2006 Season

Series Wrap: Tigers at Orioles

At this point I don’t think I’m catching up on the Twins series recap – not because they lost, but because it just isn’t relevant anymore. I will use tonights rainout to get caught up on other items though, first and foremost is the current series wrap.

So the Tigers came into Baltimore facing a struggling team, and managed a split. While it seemed like the Tigers were in control of both games, letting one slip away, a quick glance at the stats shows the series to be pretty darn even.

Tigers Orioles
Wins 1 1
Offense
Runs 12 10
BA .282 .281
OBP .378 .382
SLG .479 .484
HR 3 4
SB/CS 0/2 0/0
Pitching
BB/9 5.3 5.5
K/9 6.4 9.0
ERA 3.71 6.00


The Tigers were out homered in an series. I can’t believe it was the first time, but I can’t believe it has happened very often either. The Tigers pitchers also had a hard time with the strike zone. I don’t know if this was a fundamental problem, or the pressures of trying to be too perfect in a hitters park.

Stuff of Note

  • All 3 homers that the Tigers hit came in the 7th inning. In fact, the Tigers reached base in 9 of 14 7th inning plate appearances (they also hit into a double play).
  • The Tigers got virtually no production from the 6th and 7th spots in the order. The two spots in two games accounted for 3 walks, 2 K’s, and a double play.
  • The Tigers got grief for stranding too many runners in the first game, but for the series they were 5 for 17 with runners in scoring position. Ten of the twelve runs came from at-bats with RISP. That’s actually not too shabby and good enough for a 294/368/706
  • Tiger relievers fanned 7 and walked 2 while the starters fanned 5 and walked 8.

Series Studs

  • Magglio Ordonez continued his hot road trip, but failed to homer in a 5th straight game. For the series he reached base in half his plate appearances and hit 375/500/875.
  • I couldn’t decide where to put Carlos Guillen. His two miscues contributed to the Tigers dropping a heartbreaker on Tuesday, but his bases loaded double that same night is what made the game close in the first place. That said, for the series he hit 667/778/833 and that qualifies as studly.
  • Jason Grilli only faced two hitters, but he did the job in a high leverage situation. He came in with a runner on second and one out in the sixth inning of a one run game. He picked up a strike out and ground out to get out of the inning.
  • While saving a game probably doesn’t reserve stud status, Todd Jones came back after blowing the Tigers first save of the year and in his subsequent outing pitched an uneventful 9th inning to preserve the win.

And those who struggled

  • Pudge was quite impressive with the glove in his debut at first, but he looked lost at the plate in both games. He fanned 4 times, and hit into a double play.
  • Dmitri Young was having serious strike zone recognition issues. He seemed to be swinging at pitches 6 to 8 inches outside, but taking pitches on the inside corner. Now it appears his leg isn’t better, and he may be headed back to the DL.
  • Fernando Rodney blew his first save oppotunity by allowing two solo homers. He pitched well enough to at least keep the game tied, were it not for one of Guillen’s errors.