Update 5:

PHASE 2 LAUNCHES

We at Operation: Salvage the Season are happy that the Tigers' front office responded to us, but we are frustrated that there has been no response on the parts of the players. Afterall, management can only do so much to turn a season around. The real work of driving in runs, shutting down the other teams and chalking up wins is something that has to be accomplished by the players.

However, if they're all wrapped up in their own home improvement projects, they're not going to be able to focus on the game like they should. Seriously--if you've been involved in a home improvement project that's gone poorly, you know what we're talking about. Your mind is filled all day long with thoughts of the project--you don't function well at work, your patience wears thin, and you're simply not yourself.

Well, that's what's going on with the Tigers players--and RepcoLite is trying to bail them out with Operation: Salvage the Season. But in order for that to happen, they need to reach out and take the paint.

WHY WON'T THEY ACCEPT THE OFFER?
At first, we were convinced that they refused our offer because they thought it was ridiculous. But then, we re-read the letter and disregarded that theory. Three free gallons of Quality Repcolite Paint (with an option for more if necessary) is a haul that would make anybody happy and we can't imagine any scenario where a rational, thinking person would toss it aside as a silly or ridiculous offer.

We looked deeper into why they might have ignored our offer and, after coming up empty, we sent a coded message to our deep throat operative within the Tigers' organization: Operation Operative Sacrifice Fly.

After several days, we received our answer in a small note scribbled quickly on a torn piece of a line-up card. The note was delivered by carrier pigeon and contained a single cryptic sentence: "Too embarassed to take the paint."
This message gave us the information we needed. Now we know why the Tigers haven't responded: They're too embarrassed to accept our offer.


WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
With this information, we at Operation: Salvage the Season have no alternative but to launch PHASE 2 of the Operation immediately. We believe that the season will not turn around until they get those projects done. We also believe that they will not get their projects completed to their satisfaction without RepcoLite Paint. Therefore, we need to get the RepcoLite Paint into their hands and onto their walls.

In order to do this, we are launching Phase 2 which is a letter-writing campaign directed not at the Front Office, but at the players themselves. We want to reach out and encourage each and every one of the Tigers' Roster players to "Take the Paint and Salvage the Season".

WE CAN'T DO IT ALONE
However, this is not something we can do alone. We need your help. We are asking you to write letters of your own to the Tigers players--just a couple paragraphs that include the phrase "Take the Paint and Salvage the Season." Bring the letters in UNSEALED envelopes to any RepcoLite or Port City Paints store and we will look them over, seal them up and mail them to the Tigers who so badly need our encouragement.

We know that many of you would gladly take up pen and paper and write these letters with no thought of rewards. However, that is not how we work here at Operation: Salvage the Season. All letter-writing participants will receive and official Thank You letter from Operation headquarters (suitable for framing) and, after we read your letters (before we mail them), we will determine which ones are the best and those will be awarded some great prizes including Tiger Tickets, $50 gas cards, Gift Certificates to RepcoLite and Official Salvage Gear (Operation: Salvage the Season T-shirts).

Click here for complete rules and letter-writing guidelines.

Phase 2 will run April 29 until May 23. Winners will be notified by May 26.

End of Update.

Operation Update 4b:

HERE IT IS: THE PROMISED AUDIO FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAME

As we promised last night, here is the cleaned up audio that our undercover operative, Sacrifice Fly, captured from the dugout during the Tiger's big 11 run inning against the Rangers.

Our technicians did their best, using the finest technology available, to clean the audio source file and produce as clear a copy as possible. However, even though we've done everything possible to produce a clear source, it is with regret that we mention the audio is still not of the highest clarity.

To help you understand the exchange and appreciate the significance we have included a transcript (which is available here).

This piece of audio is the clearest proof to date of the success of Operation: Salvage the Season as well as a testament to the importance of the Operation's continuation throughout the season.

Before we link you directly to the audio, please let us set up the situation. Here is Sacrifice Fly's official description of the situation:

"It was part way through the inning--the Tigers had just plated the 8th run
of the inning and I happened to overhear two of the coaches talking. I won't
name them here, but you'd all know them. Anyway, I hear them talking and
I just happened to edge a little closer so I could pick up what they had to say
on the hidden recorder. I was hoping they might say something about the
offense's turnaround . . . maybe hint that it was due to Operation: Salvage the
Season . . . but I was blown away when they outright admitted it!"

Without further ado, click here for the audio link.

END OF UPDATE.

Operation Update 4:

11 RUN 6th INNING SPURS TIGERS TO HIGHEST SCORING OUTING IN COMERICA PARK HISTORY

Operation: Salvage the Season is running flawlessly and we at RepcoLite's Central Command could not possibly be any happier.

Yesterday, Heavy Hitters in the Detroit Tigers organization phoned RepcoLite's corporate office and conveyed their thanks and gave their assurances that starting yesterday--before the game--the Tigers players would be made aware of Operation: Salvage the Season and would be encouraged to take RepcoLite up on our offer of free paint and decorating advice.

During the game yesterday evening, we received photographic images that, when cleaned up, seem to show an official "Operation: Salvage the Season" sign-up sheet for free paint. And, if you look closely . . . it seems that there are a couple of signatures on the list.

At any rate, Yesterday, the Tigers were made aware of RepcoLite's support and were encouraged to take advantage of RepcoLite's generosity. They were given this information before the game started last night and these last two games, they've been playing like a team on fire.

Well, we have wondered if their success was due largely to Operation: Salvage the Season. Of course, we believed it to be so. But we had no proof. That is, we had no proof . . . until now.

At this point, in this update, I am excited to announce that Central Command has received, exactly 14 minutes ago, a most remarkable piece of audio from our undercover operative, Sacrifice Fly.

Fly is deep undercover in the Tigers organization and actually is in the dugout, right now, with the Tigers. And as he stands there, rubbing shoulders and keeping his ears open, tapes are rolling and he has picked up some amazing recordings that prove, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that the Tigers are indeed attribuiting their success, their good swings and their overall comfort level to one thing and one thing alone--Operation: Salvage the Season.

Unfortunately, we are unable to leak any of that audio right now--our technicians will be working all through the night and the morning tomorrow as they strive to clean it up and reproduce it as clearly as possible. Once it's been cleaned up, we will immediately post it here. We expect it to be ready early tomorrow evening. Look for it.

End of Update.

Operation Update 3b:

PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE OF THE OPERATION IN PROGRESS?

We just received very exciting photos from an Operation Operative in attendance at the game tonight. Located in seats deep in right field, this Operative, armed with a digital camera and a pair of binoculars, noticed something interesting on the walls of the Tigers' dugout.

The Operative clicked off a few digital photos and immediately found an internet cafe and forwarded the pictures to operation headquarters. We received them just moments ago and had our experts analyze them. We've cleaned them up and we have to conclude that it is entirely possible that we are looking at an official Operation: Salvage the Season sign up sheet posted on the walls of the dugout!

We cannot be 100% certain as the pictures are too grainy for a sure identification, but we feel there is definitely some strong photographic evidence that may suggest that Mr. Ilitch indeed has made our offer known.

Posted below are the pictures we received. The first is the original shot, the second is an extreme zoom.

Is that our logo? Does the paper say "RepcoLite Free paint Sign Up"?
We can't be sure, but it sure looks like it . . . .

Operation Update 3:

THE TIGERS HAVE RESPONDED!

We have heard nothing new from our operative within the organization--our little fly on the wall of the dugout who goes by the codename, Sacrifice Fly. There is some concern amongst the members of the Operation Command Unit as to his well-being, however, we are confident that his cover is intact and we believe he's gone silent for reasons he will explain later.

However, though we've received no news from Sacrifice Fly, we have received confirmation that the Tigers and Mr. Ilitch have indeed received our letter.

This afternoon at roughly 2:20 pm Eastern Standard Time, the RepcoLite Corporate office received a phone call from the Detroit Tigers. The representative asked to speak with Operation: Salvage the Season Commander-in-Chief, D.G. Hansen.

The conversation was brief and to the point. The Tigers' Representative, whose name we will withhold for security reasons, confirmed that he was calling on behalf of Mr. Ilitch.

He then confirmed that Mr. Ilitch had received the letter from Operation: Salvage the Season and made it clear that he was very appreciative. He went on to say that "Mr. Ilitch is pleased with your support for the Tigers and he will certainly pass this information and your generous offer along to the players. If any of them are interested, we will give you a call."

Is this enough? Is just knowing that RepcoLite is supporting them going to be enough to Salvage this Season? We don't know. However, as I prepare to post this update to the public, the Tigers are leading the Texas Rangers in the bottom of the 8th. The score is 9-2 and they are threatening to drive in more runs. The Tiger's announcers have been commenting all night that the Tigers look loose--they look as if they've finally got things worked out. In regards to Verlander, the Tigers' pitcher tonight, they stated that he was finally starting to look like the Verlander we've come to know. His pitches were sharp tonight, he moved at a good pace and his breaking ball had significant "bite."

Is it working? It's too early to say for sure, but these are definitely good signs.

So before I close this update, let me sum everything up: Mr. Ilitch has received our letter. His office called us and assured us he would pass it along to the players. Now, less than 8 hours after that phone call, we're watching the Tigers play at a level they haven't played at all season long. Coincidence? Maybe. But we don't think so.

Onward with the Operation!

Operation Update 2:

MR. ILITCH HAS RECEIVED OUR LETTER!

We have just received confirmation from our source within the organization that Mr. Ilitch has almost certainly received our letter.

Unfortunately, according to the report, the mysterious "Mr. I"(Mr. Ilitch??) has regarded it, at least at first, as a "crazy offer from [a] West Michigan paint company." (To read the full report, click here).

However, according to Sacrifice Fly, a copy of the letter was faxed to the Tigers' Manager and from there, was put on file for future reference.

To be honest, we were hoping for a warmer reception, but the fact that the letter does not seem to have been immediately thrown away gives us hope that Mr. Ilitch could still take us up on our offer and allow RepcoLite to step in and get the Tigers back on the winning track.

We will wait and see. But we will not wait long. If we fail to see any response soon, we will be forced to implement Phase Two of Operation: Salvage the Season.

End of Update.

Operation Update 1:

Operation: Salvage the Season officially began with a letter to Detroit Tigers' owner, Mike Ilitch.

The letter (which can be viewed here) was mailed to Mr. Ilitch this afternoon and is expected to arrive in Detroit on Friday, April 18 at the latest.

The point of the letter is simply to make Mr. Ilitch aware of RepcoLite's willingness to do whatever we can to address the lackluster play on the field.

In the letter, we suggest that we believe a large part of the Tigers initial slow start is due to the fact that they are likely dividing their attentions between "honey-do" spring home improvement projects and baseball.

And that's not just crazy talk--not just something we made up because we thought it sounded good. This information comes from a reliable source deep in the Tigers organization who will heretofore be referred to only by his code name: Sacrifice Fly--our little "fly on the wall".

Sacrifice Fly has insight into the team's mood, the feeling in the locker room as well as what's going on in the players' lives off the field. Here is an excerpt from his initial report to RepcoLite:

"Overheard _______ mention that winter's been hard on his deck and
that he doesn't know how to get it looking good in time for a big barbecue
he's planning for later this Spring.

"He says the project has him so "distracted" that he can't even concentrate
on hitting"

To read the report in its entirety, click here.

Needless to say, once we received this report, we called an emergency meeting at RepcoLite and drafted the letter to Mr. Ilitch. We don't intend to tell him how to run his baseball team, but neither can we sit idly by and watch the team self-destruct. If RepcoLite can bring some clarity to some struggling players and help get their heads back in the game, we are eager to help.

End of update.