It's still cold outside

I KNOW THAT THEY WANT TO GET THESE GAMES IN, BUT THAT IS WAY WAY TO COLD TO BE PLAYING A BASEBALL GAME. IT FRANKLY ISN'T EVEN SAFE TO BE DOING SO. THROWING BALLS, ESPECIALLY HOW FAST VERLANDER THROWS HIS, I WOULDN'T WANT TO BE A BATTER HAVING TO STAND THERE WAITING FOR IT TO WHIZ BY ME. NOT TO MENTION JUST GOOD OLD FROST BITE, ITS NOT LIKE THOSE GUYS CAN WHERE COATS AND SUCH. I DON'T THINK THAT FANS WANT TO SIT THERE IN THIS KIND OF WEATHER EITHER.

AS MUCH AS I WANT TO WATCH A GAME TONIGHT, I THINK THAT THEY SHOULD CANCEL IT.

We've got to get Ordonez out of right field

You are right of course that games were not meant to be played in this weather. Still, if we can't hit any better than tonight, it could be perfect weather and we would still have lost. We wasted a good game from Verlander tonight. In our division, we cannot afford to lose games like this. It is only April, but, our schedule this month isn't going to allow for too many nights like this.

A lot of swinging at 2-0, 2-1, and 3-1 counts.

Yeah, I know.............the team must stay aggressive. BUT, when yer down two runs, and the hits aren't exactly falling, why in the world would anyone swing at a 3-1 pitch?

Right now, it looks like only Guillen and Polanco are trying to make a rally. The rest of the team, is trying to hit a ten-run homer.

Sound familiar? Yeah......it looks like instead of individual players getting in slumps, most of our line up will, just like last year.

The only thing I can do, is question the approach.

BTW, I though Sheffield was a patient hitter? That he "worked" a pitcher? Has he caught the Tiger flu? If the first pitch is in his area code, he is swinging. Ugh.

Our core pitchers are actually faring quite well. Bondo had a fine first start. Nate did as well, and Verlander pitched well enough tonight. Zoom looked good. Even Ledezma pitched admirably.

Here's a question though: can we win with Maggs in right? The ball is "finding" him, and he seems to be fighting being recognized......lol.

Let's hang around .500, until it heats up a little. Nobody is exactly lighting it up, right now.

The problem tonight with laying off that high fast ball, is that umpire is calling it a stirk. So regardless of whether they swing at it or not they werre doomed. It was an extrememly frustrating game to watch. Kinda reminds me of last August/Septemember. It is like they save all of there runs for one day. 10 one day, 1 the next.

With the exception of a couple of guys in the bullpen

(Jones, Zumaya) the rest of them have not performed well at all. If this keeps up, it could be a disappointing year.

Some really good points above.
We have a lineup that should be salivating like Pavlov's dog when a lefty is on the mound. Instead the team seems to struggle against some mediocre type pitchers. Sheffield will hopefully come around, he has not looked very good. Ordonez does not seem to an intimidating presence in the middle of the lineup, Inge and Monroe are not hitting much. The team slump that scratch mentions is a potential problem. It happened too often last year that you knew noone was going to be able to get a good swing. Right now about a third of the team is playing to potential.

Ordonez is going to be a problem in RF all year long. This is one reason (among others) that I would not be heart-broken to see him traded. Thames would be better out there, so, I think, would Sheffield. But what we could really use is a left-handed bat with pop or blazing speed.

I heard Jim Price kinda blaming the weather all the while saying that it was the same for both teams. Then why say it? It was the same for both teams but the Tigers did not play as well as the Royals. Period. It is quite obviously no excuse.

I didn't see the game but it did sound like the ump rang out Guillen on a couple of really bad calls----that hurts too in a game that can be decided by one swing.

Marcus tomorrow against Perez?

It's easy sometimes to get worried about performances and what they may portend for the future but if what we are seeing from Casey at firs base continues , he is going to save the left side of our infield about 20 throwing errors this year. He has been amazing. I am not speaking as a first sacker here (Rich-be interesting to get your opinion on this), but he is digging out those "medium" hoppers like peanuts out of a Cracker Jack box. As much as I would like to see Marcus play we are never going to see glove work like that from him if he gets spotted at first.

Best of luck to Mike Maroth today. He is going to be an integral part of the picture this year, especially with the Professor on the shelf.

I did see the game and I can tell you that CB Buckner's strike zone was, shall I say, inconsistent? Nah, let's just call it like it is. He ****** last night. As I said last year, I look for consistency from one pitch to the next, and there was none.

I try my best not to rail on the Ordonez thing, but come on, Maggs. Is he injured or something? Not getting down on that first inning hit looked like me, just before I retired from playing. Then he can't throw the ball 80 feet to Casey without bouncing it and losing a doubleplay. I do have a solution, though. Since he wants to wear that hoodie covering his entire face, we bring up Clevlen and give him number 30 and send him out there in disguise. The Phantom of the Outfield.

Dan, how's this for my opinion on Casey's play so far: I thought I'd send an e-mail to Mario and see if the FSN boys could put together a highlight reel of Casey during this first week. What he's doing should be taught in every baseball school.

So, I guess none of us get to watch today. Unless we can get the replay on MLB.TV later tonight.