza became the first Tampa Bay Rays pitcher to throw a no-hitter; and the first pitcher in my recent memory to be a member of my fantasy team and accomplish the feat while in the lineup.

Garza was the fifth pitcher this season to throw a no-hitter. Folks, we are playing 1992 baseball again, and it’s trending towards being an even lower scoring season then that.

Matt Joyce hit a grand slam in this game to account for the first scoring in the 6th inning.

[Box Score]

Filed Under: Detroit Tigers, History, Matt Garza, No-hitters, Tampa Bay Devil Rays

R.A. Dickey continues his unlikely rise to fame

June 24, 2010 By Leave a Comment

“At one point in his career, Dickey, 35, started just one big-league game in two seasons (2006-2007). But here, Dickey — who once tied the major-league record of allowing six homers in a game — has taken his new lease on life and run with it. Dickey is the first Mets pitcher to go 6-0 in his first seven starts with the team. Prior to this season, Dickey struck out six or more batters eight times in 144 games. This season, he has at least six strikeouts in three of his seven starts. “I think I can make adjustments a lot more easily now than I ever have before,” Dickey said.” [ESPN NY]

**Help Diamond Hoggers Strike Out Lung Cancer in honor of 700 WLW’s Doc Rogers. Make a donation that will go to the Lung Cancer Foundation of America HERE. If we can get in touch with Doc, we’d like to give a donation to his family instead of the Foundation**

Filed Under: Detroit Tigers, knuckleballs, New York Mets, R.A. Dickey

What should have been for Armando Galarraga

June 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Another poor team falls prey to Jim Joyce’s fucktard-dom. We’ve told you before. Except when Joyce fucked our team, a perfect game wasn’t on the line.

I’ve heard people today say that Jim Joyce is a good umpire that made a bad call. Bullshit. This guy is brutal. The fact that I know who he is says he’s brutal. You don’t remember umpires that call a good game. That’s how you know they’re good. When I heard it was Joyce that fucked everything up last night at Comerica Park on the final call of the game–even my buddy Grady who is a Cleveland fan was pissed–I was hardly surprised. The guy is not only a poor umpire with shit for eyes, but he attempts to show up players all of the time. Well Jimmy, are you happy now you bald-headed prick? You’re the center of attention. Good for you, dickwad. Way to fuck up something that happens a couple times a century.

I don’t know what is such a tough call about all this.

You don’t have to bring instant replay or challenges into the game, but if a pitcher has a no-hitter or perfect game going after the six inning, why can’t out calls be reviewed? That is our standing on all of this.

And beyond that, why when the umpires huddled didn’t one of them step in and say “Uh, there’s kind of a little history going on here Jim. Slow up, here’s what I saw.”

Again, this is proof that Jim Joyce is a walking ball of shit.
Filed Under: bad luck, Cleveland Indians, Detroit Tigers, Jim Joyce, Umpires

Line up and get in on the M-Cab Sweepstakes

November 24, 2009 By Leave a Comment


The Detroit Tigers are interested in trading Miguel Cabrera according to some sources. Or they’re at least exploring it.
Cabrera became a source of negativity this past season when he went out and got drunk the night before the season finale one game playoff between the Tigers and Twins and got involved in a domestic dispute.
The Detroit Free Press feels that Cabrera’s contract might make him tough to trade.
Almost any time you ponder a possible trade involving at least one veteran player, the first question to ask is, “What are the contracts?”
Cabrera’s contract calls for more than $120 million over the next six years. That’s a lot for any team to commit to, even a high-payroll one like the Red Sox.
And remember, trading for Cabrera requires a steeper cost than signing a free agent for $120 million. The Red Sox or anyone else would have to give the Tigers players in return — possibly some young, low-priced players — in addition to taking on Cabrera’s contract.
That’s too much coin for 90% of the teams in the league. The other teams in play are already winning enough and don’t want to add a problem guy. Detroit might be ‘stuck’ with Cabrera. But at the same time, we’d expect someone to get creative or maybe a three team deal with the Tigers picking up some of his salary to dump him.
When a guy this talented is even mentioned in rumors, it’s an easy assumption that he is a glaring clubhouse problem. Those on the inside would probably be willing to admit that is what this is all about.
Filed Under: Detroit Tigers, Miguel Cabrera, Rumors
October 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Miguel Cabrera is a mess. “During an altercation at a Birmingham bar in August, Detroit Tigers slugger Miguel Cabrera allegedly mocked a teenager about his weight and challenged a man to a fight in an incident that resulted in no criminal charges but prompted Tigers management to order Cabrera to avoid the bar, according to information provided to The Detroit News” [Circling the Bases]

Filed Under: Booze and baseball, Detroit Tigers, Miguel Cabrera, mocking others, short hops

One game to decide a season's worth

October 6, 2009 By Leave a Comment

It’s hard to believe that after 162 regular season games, two teams in the same division were stubborn enough to finish with the same record. And it took a pretty decent collapse by one organization to have us arrive at this point. Tonight around dinner time; or when you’re sneaking out of the office, the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers will begin the biggest game of their seasons with first pitch between Rick Porcello and Scott Baker set to begin at 5:07 PM.

As Rob Neyer points out at ESPN’s SweetSpot, the Twins are the easy choice in this one.

The Twins have played better baseball this season. They’ve outscored their opponents by 51 runs. The Tigers have been outscored (by just one run, but still). Of course, the Twins are without Justin Morneau and, well, it’s baseball. Baker might get knocked out in the third inning and Porcello might baffle the Twins for seven innings and Cabrera might jack a couple of homers.

And we’d have to agree. Sure, we love Jimmy Leyland. Sure, Ron Gardenhire is an angry troll. We have no reason to pull for Minnesota. But we see them taking this game. They’re at home, and they’re due. It just feels like the Twinkies always get down to the last game or two of the season and fall tragically short. Let’s not forget last year’s 1-game playoff which the Twins lost 1-0 in Chicago. And this time they’re due. Leyland rides off into the sunset and Miggy’s free to beat on his Mrs. all offseason.

This will be a good one tonight. And we might be lucky enough to catch the end of it due to working full-time again. The MLB Playoffs are here baby. Break out the bunting!
Filed Under: Detroit Tigers, Game 163 is big time bonus baseball, Leyland might smoke a carton, Minnesota Twins, MLB Playoffs
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