What I still don’t understand is how Michael Cuddyer was able to run 270 feet in the time it took Ordonez to get the ball and throw home.

That one’s easy: Maggs didn’t budge an inch until he saw the ball go by Omar. I know it’s different in the bigs, but I’ve played a lot of rightfield and I always have a play on that runner at third simply because I don’t assume that the infielder will make the play.

Then, after about three beers, it all came clear. Baseball enlightenment. I’m going to sit back, stay positive, and enjoy one of the most startling baseball stories of all time: the 06 Tigers.

Amen, brother!

Dombrowski let the team down big time and failed to do the right trade before the deadline…this team needed a disciplined hitter who can produce a lot of RBIs and we didn’t get one.

Who? At what price?

Billfer, can you set your spam filter to screen out any vague posts about the deadline? j/k

1st off the Guillen call was correct!

He never had control of the ball. If you watch the ball comes out of his glove BEFORE the xfer.

I disagree. It appeared that the ball was firmly in his glove when he turned around an slammed his foot on the base. Then it looked like he tried to flick the ball to his hand and missed.

How about no move at all?

Casey: 122 AB, .230/.266/.320

N. Perez: 40 AB, .150/.209/.150

They were both relatively inexpensive moves that added depth. You can debate the amount of playing time they’ve received, but the moves themselves weren’t bad.

You may argue that those calls didn’t cost us the game, but I’ve played and been on the spitty end of bad calls and I can tell you that I don’t perform well when it seems the ump is against you.

That’s a perception problem that I hope major leaguers are able to overcome. The umpiring was bad, but that’s just how life is. It’ll all balance out in the end.

If there’s any justice this team will miss the playoffs. They are clearly not one of the 4 best teams in the American League. This will be one of the biggest collapses in the history of baseball.

Wow. It must be hard going through life as such a pessimist. As bad as they’ve struggled, they still have the best record in the AL and the best ERA in the majors (quite a feat for an AL team). Maroth and Guillen are back. Polanco should be back soon. It’s very conceivable that this team could rattle off 10 straight and put this thing away. Will it happen? I have no idea, but you can be sure I’ll be at just about every home game between now and November.

1st off the Guillen call was correct!

He never had control of the ball. If you watch the ball comes out of his glove BEFORE the xfer. I hate to admit it, because I was screaming at the TV, but upon reviewing it further, the ump made the right call.

2nd Don’t give up yet:

The pitching has been very good. Pitching wins in October. Our offense is not as bad as they have been playing the last 2 weeks. We need to wake up the sticks and then we will be fine.

-Sam

This season aint done yet!!!!!

One other observation from today’s game, which I actually got to watch for once: I hate to knock a guy who has contributed a lot this year, but have you ever seen a player with less command of the strike zone than Curtis Granderson? It’s like he decides before the at bat, “OK, I’m swinging at the first, third, and fifth pitches and taking the second and fourth, regardless of where any of those pitches are actually thrown.”

Casey: 122 AB, .230/.266/.320

N. Perez: 40 AB, .150/.209/.150

In Dombrowski’s defense, the Casey acquisition seemed like a good idea at the time…

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But here’s another thing about tonights game that I’m surprised nobody brought up…the umpires. Late in the game they got 2 very bad calls against them. That catch/error by Guillen was clearly an out, then a transfer error. That umpire should send an apology to Guillen for that one, but then in the top of the next inning Casey was called out looking on a pitch at the armpits. That hasn’t been a strike since the late 60s. You may argue that those calls didn’t cost us the game, but I’ve played and been on the spitty end of bad calls and I can tell you that I don’t perform well when it seems the ump is against you. I’m used to it in hockey, but baseball has the best officiating of any sport and it’s a shame we have the umps going against us during this rough streak.

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We all know that something other than batting .170 for 3 weeks is what got D.Y. booted…we just don’t know what yet. Maybe something did happen Thursday; maybe DD and JL had a deadline to evaluate his production and that was it; maybe other players were complaining about his attitude…whatever. What really surprises me is letting Chris Spurling go. He had pretty good number for several years now. Just from a numbers standpoint it doesn’t make sense. Again, there must be some PERSONAL reason he was let go. It sure wasn’t performance, the guy only pitched 11 innings in the bigs, but he had an ERA in the low 3s. At Toledo his ERA was 2.05 with a 1.08 WHIP. Normally those numbers get you promoted, so what gives? He must be a jerk. Which brings me to Soriano. When all-star players keep jumping teams it makes me thing they have some personal problem. BOBBY Bonds comes to mind. I’ll pass on him. However, the Nationals do have something I want…

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Nick Johnson. He’s one of those rare .300/.400/.500 guys. Why is it the Tigers have trouble finding a good firstbaseman? I really thought Shelton would be it, but he was the first to start his clueless guessing at the plate this year. The last time we had a firstbaseman actually have a GOOD year was Tony Clark in ’99. And for the record he had 3 good years in a row. I would only count Cecil with 3 good years, and they weren’t in a row (3 out of 4). Before that you have to go back to Hank Greenberg to find 3 good years in a row. Darrell Evans never hit above .250, Jason Thompson only had 2 good years, Norm Cash only had 2 years where he combined average with power, and they were 10 years apart. You would think 1B would be an easy spot to fill, but it looks like we’re closer to getting a SS and moving Carlos to first.

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Let’s not forget though, that it’s September 10th (not June 10th), and the Tigers are 3 games ahead in first place.

I’ve also come to the conclusion that Jim Price should not be allowed to do the play-by-play anymore. Prolly took me longer than it should have to figure it out, but WOW is he dull. He’s decent at the color commentary and needs to stick with that. I know it’s tradition and all that the Tiger broadcasters switch in the middle innings, but it needs to change.