Sunday extra
If you want a sign of just how many close games the Tigers have been through already this season, look at the wins and losses: While Fernando Rodney is tied for the Major League lead with four defeats, Wilfredo Ledezma would’ve moved back into a tie for the big-league lead in victories had the Tigers rallied one inning earlier. And Ledezma was a lot sharper on Sunday then he was when he earned his last victory against the Royals on Wednesday.
What stood out today about his performance, to me, was his breaking ball. He has enough confidence in it now that he threw it in a 1-2 count against Pablo Ozuna with the potential go-ahead run on second in the 11th inning, and Ozuna swung and missed.
Todd Jones believes playoff experience is the big difference, but he also said that the breaking call is critical for Ledezma, not just against lefty hitters but against everybody. It’s another way for him to keep hitters off of his fastball. There were actually some situations where it seemed like Ledezma was throwing his fastball to set up a breaking ball.
Another big pitch for the Tigers on Sunday was Justin Verlander’s changeup. His fastball will get some well-deserved attention because it was in the upper 90s, but Mike Rabelo said he thought the offspeed pitch made a major difference for him. Now, Rabelo wasn’t around for most of Verlander’s struggles against the White Sox last year, including the game where it seemed like he was tipping his pitches, but he was going off of what he saw Sunday.
"We went to that changeup more than we probably would’ve [on a normal day]," Rabelo said.
If Verlander can throw it that well in future starts, Rabelo said, that makes three pitches he can throw with above-average quality. That could be a really nasty combination.
Other items of interest Sunday:
- Leyland used Pudge to pinch-hit for Rabelo in the ninth inning, but he didn’t do it when Rabelo came up with runners at the corners and two outs in the seventh. Asked about it afterwards, Leyland said it was an early situation for him to use somebody he wanted to give the day off. "We all do it, and I don’t know whether it’s to cover our [tails] or what," Leyland said. "But to be honest with you, I found out over the years, most of the time, your regulars aren’t worth [anything] pinch-hitting on day games after night games when they think they’ve got a day off," Leyland said. "They’re just not into it. It’s not their fault. It’s just the way it is."
- Rabelo knows he’s not in there for his offense, but he’s becoming anxious for his first Major League hit. He thinks that first hit will help him relax at the plate. He knows it’s going to happen, but he doesn’t know when. "I don’t care where it’s at," he said, "just as long as it’s at a big-league park."
- Leyland was not going to use Gary Sheffield as a pinch-hitter Sunday. To put him at the plate with the game on the line, the way he’s swinging lately, would’ve put even more pressure on him than he feels now.
- For all those who have said the national media has an East Coast bias, I’m pretty sure MLB.com had more writers at Tigers-White Sox today than at Yankees-Red Sox.
- I’m off again for the next couple days (easy living, I know), but the travel schedule would’ve meant a whole lot of flying otherwise. I’ll be back on duty Wednesday at Chicago.
Jason Beck
http://www.americanlegends.blogspot.com/
Did anyone get the feeling that the entire season was on the line today? I realize that’s ridiculous on April 22, but it seemed like a game they had to win.
Along with the usual bad that’s become far too customary lately, I saw several good things. I see some guys starting to make some contact, especially Inge and Casey. The bullpen did a great job after the Crede homerun, and Ledezma, as posted here by Jason, is shining. Verlander threw off any doubts about his ability to excel against the White Sox. What can you say about Thames, or Guillen on the previous at bat, for that matter? This is going to be a very gut wrenching, fun, disastrous, miraculous, throw your remote at the TV, and jump up and cheer kind of season.
I thought it wise to give Sheffield a day off and let him get out on the road again. He’s definitely pressing at home. I also noted Leyland’s decision to let Rabelo hit in the seventh, but thought why not, you can’t pull Pudge into the game everytime there’s a situation. You may disagree with me on that one.
Bad things? The worst was the play by play (again) of Hawk and DJ. I suffered through that for ten innings yesterday and after five innings today, switched to MLB.TV. I sacrificed a little video quality in order to escape the whining ramblings of these two. The Tiger bats(?) again went into a funk after scoring early. They came alive once Garland left, so we may let that one go. Yes? No? Granderson in the tenth really seemed to take the wrong approach with Inge on second with none out. And Inge could have taken that walk instead of succeeding on his sacrifice bunt attempt. Offer bunt than pull back until this guy shows he can even throw a strike. And Ordonez’s play, or lack of in right, I wish I could have seen live. The inimitable Hawk thought he pulled up on it, but I can’t go on his word. I do think Maggs is expecting Grandy to get to anything hit between them. And I injured my knee and can barely walk, to round out the bad.
But it was a good day.
The pitching was good on Sunday…to include Lopez (even though he gave up that homer). Watched him pitch both Friday and Sunday and was impressed. Maybe it just a backlash from watching Rodney (ouch).
I agree with you on Granderson in the field, but on both sides. My wife stated that he seems to be covering the whole outfield except the foul lines.
Did anyone ask Leyland why he didn’t have Granderson bunt Inge over to 3rd following the leadoff double in the bottom of the 10th?
JL marches to the beat of a different drummer all right. I thought it was an excellent time for a bunt with Polanco coming up and with Grandy’s speed and all it made sense to me to.
Tonight he brings Zoom in to hold a 5 run lead in the 9th.
I don’t inow what he’s thinking. I guess he doesn’t think he may need him tomorrow! I would say that is almost downright dumb.
Nice to see some hitting again. Still nothing from the bottom of the order yet though.
My feeling on why he used Zumanya is that that is where he is from and they said that he had a lot of people in attendance that night, so maybe it was because of that.
Besides who else is he going to use? He probably didn’t want to use Jones, or Rodney and couldn’t used Ledezma. Obviously he used Seay and Grilli. Doesn’t really leave anyone else. Lopez? I don’t know?
I can understand the home turf angle a bit. But in the bigger context of using your staff and protecting their arms I didn’t see any upside in throwing Zumaya.
This (but maybe JL is waiting for another 10th inning!) would have been the ideal time to throw Rodney. 5 run lead, and not a pressure situation. He needs to get some confidence back with his fastball and the cushion would have afforded him that opportunity. Actually, Seay could have gone another inning too.
If we have a close game today we will miss Zumaya and JL may be forced to plug in Rodney. Maybe that’s what he is thinking—that he needs to keep throwing Rodney in pressure situations in order for him to climb out of his rut.
Unbelievable HR the other day from Marcus. That was an important “event”. Good to see Guillen keep things alive to get there too.
last nights game was outstanding. my uncle had let me have his season tickets, and i was in the season ticket area just making all those angels fans unhappy…. i even had a few ‘SHUTUP!’ remarks aimed my way! excellent game. hope they can keep it up!!
GO TIGERS!!!!!!!!!
I agree with your comments Dan. More likely than not Zumaya could have been used today, most days for that matter, given all the close games the Tigers find themselves involved in. Rodney could have been used last night, or Seay could have pitched one more inning. Just don’t see the logic. Wow. That must have been hard for Maroth to take being pulled with one out to go in the 5th inning for the potential win, given the five run lead. I can’t blame JL since it was obvious Maroth was struggling and a big hit with the bases loaded could have quickly changed everything. Just one of those odd moves you rarely see. I would have made the sentimental decision and left him in but again I can’t fault JL. You have to give Grilli some credit. He’s been getting the job done lately, bridging the starters and finishers, especially in light of Rodney’s present woes. I know there are some Inge nonbelievers out there but he made 2 great plays that kept the Tigers nice lead in tact. He hit the ball well at least once but nothing to show for it. That .135 or so gets harder and harder to bring up. Good job Deadhead rooting in enemy territory. Are the fans that tough in California?
i think the angel faithful were very defeated by the end of the 2nd inning. stadium was quite for almost all the rest of the nite, minus a run here or there, but otherwise, not happy people lol. especially with me (about 6-8 beers in) heckling them. been here for 13 years, i make it a point to get to the tiger games twice a year (last year, only in anahiem once boo) and they usually lose…. last two years though they have won and its fun to be able to rub it in the angel faithful faces lol.
I want to say something to Jim Price.
Jim please quit repeating yourself every 3 sentences.
It gets annoying,…it gets annoying.
Next time you listen to him check it out. It’ll drive you crazy….it’ll drive you crazy.
Tough game today. Bonderman can’t get a quality start every time out though he made the best of it.
The slump at the plate continues to hurt the team and especially the starters.
Sheffield is no closer to getting out of this than he was 2 weeks ago. yes he got a couple of hits yesterday but he is right back into it today.
Inge is supposed to be up here in the 8th–they should PH for him but they have no one to put in. He is dead meat against K-Rod.
Tough game.
But it ain’t over till it’s over.
Well the big bruisers are due up this inning (9th).
Rodney did very well in the sub High-pressure situation. Encouraging.
Does Sheffield endear himself to the Tiger faithful today or does let us down like Purnal Goldy?
Holy Cow!!! What an AB by Ordonez!
K-Rod does not give up these dingers lightly.
These last 2 games have to turn this club around.
Can you imagine if the boys were hitting like they are supposed to?
And then along came Jones!
Cabrera, Guerrero and Anderson each hit the ball long and far and then he throws a wild pitch.
Sorry to all the Jones fans but this guy is not the dominant force thatyou gotta have as a closer.
Sure glad we used Zumaya in the 5 run lead yesterday!
What an entertaining game that was! Don’t worry about these guys, they’ll be fine.
Bonderman was a real trooper today, eating those innings in what seemed to be a lost cause and saving the bullpen for Chicago and Minnesota.
The Tiger bats seem to be back. Last night was simply amazing. The Angel pitchers threw about 90 pitches in the first two innings? Those are OUR hitters? If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it.
Too bad we lose yet another game where the other guys don’t even hit the ball out of the infield. That seems to happen a lot. I had a lot of fun watching this one, though. That IS the idea, right? We don’t get paid, we don’t get rings, we don’t become famous. What we get out of it is fun. Got that today.
Wonder what’s wrong with Guillen? And I wonder what doesn’t seem to be wrong with Rodney? That was so strange, he seemed injured during his warmups, Leyland starts out there, then turns around, then Rodney dominates six consecutive hitters.
I have to agree with the thinking that you just walk Vlad whenever he comes up. That is a one man team.
Dan, I like Zumaya, but are you forgetting that Zumaya gave up a homerun last night?? We just happen to have a little more of lead so he didn’t blow it.
I think that even though it was a major let down today, you have to take from the last two games, is that Sheff, and Casey had a few hits, I believe that we wound up with 11 hits? Rodney did very well and Bondo showed some major grit hanging in there. And they never give up.
Now, a few negative, the errors are starting to plague us a little, when in the first 16 or so games they were practically non-existent.
I didn’t see the first couple of innings but from what I can gather it costs them 2 or three runs. Well that is the difference in the game right there. Brandon is still struggling, I don’t know what to think about that. And is it me or have there been an aweful lof of passed/or wild pitches? Not just Tigers, but in a lot of the games that I am watching.
GO TIGERS keep those bats going.
Yeah, Zumaya gave up a homee last night—when it didn’t matter.
Jones has blown two pivotal games that really would have mattered to the club and his teammates.
My point is that he is not a dominating closer and that this team will suffer the consequences.
The game was entertaining but I have to feel that there are a few players who are not exactly feeling entertained by the results. We have some very serious problems on the team if you “entertain” any hope of getting as far as they did last year. This can be construed as “negative” but we are going to get pounded with stron RHP this year because that is the best way to get us out.
We don’t have a balanced power lineup, we have guys that go into horrific slumps together, we have guys that can play awesome but revert to bad habits in the wink of an eye, small ball is pretty much non-existent, the bullpen is sensitive, teams are running on us, and we are hoping to get by with 3 trusted starting pitchers.
Today’s game was a testament to hanging in there but it was a loss that could have been a catharsis had it resulted in a well deserved victory. I have to hand it to Ordonez for one helluva at bat. And to Bonderman for pitching through difficulty and frustration.
I still think we need a power hitting LH 1B very badly. Casey got some hits but we are talking about a missing component that is every bit as important to how the entire club hits than Sheffields’s presence.
Well, I’d be glad to sign on as firstbase help but I don’t hit lefthanded. My point being, where do you get this power hitting LH firstbaseman?
There’s not a team in baseball that doesn’t come with it’s own set of problems and needs. We have a team that is in first place and, as a fan (not a player), I’m going to enjoy every minute of it. There’s enough in life to get down about.
Sorry, didn’t mean to climb on a soapbox, although I would have needed one to haul in Jonesie’s throw there in the tenth.
We got the Sox tomorrow night and it’s in HD. Life is good.
Say, any word on Vance Wilson?
i would agree with most of you, yesterdays game was great. i was a little worried though being down 7-0 after 2, was playing with the remote, trying to find something better on (day games on the weekday, nothing but soaps lol) but stuck it out, bases loaded in the 8th situation disappointed me. ordonez dinger was great. i’m wondering if todd jones had enough time to warm up, after the HR the tigers took the lead, was he warming up at the onset of the 9th? or after the HR… he didn’t seem loose. throwing mechanics looked…..blah…. ahh well it was a good game, tigers need to stop going extra innings before they start a new series.
at least they brought their bats with them to california!
and for sure at least they won on a night i was there lol
GO TIGERS!!!
I agree with you Rich. That was a great game and the Tigers nearly stole it. What a comeback. Yeah, it was a disappointing outcome but still a fun game to watch. Dan, without a doubt, you take losses harder than anyone on this blog. As the guy who contributes more than anyone, that passion/concern shows through. While I agree with most all of your day to day assessments, this team is what it is. It no doubt has some weaknesses. Still, it’s a long season and some changes will probably need to be made, some maybe not by choice. But as Rich said, every team has its own set of problems and needs. I still like Jones. His mistake yesterday was pitching to Vladimir in the 9th. Should have walked him. Nobody gets that guy out. And look at Rodriguez, the Angel closer. He got ruffed, turning 4 outs into a third of a game’s worth of pitches, and then finished, getting schooled by Ordonez. For all his praises, he didn’t look all that great. Bottom line, Tiger bats came out, but Vladimir unfortunately trumped them. Glad you were able to see them win the night before Deadhead.
That was too close.
Good to get that win in Chicago. Heck, it was good just to get it played. Too bad Zoom had a little meltdown there in the ninth. I thought it looked like he wasn’t on top of his fastball, he seemed to be turning it over, almost like a curveball. Then he got squeezed on a couple, which is what happens when you’re wild. It’s the reverse of when you paint the corners and suddenly you get the calls an inch outside. Just the way it works. I guess they call that “expanding the strike zone.”
Ordonez is incredibly hot right now and the top four hitters are looking very good. Sheff is coming back now. Inge may be about to shake his slump, although Monroe still seems mired in his. When these two guys break out, they can carry a big part of the offensive load for a few games, which will really help.
Chad Durbin was just on. Great performance. He had good location, worked the curve in with the sinker or 2-seamer or whatever that is that’s breaking back. I think he earned another start.
So 12-9, very similar to last year’s mark at this time, and bunched at the top of the division with the other three. It’s going to go this way.