Sunday extra
The Tigers are obviously rolling offensively, slugging their way past opponents. But after the Mets nearly hit their way back into a game for the second straight afternoon, manager Jim Leyland made a point about needing to see more from his pitching, specifically his bullpen. He doesn't want his club relying on offense to win on a daily basis.
"We have to win [some] games 5-3 and 3-2, like we did last year," Leyland said. "And if we don't, we won't be anywhere to be found later on, because you're not going to pound good pitching. It's only going to get better, and you can't expect your offense to wear out good pitching on any sort of consistent basis. We're going to have to play games closer to the vest with fewer runs given up if we want to be competing in September. It's that simple."
He's not angry, he cautioned, but he's making a point. Before the game, Leyland talked about shutdown innings, holding the other team scoreless immediately after one's own team puts up runs. It's a matter of momentum, and it establishes control of a game. The Mets scored three runs Saturday after the Tigers had put up an 8-3 lead. On Sunday, Detroit had a 10-3 lead off of six fifth-inning runs before a one-out hit in the sixth turned into a three-run rally when Carlos Gomez took Jason Grilli deep.
To some extent, it's part of the bullpen woes that have surfaced on and off for this club ever since Joel Zumaya went on the disabled list in May. It's been a concern for Leyland for a while, but there wasn't much he could do with Zumaya and Fernando Rodney on the DL. Now Rodney's back, though struggling mightily with the location on his fastball, and the Tigers are hoping to shore up the later innings.
Grilli hadn't given up a run in his previous four outings, covering 7 2/3 innings. He gave up two runs and allowed an inherited runner to score without retiring any of the four batters he faced. That's been his pattern for the past month or so, either no runs or three runs allowed.
Changes aren't imminent, but the Tigers are weighing their options. Eulogio De La Cruz was promoted from Erie's rotation to Toledo's bullpen last week in part because of the situation in Detroit. It's not a final decision on whether his future is as a starter or a reliever, but it's a reaction to the Tigers' need. If he responds and pitches well, it wouldn't be a surprise to see him called up at some point this summer. If he can translate his stuff into results, he's potentially more valuable than signing Troy Percival to a comeback.
"I'm going to go down to Toledo," Leyland said Sunday before leaving to watch Kenny Rogers' rehab start, "and I'm going to look at more than Kenny Rogers."
I was listening to the Texas game on XM, and since it was an away game got to hear the Texas announcers. Interesting comment made by them in their intro stating that the Tigers scary first 1/2 line-up...and a mediocre pitching staff...
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I'd have to say that for the most part I agree with the comment. That is not to say that some of our pitchers are fine (Bondo, Justin, Byrdak, Seay, Durbin) But the reast of the guys have not been the pitchers they were last year. Unrealible. You just have to look at the team ERA to see that they are in the bottom 3rd. If they don't straighten it out a bit, Tigers are in trouble down the stretch. Remember what JL says good pitching in the long run will beat good hitting.
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Miller had a very good game with some key strikeouts in demanding situations.
He actually has a nother "K" in the first vs Wright and the ump didn't give the rookie the call. His line and the game score would have been appreciably different if Wright strikes out in the first.
Nice job Andrew!
A few folks expect he will be sent down for more seasoning. I wouldn't be too sure about that. If he gets another good start against Philly I think he may end up in rotation if JL is still PO'd at the bullpen. At least until Kenny gets back. I would not be surprised to see Nate or Maroth getting some bullpen time.
Nice to Inge comin' along with the bat. I gotta believe that his broken toe had him thinking about all those HRs and RBIs that Hessman is getting in Toledao.
Guillen's injury sounds like it is becoming something more chronic. He and Polanco are the 2 guys I would most hate losing long term. I believe it was Carlos' hamstring last year too wasn't it?
Anybody have some tickets for me for the games in Seattle?
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Pondering........Why is Cameron Maybin still in Single "A"? Don't you think it would be better for all concerned to see him playing with Erie right about now?
Meanwhile Vincent Blue, who is unlikely to ever make it to the show, is on Toledo's roster.
Maybin whiffs a lot but very many baseball neophytes do. I think they should elevate and accelerate his development program. If he can finish up in Toledo this year I think he has a shot at the big club in '08.
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Guillen out..Nefarious in.
I am not liking this hamstring problem.
Guillen out of the middle of the lineup hurts the whole of the lineup. Let's just hope that Neifi doesn't hurt it more. At least he can bunt, so maybe we can get C-Mo and Ingie on so he can move 'em up for the top of the order.
I hear a lot about his defense--I don't see it as anything sensational. He is a stop-gap measure in the true sense of the word.
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W...O...W!!
Anyone here remember Johnny VanDermeer?
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WOW!! That was absolutely amazing. Congratulations to Verlander, and in his second season to boot. I guess this dispells any notion of a "sophomore slump." It's also one way not only to save the bullpen, but to to ensure that the bullpen doesn't screw things up late into games, as we have been seeing this year more often than we would like. Bonderman, now it's your turn!
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WOW really is the only word to describe it. That was one unbelievably pitched game. Ordonez sliding for the out in RF and Perez saving a hit and starting the DP at SS. You can always expect some great defense with a no hitter. But he also threw 12 strikeouts!!! Simply unbelievable.
Dan, you brought up the question about Maybin being in A ball still when we should be prepping him to be ready in '08. Who do you take out of the lineup for him? Ordonez, Granderson, Monroe, Sheffield, and Thames would all be back unless we trade one or more. As much as you bad mouthed Ordonez last year there isn't anyone hitting better right now. Sheffield has been a force the last few weeks. Granderson has been hitting good. Granderson may not steal many bases but how can he when he is always on second or third with an extra base hit? Monroe and Thames both have good power. Monroe has not been hitting for much average so far but has 37 RBIs and we all complain Thames should be in the lineup more. Just wondering which one of those you take out for Maybin, an unproven minor leaguer at this point? My guess would be '09 at the soonest before he is in the lineup regularly in the majors.
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I'll second all of that tiger fan. I'm up here at Wanakena in the Adirondacks. Got on a computer in the 6th inning and got to watch the last 3 innings on mlb with no sound! That's brutal but better than nothing. Will have to pay for the archived game when I get home. Congratulations Justin and Neifi and Maglio. You are absolutely right tiger fan. We can be very critical on this site, myself included. I don't know how many times we put Mags and Neifi down over the past year but it's been plenty. It's time to be appreciative. Maybe this game is the "right of passage" Neifi has been hoping for. Did he get a decent round of applause? No sound here. Now we see the kind of player Ordonez is when he finally has his health back. As exciting as last year was, this year is shaping up to be sweeter. Yes? Neifi earned his contract on that play alone, didn't he? It's great to be a Tiger fan.
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It was a great game for the team, for Verlander and for the fans. I would not want to detract from that experience here. As far as Ordonez is concerned, anyone would be misguided to criticize his contribution this year. Last year was a totally different story. Neifi made a fantastic play tonight but that doesn't change my opinion about whether he can handle the difficult SS job if Carlos goes down for an extended period.
As to Maybin, I don't suppose he would beat out any of our present outfielders for a job next year, that doesn't mean he won't make the club or that we lose an outfielder by way of the trade market or injury. My point is that he is not being tested enough in A ball not that I think that he is better than anybody on the club.
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