2007 Season, Game Post

Game 113: Rays at Tigers

51 Comments

PREGAME: I’ll be heading down to tonight’s game. I actually picked out these tickets prior to the season because tonight is the 25th anniversary of my very first Tigers game. I don’t remember many details about the game, but I do remember that it was a twi-night doubleheader against the Blue Jays and that Kirk Gibson was on the DL with a broken wrist. I remember Gibson not playing because he was sitting in the stands a few rows in front of me. That information was enough for me to id the game on retrosheet.

As for tonight’s game it will be Chad Durbin returning to the rotation. He’ll be taking on James Shields who has been quite good for most of the year and shut down the Tigers in May. However, he has struggled in his last 5 starts posting a 7.39 ERA with batters hitting 322/385/559 against him.

Game Time 7:05

TBD @ DET, Wednesday, August 8, 2007 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

POSTGAME: You know that first doubleheader I went to the Tigers allowed 7 runs in both games. Maybe there is something there.

  • I’m a little frustrated with the Tigers offense. When they put runners at first and second with nobody out and a chance to tie the game, or at least get it to one run and ended up going down on 3 straight K’s pretty much sealed the game right there.
  • But at the same time Shields is a decent pitcher, and if POlanco strikes out twice in one night, I have to believe the pitcher deserves a little credit.
  • And I know the game was out of hand in the 8th, but 4 K’s in 2 innings against that bullpen isn’t acceptable.
  • I thought the boos for Grilli were excessive. I’m not saying he’s good, but what was the point when he entered the game tonight. I guess it’s everyone’s right to do what they want, I just don’t get it.
  • I agree completely with Mike R’s comment that the bullpen is misconfigured with 3 LOOGYs. McBride was getting rocked in his 2nd inning, but circumstances that necessitate him throwing 31 pitches need to be avoided.
  • The top 5 hitters in the Rays order are actually doing quite well this year, so production from the top of their order doesn’t bother me. Zorbrist and Navarro combining to reach base 5 times tonight though just can’t happen.
  • On a lighter note, with it being 70’s night they doctored the photos that are displayed of the players while at-bat. These were quite amusing, and I hope to post a couple in the next couple days. But let me just say that Pudge with a full head of wavy black hair is the spitting image of Erik Estrada.

51 thoughts on “Game 113: Rays at Tigers”

  2. i’m liking the lineup today: grandy, polanco, sheff, ordonez, guillen, pudge, casey, raburn and inge…tomorrow we should have thames replacing casey and hopefully raburn is still in left field…takes the rally killers out of the bottom of the rotation…hopefully we see some more solid pitching.

  3. I have to admit, I checked this site about 7 times today hoping to see a story about how the Tigers DFA’d Jason Grilli.

    sigh. Perhaps tomorrow.

    Go Tigers.

  8. 25 years ago, Billfer? Man, when do you, and others here, want me to tell you I wasn’t even born then.

  9. Brandon Inge: Destined to kill a rally when Monroe’s not in the game, anyway possible.

  10. I like how MLB.com completely misses Polanco’s home run, comes back for 2 seconds of him rounding the bases and now is going in and out every 5 seconds. Son of aaaaa….

  14. All things considered, that was not bad work by McBride. Wish he could get that hanging breaking pitch to Young back, tho.

    need the offense to get going now

  17. If we didn’t have 3 LH specialists in the bullpen, these last 2 innings would’ve been from an actual reliever who can (1) get RH hitters out, (2) be okay going multiple innings. I think the biggest thing wrong with the bullpen is there are too many guys pitching in roles they shouldn’t be in. Like McBride trying to plow through a multiple inning relief appearance.

  24. @Mike R.: I couldn’t agree more. Our three lefty bullpen has bewildered me from day one.

  25. Why did’t Leyland make that move 3 runs ago, when Young got that RBI single off of Mcbride?

  29. OMG make it stop!

    Is anyone going to the game Friday. Prior to the game from 4-6:30, at the Ben & Jerry’s in the Compuware building, the Tiger Wives are going to be the ice cream scoopers for charity. We went last year and it was a lot of fun, I suggest going by there before going to the park.

  30. well, this is the tigers we got used to over the past couple of weeks…supposing we get through oakland (no slam dunk) we have 11 games vs the tribe and the yankees…thats the season right there…if we come out of that still in contention we have a good chance, if not i’m thinking sept will be moot.

  31. Wish I could, cib. Sounds like a great time. Wonder if Pudge’s new wife will be there?

    Shields sure had our number tonight.

  32. I’ll have my daughter bring her camera, Kathy, and we’ll see who we can find!

    Just one of those nights I guess, I’m going to go watch Rescue Me. ‘Night, all!!

  33. 10.12 ERA reliever strikes out the Tiger side in the B9th?

    Happy 25th Anniversary, Bilfer!

  35. I’m not overly disappointed with this game. James Shields has been money for the season despite his recent struggles and we’re continuing with this 3 LH specialist and trying to make them into something they aren’t.

  36. I’m back from the game – what a miserable night. The most fun I had was booing Grilli on his way in and out. Why he is still on the roster is beyond me. Shields was lights-out, but 16 hits for the Rays? The whole pitching staff from top to bottom is stinking the joint out right now.

    This does not look like a playoff team.

  37. Oh – and the Tigers are now 1-6 in games I’ve attended this season. I had a better record in ’03!

  39. I’ll defend my boos, billfer. I was booing Grilli for his performance last night that I did not witness live and I was booing Leyland for bringing him in and I was booing DD for allowing this guy to still be in the bigs.

    That was one economical BOO in my book.

  40. Tbone, if the Tigers make the playoffs,

    YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED TO ATTEND!!!

    It’s a sacrifice you’ll have to make for good of the team. Also, stop going this year too, thanks!

  42. We are still just 1/2 game back ladies and gents. The White Sox were down 4-3 in the 12th and AJ hit a HR off Borowski to tie it, then Uribe hit a 2R HR to win it in the 13th to win 6-4…glad I stayed up to watch it now!

  43. Ha ha go uribe!

    I’ll be at the afternoon game tommorw can’t wait! we’re gonna pound kazmir, and if we don’t we’ll beat the bullpen.

    I figure if Kazmir strikes out ten of us he’ll still be out by the sixth

  44. One run. This team is schizoid. Not much emotion. Very bothersome. One step forward, two steps back. It’s as if they can’t stand success.

  45. Uribe had to do something to atone for his mistakes. He dropped a pop-up that allowed the go-ahead run to score before AJ tied it on the HR in the 12th.

    Kazmir very well could strike out 10 and be at 80 pitches through 6 innings. That’s what scares me. Especially with a lineup that will probably have Infante and Monroe with Raburn scattered in there and Sheff probably taking the day game after a night game off.

  46. this is just modern baseball: you have to out-score your opponent. we didn’t do that and the credit goes to shields

    TB put a a-game pitcher in; we didn’t have anyone to counter with and you see the result

    I thought Grilli did descent. McBride was shaky

    I’m looking forward to the game today because I like what I’m hearing. little clues here and there like Robertson sdaying on pre-game “i’m trying to do too much” like attempting to keep the ball away from the hitter instead of attempting to get the guy to swing at something that has got a little movement to it at the plate. that is the Art of Pitching.

    now I heard last night Bondo sez he plans to do better in today’s outing & I’m looking for ward to it cuz right now I have a good feeling about this and that is that hopefully our pitching staff is recognizing that attempting to keep the ball away from the hitter is gonna land you with a 3-0 count and then a home run

    inducing the hitter to swing is key and ya do that the pitch NEEDS tio have some LATE MOVEMENT on it unless ya wanna get pounded. It’s a tall order I know buty hey — we are playing MLB– right?

  47. Billfer — make sure you post the “70’s version of Inge from last night too — the male version of the Farrah flip fit quite nicely on him and, almost (unfortunately), made my oldest son want to cut his hair. Also unfortunately, the pictures were pretty much the highlight of the game. Twice this year Tigers have made Shields look like Cy Young.

  48. Bill A. \ Kal MI wrote:

    this is just modern baseball: you have to out-score your opponent.

    I’m fairly certain that, in every era of baseball, modern or otherwise, outscoring your opponent has been a prerequisite for victory. 🙂

  49. Tigers have made Shields look like Cy Young.

    yeah yeah yeah the man has 58 K vs 10 BB in his last 10 outings.

    he’s good.

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