COMMENTARY
Forty-seven years ago this week, Billy Martin picked his lineup out of a hat.
Managing Detroit in 1972, the future George Steinbrenner punching bag was staring down the Yankees (among others) in a frenetic, four-team AL East race. Losers of four straight and 13 of 18, Martin suspected his Tigers were tight, so he broke out a trick his minor-league team had dared him to do a couple years prior: He put his pitcher ninth, threw the other eight names in his cap, and let fate fill out the lineup card. Slugging first baseman Norm Cash hit first.