Beauty.

You want to know what Jim Leyland wanted to talk about Thursday before Game 5 of the ALDS? His new suit.

This is a quote: “It’s a humdinger.”

This manager always believes that how he is feeling or projects himself to be feeling reflects upon his players. Loose doesn’t begin to describe how he seemed at his media session on the afternoon before the all-or-nothing final game of the first-round series against the Yankees.

Nightclub comic would be a better description.

“Be sure to tip your wait staff. And now, ladies and gentlemen, Shecky Leyland!“

He opened by saying he had an announcement. He got a telegram from a professor from a reknowned university professor who made a strong push to start closer Jose Valverde, have him pitch five innings and then follow him up with ace starting pitcher Justin Verlander for the last three . . . on short rest.

Two thoughts:

1. What the heck? Who sends telegrams? Isn’t Western Union just where you cash payroll checks to pay the bookie these days?

2. Ummm, Professor, five and three equals eight. And we wonder why the Japanese are so much better educated than we are now . . .

Theories are like belly-buttons. Everybody’s got one.

That’s the beauty of baseball.

Read the rest at Fox Sports Detroit.

Ah, yes ... the beauty of baseball.