and then there's that

I was home sick today.  I pretty much slept the day away, what a fantastic way to appreciate the first day near 70 degrees this year.  Ah well, there will be more.

While I was sleeping the Tigers were not, at least not all the way through the game.  It was the Twins that came to Joker Marchant Stadium.  I think this was the first time they have played each other this year and think that we will see many games like this between these two clubs this season.  Reading the lines it seems that Brad Penny had a decent day (5 IP with 2 BB and 2 Ks with 3 ER on 3 hits).  Furbush pitched 2 innings and struck out 4 but walked 3 (with 1 hit).  Since I was sleeping I have no idea how wild he was, but that's a little scary to me.  But no harm done (because it's spring and because no one scored).  Benoit continued to be lights out (0.00 ERA so far) and Perry picked up the win while allowing only a hit.  Offensively Inge had a solid day (3 for 4).  Cabrerra hit a double and a HR.  Raburn hit another HR while Maggs and Worth each had doubles.  All together it was enough to win 4-3.

Kurt has his take on Cabrerra's success so far this spring.  The bottom line is... a good spring = a good season in Cabrerra's world. Let's all hope that this is true!

Jason Beck shows how some pitchers make lemonade out of the lemons others are throwing.

MLive has an article on a different side of Cabrerra (no, not the drinking side).  This shows how he is trying to improve as a base runner.  That would be a good thing to see in 2011.  We've seen how he has improved defensively as he became accustomed to 1B.  Stretching singles to doubles or going 1st to 3rd is a good thing, it challenges the fielders and forces them to possibly make mistakes.

Both Lynn Henning and Matt Sussman feel that winning 90+ games will be tough for any team in the AL Central.  This is because it is a balanced and competitive division (at least so far as Detroit, Minnesota and Chicago go).

Sussman links to another list, this time of defunct logos.  Detroit has 2 on the list, the circular one that I remember from my childhood and the "tiger attacking through the D" that is very cool (and I'm painting on a wall in my basement.)

Other happenings today?  Hmmm, let's see?  Did anything of consequence happen on March 17, 2011?  Well, let's take a look.

Japan avoided nuclear catastrophe for another day.  They are still trying to pour water onto radioactive fuel in a desperate attempt to contain the radiation until the normal cooling process can be restarted.  The BBC is reporting that engineers have been able to lay the needed electrical cable for that process.  It strikes me that not enough hero worship has been directed at the people who are working this problem.  If you consider that while everyone else is being told to leave the area, these men and women are putting on plastic suits and going into the danger zone.  I remember the first responders of 9/11 and this reminds me of the same courage and resoluteness.  When you're one of the 50 people who stay in the plant, well you know that you probably aren't going to play with your grandchildren- don't you.  Yet, they go in anyway and do what they can.  Finest hour, indeed.

Oh, another little thing happened a little while ago.  The UN decided that they had had just about enough of Muammar Gaddafi.  Well, France, Britain, Lebanon and the US did.  China, Germany and Russia abstained.  I just don't know folks.  Maybe I'm a cold hearted bastard, but every news report I have heard describes the rebels in the same way.  That description is of kids playing army.  This is not Egypt or Tunisia.  I wouldn't even say that the rebels are "pro-democracy".  They are anti-Gaddafi, and who knows what that means?  The bottom line is that the rebels are getting their butts kicked very systematically by the Government Army.  Just exactly what can UN/ NATO air power do to change that?  The UN resolution allows "all necessary measures" except ground occupation.  France is chomping at the bit to strike.  I don't understand this at all.  Here are my questions right now:

• Who are we helping?  By that I mean, what are their motives?  How do they help the US to improve?
• What is the goal?  In other words, "Why?"  Is this about humanitarian crisis (I doubt it)?  Is it oil?  Is it to prevent a flood of immigrants going to Europe?  
• What are the measures to be taken?  Do we use cruise missiles to destroy targets from afar?  Do we send aircraft over Libya?  Do we attack Government ground troops?  Do we send in our own troops to bolster the rebel fighters? 
• Who wins?  Just who comes out ahead if the UN/NATO succeed in stopping the fighting?  Who gives peace keepers?  Who splits up the oil revenue?  How do you deal with Gaddafi (if he survives) once the shooting stops?

This isn't an adult stopping a fight between to boys on the playground.  You can't just say to yourself, "The fight's over I can go about my life again."  No, there are repercussions and responsibilities once you jump in. Are we prepared to deal with those?  Hmmm.

The Tiger play Boston on Friday (at 1:05).  Baseball reflects life, but it's easier to understand.