Could Tiger Stadium Have Been Saved?

Detroit's beloved Tiger Stadium is still decaying, and by the end of this month, the funds that have been used to pay for upkeep of the stadium will run out. Officials already acknowledge a plan to disassemble the stadium, selling seats, beams, and everything in between. It is clear that seven long years after the stadium closed, the time for demolition has come, and there is no stopping it. The destruction of our beloved landmark was inevitable, and it looks like it could begin as early as this summer. But what about all of the plans for using the stadium? Today, I read an article in the Detroit News, that told of an excellent plan, one I had never thought of before. Restore the park to its original Navin Field configuration, cutting the capacity to around 15,000. This man gave the city a call, and they never called back. Youth teams would love to play in a place as historic as this, yet the city continues to claim that all of the proposals were bad ideas or too costly. What if there were investors lined up? This raises the question: if a stadium 10 blocks away fell, would Mike Ilitch hear it?

In other news, the Tigers released Carlos Pena today in a move that will save the team around $2.1 million and free up the jam the club had at first base. Despite the savings, the club is losing their best defender from the first base position, and a left-handed bat. Regardless, we say farewell to Carlos Pena.