by James Finn Garner
Dear knowledgeable fans of Detroit:
Your powers I’d like to exploit.
With your linguistic skills so adroit,
Can you tell us how to pronounce Benoit?
The Importance of Being Derek (Jeter) – The Yankees/Devil Rays, July 28, 2013
by Stephen Jones
A homerun of stadium emotion
And Yankee dugout celebration
It didn’t win the season or game
But maybe it infused a team
The wild card is still a battle uphill
But maybe now is pinstripe-possible
It took one swing of the bat – crack!
To remind us: Derek Jeter’s back
Brown’s Derby
by Michael X. Ferraro
When Dominic Brown uncoils like a snake
of his intent there can be little doubt.
In May he took ZERO free passes,
but walloped a dozen balls out.
So the Philly fans rise as one
when the lanky kid takes a cut.
It’s only a .500 year so far,
and yet, and but, and but . . .
Wrigleyville Triplet
By Stuart Shea
Tom Ricketts is changing the game
And Wrigley will not be the same.
.     For what sits in his tank?
.     The keys to the bank!
Someday, the park may bear his name.
A Wrigleyville pol named Tom Tunney
Depends on the campaigning money
.     From the owners of land
.     Who he must understand–
So he tries to make night games turn sunny.
Chicago has only one boss,
And it’s not hard to make the man cross.
.     Through his bullies and shills,
.     He will get what he wills–
In each case, a win with no loss.
Halfway-Point Haiku
by D. Bruce Brown
AL East
Boston
A nation believes
That their guys can win it all
History says no
Tampa
Fighting a drab park
Evan isn’t an All-Star?
Our starters will shine
Baltimore
Is Davis for real?
His weight room feats are unreal
The bullpen will tell
New York
An EMT’s dream
But Girardi knows winning
How is Cano’s knee?
Toronto
Can we go from first
To last in the same season?
The rest must collapse
AL West
Oakland
Cespedes homers
Billy Beane is a genius
Damn! Who ARE these guys?
Texas
So very close twice
Making believers of fans
If only Nolan could pitch
Los Angeles (AoA)
Tons of star power
Swept at home by the Astros
What is going on?
Seattle
In obscurity
They perform for loyal fans
Wait! Ichiro’s where?
Houston
Switching leagues might help
Two thousand and five was great
But so long ago
AL Central
Detroit
Pitching’s no problem
The best hitter in baseball
These cats have a bite!
Cleveland
Once given for dead
With lectures from Chris Perez
Francona’s now boss
Kansas City
AL’s small market
Yet they have players to watch
Brett’s in the dugout
Minnesota
Trying to build stars
Is hard when your DH is Plouffe
Mauer can still hit
Chicago
South Siders are glum
Sale should have been MVP
Git up! Git up! Stretch!
D. Bruce Brown has posted daily trivia questions for Horsehide Trivia since 1997. He is also the president of the Bob Davids chapter of SABR.