New Tiger Fan (and other notes)

Rylan Gehringer (note the last name) was born just 40 days ago. I hope he becomes a Tiger fan, but as long as he's not a Yankee fan, I'll be happy. Actually, as long as he's healthy and happy, Yankee fan or not, I'll be happy. Mom went back to work today for the first time without him, and, for the first time, there is an unrelated babysitter in our house.

I never thought to ask her if she was a Yankee fan or not. Gosh, her credentials were just fine, but I didn't even think to ask what her baseball affiliation is. What kind of father am I anyway?

All kidding aside, though. I can't wait to watch this little guy grow up and go through life. His personality is so amazing and he is simply a very funny person. I'm sure all parents feel the same way. Odds are that he will not become the starting second baseman for the Detroit Tigers some 100 years after his shirttail relative did the same, but his father can always dream, can't he?

On a side note, it looks like the Tigers finally took their first spring loss yesterday. Kenny Rogers pitched pretty well, and Matt Mantei, someone I hope can make it back to the level of ability that I know he has, took the loss in a rough inning. Other than that, if you knew nothing about either player, at this point, Miguel Cabrera is hitting .100 this spring and Brandon Inge is hitting .429 after going 0-for-2 in yesterday's game. I hope they can find a place for him and he sticks around for the entire season's run, but I bet if he makes it on the Tigers' opening day roster, I bet he gets traded around the deadline to fill a slot for an injured pitcher or something. Then again, with only 300 at bats, he might be able to hit about .280 and cut down on the strikeouts.

It just bothers me that every time I get a favorite player, he ends up on another team or getting forced out after not too long. After the Trammell and Whitaker years, it was Travis Fryman and he ended up in Cleveland of all places, then it was Bobby Higginson, who, though his skills were deteriorating, should have had a chance at the Major League level after getting dropped by the Tigers. Now, it's Inge, and he looks to be going away too. Even though Granderson is signed until I'm 40 (a lot closer than I wish it was), I feel like something will happen and he will be next. Anyway, here's hoping Brandon sticks around and at the trade deadline, the Tigers are so far ahead that he wants to stay and get traded next year. He deserves to play on another winner, be it in Detroit or elsewhere.

Anyway, I wonder who my son's hero will be. If he plays for Detroit, the first might be Cabrera or Willis or maybe even Granderson, though they will all be in their 30s before he will even be old enough to really know what is going on. Maybe he won't even like baseball. I gotta tell you, I don't really care that much, but it is one thing that I do share with my father, and we can talk about all the time. Maybe Rylan and I will have something else.

I just can't wait to find out what it is...