“People will come…They’ll watch and it’ll be as if they dipped themselves in magic waters. The memories will be so thick they’ll have to brush them away from their faces. The one constant through all the year has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It has been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt and erased again. But baseball has marked the time. This game, this field, this ballpark: It’s part of our past. It reminds us of all that was once good and could be again. Oh, people will come my friend. People will most definitely come.”

-James Earl Jones “Field of Dreams” 1989 

What once seemed a distant, dreaded vision is now down to days: Tiger Stadium today truly stands within the shadow of death — not to mention the wrecking ball — as the contract for the Tiger Stadium demolition has been officially awarded.

As soon as work crews are organized, the former home of greats Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg, Charlie Gehringer, Mickey Cochrane, Hal Newhouser, Harry Heilmann, Al Kaline, George Kell, Willie Horton, Mickey Lolich, Alan Trammell, Jack Morris, Lou Whitaker, Kirk Gibson and Cecil Fielder — not to mention visiting grounds for Cy Young, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams, Lou Gerig, Joe DiMaggio, Bob Gibson, Bob Feller and virutally every other Major League Baseball Hall of Famer who ever played the game between 1895-1999 — will be no more.

Even saving a corner of the stadium from dugout to dugout is now in peril, with no guarantee even that will be left standing once the dust settles. For those that live in the Metro Detroit-area, it might not be a bad idea to take a drive over to the corner of Michigan and Trumbull to get one last look at her. This time, the end is truly nigh for the former Bennett Park, Briggs Stadium and Navin Field.

Forever in our hearts, you will never be forgotten. Like a fine wine, your memory will grow ever-sweeter within the confines of our nostalgic rembembrances. Time stands still for no man, or stadium. Long may people remember. Long may they remember . . .

- The Heckler

Top photo used with permission of Early Era Baseball Photos.com

All other photos copyright Baseball Big Mouth and The Heckler
- All rights reserved -

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By Beltway Boss
BaseballBigMouth.com baseball news   

The Arizona Diamondbacks are tied with the St. Louis Cardinals for the best record in the majors at 10-4. Many players have contributed to the Diamondbacks’ success, but none more so than Justin Upton. Upton is hitting .370/.410/.704 with five homeruns and 12 RBI. His five homeruns lead the majors and his 1.143 OPS is third as is his slugging percentage. He ranks fifth in both batting average and RBI. Upton at just twenty years of age is two years younger than this writer. He was the youngest player in the majors last season and he again holds that distinction.

Last season, Upton played in 43 games for the Diamondbacks after an injury to outfielder Carlos Quentin during the  Diamondback’s NL West Division Title win. Quetin, a promising young player in his own right, was traded to the Chicago White Sox this off-season to allow Upton to start. The Diamondbacks are being rewarded for their faith in Upton as it cannot have been an easy decision to give Upton the everyday job. He hit .221/.283/.364 for the Diamondbacks last season. It would have been normal for the Diamondbacks to give Upton another season to develop in the minor
leagues.

But the Diamondbacks were not content to rest on the laurels and wait for prospects to develop - even with Randy Johnson coming back from back surgery. The Diamondbacks acquired starter Dan Haren from the Oakland Athletics. Haren is off to a 2-0 start with a 2.50 ERA. He has struck out 16 batters in 18 innings with just three walks. Johnson, for his part, has pitched well too. He has made one start in which he pitched five shutout innings and struck out seven. The Diamondback’s staff has been anchored, however, by former Cy Young award winner Brandon Webb (to be fair, Johnson is a five time Cy Young award winner). Webb is 3-0 on the season with a 2.14 ERA.

The Diamondbacks are sitting pretty. In the National League, in the early going, favorites San Diego and New York have not distinguished themselves. The Mets are merely .500 and have lost Pedro Martinez to an injury. San Diego has played well, and will contend, but the Diamondbacks mix of young talent along with veteran arms makes them a tough team to beat. Up, Upton and away for the D-Backs? Stay tuned.

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