Sunday Salute

Its the final day of the 2014 regular big league baseball season, Game 162.

Baseball is the greatest of all games, a test of resolve that comes down to one game sometimes, as it does in the Motor City and the Windy City today.

My Detroit Tigers, yes, they're mine, have a 1 game lead in the American League Central Division over the Kansas City Royals .

The Tigers host the Twins, and the Royals play at the White Sox, to determine the division champion for 2014.

A tip of the cap to all the great baseball fans out there, keep up your passion for our great game.

A special tip of the cap to Paul Konerko of the Chicago White Sox and Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees as they play their final games of their Hall of Fame careers.

Thanks for the memories.

Play Ball!

Happy Baseball Birthday...Fred Scherman

Happy Baseball Birthday to former big league pitcher Fred Scherman, who turns 70 today.

The former Tigers, Astros, and Expos pitcher was born on July 25, I 944, in Dayton, Ohio.

Fred played high school baseball for Fairview HS, then for the Ohio State  Buckeyes of the Big Ten before signing with the Minnesota Twins as a amateur free agent in 1964.

Later in '64 Scherman was drafted from the Twins system by the Tigers in the 1st Year MLB Player Draft.

Fred made his big league debut for Detroit on April 26, 1969, at the age of 24.

Fred pitched for the Tigers until 1973, including the American League Eastern Division Championship team of '72.

Fred's best season in the big leagues was 1971 with the Tigers. 

In 69 games Scherman compiled a 11-6 record,  2.71 ERA, 20 saves, in 113 innings pitched. 

Scherman forever put his name in baseball history, albeit fir a bad thing, when  on September 13, 1971 he surrendered future Hall of Famer  Frank Robinson's 500th home run.

Scherman was traded by the Tigers after the '73 season to the Astros, and was then purchased from Houston by the Montreal Expos on June 8, 1975.

Fred's final big league game came as an Expos pitcher on July 6, 1976, at the age of 31.

His 1972 Topps baseball card below us a photo I took of one if my Fred Sherman cards I have.

Happy Baseball Birthday Fred.

PLAY Ball!

My 2014 Big League All-Star Game Starters

Here's my  Baseball Bloggers Alliance ballot for the MLB All-Star Game at Target Field in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The 85th edition of baseball's mid summer classic is on July 15, and will be televised nationally by FOX.

Before I list my starters for each league, let me first explain what it's been like for me the first 3 1/2 months of the baseball season.

For the first time in a very long time I haven't been able to watch much baseball on TV.

I haven't had cable TV, or the Internet in my house since early March.

The only live games I've seen are the Saturday night games on FOX Baseball Night in America.

My smartphone isn't very good, either, and it won't stream games from MLB.TV.

So, all I've know of baseball is from my Twitter feed, my Facebook page, and articles and stats from the MLB At Bat APP.

I haven't seen one Detroit Tigers game on TV, but I follow my beloved team through the broadcast by Dan Dickerson and Jim Price through the At Bat APP.

I've also had a chance to listen to a few other broadcast games through the At Bat APP, and have done my best to follow the game as best I could.

OK, with that said, here are my choices, right, or wrong, for both the American and National League's starters for this year's game.

**********American League*********

Catcher...Salvador Perez, Kansas City Royals

First Base... Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers

Second Base... Jose Altuve, Houston Astros

Third Base... Josh Donaldson, Oakland Athletics

Shortstop... Alexi Ramirez, Chicago White Sox

Outfielders... Mike Trout, L.A. Angels of Anaheim

Jose Bautista, Toronto Blue Jays

Yoenis Cespedes, Oakland A's

Designated Hitter.. Victor Martinez, Detroit Tigers

**********National League**********

Catcher...Jonathan LuCroy, Milwaukee Brewers

First Base... Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks

Second Base... Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies

Third Base...Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds

Shortstop...Troy Tulowitzli, Colorado Rockies

Outfielders... Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins

Yasiel Puig, Los Angeles Dodgers

Andrew McCutcheon, Pittsburgh Pirates

***No DH for NL squad***

I've rooted for the American League every year I've been a baseball fan, and I like the fact that every team has a representative at the game.

My favorite All-Star Game will probably always be the 1971 game, held for the third, and final time at old Tiger Stadium in Detroit.

The American League won the game, 6-4.

The one thing I'm still waiting for is a All-Star Game MVP from a Tigers player.

Maybe Miguel Cabrera, Ian Kinsler, or Victor Martinez can make that happen this year in Minneapolis.

GO AAMERICAN LEAGUE!