PREGAME: The Tigers play their final home game against the White Sox and will be sending Nate Robertson out against Jon Garland.
Garland has turned in quality starts in 6 of his last 8 outings, so runs could be at a premium. Then again, Robertson has a string of 4 straight quality starts so hopefully the White Sox won’t exactly have an easy of day it either.
Game Time 1:05pm.
POSTGAME: That was a good old fashioned thumping. Any time you’re looking at a 5-7-3 out, it’s probably a bad sign. At least it is hard to pin this one on Neifi Perez. Another positive sign is that slumping Curtis Granderson picked up 2 hits.
Yes this game today wasn’t fun. A 7.5 game lead would have been a lot more comfortable, and a series win would have been nice. But at the same time the White Sox played 4 games with a chance to gain on the Tigers, but in the end they are right where they were at the beginning of the series – but with less games left on the schedule.
The pennant race is a new experience for Tiger fans. The day-in-day-out is proving to be a grind from a fan’s point of view. Yet there are still 6 weeks of season left. I don’t like the losing or the way the team has been struggling. My mechanism for coping will be to try and relish the anguish and excitement because this team is finally playing those “meaningful games” at the end of the season.
Playoff atmosphere today…a little chilly (compared to the summer heat), overcast. I’m sitting in a VERY air-conditioned computer room and it FEELS like October. NATE ROCKS!
Rain delay!?!
Dang. You’d think Dye was in the running for MVP. This guy kills us.
Must be getaway day.
Yeah this one looks finished.
Wow. Awesome day for Nate. I guess he’s gonna stay out there for the complete game 20-0 loss.
That’s what I call a sloow field.
Yeah glad Leyland rested Zumya yesterday right? Yesterday was the game to take but I guess Colby Lewis felt right to leyland. Forget computers and Google goggle mumbo jumbo! I like Nefi! he feels right!
I wonder if Jim is due for another outburst?
I am heading to a game in Sept. from out of town. What is a good hotel to stay in, within walking distance to the park?
Joe, I stayed in the GM building (formerly the Renaissance Center) last time I was there, and the price was actually fairly reasonable. You should check into that. Short walk over to the field.
I just got tickets to all 11 (possibly 11) playoff games. Please please please don’t tank it, Tigers!
If Neifi goes 1 for 16 in his first four games, does it qualify as a “slump” or “on fire.”?
Free Omar Infante!
I lustily second that: free Omar Infante!
I third that!
Suffering succotash the Thigers thucked today! Gtheesh. It’s one thing to get beat, its another to take it.
Awesome management of this team the past two days. Maybe Leyland was checking out all the goo-goo love for him on Sportsline after we took the first two.
Neifi rulezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
and I thought I’d be happy to take two. I would have been if we hadn’t lost the fourth one 10-0!
Let’s face it. The Tigers are about a .500 baseball team right now. There are tons of holes in the team right now. You’re not allowed to go to the post season and win with players like Neifi Perez, Sean Casey, and Brandon Inge on your team. For all of Inge’s glove heroics this year, he has been horrific with the bat.
The Yankees are going to spank us, and we deserve it. If we don’t beat up on Cleveland we are in serious trouble…
I 4th that – free Omar Infante. Perez is unjustifiable.
I agree. this series with the Indians is a must sweep. Our chances against the yankees = slim and none. This alone proves that moves should have been made before the deadline. If we were serious we would have done what it took to compete with the yankees. You can call it doom and gloom but its the truth.
Perhaps we should start a “Free Omar” Petition.
Jim leyland needs to get a clue on how to manage. Base on balls, walks and working counts are how WINNING TEAMS succeed. Secondly, when playing the top teams in your division maximize your bullpen. The pitchers have the whole off season to rest
I agree completely – – gotta free Infante. Had a chance to watch the Oneonta Tigers last night. Feel sorry for the conditions they have to play in there, but it is a VERY old park. Spoke to Brookens after the game and he said to watch for Ott (ss), Boesch(rf) and Jensen 6′ 7″ sidearm (rp).
oops, my bad. Sizemore is listed as the regular SS and is who I think Brookens was referring to. Ott has been playing lately and I think Sizemore was getting some time in CF.
Updated August records:
Detroit 11-12 .478
Chicago 13-10 .565
Twins 13-9 .591
I have been holding my tongue the last two days trying to remain positive. Here it goes. After Tuesday the Tigers had a chance, by winning one more game, to send the Whites Sox out of town questioning who was the better team. Chance squandered. Today was a good old fasioned butt kicking, however what was Leyland doing leaving Nate in there to get pummled. He obviously didn’t have his stuff. It’s one thing to get rolled and leave after the first two or three innings. I’m sure leaving him in helped build confidence for his next start… right Jim.
Last night (WED) was the game. This was a playoff caliber game on the importance scale. Leyland man…, strike that, mismanaged the game like it was spring training. When you have the chance to BURY them bring out the guns. I also think the offense plays better in the late innings when those guys are out there.
I have to say they have messed with the Synergy of this team with Nefi, and taking Thames and Infante out of the mix.
I am angry, not for myself but for the guys who have busted their rear ends all year. They deserve the games to be better managed than what they are getting out of coach Jim.
I don’t think they are through, but lets get back to what and who were winning games for us.
A few final words. Curtis need to move out of the top spot. Please play Thames more, and……..
FREE OMAR INFANTE
I actually didn’t watch today’s game. I thought it was an evening game….. I don’t feel so bad….. So did Leyland.
Bilfer
This is a great site… here’s to you. Out here in California people pay $200 an hour for group therapy……
Relax Tiger fans…there are 34 games left.
If the Tigers go 17-17, the White Sox have to go 23-12 to pass them. That is playing at a phenomenal pace. The Tigers have 6 more games with the Royals, 3 with the Mariners, 1 with the Orioles, and 3 with the Indians. So 17 wins shouldn’t be to difficult.
By the way the Mariners, repeat, the Mariners are hangin well with the Yanks. We might be just fine.
Course, that series will be in NY where that lineup is primed for the ridiculously shallow RF fence they have at Yankee Stadium.
Bilfer, you are right. As much as I have been gripping, this is the best thing since the before Lou or Trammell retired. I’ve not yet turned my attention college football (as per every fall), and that, despite my love for the Hawkeyes, is somehow refereshing.
Is this pennant race exciting? Yes. Did the last two games feel like you got kicked in the gut (or perhaps groin)? Yes.
I quit listening to the game after the White Sox went up 5-0 against the punchless kitties. The Rolling Stones song ‘I Can’t Get No Satisfaction’ keeps rolling through my head. After winning the first 2 games of the series it became ours for the taking.
Instead, we drop the next two games with the last game being a statement game by the White Sox basically telling the Tigers – “We own you, our field, your field – it doesn’t matter.”
Sox are going to be playing Tampa Bay when we are facing the Yankees. Things are gonna get real tight in the standings. How will the Tigers respond?
Oh yeah, FREE OMAR. Hope that catching prospect we traded doesn’t go on to have a Hall of Fame career. I have not seen much upside to this trade yet. No matter how good you are defensively, if you can’t score any freakin’ runs you just won’t win ballgames. Duh.
A couple times folks mentioned “Jim.” It took me a while to realize they were talking about Leyland, not me.
Anyway, the hotel in Detroit you’re talking about is the Mariott and the building is still the Renaissance Center (I happen to work there). It is also the GM World HQ, OnStar HQ, etc. But it is NOT walking distance to Comerica Park. There is a people mover, which is like the EL in Chicago or other cities, an elevated train, that you can ride for 50 cents that puts you a couple blocks away from the park. That’s not bad if the weather is nice. The good part about that would be you would only see nice parts of the city. Detroit has it’s share of slums, but downtown (RenCen area) and the entertainment district (where Comerica Park is) are both very nice areas. A little area called Greektown sits inbetween. It has great restaurants and casinos.
Is Omar the new Tom Brookens?
“If the Tigers go 17-17, the White Sox have to go 23-12 to pass them. That is playing at a phenomenal pace. The Tigers have 6 more games with the Royals, 3 with the Mariners, 1 with the Orioles, and 3 with the Indians. So 17 wins shouldn’t be to difficult.”
That is the thing about this race that keeps me calm. If you just watch Game by game – it is a roller coster.
To add a layer to you math, Even if the Sox do pull out that amazing feet, the Twins will have to do it as well for the Tigers to not make the play-off as the wild card.
Keep in mind the Twins/Sox have six games left against each other, so it is impossible for both to make up ground at the same time.
As my wise father once said, it is better to be up 5.5 games that down 5.5 games. He is such a wise man.
BTW – who is everyone rooting for in the Twins/Sox game? If you are gunning for the Central title – You got to be pulling for the Twins. However – If you are gunning for the tigers to at least make the playoffs, My gut say go for the Sox. If the twins tank, you are leaving it up to a two way race for two slots.
Some perspecting from our friends at http://www.redscuttingedge.com:
August 24, 1976 at Riverfront Stadium
Cardinals 4, Reds 1 (80-47)
The Cardinals handed the Reds their second straight loss as Pete Falcone held the Reds to only five hits.
Of course, Cinci swept the Yanks in 4 straight. Not to say that the Tigers will win the series, of course, but even great seasons have their holes – their moments of doubt.
Right now, the smart $ is on the Mets, but I’m pulling with all my heart for the Tigers.
Here goes…
We all got caught up in the hot start and the 110-win paces of this team. The Tigers will make the playoffs, but they aren’t one of the best teams in baseball – the Yankees and the Mets are.
Us Tigers fans have been spoiled/lucky this summer. We should accept this season as an unreserved success, even if they struggle into the playoffs and get bounced in the Wild Card round.
Good posting on Knobler’s blog:
CLEVELAND — Five weeks ago, Craig Monroe hit his grand slam, Marcus Thames rolled Tadahito Iguchi and the Tigers had two straight dramatic wins over the White Sox.
Only 67 games remained on the schedule, and Tiger fans felt pretty good about the biggest lead of the season:
Five and a half games.
Today, after one of the Tigers’ worst games of the year, Tiger fans are concerned. The lead is shrinking. With 34 games still to play, the Tigers lead by:
Five and a half games.
http://www.mlive.com/tigers/weblog/index.ssf?/mtlogs/mlive_tigers/archives/2006_08.html#175791
I’m trying to keep this swoon in perspective.At the start of this season,I would have been thrilled with 81-81.The playoffs,frankly,were unthinkable.For whatever reason,a mediocre ballclub caught a wave and rode it to the best record in MLB,so that now just playing .500 baseball should put them in the playoffs.They’re still in a good position to win their division,and I just don’t see the White Sox,Twins,and Red Sox catching them for the wild-card (check out the upcoming schedules for the other contenders).And oh yeah-free Omar Infante!
Kevin and Marshall in DC,
Wise entry and well reasoned posts.
Dan – all championship teams were .500 teams at some point in the season. No team consistently wins 6.5/10 games steadily through 162 games.
Finally, please add me to the list who think Infante deserves more credit than he’s getting.
Anyone know the latest on when Palanco’s supposed to be back?
adr (also in DC)
Dan, knock Perez all you want, but leave Inge alone. He’s sixth among regular AL third basemen in sluggling pct.–ahead of Beltre, Blalock, Chavez, and Mora. I’ll take that production from a #9 hitter who’s played as well as anyone defensively this year.
Fair enough Kyle. I get down on Inge when he looks lost at the plate. When he is lost he is LOST. It’s terrible to watch. The glove has saved us at least a dozen runs so far.
Jim (you Jim, not Leyland), The Rec Cen is not walking distance to Comerica Park? It’s maybe a mile, tops. Is that too far to walk? Wild guess – you live in the suburbs…
“The smart $ is on the Mets”?
It may well play out that way, but I don’t know if you can call it smart $ (haven’t checked the odds).
Remember what teams the Mets have piled up all those victories against. Hint: they don’t play in the AL, never mind the AL Central.
The best any team in the NL East did interleague was 9-9 (and that wasn’t the Mets).
Re: the Mets, BP says they’re only the 8th best team in baseball based on third order wins (adjusting for quality of opponents).
http://www.baseballprospectus.com/statistics/standings.php
They may the be the favorite to win the WS at this point, but only because their path to get there will be substanially easier than any of the AL’s teams.
Right now I have to take the evil empire Yankees to win. The Mets don’t even have the best record in baseball … and they play in the NL. They’ve been cruising in that league but they haven’t cakewalked it, and they will find someone who can play them tough in the playoffs, that much i’m confident of. And when/if they make it to the World Series, they’ll be looking at an AL team a lot tougher than any team they’ve played in months.
For sure the offense is slumping, but what really drives me crazy are the 0-2 counts that some of the Tigers pitchers turn into walks or homers after a few balls. Those guys should just throw their best pitch even if it is the early innings.
Free Omar!
Sign the petition to free omar!
http://www.petitiononline.com/freeomar/petition.html