As the weather warms up and we head into the dog days of summer, it’s easy to let my mind wander and think of baseball.

I never played on a team growing up, but I’ve always been a big fan, and, like so many Michiganders, the Tigers have been an integral part of summer — listening to games on the radio and seeing them in action live.

If I had to guess, I’ve seen maybe half the teams in Major League Baseball take on the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park and Tiger Stadium — though it seems like the Kansas City Royals ended up being the opponent about half the time.

I’ve seen the good and the bad with the Tigers.

I haven’t been on hand for any milestone moments, but I’ve seen the team when it was full of superstars and I’ve seen them when they were so bad that every trip to the ballpark was less about watching the game and more about leaving your original seats to get as close to the field as possible, so empty was the stadium.

I’d have to think long and hard about what any of the final scores of those games may have been, because many of the trips have never been about the game itself.

Beneath all of the pitch counts, pitch clocks, analytics, and shifts is a beautiful game that comes down to hitting, throwing, catching, and fielding, and any day at the ballpark is a good day, no matter the result.

There’s just something about being at a ballpark that puts you in a good mood. Maybe it’s the smell of hot dogs or walking the concourse and soaking up decades of baseball history. Maybe it’s the sounds of the ballpark: the ushers hawking peanuts and beer in the stands, the crack of a bat, the thud of a ball hitting a glove.

Whatever it might be, it’s just fun.

Even on the hottest days, a game day is a fun day.

A few years ago, my wife and I went to a Tigers-A’s game in early September, when the heat got to be intense after a few innings. So we headed to the concourse to cool off, grab a drink, and walk around. We alternated watching from our seats for a few innings and then cooling off in the concourse for an inning the rest of the game.

There was still plenty of action, including Tiger home runs from Harold Castro, Akil Baddoo, and Jeimer Candelario. But, in the grand scheme of things, that trip to the ballpark was about being there and enjoying the experience, rather than clinging to every last at-bat and frying in our seats.

This year’s Tigers team is interesting to watch, and I’ll be curious to see exactly how far they may go. They may not be good enough to win their division, but at least they’re keeping things interesting in a year when they’re not supposed to be interesting.

I doubt I’ll get a chance to see them in person this season. I don’t think I’m missing much.

But, regardless of the opponent, the results, or the final standings, I know the Tigers will be there to add enjoyment to the summer.

James Andersen can be reached at 989-358-5686 or jandersen@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ja_alpenanews.