August 24, 2007

  • Zoom Blinks First

    Have I mentioned that I HATE pitching duels? I didn’t even see this one on TV, but even Gameday was stressing me out. Basically, this game was the exact opposite of Wednesday, with the exception of the outcome. Wednesday, we had offense, but no pitching. Yesterday, we had pitching, but no offense. And another outstanding performance by Nate Robertson goes to waste, although this had to have been one of the more painful ones, cuz honestly, this had to have been his best outing of the year. At least, that’s the impression I got from Gameday. He was almost always ahead in the count, and he didn’t walk a single batter. Zumaya…not so much, although I do find it interesting how the commenters online treat him differently. When Jason Grilli gives up three runs, all their wrath descends on Grilli. However, if Zumaya gives up three runs, it’s Leyland who draws their ire. As for me, I can’t give you any insight, although the fact that it was an infield single (with two outs) that started the scoring and opened the floodgates for more is kind of a tough break.

     

    I’m a little torn as to what to say about the offense. For the most part, it looked to me like they just couldn’t get anything against Jake Westbrook. He only gave up five hits, all singles, and for the most part, they all came in different innings. Leyland tried the whole “manufacture runs” strategy (sacrifice bunts, and Magglio even stole a base), but nothing ever came of it. Yet, at the same time, they DID have nine hits, and they had a couple of opportunities late but didn’t cash in. Their best chance probably came in the bottom of the ninth, when Rabelo singled with one out and Brandon Inge walked. However, Ramon Santiago hit for himself and merely made an out, and then a lefty was brought in to face Curtis Granderson, with predictable results, and Pudge (who had been brought in to pinch-run for Rabelo) was left standing on second base. Perhaps bringing in Raburn to pinch-hit for either Santiago or Granderson would’ve been the better move, but what do I know? In the end, perhaps I’m just grateful that Magglio kept the extra-base hit streak alive, and Marcus Thames prevented the shutout. Meanwhile…Pudge, you’re killin’ me, man! I know everyone’s gonna be the final out of a game at one point or another, but I absolutely hate it when it’s Pudge, which is to be expected, I suppose, and after last night’s game, there were several people online calling for his head (not as many as Brandon Inge, but I’d say Pudge was second; now that Craig Monroe is gone, it seems that most people have moved onto either Inge or Pudge as their scapegoat, with the odd Casey-hater mixed in for good measure). However, based from what I saw on Gameday, he seemed to have a better approach this time. He took a couple of balls, and he didn’t swing at anything out of the strike zone. I mean, he ended up flying out to center field, but you can’t be more critical towards him for that than you would towards anybody else (and by the way, I saw a Pudge fan while I was at school today, so there’s still plenty of us out there who love him; don’t listen to those cynics on the weblogs). At any rate, the offense certainly hurts without a healthy Sheffield in the lineup, but there are other problems too. Granderson is now 5 for his last 40, and even Polanco’s in a bit of a mini-slump (3 for his last 20). The struggles of Brandon Inge have been well-documented by now, but here’s something interesting: He has not struck out in his last two games. He hasn’t gotten a hit in his last two games, either, but he has been putting the ball in play.

     

    Perhaps it’s just as well that I missed this game, and not just for the obvious reasons. Yesterday was probably the worst-sounding promotion I’ve ever heard of: the first however many fans received a Magglio Ordoñez cap complete with hair. Um…that’s wrong on so many levels. Also, Craig Monroe has been traded to the Cubs in exchange for that ubiquitous “player to be named later.” I’m kind of surprised that the Cubs picked him up. I expected it to be a non-contending team, but the Cubs are in a pennant race of their own. At any rate, I wish him well. Just not at the expense of the Tigers, of course. In other news, this article was on Yahoo yesterday, and I found it rather interesting, although it’s kind of a strange time of the season to be writing it (had more of an opening-day vibe, if you ask me). It’s a pretty positive article, although Pudge was a little snubbed in it. Everyone else got nice long paragraphs while he got a mere four sentences, only one of which was complimentary (though the blurb about Brandon Inge wasn’t that much more flattering). Finally, everyone’s still talking about that 30-3 win that Texas put up against Baltimore. I watched part of the game online, and the poor Baltimore TV guys just didn’t know what to say by the end of it. Apparently, the runs broke a franchise record for Texas (duh). The previous record came in a 26-7 win over Baltimore (once again; wow, Baltimore just gives it up to Texas, apparently) in 1996. Out of curiosity, I found the old box score, and the score was actually pretty close for most of the game, until the Rangers put up a 16-run eighth (holy crap). I kinda browsed the play-by-play, and Texas batted around twice in that inning (and there seemed to be a bunch of walks with the bases loaded). And yes, Pudge did play in that game (What, you thought I wasn’t gonna mention him?). He had an RBI triple in his first at-bat, flied out in his second at-bat, and then the next time he was due up he got lifted for a pinch-hitter (Texas’s backup catcher, whose name I don’t recognize). I don’t quite understand that move. Maybe if the Rangers had already blown it open, but the score was tied at that point, so…I’m confused. However, I shall not delve deeper into it, because I actually do have better things to do than contemplate moves in a game that was played over ten years ago.

     

    Since you’re all probably tired of the Indians right about now, how ‘bout having the Yankees come to town for a four-game set? Andrew Miller will come off the disabled list to start against Roger Clemens (so once again, he goes up against a big-time veteran). As I said a couple days ago, I watched Andrew Miller’s last rehab start with the Mud Hens on TV, and he looked VERY good. If he can turn in that kind of performance tonight, things’ll be golden on the pitching end of things. Meanwhile, Roger Clemens got very lucky in his last start against the Tigers, cuz he gave up ten hits, but never the clutch hit. Cameron Maybin may very well start tonight, cuz he homered off of Clemens last time. Meanwhile, Jim Leyland has said he’s gonna do that musical-chairs thing with the DH slot, so who will be the DH tonight is anyone’s guess. I’ll be at work 4-9, but I’ll try my best to follow the game.

     

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    One Year Ago: On August 24, 2006, neither the pitching nor the offense was working as the Tigers lost to the White Sox 10-0. Nate Robertson was banged up for all ten runs in 6 2/3 innings (and the only reason he stayed out so long was because the bullpen was taxed). Meanwhile, Curtis Granderson snapped an 0-for-21 slump by getting two hits, but the Tigers couldn’t get anything going against Jon Garland, who pitched a complete-game shutout. He only allowed six hits, all singles. Sean Casey had a rough night in particular. He hit a line drive right at Joe Crede, and it looked as though he caught it. The umpire and Crede certainly thought so, as did Casey, who started walking back to the dugout. However, the ball had sailed just over Crede’s glove and into left field, but by the time Casey realized it, Pablo Ozuna had gotten to it and was able to make the out before Casey could reach first base.

     

    2006 record: 81-47

    2007 record: 68-59