Tigers rotation

Do you know what happened to the idea of putting Kenny between Bonderman and Verlander? He is between today but the rotation above would indicate otherwise.

Changing topic here and sticking my neck out for some of you:
Gary Sheffield, while he has been productive and influential on others in the lineup, is not getting the job done when he has been up with men on 2nd and 3rd or with the bags loaded.

I think he sees these runners in scoring position and gets impatient. Before anyone tears my lungs out for saying this there are, of course, stats to back it up.

I think he is going to go on a streak that will be as unbelievable as that which we have witnessed with Magglio--only with HR power.

He just needs ONE good AB with the sacks packed and away he goes.

Well--game on.
Looks like Smoltz is going to a tough nut to crack tonight. I'm sure he must be the first starter to strike out Polanco and Ordonez in the same inning this year.

The Professor has looked pretty good so far the first time through the order. Go do it again Kenny!

****! the gambler is DEALING tonight!!!

2 hitter through 6 so far.... pretty impressive. makes the maroth situation all the better. hope he can keep it up!

(i hope he doesn't forget to wash his hands in the post season too *****!!!)

I start with a tip of the cap to Marty and DavidTiger for their thoughts on Maroth in the previous thread. I thought they could have kept him too. Never thought I'd see him traded before Grilli and some other guys. A nod to Dan too, for going over on the Cardinals blog and telling them what a fine man they've just added to their team.

With Nate returning Tuesday, someone else will go. Who?

After all that, this was one fun night of baseball. We were treated to a great dual between two outstanding veteran pitchers. You have to hand it to the Tiger hitters because Smoltz was about as good as he gets tonight. Rogers was unbelievable. He just walks in and throws six innings of two hit shutout ball. I realize the Braves aren't hitting, but that takes nothing away from what Kenny accomplished tonight. He's now pitched 29 consecutive scoreless innings. Just incredible.

I could have slapped up that fat....uh...guy who hit Ordonez with that pitch. Don't be messin' with the MVP.

Grilli pitched well. Seay likewise. The kid, although not as sharp as he was in Washington, did well again. I even got a kick out of Ledezma striking out the side in the ninth. The Braves fans probably think they've acquired a real winner there. Too bad there wasn't a second inning of work for him. They'll learn.

To top it off, my NL team, the Nationals, whupped up on Cleveland. My "other guys" accomodated the Tigers by losing three straight, then beat Carmona and the Tribesters. Perfect night.

Dan, I think they still want to get that order of Rogers in between Bonderman and Verlander. This time around, though, that's not realistic, because Robertson pitched his rehab outing Thursday. To bring him back Monday before Bonderman isn't an option. They'll have an off-day a week from Monday, and the all-star break a week after that, so they'll have time to re-order the rotation.

I guess I have commented enough on the loss of Maroth in the last segment, and whether Miller is really ready for this job. I think Durbin did a really nice job overall for us during this last few weeks and I have a feeling he will be back in the rotation before the end of August. The order of the rotation will work itself out over the next couple weeks. As much as I like Miller's potential, I am lukewarm at best about the decision to put him in the rotation now. Anyway, glad to see Kenny is back and with a vengeance! I don't know how long he has left in the game, but I sure am happy he is throwing for us until that day comes when his career is at an end. He is one fine pitcher, and a good one for the younger guys to learn from. Now, if Nate can get his act together, we may be on our way to one very exciting year. Hard to believe we have the second best record in the American League with the staff we have been sending out there on a daily basis lately. Had to laugh at Ledezma tonight. Struck out the side. Ok, we are 5 runs up at the time. Atlanta will learn about Mr. Ledezma in the next few weeks.

Correction... I meant to say the THIRD best record in the major leagues. Sorry for that error. My sentiment is still the same, and if things continue to get straightened out, we are in for one heck of a year!

Thanks Jason.
Tonight was what I would consider for a number of reasons, a very significant win.

Atlanta is a good team and Smoltz pitched like the Hall of Famer he is tonight.

Kenny comes back and wins a big one for him physically but also a huge win for his club who now has even more confidence in their starting rotation. If Andrew and Nate can pitch a like they have shown they can this will be a truly awesome array of starters for the rest of the league to contend with.

The bullpen will start to come around too I think. They have shown signs already and with Durbin and Miner it will have a "new look".

I would imagine Maggs will get a precautionary day off tomorrow. Probably not a bad idea. He looked good running the bases today and his hitting has seemingly picked up all aspects of his game.

I was pretty impressed with Inge's hit. He had struggled the previous 2 ABs and was being set up as the out guy after the intentional walk to Casey. Takes a good ballplayer to respond the way he did.

I'm looking forward to the Seattle series.

Great game. I'm still very bummed about losing Maroth but will try and not belabor the point. Baseball is the greatest game there is, full of stories, statistics and irony. Case in point tonight. The Tigers beat John Smoltz, who JL described as the greatest big game pitcher he ever saw. Smoltz a Michigan native was drafted by the Tigers and traded to Atlanta in August of 1987 for Doyle Alexander. Doyle went 9-0 the remainder of that season helping the Tigers win the AL East. They won 98 games that year. Only problem is they lost in the ALCS to a feisty Twins team that barely played over .500 ball. They wouldn't see the Playoffs again until 2006. Alexander went on to have one more decent year for the Tigers and finished in 1989 with a 6-18 record. Smoltz, a future Hall of Famer, goes on to help lead the Atlanta Braves to multiple Playoff and World Series appearances. You never know how a trade is going to work out do you? Just a small sideline is Wilfredo striking out the side. Good for him. This is turning out to be a very powerful Tiger team. Kudos to Kenny for another clinic. Hes pretty amazing.

That was a complete team effort. The results show everyone did their job. Rodney and Jones as well.
Granderson has a rough one and I was a little puzzled when Byrdak was marched out in the 8th after letting Verlander hit for himself in the 7th (BTW nice bunt dude!) and whiffing the last two batters in the 7th.

But it all worked out in the end.

Guillen was the main man today with some big help by Casey.