Sam McDowell

Born on today's date, Sam McDowell.

"I was the biggest, most hopeless and most violent drunk in baseball."

Miggy says Justin is a rank amatuer!

He merely professed his love of beer and insulted Joe Buck.

Didn't even assult a cop or threaten to kill people or blow up a bar!

Good start Justin but...

Grover Cleveland Alexander

On this date in 1930, Grover Cleveland Alexander of the Phillies makes his last major league appearance giving up two hits and two runs in a 5-1 loss to the Boston Braves. He finishes his career with a 373-208 record, 2198 strikeouts and a 2.56 ERA.

"Grover Cleveland Alexander drunk was a better pitch than Grover Cleveland Alexander sober." - Bill Veeck

David Wells

On this day in 1998, David Wells of the Yankees pitches a perfect game beating the Twins 4-0.

"As of this writing, fifteen men in the history of organized baseball have ever thrown a perfect game. Only one of those men did it half-drunk, with bloodshot eyes, monster breath and a raging, skull-rattling hangover. That would be me."

Just what was Miguel Cabrera's blood alcohol level when he played Saturday night?

You have probably heard of the sad drunken debacle involving Detroit Tiger Miguel Cabrera which occurred after Friday night's game and before Saturday night's game. Very few people in the Detroit area are talking about Tuesday's big game. EVERYBODY is talking about Miguel Cabrera and just how drunk he must have still been when he played Saturday night. Again, Tuesday's big game is really an afterthought around here. Thanks, Miguel!

Here are the condensed facts as reported by the Detroit media:

1. Miguel Cabrera meets players from the White Sox at a local hotel after Friday's night game. Alcohol is consumed. LIKE A LOT!

2. Cabrera arrives home* somewhere around 6:00-7:00 Saturday morning and is involved in an altercation with his wife which leaves marks on his face.

3. The police are called and Cabrera is taken to the Birmingham Police Department where he is not arrested but detained "for his own safety". His breathalyzer test sets off bells and whistles and settles at .26. To the drunk tank he goes.

4. The Birmingham Police eventually release him to the custody of Tigers GM Dave Dombrowski who does who knows what with him.

5. Miguel Cabrera somehow gets to Comerica Park (hopefully no driving involved) in time for Saturday night's 7:05 pm game. The Tigers put a possibly still drunk guy in the lineup and he goes 0 for 4 and leaves 6 men on base. The beat writers who knew nothing of his possibly drunken condition did note scratches on his face and noted that he seemed lost at the plate all night.

There are only two things that anybody is talking about here. The first is whether Cabrera should be allowed to play Tuesday and very few people think he should.**

The second is just what was Miguel Cabrera's blood alcohol level when he played Saturday night?

Everybody has an opinion on the second question but I did hear an interview on a local media outlet with a trainer for the Michigan State Police who trains officers on the use of breathalyzer tests. This officer estimated that Cabrera had around 15 drinks that Saturday morning. He also did the math and figured that Cabrera would have been somewhere around .08 at the 7:05 game time start on Saturday. .08 is the legal limit of intoxication in Michigan. Draw your own conclusions.

The Tigers no doubt knew of Cabrera's physical condition before the game Saturday and with this in mind, their manager penciled him in the lineup anyway.

Well, isn't that special?***


*I did not know that Cabrera lives on Fairfax street in Birmingham. I delivered pizzas to this subdivision as a teenager. Very nice tips in this subdivision. Nobody turned down a run to this subdivision. Nobody.

**I am in the minority here. We supported this team for 162 games and the team and fans should not suffer due to the actions of one knucklehead. The Tigers can deal with him after the season (but what can you do with a guy with a guaranteed contract?). It's a moot point anyway. If the Tigers played him drunk Saturday, I would think that they would play him sober Tuesday.

***I am in no way condoning or making light (well maybe just a little) of drunken behavior, drunk driving or drunk ballplaying. (I am not a drinker if it matters) That is for the Tigers to address and they are not talking.