Yawn......

It is a testament to the disappointment of this season that it has taken me ten days to blog about catching the recent Tigers-White Sox series at U.S. Comiskey Park Field. I promise I'll keep it short and sweet, at least until I get to the part about former Tiger catcher and current White Sox bullpen coach Mark Salas.

Tuesday night's game was what should have been one of those gut wrenching losses, if there hadn't already been so many that there is nothing left to wrench. I knew in the 9th we wouldn't win. I left after the 10th knowing that we wouldn't win. I arrived home in the 14th just seconds after Polanco's HR, and thought "hey, we're going to win this one." Dumbass. There was no worse sound this year than having to hear Hockeroo's lame ass home run call well after midnight.

Wednesday night's game was so boring that I'm having to look it up on yahoo to see what happened. Seriously, I'm looking it up right now. Oh yeah, this was the game that Thome hit the three run HR to left center in the first inning, and that was about it. I think I left after the Tigers batted in the top of the 8th. I dunno. I was still beat from staying up the night before.

Now, Thursday night's game was more like it. I met my pal sixtyeight boy from the Tigers Forum and crashed with his group in the first row behind the White Sox bullpen. Midway through the game, Mark Salas came out to warm up one of the Sox pitchers. When he was done I yelled at him that he was a former Tiger and that he had no business being in the White Sox bullpen. He looked up and grinned in what appeared to be amazement that somebody actually recalled his time in Detroit.

I told him that I had all of his cards from his Tiger days and he laughed. Sixtyeight boy asked him how many HR did he hit in Tiger Stadium and he replied, "all of 'em." Salas then asked us what was up with the Stadium and when we told about the demolition getting underway he frowned and told us that was his favorite place to play during his career and that he was sad to see it go. Amen brother.

I apologize for posting a picture of a '92 Fleer card, but it's pretty slim pickins when it comes to Salas. There isn't any one card that stands out, so I figured I'd just post a bad one. Be thankful that I didn't post the '91 Fleer. Here's the quick and dirty on the Salas cards I have:

1991 Topps #498

1991 Fleer #350

1991 Fleer Ultra #127

1991 Donruss #65

1991 Upper Deck #205

1992 Fleer #144

1992 Donruss #512

Not exactly a stellar selection to choose from.

Go figure, I was in the park on the night when newly inducted Hall Of Famer Goose Gossage threw out the first pitch, but the highlight hands down was chatting with an old Tigers catcher for a few minutes. Oh yeah, we won 8-3 to stop a six game losing streak. 

Too bad I couldn't chat with Goose about my favorite Tiger Stadium memory involving him!