Homecoming

We all know the drill for this one, the last three Bucco managers, Leyland, Lamont, and McClendon, are back in town tonight with a lot of people wondering just what the 2006 Pirates would look like if Leyland was at the helm of this squad instead of the Tigers, baseball's best team. The three managers are bringing some former players back with them, in the form of Tigers hitting instructor Don Slaught, infield instructor Rafael Belliard, and first base coach, as well as my childhood hero and the namesake of this blog, Andy Van Slyke. It'll be strange to see him at PNC in another uniform, but probably no stranger than him having to see his #18 filled by Jose K. Anyways, I'm going to catch this one tonight as I'll be out of town the rest of the weekend and simply can't miss the travelling squad of ex-Buccos that have coached the Tigers to the top of baseball. Kip Wells being on the mound tonight is only karmically appropriate, as I've written nearly a novel in support of Kip and so I must be doomed to see him get shelled sooner or later. He'll take on Kenny Rodgers, and barring something amazing, I will likely remember little from this game in 10 years other than the fact that it was the return of Andy Van Slyke.