Detroit Tigers Links: Dirks moving toward rehab, Detroit park reopens & Hollywood trolls Gene Lamont

Jun 7, 2014; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Tigers bench coach

(22) in the dugout against the Boston Red Sox at Comerica Park. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Tigers outfielder Andy Dirks likely to start rehabilitation assignment in week to 10 days – Chris Iott, MLive

“Rand was asked about the estimate of seven to 10 days that Ausmus had shared with media members a few minutes earlier.

‘I would say that’s probably reasonable,” he said. “He’s getting close. We’ll see how he plays. They’ve had a lot of rain down in Lakeland. They were trying to play an intersquad yesterday and they didn’t get it in. They did play today, but they weren’t able to base run, and we want to see him base run. They’re going to try to do that tomorrow.’

Ausmus said he spoke with Dirks on Friday.

‘He said he’s feeling better,” Ausmus said. “Overall, he’s making progress like he’s on schedule. He’s making progress like he’s supposed to.’

The Tigers originally estimated that Dirks would return about 12 weeks after having back surgery in March, which would have put him back in the lineup early in June. It appears now that the latest he would return — barring a setback — would be right around the All-Star break.”

It should be interesting to see who gets the boot when Andy Dirks is activated within the next month. J.D. Martinez would seem to be the guy to go, but he’s been one of the rare hitters not named Miggy, Suarez, or V-Mart that is swinging a decent bat. 

Detroit Tigers On Hand As Balduck Park Reopens With Help From Ford, UAW – CBS Detroit

“‘It’s very, very gratifying,” Settles said. “You know so they can have a facility — a first class facility — that we can want to keep it up. It’s something to be proud of and hopefully it will draw more people into baseball.”

Detroit Tigers Torii Hunter, Austin Jackson, Rajai Davis and legend Willie Horton were on hand for Saturday’s opening ceremonies.

‘Baseball is about more than baseball — it’s about life,” Horton said. “If it weren’t for baseball I might not have met Judge Keith — maybe I might never got out of the projects. But, it will make you recognize that it’s more than just one event and that it’s a continuation of what’s going on.'”

Kudos to all around for supporting a great cause. 

A-list celebrities love(?) Detroit Tigers’ Gene Lamont – Steve Schrader, Detroit Free Press

Jul 19, 2013; Kansas City, MO, USA; J.K. Simmons, Angela Kinsey, Sarah Chalke, Paul Rudd, and Rich Eisen (left to right) sing “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during the seventh inning of the game between the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

“Funny men and Kansas City Royals fans Paul Rudd, Jason Sudeikis, Eric Stonestreet,Rob Riggle and David Koechner — and St. Louis Cardinals fan Jon Hamm — sang“Take Me Out to the Ball Game” during a Kansas City-St. Louis game at Royals Stadium to promote their charity event.

“Gene Lamont was the third-base coach the first year we did this, for the Detroit Tigers, and we just tormented him the entire game,” Riggle said.

“And we went out the seventh-inning stretch and just said, ‘Gene Lamont, Gene Lamont …’ ” Rudd said. “And then last year we did it, we weren’t even playing the Tigers. And now we just finish it, ‘Gene Lamont.’'”

Has Gene Lamont’s life now been fulfilled as he’s serenaded/taunted by two thirds of the Anchorman four-some, an SNL alum, a Daily Show veteran, Cam from Modern Family & Don Draper???? Probably not, but that would probably fulfill mine…