Comments on: Game 68: Tigers at Phillies

By: Chris in Nashville

Chris in Nashville — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 19:45:31 +0000

SWEET…..as much as I’d like to see Miller pitch…I’d rather see the Gambler back in action. Thanks for that T Smith.

By: T Smith

T Smith — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 19:28:58 +0000

Chris:

It may be Kenny Rogers going on Friday against Smoltz. At this point, Leyland is leaving it up to Kenny to determine whether or not he starts on Friday

By: Chris in Nashville

Chris in Nashville — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 18:49:36 +0000

So since this weekend is the closest the Tigers will come to me, I decided last night to head down to Hotlanta for the Friday Night and Saturday Games. Does anyone have an inkling what the rotation will look like this week? The probables for Friday are Miller Vs. Smoltz but it would be the 5th day for Verlander since he went yesterday..you think they would push back Miller since they have the off day on Thursday or keep the rotation the same? Will the Gambler be back by then? Was just curious…I’m certain I’m going to see Verlander on Friday or Saturday…but a Verlander Vs Smoltz matchup on Friday would be SWEET.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 14:34:04 +0000

Adam: Yep. It still does.
(I must say I wasn’t ever quite clear on what you were saying didn’t matter. Life? Leyland’s decisions? Caring about baseball?).

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 07:22:14 +0000

Only twelve more games till the season is halfway over. I can’t believe that.

It’s gone by so fast…and the waiting for the season to start even seemed like forever.

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 06:14:21 +0000

Stephen: Nope. Still doesn’t.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 03:55:41 +0000

Adam: It does matter.

By: Mike R

Mike R — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 03:11:58 +0000

Can I just ask why we seem to be coddling Granderson against LHP, anyways? He has 50 AB’s vs. LHP while Grady Sizemore has 90, already. If Granderson’s to be the everyday CFer for years to come, he’s going to have to learn to hit LHP. And it’s not like Sizemore’s splits are really even; he’s hitting .311 vs. RHP and .233 vs. lefties. Couple that with continually downgrading by A LOT with Infante in CF and I just don’t like it.

By: Anthony

Anthony — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 02:53:38 +0000

The Phils had every right to be mad about the ump refusing to check with first base. What arrogance…I can’t believe stuff like that happens on the major league level. The reason that the teams are allowed to check is that the corner umps have a good vantage point on the play. Not checking is just a way of limiting the possibility of getting a call right. All the umps are paid to do is get the calls right and keep the game safe. What a joke.

By: Adam

Adam — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 02:36:43 +0000

Stephen: It doesn’t matter.

By: T Smith

T Smith — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 02:27:26 +0000

Bilfer,

Postgame points taken. I have no problem with the way Leyland orchestrated this one. Yes, some decisions were suspect, but the main difference (in my view) between this game and others in the past few days (when a lot of us were calling for Leyland’s head) is he actually pinched hit for Neifi in the seventh… they way Leyland has been managing, I wouldn’t have been surprised if Neifi stepped to the plate in the seventh. You don’t know how much of a sigh of relief I felt when Guillen actually came to the plate. I won’t knit-pick every little call, as long as you don’t blow the obvious ones.

That said, I have no problem whatsoever with the decisions today.

By: Dave Wagner

Dave Wagner — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 02:27:16 +0000

“Well Dave, i’d be interested to know your definition of all the time.”

I probably see this happen about once a month in Cubs games alone (usually in extra-innings) – which is completely anecdotal, obviously, but I can’t say I care enough about this to figure out the best way to look it up. I’ve also seen them use pitchers as pinch-runners every once in awhile.

By: Mike R

Mike R — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 02:27:06 +0000

Billfer, you and I seemed to have seemingly the same thoughts all through the game. Though, my family and I sat at Applebee’s to watch the final part of the 8th and the 9th on the TV there. Men on one side of the table facing the television, women were on the other gabbing away.

And this just shows, whether it works out or not, that Leyland does not put us in position to win games this year. Putting the pitcher spot so it comes up 4th in the next inning? I don’t get it. And he managed his whole career in the NL before this? How?

But then i just think, really, of all the managers are any of them great strategists? I lean towards “no, none of them” so I’ll suck it up and just deal with it. Doesn’t mean I have to like it, though.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 01:56:52 +0000

Thank you Bilfer for your observations. Well said. I thought listening to the game I was in an episode of the baseball twilight zone.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 00:21:41 +0000

That was a fun game to watch and see the Tigers return to playing like a team.

Maybe MLB should consider having minor leagues play interleague ball.