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PREGAME: Tonight’s starters are Dontrelle Willis, Dana Eveland, and Armando Galarraga. That’s right, it’s split start night in Oakland.
Dontrelle Willis returns to his hometown and the starting rotation. Willis has made 2 starts, but only recorded outs in one of them. The other saw his knee do a strange bendy thing that resulted in a DL stint. The key for for Willis is not to walk the whole ballpark.
Armando Galarraga will be the Tigers other starter coming in around the 5th inning or so. He’s coming off a near shut out complete game performance against the Angels that was spoiled by a Maicier Izturis 9th inning homer.
Eveland takes the ball for the A’s. The lefty has a 3.66 ERA on the year and a normal 6.4 K/9 rate and a normal 3.5 BB/9 rate. What he does well is keep the ball in the park. He’s only allowed 3 homers in 66.1 innings this year. Only 1 of those has come in Oakland where he boasts a 2.73 home ERA.
Everyday left fielder Marcus Thames who hasn’t played the last few games will be DH. Inge is available as a defensive replacement late, but Leyland doesn’t want to risk losing his back-up catcher early in the game aggravating his oblique.
- Granderson, CF
- Polanco, 2B
- Thames, DH
- Ordonez, RF
- Cabrera, 1B
- Guillen, 3B
- Renteria, SS
- Rodriguez, C
- Raburn, LF
DET @ OAK, Tuesday, June 3, 2008 Game Preview - Baseball-Reference.com
POSTGAME: I confess. I went to bed. After the 10th inning, with my alarm clock looming 3.5 hours later I just couldn’t do it anymore. I wasn’t surprised to wake up and see they lost. I was surprised to see it on an infield single from Jack Cust.
The Tigers left too many runs out there. The Clete Thomas play where he got a horrible read on the ball. The Pudge Rodriguez play where he couldn’t handle the short hop from Thomas allowing the tying run to score. Leaving runners at third with less than 2 outs. It all adds up to a loss.
Willis looked very good in the first 2 innings being in and around the strike zone. But then he struggled again the next innings and was all over the place yet somehow escaped unscathed. So there was some reason to be encouraged, but he didn’t exactly finish strong (although wiggling out of the jam should give him a lift).
Galarraga walked a couple in his first inning and then ultimately allowed the 3 run homer before settling in.
Curtis Granderson made a phenomenal play and with the help of a Emil Brown brain cramp kept the game tied in the 8th.
I don’t have any other thoughts. They are playing better-ish, but still not really crisp. Each of the last 2 nights, and really every game of this road trip save for the Felix Hernandez start, they had multiple chances to win a game but once again they come up short.
I’m just happy to be done with late night west coast games for awhile.
{ 467 comments… read them below or add one }
I’ll hit this later, but Brent Clevlen has 2 more homers and a IBB so far tonight for the Mud Hens.
Might be time to try to catch lightning in a bottle with Clevlen? Is that what you’re hinting at?
Also, I love the breakdown on Willis’ injury … “strange bendy thing.” Haha, it made me laugh.
Raburn! Our other everday leftfielder!
He said “bendy”.
Well …. we REALLY need to win tonight as we only have a one game lead over the Royals for last place. It would be nice to see the guys get it all together and go on a 15-3 run of games and move up.
Maybe Dontrelle will mash through tonight and get some confidence.
And NO bendy things tonight
Steve
Raburn! Our other everday leftfielder!
Early leader in Comment Of The Day voting, tiff!
Nothing Leyland does ever makes sense or corroborates(sp?) other decisions that didn’t make sense. For instance, if you don’t have the confidence in Marcus Thames to play him everyday (even when you said you would), then why would you bat him 3rd? Is he our best hitter or is he a pine-riding spot starter that should be hitting 8th or 9th? There are a plethora (sp? What happened to spell check on here) of other examples just like this. One day Leyland will bat you third or 5th and the next day you aren’t in our plans for the future anymore. One day you’re given the ball to pitch in a crucial 2-2 bottom of the ninth game, and the next day you’re sent packing. Is Leyland a schitzo?? Is the whole team a bunch of schitzos?? Am I a schitzo? Is this how you spell schitzo??
Lose the “t’ and you’re fine (schizo). Beats trying to spell Cincinnati….
Ken,
Try using simpler words you know how to spell as apposed(sp?) to tuffer (sp?) ones so you don’t half (sp?) to keep putting (sp?) in every sentance (sp?)
I’m not sure if that’s even how “(sp?)” is supposed to be spelled
I see Thames. Guillen, and Cabrera all hitting 2-run homers. A bendy thing will happen with Carlos (nothing serious), and his replacement, Mr. Inge, will come through with his weekly clutch hit, a single misplayed into a double, to drive in 2 runs and break a late tie. Polanco wins it with a grand slam in the 9th, though we won’t realize it was the winner until Todd Jones gives up 2 in the bottom half en route to picking up the win. Dontrelle gets roughed up early, but Galaragga comes on and puts out the fire, though one late mistake will cost him the win. A sensational play by - of all people - Edgar Scissorhands gets Jones and the Tigers out of a difficult 9th inning pickle. Magglio goes hitless again, and yet scores 4 times. A Quad-Magglio (thank you, Mark).
Tigers 12, A’s 8.
Shut out again on Wednesday.
Sean,
Do you mean Inge’s weekly hit or weakly hit?
Love the sutout tomorrow call after scoring 12 tonight, that’s golden.
Sean C.
That was one of the best comments I’ve ever read here…
It’s almost sad that our season has become such comic relief, but it’s nice you guys come through to keep me laughing!
Ken, your spelling was fine, accept for skittzo. Seriously - you make a good point, and it’s the thing that worries me the most about the Tigers aside from the consistently inconsistent play. Could there be a connection between the two? And what came first? (No, Who’s on first…)
Coleman, you’re funny. You’re in the right place.
Mark
“Do you mean Inge’s weekly hit or weakly hit?”
Yes.
I see Jim Leyland, self-confused by mentioning that Inge has the same injury as Sheffield several times (required: one cigarette before and after each use of the word oblique), becoming furious at being unable to find Sheffield to send in as a late-inning defensive replacement at 3rd–so furious that he almost puts a name to it.
All the Central teams except the White Sox are losing tonight. Sure would be nice to pick up a game on everyone.
Ken, you do make a good point, Leyland seems to be all over the place with his moves, sometimes contradicting something he said minutes earlier.
At least he’s consistent (so far) with letting Curtis get some ABs against a lefty.
Taylor - Thanks, but keep reading. I’m actually kind of a lightweight around here.
And we now boldly embark into Day One of the Cassey Fossum Era.
Sean,
“Don’t sell yourself short, judge. You’re a tremendous slouch.”
Caddyshack? anyone? no? nothing?
Marcus struck out, he may not see a start again for 3 weeks.
“And we now boldly embark into Day One of the Cassey Fossum Era.” I read that they found the skeleton of a prehistoric frog from that era that probably ate baby dinosaurs.
Apparently Raburn is our emergency catcher, meaning that he would take over for Pudge if something extraordinary happened (a base on balls, perhaps). Thames, who lacks Raburn’s one Spring Training inning at catcher, is therefore the DH because you can’t move players from the DH spot without a pitcher having to bat. Everyone got it?!
Mark in Chicago,
If I didn’t indicate that I’m smart enough to know when I might be stupid by putting (sp?) everywhere, then you might end up thinking I’m just stupid. We can’t have that, Mark.
“because you can’t move players from the DH spot without a pitcher having to bat.” If Leyland had gone with Galarraga then Willis, you wouldn’t risk much if the pitcher had to bat.
Dontrelle, presumably having lost a bet, is now sporting the beginnings of some truly unfortunate facial hair.
A walk free inning for Dontrelle. And even on the balls he was right around the strike zone.
“Marcus struck out, he may not see a start again for 3 weeks”
I may have it wrong, but I think I noticed earlier today at bbref that he strikes out LESS often (ratio) against righties.
He’s back in his home town, maybe the facial hair is to impress his little brother or something.
Pretty good inning for D-Train, he established the fastball. Might need to use a few other pitches, though.
Ken,
Um…… OK?
Dave BW,
Actually, having Dontrelle bat is not a bad thing, he’s a hell of a hitter. Good catch on the brillo pad he glued to his face, though. Somehow I missed that.
Sean C.,
Don’t make me go back over to bbref to verify Marcus’ splits against righties, I was there all afternoon, and, there was an…. incident, and well…. let’s just say I can’t really go back for a while.
*scoff* Dana’s a girls name, Eveland.
What are the odds pudge hits into a DP here? 3-1? 2-1? even money?
Mark –
I was just reporting Rod’s herculean explanation — as a Marlins watcher for some three or four years, I know well of Dontrelle’s hitting prowess, believe you me!
Rodrigues Refuses to take a walk. … would much rather strike out
oh my.
The A’s TV network just put up a stat the pudge swings at 60% of ALL PITCHES.
But, at least he didn’t hit into a DP.
i see the “big unit” is second all time in strikeouts. boy, i wish my nickname in highschool had been the “big unit” might have had a couple more dates lol.
Wow this is cool Detroit is doing that thing other teams do, where they don’t swing at the bad pitches and suddenly there are a lot of guys on base and the pitchers get tired and whatnot…except Pudge of course (on the other hand: no double play)
Pudge and Raburn killing the rally from the bottom of the order. Ugh.
“*scoff* Dana’s a girls name, Eveland.”
And you can bet that the Tiger dugout is razzing him without mercy. One of the keys to victory I failed to mention in the pregame forecast.
Mark - Ken’s kidding. I’m pretty sure. Incident? Ha! You’ll HAVE to tell us about it some time. I was telling Chris we NEVER should have told you about that place.
I don’t want to do this, I’m sure it’s impolite but I really can’t help it …Raburn’s only hitting .091 with Runners in Scoring Position! Help!
Pudge Pudge
The wonderful mitt
The more you swing
The less you hit
Attn: First Willis K of the year
When I see Pudge walk to the plate with the bases loaded I get the same feeling I get when I walk into a room with 3 drunk chicks at a party. I see loads of opportunity…..I should at least get one. Hell, there’s the possibility I might even get two or three…But most likely I’m just going to go down swinging.
“boy, i wish my nickname in highschool had been the “big unit” might have had a couple more dates” haha now ain’t that true
(on the other hand: could have been “the big eunuch” so maybe count your blessings)
“Raburn’s only hitting .091 with Runners in Scoring Position!”
At first I read this as: Raburn’s only hitting .091 with Renteria in Scoring Position! It was funnier that way.
I’m not making this up.
Ken! Hey-oh.
Wow and poetry here too, thanks to Sean C, what fun (although I keep ending up with other rhymes in my head instead of “mitt”)…no wonder Grilli misses you.
Next time Pudge comes to the plate, bases loaded one out, I’m calling for the suicide squeeze. Nothing erks me more than a bases-loaded-one-out whiff. If you can’t even put the ball in play, for crying out loud, bunt.
Yeah, Ken I know you were joking around, but I originally read your post explaing all the ‘(sp?)’ that it was difficult to understand. So writing “Um…. OK?” was a lot funnier to me than it was to everybody else.
Chris, sorry to disappoint, but there was no actual incident over at bbref. I was just poking fun at myself for wasting a LOT of time over there today instead of doing, you know, work. I knew about the site prior to you guys but had never really explored it until you and Chris told me about some of the other stuff on it.
Joba Chamberlain — restricted to a 65 pitch count — allowed two runs in an epic two inning start. Pitcher of the future!
Re; Pudge–strangely enough, that’s why it might not be so dumb batting him leadoff. One less DP opportunity per game. And he hits better with bases empty.
Rod on Polanco: “you don’t see him going 0-2 against Oakland pitching”.
Just like we never see him strike out.
Just like everything else about this season that is so inexplicable.
Great analogy BTW, Ken.
“At first I read this as: Raburn’s only hitting .091 with Renteria in Scoring Position! It was funnier that way.
I’m not making this up.”
OK, that’s annoying, because now I really want to look up Raburn’s stats with Renteria in scoring position but I also want to, you know, watch the game.
Oh well, I shouldn’t worry about Renteria, since I don’t drink the water.
I expect big things from Cabrera tonight now that it’s getting dark.
oh boy. D-Train slipping. Command suddenly MIA…
Wow, damn good play by Guillen there
Glad he got out of that with a DP. That inning he was all over the place.
Hey, nice D. I wish the Tigers, could do that… oh, wait.
Maybe that means Guillen’s…you know, his…he might have less…well, you know…
It’s okay to break up the no hitter now guys
What’s going on, folks? Remember, I’m in the Land That Time Forgot here. Oh, sorry - I already saw the game in my crystal ball. Never mind.
Rod once again refers to black men as “brothers”, much to the astonishment of Mario
Well they will break it up–now that you JINXED it by mentioning it.
(Although I guess it’s still unclear if blogmention has jinx power)
If this pitching strategy works tonight I see a new rotation. Verlander/Rogers, Robertson/Bonderman, Fossom/Porcello, Willis/Galarraga. The new wave of baseball. Catch It!
Sean,
Dontrelle looks pretty good, got a couple of DP grounders. Walked two last inning as his command disappeared but got out of it.
Tigers have 3 walks but no hits.
0-0, top 4.
Sean — No score. Willis has given up a couple hits and walks, and Eveland just had his no-hitter broken up by legendary failure Miguel Cabrera
ok, a hit. phew.
now, let’s try a run.
Thanks, Mark.
I’ll just grab a dictionary next time so we don’t have to explain ourselves anymore. BTW, Nice job so far by Dontrelle. He’s the best African American pitcher we’ve had since……ummmmmmm…well…(panic attack)..ummm…(shuffling through papers)…….(googling,googling)………..uhhh…..Earl Wilson?
See, told you about Cabrera. And he’s just getting started.
[Cabrera day game BA: .186 night game BA: .324]
I liked Willis’ reaction after the Guillen DP. The man cares about what he does, I respect that a lot. He doesn’t just stop giving a sh*t just because he’s getting paid millions.
yeah, there’s the DP.
what a fun (and familiar) way to end a tiger scoring threat.
Cabrera is still in the bigs? Give the guy credit for trying. Hang in there, Miggy.
I just think the M.O. for opposing pitchers is to pitch around the first 2/3 for the order and make up for lost time w/ the latter 1/3. A couple anxious swings out of the top 2/3 in a 6 inning stint and that’s all you need. Renteria’s AB and Pudge’s/Raburn’s in the last threat shows that.
Nice, Brian in Tampa. The buddy system. I like it.
May be time to get Armando up and throwing . . .
It’s getting tougher and tougher for Dontrelle to find the strike zone.
I think it’s time to switch to Armando now please.
So Zoom hit triple digits tonight, huh?
Here we go with the air horn again
Okay, time for Galarraga to start warming.
On Gameday it says “Injury Delay.” What’s up? ‘Trelle’s knee go again?
Groin.
“now, let’s try a run.”
Ah, so that’s what a “hit and run” is. As a Tiger fan, I am hazy on such definitions.
Oh for Pete’s sake.
something is bugging dontrelle, but he stayed in the game long enough to walk the second hitter of the inning also.
Oh, man. Willis is injured again?
Whoever was the scout involved with reporting on Willis to the Tigers, should be immediately fired.
D-Train with second strikeout of the year
Ivan Rodriguez blocked a ball in the dirt. Is it time for Haley’s Comet to come around again or is the world about to implode?
only because Emil Brown swung at 2 straight pitches out of the zone, Dave.
But I’ll take it.
Struck out Emil Brown but also had the wild pitch to “bunt” the two guys over.
Like a Sacrifice K.
D-Train with THIRD strikeout of the year
Then gets Buck on three pitches. Nice.
and K #3 on 3 pitches for the second out.
Basically Willis came up hopping like he pulled a groin. He just dusted off Travis Buck with a 91, 91, 93 mph fastball sequence. This is the velocity he was at when he was good in Florida. That’s a good sign as this isn’t the only inning I’ve noticed this. He seems to be sitting comfortably in the 89-91 range.
His, what I think is his groin, is REALLY bothering him. He’s hopping after every pitch.
Dontrelle’s delivery is so weird that it’s impossible to tell when he’s injured or not
Willis’ mom up and talking trash after the K. Stay classy, Momma.
According to Adam, the scout’s name is Pete, Chris.
You gotta bring Gallaraga in after he walks the bases loaded here.
The guy is money when there’s two outs.
Wow, I’m running short of “K” placards to hold up….
Why is he still in there?
How many times have we seen a guy walk in a run this year? I don’t want to see it again!
“According to Adam, the scout’s name is Pete, Chris.”
Pete Chris? Wasn’t he the Kiss drummer?
Whoa, Dontrelle got out of the inning on a ground out to first. Hopefully he will be allowed to leave on a high-note
Nah. leaving Willis in is the right spot. Let him either get burned by the BB’s or get out of the jam and keep your lone LHP in the pen for later in the game.
Ok, good. Thank you for swinging.
I will give that effort by Wiilis a pass. Not bad at all. Against a marginal offensive team but looked much better. Now get Gallaraga in there.
Willis so far this season:
16 BB’s 3 K’s
Okay, two nice innings, then two innings where he danced on the knife blade and managed to get of it (and quite nicely I might add). He shouldn’t be out there for the 5th.
The fact that Willis hasn’t allowed a run yet doesn’t make a bit of difference - this kind of performance is unacceptable.
That’s our problem. Our scouts are rock legends.
Wow, dontrelle battled and got out of it, 0 runs.
4ip, 2h, 5bb, 3k, 70 pitches, 37 for strikes.
Dontrelle’s Mom is talking trash to the airhorn guy.
Thank you, Dontrelle’s mom
“That’s our problem. Our scouts are rock legends.” Well at least that Guitar Hero guy they signed turned out to pitch pretty well, if he can get healthy again…
“According to Adam, the scout’s name is Pete, Chris.”
Well then, hopefully for OUR sake, he is given the ol’ pink slip and he gets hired by Kansas City or Cleveland.
HOLY %$^#$%^ PUDGE JUST DREW A LEADOFF WALK
That comment about the last Tigers African-American starting pitcher being Earl Wilson was hilarious, although I think Earl was Black during his playing days, but eventually became African-American.
The thing that struck was that Earl was lifetime 600+ OPS hitter. I think the Tigers were just waiting for an African-American starting pitcher with an OPS above 600.
Maybe if someone could have conviced the Tigers Carlos Zambrano is African-American then maybe they would have gone after him instead.
OK, now that he’s up with nobody on base, NOW Pudge gets all selective about the pitches….
Who wants to play small ball here?
Dontrelle’s mom puts the “ass” in “class”
Oops. Too late. Two strikes.
And as I type Raburn ropes one to the right field line. I love it when I’m wrong.
I almost don’t want to score here just becuase if we do, Leyland is sure to send Dontrelle back out there to try and get him the “W”
Actually I think Earl Wilson may have even started playing before he was black or African American, that would have happened mid-60s.
ok, now that we’ve scored, I’d like to put up an 8-spot or something so if Leyland sends Willis out there he’s got some breathing room
Coleman, good point, I wasn’t going far enough back.
Not to be ungrateful or anything, but Raburn’s double came without Renteria in scoring position.
Eveland has forgotten how to pitch all of a sudden
Willis was a throw in with Cabrera - just Florida’s way of dumping an unwanted player with a high salary. Maybe they made it conditional that Willis go with Cabrera.
Just did the minor league wrap. Good rehab news all around
Wonder when the last time Pudge and Thames walked in the same inning was?
Why does Maggs never have a green light on 3-0?
coleman — I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that this is the first time
Neal, it’s actually interesting, if you go back even farther, African pops back up. It was feared that African references were being used to make them seem less American, and therefore prejudicing their fight for full citizenship rights.
It’s time for Miggy to finally do something big
Eveland was no great shakes tonight either - threw more balls than strikes.
Billfer, great news. Now how about another breakdown on possible roster moves at the end of the month when Fernando and Joel are ready to come up?
Cruceta - what are the possibilites with him? Any chance he stays with the organization?
The A’s are usually very good at this, I predict they are one hit away from turning the game over to relief pitchers they just called up and will soon send down in “concede game save arms” mode
Hey I was typing that before they made the change I swear
I agree Chris. A .328/.405/.507 vital line for an OPS of .912 in his last 79 PA’s is nothing.
sac fly will work, i’ll take the run.
3-0 tigers
Mike, I really think it’s time to stop trying with him.
Coleman, I had to switch to ESPN gamecast since MLB Gameday froze on me. I read your post and saw that the pitcher for A’s had no picture in Gamecast. How many guys do you think the A’s use like that in a month?
T Smith - I’m willing to bet that Maggs’ silence on 3-0 is self-imposed.
Renteria is just brutal. Hopefully he’ll have a huge September and October to redeem himself.