Detroit Tigers Links: Replacing Prince Fielder, Pressure on replay dude, Casty’s first knock & majestic Dodger Stadium

Apr 9, 2014; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Detroit Tigers third baseman Nick Castellanos (9) in the dugout after hitting a three home run in the third inning of the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

Ian Kinsler, Nick Castellanos Helping Detroit Tigers Replace Prince Fielder – Spencer Impellizzeri, Rant Sports

Kinsler and Castellanos have been everything that the Tigers hoped they would be this season. They have been two of the leaders in the Tigers’ process to remake the roster. The new roster features a balance of defenders, hitters and speed that give the Tigers a great shot at a World Series this season.

Meanwhile Prince continues to struggle in Texas with just six hits and no homers in 39 at-bats. He’s also made two fielding errors and a couple costly errors on the bases. Fielder will come around, especially playing half his games in that bandbox in Arlington, but he’s not endearing himself to his new employers or the fans just yet.

Pressure mounts on Matt Martin, Detroit Tigers’ instant replay guy – Drew Sharp, Detroit Free Press

In last Wednesday’s second game of the season, first-base umpire Chris Conroy called Tyler Collins out on a double play. Lamont immediately called Martin from the dugout as Ausmus slowly strolled onto the field to talk with Conroy. It took about 20 seconds before Martin got what he thought was the definitive camera angle.“I told Gene to challenge it,” Martin said. “I was pretty certain that it was going to be overturned.”As Ausmus talked with Conroy, he peeked back into the dugout and got the thumbs-up from Lamont. A formal replay review from baseball’s offices in New York overturned the call at first base. The entire procedure took more than 2 minutes.

Incredibly Drew found no way to troll Big Ten fans in this article.

Nick Castellanos all smiles after hitting three-run home run off top of wall at Dodger Stadium (video) – Chris Iott, MLive

“I definitely hit it hard,” Castellanos said. “I didn’t get too much air under it. I knew I had a shot maybe, but it wasn’t like I was Cadillacing and going to watch it go over the wall. I was just going to run hard and get to second if it didn’t.”

Casty said he got a lot of “crap” because the ball barely cleared the fence–though in his defense, it was hit to dead center. Still, he couldn’t have gotten it much worse than when he got his first hit of 2014 and was thrown out at second by Gold Glove winner Alex Gordon. Ahh well, you live and learn, rook.

Two days in the ravine: The Dodger Stadium experience – Patrick O’Kennedy, Bless You Boys

I have had the dates circled on my calendar since the Tiger schedule came out. For a Tiger fan living in Southern California, this was our version of opening day. We didn’t have to brave the brutal winter that our fellow Tiger fans living in Michigan and places east had to endure, but it was a loooong off season without Tiger baseball that couldn’t come to an end even a moment too soon.

Eleven years ago my new bride and I spent our honeymoon in So Cal. We planned to take in a baseball game and figured we’d go to see the Dodgers or Angels, whoever happened to be in town. It so happened that week in May 2003, it was the Angels. Bummer. Angels Stadium (or whatever its called these days) was fairly nice. Though it had been recently renovated at that time to take away the football elements of the stadium after the Rams had moved to St. Louis, you could still tell the charm was ruined by it being a multi-purpose stadium. I always cursed the luck about not being able to take in a game at Dodger Stadium. One day…