Wow, during the Twins series? Couldn't this have been done in Washington rather than against the chief rivals for the division?
Well, I think we all saw that Sheff didn't throw that bat handle at Gibson. And the best point he's made is pointing out what those Tampa Bay rookies got away with last month. We all saw that too. As Bob Uecker says, "personally I think we got hosed on that call."
I found today's game to be very encouraging, in that we won in the manner we did it last year. Having the offense grind the opposition into dust is all well and good, but winning games like today's is what does the job.
I'm looking forward to both Durbin and Miner being in the pen. When they enter the game, I don't feel like everything's going south in a handbasket. My apologies to the other guys out there because I know they're busting it, but there's got to be some stability. Maybe we can start seeing that now. Maybe they can all get back into their roles, that would help a lot.
Hmmm...
Since when are the Twinkies the cheif rival? What happened to Cleveland? Do you know something we don't?
As everyone knows releif is the big question mark for the Tigers. I agree with people who say that the Tigers have to stick with what they have. Hopefully, someone will start to really shine. Hopefully, Jones will continue to save most of the games he gets an opportunity to save.
It seems to me that closers get hit much more when they come in to a tie game. Not just Jones, but releivers in general. I don't have any hard stats on it, though. It's just that I always get a nervous feeling for a closer who comes into a tied game. And it seems like more often than not, they get hit.
Yeah Rich, it was a good all-around victory. Jones did well and hopefully this has a carryover effect this time. After the June 1 meltdown against Cleveland Jones had a 1-2-3 outing the next game and the same pattern after the Washington letdown 10 days ago.
Sheff being down against the Twins isn't ideal and I am a bit surprised he took the "deal". I thought he might go through with the appeal but I am sure he had the ball team in mind when he made the decision.
Be nice to have a big left handed bat to put out there. Probably get Marcus one day and Omar the other. That being said JL might just cross us all up and have Neifi in there for two!
Durbin looked good again and would have left unscathed if he had covered the bag on the shot hit to Casey.
I think that it is a bit odd that they waited this long to deal with Sheffield's suspension? It would of been much better if they would of gotten it over with in the naional league stops. I was thinking that myself and actually asked Pat Caputto about it, figuring that the league would try to hose us and do it during series that really mattered a lot. And I really think that it stinks that the catcher from the Mets only got 2 games and Sheffield was handed down with 3?? Whatever conspiracy???
Was at the game today, and thank the baseball gods that we finally got a win. Going to games this year my record is not good we have only won 2 of the 7 that I have attended. Even my 94 year old Grandmother (a rabid Tiger fan) told me to stay away, she called me just to tell me that. Anyway will be at the game tomorrow night was well, will be tough with Santana on the mound, but Justin should do great as well. GO TIGERS
Steve, what I know is that the Twins are there every year and I'll expect them again. If Cleveland stays in the race then I'll be wrong. I'm wrong a lot. :-) I've noticed the same thing about closers and tie games, but I don't have hard stats either. Does seem that way though, doesn't it?
Dan, when Durbin failed to cover the bag I swore that this is the last time I ever compliment these guys on playing mistake free ball. Look at what's happened since I did.
Now GK, your 94-year old grandma told you to stay away but you went anyway??? I'm ashamed of you. :-) Enjoy the game, should be a beauty. I'm going to see Bill Cosby at Wolf Trap but I'm DVRing the game. I hope to be home in time to watch it. I don't want to miss Verlander-Santana, says the guy who missed the no-hitter.
With a series against the Twins you have to wonder, especailly when Santana is scheduled to pitch (he did hit a HR off him this season). Maybe he needs a couple days off.
Please let Sheff know that all his fans KNOW he didn't throw the bat at the ump. No matter what it's all about, let's just get out there and show them what the Tiger's are made of. I'm praying for good health for all the boys. Play ball and have fun!!!
GO TIGERS!!
From MLB Rumors:
"Gagne/Otsuka Suitors
Teams are lining up to pluck away the top two members of the Rangers' bullpen, and Jon Daniels is in "listening mode."
MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan has the scoop: the Diamondbacks, Cubs, Red Sox, and Yankees are the top suitors for Eric Gagne. The Mets, Braves, Phillies, Tigers, and Brewers are focused on Akinori Otsuka. And the Tribe likes both relievers.
Benefits of Gagne: he can be unhittable and he'll give you two good draft picks after the season. Plus he seems to be finally healthy. The Indians, despite their interest, are not on Gagne's list of 12 teams he can be dealt to without his consent.
The benefit of Otsuka is that you have him through 2009. That's why the Rangers are more likely to hang on to him. Conversely, a team like the Mets would prefer him because he's not a rental.
"
I prefer Gagne. He can actually be unhitable, still.
Oksuta is a little long in the tooth and he would be a setup man--somewhat redundant if Rodney and Zumaya are healthy returnees.
Gagne has indicated that he will only go to a team that commits to him as a closer. That don't bother me none!
Kind of a rough start for Verlander tonight so far---granted its only with Bartlett with Castillo on as I speak.
I see Inge is out of the lineup. Ouch!
Let's get a DP here boys.
Geez--I guess we were getting so used to excellence with Verlander. He could have been out of this inning with the foul pop 3 rows back then the dP ball bobbled by Guillen. This is not the team to play poorly against. They will grind you down and spit you out if you give them the chance. Compunding things is both their big guns are playing again--Morneau and Mauer.
The key for JV tonight is throwing strikes. He threw more balls than strikes in the first (tight strike zone noted) and he is going to need to establish control of the strike zone. These pesky Twins will make life miserable for a pitcher who is struggling with control.
I'm surprised that Granderson got the start against this dominating lefty. I figured Infante tonight.
Well that was an ugly 1st inning for the Tigs. It's hard to tell for sure but listenting to Dickerson and Price but it sounds like the umping was disparate, to see the least, between how things were called for the Twins and how they were called for the Tigers.
Weird game. JV walks 3 then gives up a tater to Mauer.. Game over.
Well-- all we have to look forward to now is Guillen getting a RBI before the night is through.
This game is a loss and you can't fault a team for losing to a guy like Santana BUT, I think it was a mistake to play Granderson. You just knew Santana is gonna eat him up. what's the point? He's too young to do that to. He carries these bad games with him into the next one. He needs to be cultivated and though he needs to see a few lefties to learn his craft, I think that when you face this guy--you give him a rest.
Unfortunate we are without Sheff for 2 games after this loss. Makes it a very difficult thing to take the series. Verlander was due for a less than stellar outing. He has been terrific.
Oh well, at least we won't be let down by the bullpen tonight!
I guess de la Cruz is not quite ready yet.
Hopefully, that's out of their system.
As far as I am concerend tonight the Detroit Tigers owe me money, with $20 dollars for parking, $56 dollars for tickets, $8.50 for a beer and another $15 in food they us about $90. The should give all 42,000 or so fans in the stadium a refund. How pathetic was that game, the only bright spot of the whole game was Polanco's homerun. What is their deal with home Friday night games, or home games period?? They literally have stunk in all but 2 of the 8 games that I have gone to this year. And great next week I'll see them get killed by the Red Soxs.
I will be waiting for my refund check in the mail?? Can you tell that I am ticked??o
Yeah it looks like it was a pretty bad one tonight. Gk - your record seems to be 2-6. I'm beginning to think maybe you shouldn't go to the games. How about taking that luck on the road and instead go to Cleveland's games-that'll help us out! j/k! Missed the game tonight because I had to work late. Probably a good thing. Hopefully the guys shine tomorrow and Sunday, even with Sheff being out.
That was awful. I mean the 9th inning... Finish the game, win or lose.
If this was Little League, the Tigers would be taking laps around the field til they were winded.
Okay, I didn't have to watch very long to know how that one was going to turn out.
There's an old maxim in baseball (it's an old sport and has accumulated a large number of old maxims) that says "over the course of a season you win 50, you lose 50, and the other 50 are up for grabs" or something to that effect. Tonight's was definitely in the "lose 50" category so I'm writing it off. It's what you do in the "up for grabs" category that makes or breaks a season. Yeah I know, I'm the Master of the Obvious.
Personally I prefer a season like this one over last year. By that I mean running away to a 76-36 record then stumbling through the remainder. As things got bad last August and September, there was a terrible wailing and gnashing of teeth (doesn't gnashing of teeth sound really really awful?) on this board and many others in Tigerland.
But enough philosophy. :-) Didn't tonight's umpire come equipped with a large number of strike zones? I mean, this guy had a different strike zone for every guy who came up there. It was a really amazing feat when you think about it. He must keep a spreadsheet to keep all the various zones assigned to the correct hitters and pitchers. You've got the "Granderson letter high strike to put him in the hole" zone, the "Ordonez ankle high strike three zone that also fools Punto" zone, not to mention the "let's get McClendon booted" zone. You could make a TV series out of all those strike zones, then run it in syndication for years.
That brings me to another old baseball maxim, the one that says "an umpire is good for 50 games, bad for 50 games.....etc."
I thought I would wake up with a bit better attitude, but I didn't. I know that they are not going to win every single game, and I know that the chances get less when you face a guy like Santana. Believe me going down to the game, I knew that it wasn't going to be easy. And losing a game is one thing playing like your defeated is another.
Now I cannot call strikes and balls at the stadium, off to the side, but the guy sitting next to me said the guys on the radio were even complaining about its inconsistency. But on the other hand Twins managed to get some hits and walks or was it that is was a favorable strike zone for them and not the Tigers?? Actually I did TIVO the game, but I was too mad to watch it and deleted it.
It's these kind of games where you regret having your 2 and 3 run homer offense missing in action. It's bottom of 4 now--it's time to get this rookie, lets go guys.
Cannot blame this one on hitting (maybe untimely hitting) but they actually out hit the Twins. It was the starting pitching again. Yes, Grilli gave up a homer but this game was lost long before that.
Everyone keeps talking about this Miller being the next coming of Cy Young and frankly everyone was so anxious to get him up into the bigs but I am not sure that I think he is ready, He basically has one pitch and they were teeing up on the kid. I think that it is too much too soon and he only did well against national league teams that were scuffling. I hope that they don't ruin him. And I am not just saying that because he lost today, I have been saying it all along.
I think that this team have been very unpredictable all year and I think unlike others that we are lucky only to be .5 (soon to be 1.5 out CC is pitching tonight). I think this team has the ability to be good but they are not right now and to me really haven't been all year. I still love them and will be there rooting for them every step of the way, but I certianly feel like I am in a position like last August and September of last year. Were I am just hoping that other teams lose because I don't have faith that we can win against constistently right now.
Hello TiBloggers;
This game was blacked out for me, so I listened to audio and watched gameday. With the Twins, you can almost sense a loss, even with a Rookie pitching for them. We could easily lose the next 7 games, and might just as easily win them. The offense has died over the past seven games; we didn't set the woods afire, even in Atlanta. It seems like a critical walk or error is changing the dynamics of each game to the Tigers disadvantage. Ordonez is due for a cooldown, and whereas last year, Monroe stepped up, he's basically stepping to nowhere. Our lineup is still too right hand bat oriented. Notice all of the trouble the Texas left handed batters gave us. Remember, I told you not to worry so much about Inge, and without him today, you have several cold bats trying to fill in. If Monroe and Thames are going to be in the lineup together, they should bat as far apart as possible. It is time for Grilli to go; we cannot be behind, four runs with four innings to go, and then have him give batting practice to our opponent. Right now, my confidence in this team is shaken, because we are only a .500 team at home. So what does home field advantage do for us? Finally, I am beginning to see that the injury to Zamaya created this domino effect of not playing very well as the month of June ends. Having said all of this, I love theTigers always.
Some very good points. We do need a power LHB. No offense to Casey who is one of the more consistent players we have right now and his defense has bee no less than superb.
The team does struggle with consistency. Both at individual levels and on a collective level.
The lack of power was adressed today but the homers came at innocous times in the game. There have been recent games where a well timed blast would have been a serious blow. Some people say you don't need homers to win--well they sure as he!! help. There's nothing like a 3 run HR to turn a game around. We've got the guys that can do it but alas, there is the consitency problem. Sheffield has had a bunch of dinges this year but with 2 men on I doubt he has had too mnany. Ordonez, yes he is hitting .370, has not contributed with the long ball and like it or not, it has hurt. I'm not complaining about him but just stating a relevant fact. Monroe, well he just seems like he has lost his touch and Thames, as commenable as all his efforts are, are not chipping in enought to make this a dominant attack.
Miller is going to be OK and he will learn more up here than in Erie or Toledo.
Bonderman has to be the stopper tomorrow. He has the talent and the tools.
No question the team is struggling right now. It's a shame, as these guys are so good that this type of predictable swoon should not be so frequent.
I think the bulpen malaise is starting to infect the general team attitude.
I looked with envy at the Cardinals the other day and Percival wins his first but the other 3 guys who helped him all had ERAs under .300
I've seen the same kind of thing with a team like the Blue Jays. And Seattle--there are a lot of them.
The bullpen has stifled the club this year. If it isn't corrected you will undoubtedly see a deterioration of more than just blown saves--it will affect the whole team.
This is why teams win championships and lose them. every component has to be more than adequate. Poor base running, fielding , clutch hitting, starting, relieving are all factors and if one of them is brutal it can drag down the whole effort.
BTW--early in the game I was wondering why JL refuses to play small ball. Granderson on no out and Polanco hists into a DP. Why not sacrifice?
It's not as if Sheffield was coming up to hit a 3 run homer? Oops, maybe that wasn't such a good observation.
It didn't lose the game but it is an example of a team that is very one dimensional when it comes to offense.
I hope the guys can turn things around before this homestand is over. I plan on catching 2 or 3 games at Seattle and I want to rock the stadium with my Tiger Cheer.
I like Miller's future in the major leagues, but it is a FUTURE. I will say again that if this team is to pretend to contend then we can't afford a starter who is a work in progress. If the only thing that can be taken away by a rookie pitcher after a game is that he threw more offspeed stuff, then he is not ready for primetime. I don't mean this as a knock on him at all. After all, he is a kid. He pitched in a college world series a few months ago. That is a far cry from the majors. Durbin will be back in the starting rotation before the end of August. I just hope it isn't too late. As for the bull pen.... geesh! We have more problems down there than one can shake a stick at. Everything has fallen apart for certain. I like Jones, but as we have said here many times, he is no longer a closer. We have no Rodney of last year or Zumaya. Grilli is not handling the job, and half of the guys are on the DL for some reason. For the first time in awhile, I was disappointed with JL tonight. To insinuate that our guy s may be tired and looking forward to the break got to me a little. Um, the other teams haven't been playing the same number of games? I hope it was a case of a misinterpreted statement, because once a manager starts making excuses like that, the team will fold shortly. We still have a ways to go here.
I don't see how much of a break it will be if all these guys make the All-Star team, so looking forward to that is folly. I think JL is at present short on explanation. Aren't we all?
It's difficult to comment on a game I didn't get to see because it was BLACKOUT OUT (thank you MLB and Fox). I have the impression that Grilli has a tired arm and should go on the DL. They've given the Twins some extra outs too. The absence of Sheffield leaves a big hole in the offense. There's not much in the bullpen to stop anyone, and here's where Maroth would have helped.
At this point, I see them avoiding a sweep, as they did twice in April, with a hard fought Sunday win, then scrapping on through the Cleveland and Boston series, winning just enough to stay in the race. Then the break, then back on the road. This thing is going down to the wire again this year, but at least we won't be blowing a ten game lead. It won't be easy for any of the clubs involved, but this is how it goes. Having your team in a pennant race, while a great thing, can be very difficult. And there are no excuses.
Thats my point inconsistency??
And to me it isn't even the fact that the bull pen has blown games, because that is bad enough, but what to me the real sin is that they are not keeping us close, so they are not getting those late innning heroics like we did last year. It is one thing to come back from a run or two it is clearly another to comback from 4 or 5 down.
The bats have clearly cooled down they are not hitting against poor pitchers. You can almost get over Santana but Slowey and the dudes from Texas, that is inexcusable. After this week if they don't shape it up we could find ourselves 4, 5 or more games back. Not looking forward to this weeks.
"Tigers acquire Capellan from Brewers
Righty reliever adds depth to Detroit's depleted bullpen"
Why not just call up Lopez?
You gotta be kidding me! They give away a prospect like Cody for this? This is damage control at its worst.
Cody is young has given up 70 hits in 90+, 90+ strikeouts and only 15 walks all with a sub 2.00 ERA
All this potential for another potential Jose Mesa?
Prove me wrong DD but this deal is just plain pathetic.
Wow, during the Twins series? Couldn't this have been done in Washington rather than against the chief rivals for the division?
Well, I think we all saw that Sheff didn't throw that bat handle at Gibson. And the best point he's made is pointing out what those Tampa Bay rookies got away with last month. We all saw that too. As Bob Uecker says, "personally I think we got hosed on that call."
I found today's game to be very encouraging, in that we won in the manner we did it last year. Having the offense grind the opposition into dust is all well and good, but winning games like today's is what does the job.
I'm looking forward to both Durbin and Miner being in the pen. When they enter the game, I don't feel like everything's going south in a handbasket. My apologies to the other guys out there because I know they're busting it, but there's got to be some stability. Maybe we can start seeing that now. Maybe they can all get back into their roles, that would help a lot.
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Hmmm...
Since when are the Twinkies the cheif rival? What happened to Cleveland? Do you know something we don't?
As everyone knows releif is the big question mark for the Tigers. I agree with people who say that the Tigers have to stick with what they have. Hopefully, someone will start to really shine. Hopefully, Jones will continue to save most of the games he gets an opportunity to save.
It seems to me that closers get hit much more when they come in to a tie game. Not just Jones, but releivers in general. I don't have any hard stats on it, though. It's just that I always get a nervous feeling for a closer who comes into a tied game. And it seems like more often than not, they get hit.
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Yeah Rich, it was a good all-around victory. Jones did well and hopefully this has a carryover effect this time. After the June 1 meltdown against Cleveland Jones had a 1-2-3 outing the next game and the same pattern after the Washington letdown 10 days ago.
Sheff being down against the Twins isn't ideal and I am a bit surprised he took the "deal". I thought he might go through with the appeal but I am sure he had the ball team in mind when he made the decision.
Be nice to have a big left handed bat to put out there. Probably get Marcus one day and Omar the other. That being said JL might just cross us all up and have Neifi in there for two!
Durbin looked good again and would have left unscathed if he had covered the bag on the shot hit to Casey.
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I think that it is a bit odd that they waited this long to deal with Sheffield's suspension? It would of been much better if they would of gotten it over with in the naional league stops. I was thinking that myself and actually asked Pat Caputto about it, figuring that the league would try to hose us and do it during series that really mattered a lot. And I really think that it stinks that the catcher from the Mets only got 2 games and Sheffield was handed down with 3?? Whatever conspiracy???
Was at the game today, and thank the baseball gods that we finally got a win. Going to games this year my record is not good we have only won 2 of the 7 that I have attended. Even my 94 year old Grandmother (a rabid Tiger fan) told me to stay away, she called me just to tell me that. Anyway will be at the game tomorrow night was well, will be tough with Santana on the mound, but Justin should do great as well. GO TIGERS
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Steve, what I know is that the Twins are there every year and I'll expect them again. If Cleveland stays in the race then I'll be wrong. I'm wrong a lot. :-) I've noticed the same thing about closers and tie games, but I don't have hard stats either. Does seem that way though, doesn't it?
Dan, when Durbin failed to cover the bag I swore that this is the last time I ever compliment these guys on playing mistake free ball. Look at what's happened since I did.
Now GK, your 94-year old grandma told you to stay away but you went anyway??? I'm ashamed of you. :-) Enjoy the game, should be a beauty. I'm going to see Bill Cosby at Wolf Trap but I'm DVRing the game. I hope to be home in time to watch it. I don't want to miss Verlander-Santana, says the guy who missed the no-hitter.
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With a series against the Twins you have to wonder, especailly when Santana is scheduled to pitch (he did hit a HR off him this season). Maybe he needs a couple days off.
Better now then during the Indians series...
http://theorphan.mlblogs.com
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Please let Sheff know that all his fans KNOW he didn't throw the bat at the ump. No matter what it's all about, let's just get out there and show them what the Tiger's are made of. I'm praying for good health for all the boys. Play ball and have fun!!!
GO TIGERS!!
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From MLB Rumors:
"Gagne/Otsuka Suitors
Teams are lining up to pluck away the top two members of the Rangers' bullpen, and Jon Daniels is in "listening mode."
MLB.com's T.R. Sullivan has the scoop: the Diamondbacks, Cubs, Red Sox, and Yankees are the top suitors for Eric Gagne. The Mets, Braves, Phillies, Tigers, and Brewers are focused on Akinori Otsuka. And the Tribe likes both relievers.
Benefits of Gagne: he can be unhittable and he'll give you two good draft picks after the season. Plus he seems to be finally healthy. The Indians, despite their interest, are not on Gagne's list of 12 teams he can be dealt to without his consent.
The benefit of Otsuka is that you have him through 2009. That's why the Rangers are more likely to hang on to him. Conversely, a team like the Mets would prefer him because he's not a rental.
"
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I prefer Gagne. He can actually be unhitable, still.
Oksuta is a little long in the tooth and he would be a setup man--somewhat redundant if Rodney and Zumaya are healthy returnees.
Gagne has indicated that he will only go to a team that commits to him as a closer. That don't bother me none!
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Kind of a rough start for Verlander tonight so far---granted its only with Bartlett with Castillo on as I speak.
I see Inge is out of the lineup. Ouch!
Let's get a DP here boys.
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Geez--I guess we were getting so used to excellence with Verlander. He could have been out of this inning with the foul pop 3 rows back then the dP ball bobbled by Guillen. This is not the team to play poorly against. They will grind you down and spit you out if you give them the chance. Compunding things is both their big guns are playing again--Morneau and Mauer.
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The key for JV tonight is throwing strikes. He threw more balls than strikes in the first (tight strike zone noted) and he is going to need to establish control of the strike zone. These pesky Twins will make life miserable for a pitcher who is struggling with control.
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I'm surprised that Granderson got the start against this dominating lefty. I figured Infante tonight.
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Well that was an ugly 1st inning for the Tigs. It's hard to tell for sure but listenting to Dickerson and Price but it sounds like the umping was disparate, to see the least, between how things were called for the Twins and how they were called for the Tigers.
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Weird game. JV walks 3 then gives up a tater to Mauer.. Game over.
Well-- all we have to look forward to now is Guillen getting a RBI before the night is through.
This game is a loss and you can't fault a team for losing to a guy like Santana BUT, I think it was a mistake to play Granderson. You just knew Santana is gonna eat him up. what's the point? He's too young to do that to. He carries these bad games with him into the next one. He needs to be cultivated and though he needs to see a few lefties to learn his craft, I think that when you face this guy--you give him a rest.
Unfortunate we are without Sheff for 2 games after this loss. Makes it a very difficult thing to take the series. Verlander was due for a less than stellar outing. He has been terrific.
Oh well, at least we won't be let down by the bullpen tonight!
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I guess de la Cruz is not quite ready yet.
Hopefully, that's out of their system.
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As far as I am concerend tonight the Detroit Tigers owe me money, with $20 dollars for parking, $56 dollars for tickets, $8.50 for a beer and another $15 in food they us about $90. The should give all 42,000 or so fans in the stadium a refund. How pathetic was that game, the only bright spot of the whole game was Polanco's homerun. What is their deal with home Friday night games, or home games period?? They literally have stunk in all but 2 of the 8 games that I have gone to this year. And great next week I'll see them get killed by the Red Soxs.
I will be waiting for my refund check in the mail?? Can you tell that I am ticked??o
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Yeah it looks like it was a pretty bad one tonight. Gk - your record seems to be 2-6. I'm beginning to think maybe you shouldn't go to the games. How about taking that luck on the road and instead go to Cleveland's games-that'll help us out! j/k! Missed the game tonight because I had to work late. Probably a good thing. Hopefully the guys shine tomorrow and Sunday, even with Sheff being out.
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That was awful. I mean the 9th inning... Finish the game, win or lose.
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If this was Little League, the Tigers would be taking laps around the field til they were winded.
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Okay, I didn't have to watch very long to know how that one was going to turn out.
There's an old maxim in baseball (it's an old sport and has accumulated a large number of old maxims) that says "over the course of a season you win 50, you lose 50, and the other 50 are up for grabs" or something to that effect. Tonight's was definitely in the "lose 50" category so I'm writing it off. It's what you do in the "up for grabs" category that makes or breaks a season. Yeah I know, I'm the Master of the Obvious.
Personally I prefer a season like this one over last year. By that I mean running away to a 76-36 record then stumbling through the remainder. As things got bad last August and September, there was a terrible wailing and gnashing of teeth (doesn't gnashing of teeth sound really really awful?) on this board and many others in Tigerland.
But enough philosophy. :-) Didn't tonight's umpire come equipped with a large number of strike zones? I mean, this guy had a different strike zone for every guy who came up there. It was a really amazing feat when you think about it. He must keep a spreadsheet to keep all the various zones assigned to the correct hitters and pitchers. You've got the "Granderson letter high strike to put him in the hole" zone, the "Ordonez ankle high strike three zone that also fools Punto" zone, not to mention the "let's get McClendon booted" zone. You could make a TV series out of all those strike zones, then run it in syndication for years.
That brings me to another old baseball maxim, the one that says "an umpire is good for 50 games, bad for 50 games.....etc."
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I thought I would wake up with a bit better attitude, but I didn't. I know that they are not going to win every single game, and I know that the chances get less when you face a guy like Santana. Believe me going down to the game, I knew that it wasn't going to be easy. And losing a game is one thing playing like your defeated is another.
Now I cannot call strikes and balls at the stadium, off to the side, but the guy sitting next to me said the guys on the radio were even complaining about its inconsistency. But on the other hand Twins managed to get some hits and walks or was it that is was a favorable strike zone for them and not the Tigers?? Actually I did TIVO the game, but I was too mad to watch it and deleted it.
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It's these kind of games where you regret having your 2 and 3 run homer offense missing in action. It's bottom of 4 now--it's time to get this rookie, lets go guys.
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Cannot blame this one on hitting (maybe untimely hitting) but they actually out hit the Twins. It was the starting pitching again. Yes, Grilli gave up a homer but this game was lost long before that.
Everyone keeps talking about this Miller being the next coming of Cy Young and frankly everyone was so anxious to get him up into the bigs but I am not sure that I think he is ready, He basically has one pitch and they were teeing up on the kid. I think that it is too much too soon and he only did well against national league teams that were scuffling. I hope that they don't ruin him. And I am not just saying that because he lost today, I have been saying it all along.
I think that this team have been very unpredictable all year and I think unlike others that we are lucky only to be .5 (soon to be 1.5 out CC is pitching tonight). I think this team has the ability to be good but they are not right now and to me really haven't been all year. I still love them and will be there rooting for them every step of the way, but I certianly feel like I am in a position like last August and September of last year. Were I am just hoping that other teams lose because I don't have faith that we can win against constistently right now.
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Hello TiBloggers;
This game was blacked out for me, so I listened to audio and watched gameday. With the Twins, you can almost sense a loss, even with a Rookie pitching for them. We could easily lose the next 7 games, and might just as easily win them. The offense has died over the past seven games; we didn't set the woods afire, even in Atlanta. It seems like a critical walk or error is changing the dynamics of each game to the Tigers disadvantage. Ordonez is due for a cooldown, and whereas last year, Monroe stepped up, he's basically stepping to nowhere. Our lineup is still too right hand bat oriented. Notice all of the trouble the Texas left handed batters gave us. Remember, I told you not to worry so much about Inge, and without him today, you have several cold bats trying to fill in. If Monroe and Thames are going to be in the lineup together, they should bat as far apart as possible. It is time for Grilli to go; we cannot be behind, four runs with four innings to go, and then have him give batting practice to our opponent. Right now, my confidence in this team is shaken, because we are only a .500 team at home. So what does home field advantage do for us? Finally, I am beginning to see that the injury to Zamaya created this domino effect of not playing very well as the month of June ends. Having said all of this, I love theTigers always.
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Some very good points. We do need a power LHB. No offense to Casey who is one of the more consistent players we have right now and his defense has bee no less than superb.
The team does struggle with consistency. Both at individual levels and on a collective level.
The lack of power was adressed today but the homers came at innocous times in the game. There have been recent games where a well timed blast would have been a serious blow. Some people say you don't need homers to win--well they sure as he!! help. There's nothing like a 3 run HR to turn a game around. We've got the guys that can do it but alas, there is the consitency problem. Sheffield has had a bunch of dinges this year but with 2 men on I doubt he has had too mnany. Ordonez, yes he is hitting .370, has not contributed with the long ball and like it or not, it has hurt. I'm not complaining about him but just stating a relevant fact. Monroe, well he just seems like he has lost his touch and Thames, as commenable as all his efforts are, are not chipping in enought to make this a dominant attack.
Miller is going to be OK and he will learn more up here than in Erie or Toledo.
Bonderman has to be the stopper tomorrow. He has the talent and the tools.
No question the team is struggling right now. It's a shame, as these guys are so good that this type of predictable swoon should not be so frequent.
I think the bulpen malaise is starting to infect the general team attitude.
I looked with envy at the Cardinals the other day and Percival wins his first but the other 3 guys who helped him all had ERAs under .300
I've seen the same kind of thing with a team like the Blue Jays. And Seattle--there are a lot of them.
The bullpen has stifled the club this year. If it isn't corrected you will undoubtedly see a deterioration of more than just blown saves--it will affect the whole team.
This is why teams win championships and lose them. every component has to be more than adequate. Poor base running, fielding , clutch hitting, starting, relieving are all factors and if one of them is brutal it can drag down the whole effort.
BTW--early in the game I was wondering why JL refuses to play small ball. Granderson on no out and Polanco hists into a DP. Why not sacrifice?
It's not as if Sheffield was coming up to hit a 3 run homer? Oops, maybe that wasn't such a good observation.
It didn't lose the game but it is an example of a team that is very one dimensional when it comes to offense.
I hope the guys can turn things around before this homestand is over. I plan on catching 2 or 3 games at Seattle and I want to rock the stadium with my Tiger Cheer.
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I like Miller's future in the major leagues, but it is a FUTURE. I will say again that if this team is to pretend to contend then we can't afford a starter who is a work in progress. If the only thing that can be taken away by a rookie pitcher after a game is that he threw more offspeed stuff, then he is not ready for primetime. I don't mean this as a knock on him at all. After all, he is a kid. He pitched in a college world series a few months ago. That is a far cry from the majors. Durbin will be back in the starting rotation before the end of August. I just hope it isn't too late. As for the bull pen.... geesh! We have more problems down there than one can shake a stick at. Everything has fallen apart for certain. I like Jones, but as we have said here many times, he is no longer a closer. We have no Rodney of last year or Zumaya. Grilli is not handling the job, and half of the guys are on the DL for some reason. For the first time in awhile, I was disappointed with JL tonight. To insinuate that our guy s may be tired and looking forward to the break got to me a little. Um, the other teams haven't been playing the same number of games? I hope it was a case of a misinterpreted statement, because once a manager starts making excuses like that, the team will fold shortly. We still have a ways to go here.
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I don't see how much of a break it will be if all these guys make the All-Star team, so looking forward to that is folly. I think JL is at present short on explanation. Aren't we all?
It's difficult to comment on a game I didn't get to see because it was BLACKOUT OUT (thank you MLB and Fox). I have the impression that Grilli has a tired arm and should go on the DL. They've given the Twins some extra outs too. The absence of Sheffield leaves a big hole in the offense. There's not much in the bullpen to stop anyone, and here's where Maroth would have helped.
At this point, I see them avoiding a sweep, as they did twice in April, with a hard fought Sunday win, then scrapping on through the Cleveland and Boston series, winning just enough to stay in the race. Then the break, then back on the road. This thing is going down to the wire again this year, but at least we won't be blowing a ten game lead. It won't be easy for any of the clubs involved, but this is how it goes. Having your team in a pennant race, while a great thing, can be very difficult. And there are no excuses.
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Thats my point inconsistency??
And to me it isn't even the fact that the bull pen has blown games, because that is bad enough, but what to me the real sin is that they are not keeping us close, so they are not getting those late innning heroics like we did last year. It is one thing to come back from a run or two it is clearly another to comback from 4 or 5 down.
The bats have clearly cooled down they are not hitting against poor pitchers. You can almost get over Santana but Slowey and the dudes from Texas, that is inexcusable. After this week if they don't shape it up we could find ourselves 4, 5 or more games back. Not looking forward to this weeks.
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"Tigers acquire Capellan from Brewers
Righty reliever adds depth to Detroit's depleted bullpen"
Why not just call up Lopez?
You gotta be kidding me! They give away a prospect like Cody for this? This is damage control at its worst.
Cody is young has given up 70 hits in 90+, 90+ strikeouts and only 15 walks all with a sub 2.00 ERA
All this potential for another potential Jose Mesa?
Prove me wrong DD but this deal is just plain pathetic.
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