It's Tribe Time Again / They Designated WHO?

And just in time arrive the Indians, on the last leg of an awful road trip, their starters' ERA resembilng an AM radio frequency (12.40).

The Tigers pounded Justin Masterson for seven runs in four innings. Prince Fielder homered and doubled and drove in four, and Andy Dirks went 2 for 4 in his first game since late May. Final: 10-2 Tigers.

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With Dirks back, someone had to go, and it was Don Kelly, designated for assignment.

Maggie is now sure that Rugburn has pics of certain people in compromising poses, their otherwise nude bodies covered with Jello. I think it's because he hits right-handed, that Kelly and not he was cut.

But sheeeesh  ... Kelly has played every position including pitcher and catcher, and in post-season in the NL ball park -- assuming they get that far -- those guys are invaluable for double switches. Rugburn serves one purpose, providing right-handed punch (hitting .172 at this writing) from left field against left handed pitchers. And he didn't get booed every time he poked his head out of the dugout.

Lemon Jello, Maggie says, in honor of former Tigers pitcher Mark Lemongello.

She might be on to something.

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Also designated today, by the Indians, 231 hits shy of 3000, was Johnny Damon.

He was hitting .222, only .130 since July 1, and saw it coming.  The Tribe, sinking quickly in the standings, had already designated the ineffective Derek Lowe.

Both will re-appear on a big league roster this season. After September 1, when the rosters expand, but somewhere, where one pinch hit at the right time, or one enemy rally snuffed, means the difference between post season and no season.

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The Late Late Scene: three west coast baseball games on the radio after 10 PM; Mets at Padres (and did you know "Tigger" was the name of the Brady Bunch's dog?) Cubs at Dodgers with Keith Moreland's non-sequiters a constant reminder of how missed Ron Santo is (Santo was at least funny), and the Jays at Oakland.

The White Elephants were one strike from victory when Jeff Mathis homered with two on to tie the game at four each.  Then no one wanted to win. The game ended with a Coco Crisp sac fly at four minutes before
the weebitching hour in Oakland, that many short of the rarest of games:: one that's still going past three AM Eastern time. Two baseball addicts were up when it ended, possibly the only two not in Canada not listening on the Internet. We have given each other gold stars for the accomplishment.

Your BB Blogger Told You So

Posted here the day before opening day, re Brandon Inge, who didn't hit his weight in Florida, making the team as a reserve:

"But baseball melodrama has a way of handing the guy who doesn't belong a chance to be the hero, and our crystal ball foreshadows a night in June when the backup second baseman no one wanted (Hinge) snags a hot grounder with the bases loaded, and drives in the winning run. Like it's done on the Hallmark Channel." 

I got my wish again. Almost. Wrong month, and his bat helped the other team win.

He hit a three run homer off Rick Porcello tonight, turning a still-winnable 4-2 game into a 7-2 lost cause. They may as well have been down by twenty, the way they're not hitting. (Final: 11-4 A's.)

So Hinge, hitting .120 with one RBI when booed out of town, is now in the record books with Lou Gehrig, for being the first player since Lou in 1931 to drive in four or more runs four times in a span of five games.

Too bad he couldn't hit like this when he played for our team. But he was at a disadvantage. He couldn't bat against our pitchers.

We turned the game off, and put in a movie. Maggie's choice: "Sleepless In Seattle." (Hey, we were just there!) The film proved to be a wonderful cure for insomnia.  Neither one of us was awake at the end.