Billfer likes long walks in Comerica Park. Check out the 
Subscribe to the feed
PREGAME: If you notice this is only game 49 and a loss would drop the Tigers to all of 2.5 games back of the league leading Indians. Clearly it’s not a must win situation, but it certainly is a nice to win situation. If only to keep from the impending overreactions if the Tigers are swept.
They’ll have their work cut out facing Fausto Carmona. After watching him in the closer role last year, who would have ever thought the previous sentence would be written. Still, Carmona comes in with a 2.73 ERA. Now that ERA is probably a little better than it should be with a K/9 of 3.25. But like his rotation mates Sabathia and Byrd he doesn’t walk many with only 15 in 55 1/3 innings pitched. Limiting the free passes and extra base hits (opponents are only slugging 380) keeps the runs down.
The Tigers will send out Mike Maroth and would love to see him get through 7 innings. The key will be to keep the ball in the park. Maroth has already been tagged for 10 round trippers, and Cleveland certainly has the offense to add to that total.
With Placido Polanco out, Craig Monroe will assume the #2 spot in the order and Omar Infante will man second base.
Game Time 8:09 on ESPN. Let’s see if Joe Morgan has learned the names of any other Tigers besides Gary Sheffield. I’m a little disappointed that Jason Verlander won’t be pitching tonight.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 133 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for reminding me about Joe Morgan. You already know he’ll probably go on and on about Boston, NY and Sheff. I had no idea Carmona was their closer. Eegad! I hope the pitching gods are with Maroth tonight.
Morgan will make me more upset than I already am (I know it’s only 49 games in but I am sensitive). I will listen to Dan Dickerson.
1st inning. The “F” word.
Ugh…
Well, the 4 spot in the 1st isn’t a death knell, we can easily put up 5. The real problem is getting through the next 8 innings with a patchwork pen.
Sigh, Maroth really can’t be doing this, let’s hope it’s not another 16 run game for the opposing team, ESPN needs to stop putting the Tigers in prime time!
All Morgan ever talks about it how high the ball is, granted, it usually is but he’s pretty f’ng annoying.
I think the Tigers will get to Carmona at some point, hopefully.
Now I remember Carmona. He’s the one someone said they felt sorry for because of all the games he blew for Cleveland last year. Who will every forget that great walkoff HR Pudge hit against him last year. So, he might be good but he does have a track record.
I hate national broadcasters.
I was the one that felt sorry for him. He blew 3 saves in like a 5 day span that essentially killed all confidence. He was completely mishandled by the Indians. Haha, Gammons is talking about it right now.
He gave up a walkoff HR to Big Papi, then a walk off double to Mark Loretta and then the HR to Pudge in a 5 day span. He had been a starter through the minors and then they traded Wickman and said “here, you’re our closer” without testing him as a reliever in the majors. I’m glad that he’s getting it on track, but a 4 inning start for him giving up 8 runs wouldn’t hurt him.
Joe Morgan is a master of human psychology
it seems to me if he had a change up, he would be lights out….he’s already got good stuff….
Yea, Mike, he’s about due for a bad start. I wish we could humble him.
Joe Morgan blows Matt Damon
We gotta start taking advantage of men on base. Please!!!!!!!!
Oh good. a 3-2 count on monroe. Here comes the K.
Thank you for proving me wrong Craig. And the best thing is, He’s hitting 2nd, so I know Inge won’t kill this rally right now!
Why does Gene Lamont have a thing for holding guys on third?
appologize, mike
Lamont did the right thing. Michaels picked up that ball really shallow. I would’ve held up Granderson, too.
granderson would have been a dead duck…that being said, i would have sent him….but then again, i’m prone to wearing a brown paper bag over my head
Standing bye for a big one
I’m not sure if I’ve heard Jon Miller correctly, but I thought he said we’re hitting .306 with RISP. Which leads the majors. I hope they tell me another 8 times so i can fully digest this information.
Big one delivered by MAGGS
Big, big gap in right-center for Carlos, if he could get something Carmona leaves up.
What is Morgans love for any team but the Tigers ?
damn…i thought that was gapped
its hard to watch the pistons right now…
Well that’s because the NBA is about as boring brand of basketball as there is. I’d much rather watch college ball then the NBA where it’s stand around until 8 on the clock and watch him take a fade-away shot over a defender. Or the patented barry sanders run through the paint without dribbing for the dunk and incessant whining about the continuation no matter that the foul occured at the top of the key and 8 seconds later he took the shot.
/my rant on NBA.
C’mon Mike. The offense gets 3 back and you issue a 4 pitch walk?!
If he walks this guy, they gotta pull him.
This just in: Sean Casey is friendly!
And that’s why Dave D has a problem with Infante.
Hey, at least he’s not playing center tonight
Okay Maroth, nice work. Top of the 5th is gonna be huge, if Maroth can get through the heart of the order, he can get us to 7 with his decent pitch count thus far. That would be fantastic.
Amen. Just get us through 7 and we can live with that.
I just read on yahoo that Roman Colon is going to the minors to rehab…
Thank god Joe Morgan found someone else to agree with his forward thinking that starter not pitching into the 7th is a big problem. He’s so smart. I cannot comprehend all of this information he’s giving.
He’s done.
that fan throwing blake’s dong was great
I don’t think Roman Colon is any type of answer other then just being another arm we can run out there. He’s 27 and has a 1.34 minor league WHIP. He’s got the stuff, but I’m not sure he’s got it between the ears. Also, 146 hits allowed in 127.0 IP in the majors isn’t too promising, either.
miller needs to come up and stay up
Well, so much for getting through the 7th. The problem is that you have to expect the pen to give up one or two more. So we need the bats to get going. Right now.
That’s the way to shorten up and try to move Granderson over to 3rd. Or to even take a pitch from a guy who had 70 pitches through 4 IP. Ugh. C’mon Sheff, drive Granderson in.
Mike - Monroe ripped the ball, and he’s had the 2 hardest hit balls of the night for the Tigers. I’ll give him a pass on that one.
Man, I would have loved to see more than 4 pitches after that Grandeson leadoff double.
Like somebody said before “you’ll either love him or hate him.”
Roman Colon is terrible, I’m just saying he’ll probably be back soon-ish.
His pitch count is getting high and the Tigers start swinging at 1st pitches.
Well, billfer, we disagree.
that really is amazing…those stats on mlb war ….veterans ……over 90% in the service by the end of ww2? wow. imagine arod being told to pack his bags and go to the suni triangle….
You know why Carlos got a hit? His pocket was hanging out.
It looked to me like Casey was safe on that double play.
i thought he was too….but the replay showed he was out by a half step
Two innings in a row we get a guy to 2B with 0 out and nothing to show. That KILLS. I still feel good about our chances though.
okay….
i mean, no need getting mad about it, i’m not going to change the call siting here on my couch.
How many people here think they can beat Casey in a race?
Bilfer would win if wasn’t for his calculator and pocket protector falling out and tripping him.
As for me, I think I might be able to beat Casey, even though I way 375 pounds and lock my knees while breathing loud during my walks through the mall food court.
“He got it, but did he get it?”
Thats what annoys me about Joe Morgan and whatever his partner’s name is
Just keep this as a save situation and we’ll beat up on Borowski. We HAVE to. 3 straight days of work + being average or worse this year = runs for us.
Wow, I wonder if a modern American League team has ever won a title with as little production as the Tigers are getting from the traditional power positions of third, first, and catcher. They are putting up some pathetic numbers. All three could be batting ninth.
yes, i spelled it “way”
Yes I could beat Casey to first. But my real speed is going from 1st to 3rd.
C’mon Brandon!!!!
i’m glad he can see the sun, makes me real confident in his skills
lol
ha ha…I think that was a hidden innuendo…..classic..i feel sorry for your prom date back in ‘82
Casey safe on the double play? The mistake that was made was glaring. It’s unbelievable Leyland didn’t have Casey bunting with 0 outs considering Carmona’s pitching and Casey’s struggles. We’re down 2 runs, which would have been in scoring position with one out. Can someone tell me Jim’s thinking on this one!!!!
We need to cash in a runner on 2nd and no one out. This is one we NEED.
Oh, well, this looks familiar, doesn’t it KNOCK ON WOOD
wow, the blind squirrel finds a nut!
We’ve just got to do it here.
Casey safe on the double play? The mistake that was made was glaring. It’s unbelievable Leyland didn’t have Casey bunting with 0 outs considering Carmona’s pitching and Casey’s struggles. We’re down 2 runs, which would have both been in scoring position with one out on a sac bunt. Can someone tell me Jim’s thinking on this one!!!!
“exploding slider” ??????????????What are the national broadcatsters smoking?
Magglio will cash this one in. Book it.
i kind of agree with him….his slider is kind of nasty
Please, Maggs.
…Or not.
Good times!
i booked it too….
Oh, Lord, they still have Maroth in there.
I’m sorry for your pre-emptive booking of it. I’ve led you astray.
I just noticed this is “Gmae 49″ of the season.
I don’t mind A-Rod, but could he look like any more of a doofus in that Boys Club PSA? Straight out of the Manchurian Candidate.
This is the most painful discussion in the history of baseball commentating
I can’t believe people pay Jon Miller and Joe Morgan to talk.
I bet Arod showers in the fetal position after tough games…I have no explanation why I’m commenting on Arod showering…
Any chance we could get Jose Mesa to do Ugueth Urbina’s time down in Venezuela. Or Neifi?
Most brilliant advertising campaign ever: Excedrin sponsoring a game where Joe Morgan and Jon Miller blabber for 3 hours. Propecia should also sponsor this because I’ve pulled all my hair out.
After all is said and done, Mike did OK.
I can’t believe Rasheed punched LeBron!
lets have Urbina just light all our middle relievers on fire and start over…p.s. Urbina, use the machete too
Just kidding.
7 Tigers left in scoring position. That’s the story………again.
its pistons time now!!!!
thanks alot stephen…you had me switching instantly…i retract my urbin comment also
hey what is the stone’s score?
bunt casey, you peg legged fool.
The Indians got 4 runs in the first and pitching was the story tonite.
why don’t you pinch run for slowest runner in mlb? i swear i was thinking that before the hit..
Casey runs like a bear with a boner
He runs exactly like Herman Munster!!!
Infante is just 5-9 with RISP. Settle down Jon. It’s not like he’s 100-200 with RISP.
Man, Brandon Inge simply cannot be your starting third baseman on a contending team.
I agree Stephen. I said the same thing to Mrs. billfer. I don’t know that Perez scores, but at least there is a play.
Casey runs like a bear boned him with a boner
Painful indeed.
I do think he could’ve/should’ve pinch ran with Neifi (not like he’s a track star, but still) and then put either Guillen at first or take infante out and put niefi at 2nd and Thames at 1st.
But either way, I don’t think Neifi scores on that play, either.
Pinch run for Casey every time he gets on base late in a close game.
I’ll take .275 avg and half the homers any day at the hot corner…inge kills us
I agree with the pinch runner part. Not the Inge part. Crappy at-bat to be sure. But he was the starting 3b on a contending team last year, and looks to be this year also. So it can work.
Everytime I see Mesa i have flashbacks to LimaTime. Its painful.
Lima had his good moments. He played on a terrible team.
Lima always plays on terrible teams. They’re terrible because they have Lima. The egg came first.
I cringed when Casey had to stop at third. Any of the other guys could easily have made it home.
We will get to Borowski. I just don’t see how we cannot rough him up at least once.
Well, just because it worked last year–a magical, stat-defying year–doesn’t mean it can happen again. A smart team thinks, ‘well, we got away with it last year, lets not push our luck again. I hate to flog a dead horse but look at his career stats, i just don’t think you can win with that oba and his strikeouts. Not when you’re carrying Pudge and Casey’s similarly anemic numbers.
Is this the game that Sheff provides some late inning dramatics? I keep waiting and hoping. Maybe he’ll do it for Joe Morgan tonight.
honestly, i don’t think anyone would have scored…and were down 2 not one…
But Inge was basically an average 3rd sacker last year offensively. His OBP was a little lower than average and his slugging was a little higher.
Casey is a much bigger problem than Inge.
If sheff wins this game, someone will have to carry Joe Morgan back to his hotel.
I wonder what the commercial for Cialis means for my theory on the greatest advertising campaign ever? I mean, Joe Morgan and Jon Miller are bad, but are they THAT bad?
we have the offense to carry bilfer playing at thrid base….but is that what we want?
Well, at least Kid Rock is in Cleveland rather than at Tigers game. He’s the worst Detroit icon since Coleman Young.
My son saw him pitch on a hot summer day. He pitched great. The rest of the team stunk. He still has the napkin Jose autographed for him at Hockeytown. He had a few good moments.
I’m awful defensively at 3rd. But I am a left handed hitter.
If bilfer played 3rd we’d get
15 mil in spending money for a free agent
a 125 avg
4 rbis
1 hr
4 hit by pitch
1 sb
I think the Cialis commercial should have the couple looking in the restaraunt window and seeing Morgan and Miller scarfing down follwed by the tag line: ‘No amount of Cialis can overcome such buffoonery. Have a glass of milk and try to tomorrow.”
nevermind he’s a south paw…
I laugh everytime I see that ad.
What a terrible way to finish the home sweep
yeah….we have some issues….but we are still wildcard material…..keep your heads up everyone…now support our pistons!
Well, at least Maroth spared the bullpen tonight. That’s about all of the positive I can take out of this. It’s still cling on to what we can until Rodney can come back.
The crowd looked shocked and just kind of sat there. Swept. Who’d a thunk? On the other hand, I can’t wait til we play the Rays. I wonder what Tiger the “Heckler” will pick on.
I’m sorry,
He may be the nicest guy in baseball, but Sean Casey is HORRIBLE. How can you starting 1B have no HR’s and 10 RBI’s almost 1/3 of the way through the season.
Forget the fact that he is RH, bring Chris Shelton up and let Casey end his good major league career.
-Sam
Chris Shelton is STRUGGLING at Triple-A. I’m not willing to sit through Carlos Pena Part Deux.