It’s December. Let’s talk baseball!

Yes, Susan Hunter is a Detroit Tigers fan – for one week!

Last March, I wrote a silly blog post about insects. Later that evening, Tim Dittmer and I were having a conversation in the comments section. Some of it went like this:

Me:  Btw, the Indians have a team this year, so methinks your team will not have another crack at the series this year. I’m just sayin’.

Tim:  Oh jeez. Everybody wants knock the Tigers. They sure did go down in flames last year, though.

Me:  I’m not knocking the Tigers. Just setting the stage for some friendly competition this year.

The next day, Adam Sendek showed up and added this comment below our conversation:

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!
Did I read that correctly? The Indians taking the Central over the Tigers??? Hang on a second, I’m laughing so hard right now that I just might hurl! I’ll be back!
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

And just like that, a bet was born. Please take note: I have an 81-year-old mother who is a diehard Cleveland Indians fan. She had been telling me for weeks how excited she was for the new baseball season. Terry Francona was the new manager of the Indians (and was named AL Manager of the Year for 2013, I might add), and the team had some bats. If they could pull the pitching together, they would be contenders. It wasn’t until after I made the bet with Adam that she told me the Indians wouldn’t win the AL Central over Detroit. Thanks a lot, Mom.

Through emails to Adam, I tried to guide the bet. I offered these options for the loser to pony up:
$100
$50
$20
A blog post extolling the wonderfulness of the winner.
Mailing something wonderful from the loser’s city to the winner.

Somewhere along the line, Adam suggested a week of blog posts highlighting the winner. I accepted those terms, and alas and alack, here we are today – on my blog, not his.

So without further ado, I present to you Adam Sendek. Chowderhead himself.  We’ll find out more about him as the week goes on, but for now, let’s ask him about baseball!

What sports did you play as a kid?

Oh the irony…

Well, I always wanted to play baseball as a kid, but I ended up a soccer snob instead.  It ended up being a pretty great experience, however – one with a lot of traveling throughout the state of Michigan, and as far south as North Carolina to play in tournaments.  I still got mad skills too, Maddie.

Don’t make me bust out the YouTube camera to prove it.

At what position would you excel in baseball?

I don’t mean to boast (yes I do), but I was a pretty exceptional softball outfielder for a couple of summers.  I’m talkin’ like, go grab your pom-poms Kevin Griffey Junior while the big boys play some ball.  I did also have a brief stint at Short Stop but didn’t last long at the position.  I quickly realized that my teeth were more valuable to me than making an out.

If you played for the Tigers, what would your nickname be?

“Snarky Anderson”

Only a Tiger’s fan will understand that one.

Have you ever done the wave?

Yes!  \m/  It happened often at the old Tiger Stadium, and occasionally at Comerica Park too.  It’s one of those events that promote a certain kinship among a lot of other really drunk people.

Do you sing along when they play Take Me Out to the Ballgame?

Yes.  It’s one of the only two songs that I will sing outside of my vehicle or the shower.  The Birthday Song is the other one.  In both cases, I’m glad there are plenty of people around to prop me up and help drown out the illusion that I can carry a tune.

What do you do during the 7^th Inning Stretch?

Whiz.
Grab a beer.
Grab another beer.
In that order.

What are your top five baseball movies?

Well, I would have to say:

The Sandlot is my all-time favorite because Squints wears the same glasses as me and Calahan.

Moneyball is a close second, and an extremely well-done piece of cinema work.

Major League because Charlie Sheen is a goof ball, and I need goofballs to keep me inspired.

Rookie of the Year, because that was the flick responsible for coining the phrase, “funky butt-loving.”

And anything but A League of Their Own for number five.  Even Field of Dreams.

Share with us one memory from the ballpark.

My all-time favorite memory from any ballpark experience was watching the 2003 Tigers win the last game of the season, keeping them out of the history books as the worst team in MLB history.  They were the worst team in American League history that year, but ended up being one win better than the ’62 Mets.

I can still remember it:  the entire stadium was packed with suburbanites ready to witness another inglorious piece of Detroit history.  It was the only meaningful game played all season.  After the last out you would have thought they just won the World Series…

I’m glad I got to experience it firsthand.  High five!

How many games did you watch this past season, while I was watching the Cleveland Indians play and sweating over our bet?

Sweating over our bet, she says!  Thank you, by the way.  It was the easiest money I made all year.

To be perfectly honest, I’m not sure I saw more than 2 games this year.  My cable package sucks, and I’m still waiting on the maintenance guy from the front office to stop by (at his convenience) to drill a hole in my wall so that I can proceed with my upgrade.

Normally I watch about half the season on TV.  Comerica Park is an insanely cool venue too, and I try to get down there at least a couple of times every summer for a live game.  I start getting burned out with all of it by about July though.  It’s a grind to have to sit there every night and watch baseball unless I’m at bar or playing fantasy baseball.

Yes, I play sometimes.  And yes, I know.    

Great answers, Adam! See you tomorrow!