Dmitri Young has been place on the disabled list. Whether or not it was his quad or his other issues limiting him, he needs time to get himself right.
Jack Hannahan will get his first major league taste in Young’s place. Hannahan is 26, bats left handed, and spent the bulk of his minor league career as a solid defensive third basemen. This year he’s been playing several infield positions. He’s had a solid year at the plate hitting 282/390/412.
In the Detroit News Tiger notebook, Tom Gage points out that the Royals had a better OBP than the Tigers in May. I disagree with Gage’s take on the situation. Instead of opining that this is a glaring indication that despite the Tigers success there are still opportunities for improvement, Gage uses this information to downplay the relevancy of the statisitic.
Yes, you can get buy with a sub average OBP if you slug the bejesus out of the ball and allow a run a game less than every other team in the league. As long as you keep up those other paces, a weak OBP probably won’t be a problem. But really, do we expect to keep up those stats at the rate they are going now?
Jim Leyland also downplays OBP’s significance
“I’m not saying on-base percentage isn’t important,” manager Jim Leyland said. “It’s definitely important. But my question about a guy when I hear he has a great on-base percentage is whether he scores runs.
“If a guy walks, but can’t steal a base, can’t score on a double, can’t score on a sacrifice fly and can’t go on contact with a man on third and the infield in, that’s not good. So there’s a lot more that goes into it than merely getting on base a lot.”
So a good OBP is useless unless you’re fast?
Lost in that is the fact that with a higher on base percentage, you are making fewer outs – which is a good thing. The fewer outs you make, the more men you send to the plate, the more scoring chances you have, the more the pitcher has to work…
I have to say I’m a little discouraged to read comments like these.
Toledo – DNP
Erie 6, Harrisburg 2
Kurt Airoso hit a homer and walked twice. Brent Clevlen was 0-3, but with 2 walks. Tony Giarratano added a triple, a single, and his 12th stolen base. Nate Bumstead went the distance for Erie. He fanned 6, walked 3, and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits.
Palm Beach 4, Lakeland 3
Kevin Whelan, who started the season so fast, couldn’t find the plae. He walked 4 while retiring one and 3 runners scored. It wasted a spectacular effort by Jair Jurrgens. Jurrgens went 7 innings and fanned 10 while walking none. Jeff Larish provided the offense with a double and 2 singles.
South Bend 4, West Michigan 0
The Whitecaps only managed 4 hits. They did receive a strong a 4 hit effort from Lucas French. French lasted 8 innings, walking 3 and striking out 2 to allow 2 earned runs.
The Tigers first interleague series of the year certainly wasn’t lacking in drama. After a rough outing by Jeremy Bonderman on Friday, the Tigers pieced together a couple of late inning rallies to secure back-to-back one run victories. What’s more is that they did it in front of 100,000+ enthusiastic fans.
| Reds | Tigers | |
| Wins | 1 | 2 |
| Offense | ||
| Runs | 15 | 12 |
| BA | .218 | .279 |
| OBP | .319 | .324 |
| SLG | .446 | .413 |
| HR | 4 | 3 |
| SB/CS | 1/0 | 1/2 |
| Pitching | ||
| BB/9 | 2.0 | 4.2 |
| K/9 | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| ERA | 3.71 | 4.82 |
PREGAME The Tigers head out on the road again for a 4 game set against the Royals. The game isn’t on TV which means Justin Verlander is pitching for Detroit. It is his first appearance against the Royals. Jeremy Affeldt takes the ball for the beleagured Royals.
They have lost 9 in a row, and found themselves visitors in their own stadium when St. Louis came to town. Royals fans – at least those that remain – are imploring owner David Glass to do something, or anything for that matter. It’s only been a couple years since the Tigers were in the same position, and I think all Tiger fans can empathize.
While a sweep is certainly possible, it probably isn’t likely. For one thing, it’s tough to beat a team 4 times in a row (and 8 on the season). For another, its hard for a team to drop 13 in a row.
POSTGAME: Justin Verlander throws a complete game, 5 hit shut out. Nobody has scored on Verlander since May 10th. I believe that only 7 balls reached the outfield the entire game. I know that Jon Papelbon is the early favorite for ROY, but Verlander has to be a very close second right now.
The oddity of the game had to be contact expert Placido Polanco recording 3 strike outs. What made it stranger is that the rest of the strike out prone team only managed one.
After spending a couple days at Tiger games this weekend, and 5 for the season, I’ve noticed some changes around the ballpark.
Continue reading The Comerica Park Experience
Columbus 6, Toledo 1
With only four singles for the Hens, there aren’t really any offensive highlights. Chad Durbin went 7 innings, fanning 6 and walking none. However he allowed two homers and 6 runs.
Erie 3, Reading 1 11 innings
Chris Maples and Mike Rabelo both homered for Erie. Brent Clevlen struck out 4 times in 5 ABs. Brian Jones threw 6 scoreless innings to drop his ERA to 1.69.
Lakeland 2, Palm Beach 1 (10 innings)
Jef Larish hit a homer in the 9th inning to tie the game. It was his 6th of the year. Kevin Ardoin went 7 innings without an earned run. He allowed 6 hits and no walks while K’ing 6. Kevin Whelan got the save while allowing a walk and fanning one.
South Bend 4, West Michigan 1
Burke Badenhop had rough outing. He allowed 10 hits and 3 walks while only lasting 5 2/3 innings. Josh Rainwater came on in relief and allowed 3 runs and 7 hits in 3 1/3 innings. Pedro Cotto picked up two more hits and is now hitting .333. Dusty Ryan hit his second homer this week.
PREGAME The Tigers look to repeat last night’s drama, and hopefully there will be a repeat of a full house as well. I’m off to the game…
POSTGAME: I typically appreciate a fast moving pitchers duel. That goes double when I take a 3 year old and a 5 year old. I love spending an afternoon or evening as much as anyone, and I usually don’t care to rush the event. However, a fast moving game with the little ones (especially the littler one) is a beautiful thing.
Nate Robertson continues to walk people, but he did everything else right today. Amazingly, despite the 5 walks he protected the shut out without the benefit of the double play.
Once again the Tigers put on a good show for a pretty full house. The crowd of 31,000+ was very engaged and enthusiastic. It’s fun being a Tiger fan again.
Columbus 4, Toledo 3 (11 innings)
Jack Hannahan hit his 4th homer, and Ryan Raburn added two more hits. On another note, Carlos Pena hit two homers for Columbus. Alex Herrera walked 3 and fanned 3 in 3 innings. Mark Woodyard followed with 3 innings of 1 run ball (on a Pena homer). Chris Spurling continues to pitch well allowing a hit and walk in 2 scoreless innings.
Erie 2, Reading 1
Erie had two hits. One was a Mike Rabelo homer. The other was a Chris Maples double. Preston Larrison pitched a complete game (7 innings in minor league double headers). He allowed 5 hits while fanning 6 and walking 2.
Erie 3, Reading 0
Brent Clevlen continues to struggle with another 0 fer. Eulogio De La Cruz got a rare start, and pitched 4 shut out innings. He allowed 4 hits, no walks, and no strikeouts.
Lakeland 7, Palm Beach 3
It was a good day for several L-Tiger prospects. Clete Thomas tripled and walked. Chris Robinson added two more hits. Jeff Larish doubled and walked. Wilkin Ramirez homered. Andrew Kown went 7 innings allowing only 4 hits and fanning 5. His ERA now stands at 1.64.
West Michigan 4, South bend 3 – 7th inning in rain delay
Dusty Ryan hit his first homer of the season. Erik Averill struck out 6 in 6. He walked 3 and allowed 3 runs.
Put me in coach
I’m ready to play, today
Put me in coach
I’m ready to play
Today
Look at me
I can be
Centerfield
So prior to the series we hear the stories about how Curtis Granderson idolized Ken Griffey Jr. and how excited he was for the series. It made for nice filler, with the promising young centerfielder having a chance to go head-to-head with his Hall of Fame bound hero.
However Curtis didn’t get the start tonight. Meanwhile, he got in the game as a defensive replacement to see Junior launch a moonshot grand slam over his head to put the Reds up a run. And then it just had to be Granderson up with 2 outs in the 9th and his team down a run. And Granderson just had to hit the home run.
You can’t script stuff like this, and it’s just another example of all the subplots and stories that make baseball, and really all sports so damn compelling.
PREGAME: Milton versus Maroth. That’s all I have time for tonight.
POSTGAME: Well that was a pretty good show in front of the 4th largest crowd in Comerica history. I’m having a hard time organizing my thoughts on this game so I’m going bullet form:
Norfolk 3, Toledo 2
Ryan Raburn continues a recent surge with two hits. David Espinosa also had two hits, including his second homer. Wil Ledezma allowed four hits in 7 1/3 innings, but hasn’t quite resolved his control issues since his DL stint. He walked 4 and fanned 4.
Erie – PPD rain
Lakeland 3, Palm Beach 1
Jeff Frazier had two hits, as did Chris Robinson. Dallas Trahern allowed one hit and 3 walks in 5 1/3 innings with 4 strike outs. Kevin Whelan picked up the save despite allowing a walk and a hit.
West Michigan 4, Peoria 3
Matt Joyce doubled and homered. Michael Hollimon doubled and walked. Sendy Vasquez fanned six and allowed 3 runs (2 earned) in 6 innings. Ricky Steik pitched two scoreless innings and Orlando Perdomo notched his 12th save. Perdomo fanned two in an inning sof work.