Game 1: Inge revisited

Inge's play was irrelevant, Jason. All it took to beat the Tigers was three runs, which was more than accomplished by the Pujols homer. In retrospect, the game was effectively over in the third inning. Inge's errors made the loss uglier, but nothing more.

I did spend a long moment contemplating whether to add Inge's play to the list of uglys, but decided against it because a) my post was getting long, b) I was in a hurry to get to that singer, c) as mentioned above, the game was nearly gone anyway, and d) I knew others would pick it up. :-)

I guess all the Inge-bashers (there are none on this blog but plenty elsewhere) will have a field day with this. Dan and others had pointed out Brandon's tendency on this kind of play all season, and it sure appears to be true. I think more experience will create improvement in that area.

Just a note on Verlander's smile after the Pujols homer: Milt Wilcox was one out away from a perfect game in Chicago in 1983 when Hairston broke it up. Milt smiled. A rueful one, yes, but still a smile. Some people just do that. I'm one of them.

"Oh, Oh, -- Domino"

I don't believe Jason implies it factored in the outcome.

I think he may be a little concerned to see the way this type of ball was mangaged by Inge. Inge is a gifted fielder but when he has too much time to deliberate over what to do with a difficult play he often comes up with a wild (and I mean a wild not just a bad throw). It is also in these situations where he tends to not field the ball cleanly or take an easy force out.

What I am worried about is whether it gets to him and it becomes a trend. I have seen it happen but I have also seen him rebound to the spectacular side too. One thing though, it often coincides with bad at bats.

Big game today. If we lose this one we are in the same position we put Oakland in. You lose the first 2 games in your park and you have virtually no chance to pull it out of the hat.

We can second guess JL over the rotation but there were a number of us here who knew that starting Verlander was not the best or the most logical selection.

First game you go with the guy who has done the best, inspired his teammates and fans, has himself pumped up beyond belief, will not allow himself to be beaten and gives you the best chance to take the SERIES lead.

That was Kenny Rogers. We are now in a position where Verlander cold lose the first and the last games of the series.

I like Verlander but it really was a stretch to give a cocky fastball pitching rookie the start over the dominating, inspiring, wily veteran in his home ball bark in front of all those fans and their expectations of victory.

Leyland has been a good thing for Detroit and for the his players but the deification of him by the press may have him thinking that whatever aberant decision or strategy he uses is a product of some mystical, specialized baseball synapse location in his left hemisphere.

He is mortal, and his decisions can mortally wound.

If Casey can't handle the bag today, I think he should sit. DH Thames or Gomez.

Bat Polanco 2nd where he gives you so many options if Curtis gets on.

Bat Monroe 3rd where he gets better pitches to hit ahead of Ordonez. Polanco doen't need better pitches to hit as he hits everything and anywhere it is pitched. You don't think they are going to pitch around Monroe now if Polanco is behind him?

In retropect the hitters looked lost. Maybe they should have had some instructional league throwers come up and give them game time pitching.

Domino, well stated. I wasn't sure exactly where Jason was coming from bringing up Inge's error. That certainly was one WEIRD play you wouldn't wish on anyone. You could argue that 3 miscues occurred on Inge's part on that play. (the thought, the throw, the blocked runner.) I would maintain that there was only one...the throw. Wrong or right, and no one's gonna' hurt my feelings disagreeing with me, I say he was right in going home. It's a desperate situation at that point in the game. IMO, UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, you don't trade outs for runs. The Cards had enough runs already as domino pointed out. So I will go out on the limb and say Inge made the RIGHT choice trying to cut down the runner at the plate. It was a REALLY bad throw, but the split second decision was correct. Now, we were watching from afar, but that play was right in front of Inge, and he made what he thought was the right play. As for the runner hitting him in the back, Brandon was just the victim of a collision he could not have anticipated, which added further insult to injury. Brandon is not a guy who wears his heart on his sleeve. He's pretty stoic. So we didn't see him swearing, gesturing, kicking dirt or talking to himself afterwards. That's one of the things I like about him. I think he WILL bounce back well from this UGLY experience which had ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE OUTCOME OF THE GAME. Look for him to become a FACTOR!

After rereading your blog Jason, I take your meaning to be exactly what I have just said...but you said it more succinctly and professionally.

But I'm wondering why you brought it up in the first place?... Perhaps to generate this very discussion. It WAS, in fact, by far the most intriguing play of the game.

Rich, I almost made a nasty remark about that Verlander smile. But I erased it, and Im glad I did. Would have been unfair to Justin. I agree with you, after giving some thought, I don't feel it was flippant, but rather as you said, just a reaction. But, I do have some bones to pick, mostly with JL. I'll say it again, Justin was my choice for game 4. What you get with him is what you'd expect from an extremely talented young rookie, a guy who gets 8 beautiful strikeouts, but throws 2 gopher balls and an errant pickoff throw of an injured slow runner at first, all of which proved too costly. There have been a lot of pitchers with Justin's talent who have come and gone. They don't all make it. It's not about just raw talent. You can get by on that for a while, but the great ones, the ones who persevere and have long term success, learn how to pitch. Not so sure Game 1 WS is the place for such lessons. Nuff about that.

Dan, I too would like to see Thames or Gomez in at DH today. Someone who can run when they get on base. Yes switch Polanco and Monroe. Man, that's a no brainer, no disrespect intended JL..honest.

I hate to keep piling on JL but, darn it, hardly anyone is agreeing with ANY decisions he makes. Why would you come back with that same lineup that scored all of three runs in the last Oakland game (I'm not counting the three run homer at the end)? Okay, Polanco injured, you put Monroe second but Polly is not injured now. That's beyond my comprehension. I don't care if LaRussa thinks it's a good idea, it isn't. Not when we've got Polanco.

I can't, in fairness, speak to the Verlander starting issue because I didn't call him on it before the game. I believe my issue was Robertson before Bonderman. I'll just ask, when was the last time Verlander pitched a good game? Seriously, I don't remember.

If I'm JL, and I find myself constantly saying "I'll be secondguessed on this decision," I have to start wondering if I'm making the correct ones. I have to start wondering if maybe I don't have as good a handle on things as I think I do.

The old adage is, put your team in the best possible position to succeed. I feel that has not been done.

Okay then, game two tonight. I'm glad we've come as far as we can go, I mean, we aren't going to miss out on games being played without us. Now we either win or lose. I'd really like to see better baseball being played by both teams, as last night lived up to the negative hoopla surrounding this Series.

A little embarrassing to see my boys do that on the National stage last night. Marty is right, the Cardinals got all the bounces last night and I thought that both of Inges shots to right would get out, not to mention Rodriguezs' blast. But we also played some whatever you want to call it, ugly, polite, silly -- we played without tenacity, intelligence and that passionate relentlessness that I think of as quintessential Tiger baseball. I almost turned it off because I didn't want to see my boys look like that. I did turn the sound off by the 7th inning and listened to Salsa on my ipod because as bad as BuCarver the mindless 2 headed beast is when we are winning, when we are getting shellacked I just can't take it.

Verlander's stuff was as good as I've seen it for a while he just made a few, rather costly mistakes. The Cardinals clearly had a team meeting about being patient with Verlander and it worked. But Justin had all 3 pitches working and looked terrific until he would lose focus (how do you walk Encarnacion at all let alone on 4 pitches). It seems Verlander throws at least one changeup with no movement, up, and with some tell-tale change of arm-speed every game, but this time it wasn't even a homer but it was Duncans' double in the third (did Guillen have a shot at that?). By the 6th he was out of gas and everything was elevated by the time Edmonds singled.

Someone said the high fastballs to the cards didn't work but I don't think that part of Verlanders game was executed at all.

1) On the HR by Rolen the first pitch is a high fastball just out of the zone and he takes it. The next pitch is the same speed, just below the letters right down the middle. Those pitches need to be in the reverse order or be broken up with something inside or away. The first one helps Rolen time it and the 2nd one is eminently hittable.

As for Pujols HR and Mc Carvers illiterate chirping about Leylands candor and the incredible act of a manager taking responsibility during the game I have this to say:

1) What on earth could it mean for Leyland to take resonsibility for a pitch and what intelligent person could possibly care whether he does so or not???

2) McCarver misunderstood what Leyland was saying. JL's point was that Verlander's fastball tailed back inside and he missed his location; they were not trying to be super aggressive with Pujols but Justin missed his spot. Why Leyland is taking responsibility for that is beyond me, it is totally nonsensical.

Duncans at-bat was really key. He fell behind 2-0 and guillen went out to chat. Then a fast ball for a strike and then a terrible, terrible changeup. The NEXT pitch is the even worse fastball right down main street to Pujols. Verlander had great stuff last night but those 2 pitches lost the game. As for the smile yeah I don't think we know what that means but I would never question Verlanders competitiveness nor do I have a problem with him throwing game 1. I just think he should have pitched better.

On Inge's play I'm with Marty and Jason I like the throw home, you really have 2 but ouch, what a bad throw. As for interference, I'm sure thats the rule but Inge was out almost in the coachs box when rolen slammed into him. It was ridiculous and I've never liked Rolen but now I think he needs the Guillen treatment -- not Carlos but Ozzie.

Reyes is not Cy Young but the Tigers were slow on fastballs right down Broadway (ordonez, Guillen, Casey) and swung at the same high and inside fastball like it was the most beautiful pitch they had ever seen (Polanco 4-5 Times, Monroe, Rodriguez) and in general were perfect victums of Dave Duncans plan. Again I will suggest that Duncan makes the Cardinals much better than they are and the Tigers will have to make constant adjustments or they wont see any strikes.

About the 5th or 6th the Tigers were thinking we need baserunners and started taking lots of pitches they should have hit over the wall. Reyes was in a groove he wasn't going to walk y'all you got to hit your way on. Bad instincts, bad timing and poor executiuon would sum up the Tigers at the plate last night.

Couldn't Guillen have caught the pickoff throw or am I crazy? What did you think of Carlitos defense last night Rich?

Rodney looked fantastic and all the guys in the pen looked good, even Grilli. I am with you on Miner Dan, he hasn't pitched since he blew it 2 weeks ago and if he can't get into last nights game then why hasn't Maroth had his roster spot all along? Again I will mention that Miner has a significantly higher OPS and slugging than Nefarious. I know hes you (gutsy) sleeper pick so maybe he can do it with the bat.

Concerning Mr. Bob Seger, I didn't know he was still alive and after hearing him sing I'm still not sure.

Anita Baker will do much better tonight as will my Tigers.

Rube, I didn't get a good look at the play either time they showed it. It appeared that Verlander may have thrown the ball into the runner, in this case the hulking Pujols, and Carlos couldn't get the reach around. I can't find a replay of that. For what it's worth, I think Carlos plays firstbase just fine.

I did see two things on the replays of the Inge play. He really had no other play than to throw home but just made a bad throw because the bobble up caused him to be moving on the throw. Also, Rolen came barreling around third and went straight at Inge, giving him a girlish push then throwing himself to the ground. I guess you'd call that smart baserunning but yeah, he could use a litte chin music tonight. Of course, the Tigers don't play that way (which is just as well) so we won't see that.

Thanks for the first base report Rich, I'm definitely not knocking Carlito, I'm just wondering if a regular first basemen gets Duncans double or that pickoff throw. In general Fox won't give you slow motion for things you want because the announcers are too wrapped up in whatever perhearsed bananlities they wish to pursue.

Did anyone see the video footage of Detroit with Harwell narrating? I thought it was shockingly well done and quite moving.

If Rodriguez comes through in the first inning last night with just a bloop single its 3-0 and I think its a very different game. We desperately need our field general to get hot. He is well past due.

hey everyone, Yankee fan here, first of all congrats on making it to the WS and good luck tonight.

I am very glad to see a blog entry here devoted to last night's Rolen/Inge call. It really bothered me for a couple of reasons, and I was just curious to hear what you all thought about it.

First of all, it seems to me that the umps assumed that Rolen would have scored but for his collision with Inge. It has been explained to me that the rulebook says the baserunner always gets the benefit of the doubt, so I understand why Rolen got it, but in this particular scenario I didnt think he should have. I know in baseball scoring you cant assume a double play..so why is it okay to assume that Rolen would have safely made it home had he not collided with Inge, especially when Rolen is injured and may not be able to run as well?

Second of all, it seemed to me (although I should stipulate I was pretty drunk and I absolutely loathe Rolen) that Rolen purposely barreled into Inge so that he would get the call. Inge seemed to be standing pretty far off to the right after he made his throw home, of course I don't know what he was thinking but it occurred to me that maybe he was standing that far over so he wouldn't collide with Rolen. Yet Rolen was running much further over than most baserunners would have been, and I cant help but think that he purposely veered over that way so that he could collide with Inge and thus get the call. I don't feel Inge would have been in his path under normal circumstances (normal circumstances meaning if Rolen had not been running in a fashion where the goal of his running seemed to be to collide with Inge); I really don't know where else Inge could have been standing at that point without abandoning his base completely.

As the poster above me said, some might call that smart baserunning on Rolen's part... well I call it deceptively shady and cheap baserunning, and it bothers me that Rolen got away with it.

Just had to give my $0.02 and find out if anybody else saw it a similar way. Have a good game 2!

Ingie made a bad play. Why he was in Rolen's way after he fielded the ball weel inside fair territory is a mystery. Rolens took advantage of the situation. Good play.

Verlander pitching last night was a mistake and it is JL's mistake; no one else's.

Verlander did NOT have 3 pitches working last night. His fastball was missing the "s". When this happens it becomes a fatball.

Hi off speed wtuff was very good IMO. Very good.

You are right about Pudge---that lazy liner might have changed everything. I kinda knew when that happened it was going to be a long night.

I hope Casey does something tonight to justify his DH role.

Casey has been cut a lot of slack since his acquisition and though I like him he has not exactly set the world on fire with his stick.

BTW Inge had the right adea of going home. Fate intereceded.