When I was in Chicago, I had the blessed opportunity to see the Detroit Tigers @ US WEST Cellular Field. It’s a great park and I’ll never forget the long walk there from downtown. Uneventful, relaxing, and gave me a great feel for the city. Got hella carbs (Italian food and beers at some random hole in the wall) to fuel the journey through several neighborhoods.
The game itself was both a hoot and a holler. Miguel Cabrera had hit two homers in the game, something I’d never seen live, off of Chris Sale of all pitchers. One was to left field and one was to left center. Both cleared the fence pretty easily. Verlander was late 2016 solid.
But my personal highlight came after my 8th beer when Big Lunch and I toured the park around the 4th or 5th inning. There were two men in scoring position, but I don’t remember if the bases were loaded or if that was an empty Miller Lite can clouding my vision to first base. One of the White Sox’s off-season free-agent hitting acquisitions was Todd Frazier. The White Home Run Hope of 2016. The at-bat ended up being a 3-2 count with Todd and freaking Justin Verlander locked in.
Either way, Todd Frazier took a strike that was slightly above the letters to end the inning. He was pretty upset and I would have been too if I were a White Sox fan. But I’m not.
By the time he got his next at-bat, I was back in my seat right above the Visitor’s Dugout. First pitch was a called strike right above the letters. And I couldn’t help myself but yell, “SAME PITCH THAT STRUCK YOU OUT, TODD!!!”
He broke a slight, but muted, smile. Todd Frazier, you no doubt had to stifle your admiration of my amazing timing and explosive wit. I’m sure of it.
