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PREGAME: Once upon a time there was a surging team coming off of back to back series sweeps. They went on the road to play a team that many had given up for dead and who had just dropped 5 of 7. That surging team was swept and went on to lose 5 of the next 6.
Of course “a time” was last Tuesday when the White Sox came roaring in to Comerica Park. The Tigers, sweepers of consecutive series, will try to avoid the same fate when they face the Giants who have lost 5 of their last 6.
It’s a dandy of a pitching match-up tonight with Tim Lincecum and Justin Verlander squaring off. Lincecum has been the best pitcher in baseball. He’s thrown a quality start every time out, so getting 4 runs would be quite the accomplishment. He has a freakishly small 1.99 ERA and has allowed only 3 homers in 90 innings while fanning 92. It’ll make it kind of hard for Marcus Thames to extend his homer streak to 4 consecutive games for the first time in his career.
Fortunately, Verlander doesn’t exactly suck and he’s spun quality starts in 5 of his last 6 including a 101 pitch complete game his last time out.
DET @ SFG, Monday, June 16, 2008 Game Preview - Baseball-Reference.com
Game Time 10:15
POSTGAME: So much to say about this game and yet it’s so late…
- The Tigers had really good at-bats against Lincecum and they made him work for the most part. They hit into a couple tough luck double plays, one on a liner and another where a steal attempt led Vizquel right to the ball.
- Verlander was pretty good, and seemed to pick up steam as the game went on as he racked up the strike outs.
- Marcus Thames is out of this world right now.
- Mike Hollimon did a nice job getting to balls, but needs to set his feet and not rush things. He threw away a ball leading to the first run.
- Pudge is a terrific hitter as a platoon partner.
- The Tigers got a gift of a run on the sac fly when the home plate ump missed a tag on Pudge.
- Freddy Solid was sexy in his first inning, not so sexy in the second. He allowed a couple 2 strike hits before giving way to Fernando Rodney.
- The Rodney move was controversial because it was his first game back. But the Tigers needed a strike out with the tying run on 3rd and 1 out. And with a lefty at-bat the choices were Fossum or Rodney (with Seay probably not available given yesterday). The platoon splits for each are nearly a push. Rodney got ahead with 2 strikes but then allowed his first homer since June 23rd. And then he allowed some more 2 strike hits.
- The Tigers mounted a rally in the 9th but came up 2 runs short. Nice battle, disappointing result. It’s a shame they couldn’t take advantage of a shaky outing by Lincecum (by his own crazy standards) and a solid outing by Verlander.
Dave BW
OK, it’s not the Yankees, White Sox, or Red Sox. But it’s still a pretty big game when you consider that the Tigers haven’t yet faced a pitcher on a roll like Lincecum. Win this one, and the Tigers are a juggernaut, a freight train.
It calls for something. Maybe not biblical. But something.
Cold night. Hot pitcher vs well hitting lineup of late. A well pitching ace of late vs a normaly weak hitting lineup.
Looks to be a low scoreing game. Hopefully the Giants have the lowest score. .. the key to the game.
Both pitchers are very good. Lincecum has had a much better season, but lately they’ve been on the same level.
Against good pitchers, I still feel more confident in the Tigers to score more runs than the awful Giants offense. Still, this one is probably going to be close.
No walks from Verlander would be nice. Make this lineup beat him with the bats.
I’ve been to this stadium several times…it’s AWESOME. Most aesthetic stadium in MLB for sure.
JV is due to string out some very good pitching performances continuing tonight
Who was the sweaty dude talking about Sexy Freddy Solid on Tigers Live? I didn’t see who it was.
Liked the story that he came over as a position player and (presumably) couldn’t hit so they stuck him on the mound and he was throwing 92-95 out of the gate.
I don’t want to be called a jinx or anything, but I don’t have a good feeling about tonight’s game. I think Jose Molina may have himself a nice 3-for-4 ball game and Lincecum is the best pitcher under 25 not named Felix Hernandez.
in case you guys were wondering California issued its first same sex marriage licenses today……
Tim Lincecum shall be destroyed. Bengie Molina’s mind will be shattered by the sheer magnitude of the loss, leading him to forget which Molina he is and report to the Yankees for batting practice tomorrow. Rich Aurilia will be so disheartened by the extent of his team’s inadequacy that he will long to have never been traded away from Seattle — this, my friends, is pain. Giants! A team of cast-offs and never-wills. I laugh at the name.
I love the Giants home uni’s. Probably my 3rd choice in all of baseball.
nice to see a ball hit hard,,,sometimes the Tigers make those easy first nine outs with out one
The “sweaty dude” was the bullpen coach Jeff Jones, Mike.
I love any team that wears an off-white color at home. I’ve always loved that look — gives it an old school feel while still being elegant.
p.s. Billfer, did you see that MGL released the UZR Numbers through the first 65 games? I put very little stock in it but the Tigers that showed up were (extrapolated for a full season):
Miguel Cabrera: -19 at 1st base, 4th worst in baseball
Carlos Guillen: -14 at 3rd base, 5th worst in baseball
That’s it.
Edgar Renteria wasn’t on either the best or worst lists.
Dave BW
You make me laugh every time you post something like that. Even when I read it the next day.
Thanks Brian. I always forget that’s who it is. But seriously, couldn’t have waited until he got a towel or something? It’s like he just carried Miggy through the Boston Marathon on his back or something.
Lincecum looks like Verlander must have looked when he was 18 years old build wise
Verlander looks good. I know it’s early, but velocity is up.
Verlander’s curve has a ton of movement tonight.
Both teams go quietly in the first. At least Polanco walked.
Mike - I did see that. You forgot to mention Maggs being amongst the best right fielders.
My brother suggests that Lincecum looks as though he works at Hot Topic in the offseason
Hmm, with all this winning, I hadn’t noticed Mags is down below .310.
It would be nice to get Lincecum’s pitch count up and get into the bullpen as early as possible.
Lincecum is working around 95-96. His location is consistently questionable, but his stuff is so good that nobody has even approached getting good contact yet.
Mike R, if you’re correct, your gold. If not. you hand the baton to Tiff.
Marcus is COUNTRY STRONG.
UNTIL… COUNTRY STRONG HOME RUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thames is unbelievable right now.
Are you kidding me? Marcus. Unreal.
MARCUS THAMES
Marcus—Marcus-Marcus…what is the record anyway!!!!!1
Maaarcuus…Maaarcuus… Maaarcuus!!!
Crushed. Again. That’s a first for Thames going 4 games in a row. He did 3 games in July 2004.
The HR was off a curveball right down the middle. I assume he wanted it down and outside.
My God, Marcus. Get ready Tiff.
Irod walks. Mario and Rod point out that he is already 3 BB past his total last year
Every. day. player.
Thames HR ..Pudge works an actual walk…the baseball gods are with us so far
Okay Justin. Let’s make that run last a little while.
Marcus, that is…
Billfer: I missed Magglio when I was looking over the numbers, thank you.
And Marcus Thames is on his way to proving me wrong. I welcome anyone and everyone who read me write that I don’t think Marcus is an everyday player in the majors to mock and heckle me endlessly if a year from now he’s proven that he can hit.
Country Strong is on an unbelievable tear. If he hits it fair right now, chances are that its OTP.
oh my lord was that a crappy swing by Molina on a JV curve. Also, Bengie may be slower than Sean Casey, but I can’t really prove it one way or the other.
Mike only time will tell…..he can extend this great playing as along as he wants to…..
Maggs hit homers in 4 straight games in May 2006, and Monroe did it in 2004.
one important fact about today ..how many innings has JV actually gone out to he mound with a lead this year?
Does anyone else agree that Aaron Rowand has the goofiest batting stance since Mickey Tettleton?
You might want to stay on first from now on, Rowand
Also, Billfer: What are the 2 jerseys ahead of the Giants home unis do you like?
V’s got tons of movement on everything tonight
Hollimon throws a possible DP ball somewhere into right field, allowing the Giants to tie the game.
That right there is a minor leaguer.
are you kidding me set your feet rookie ..you are only getting one out there anyway
Boooooooooo…Hollimon…..Boooooooooo
Why, why, why did he throw the ball like that. He’s no Ozzie Smith.
That right there is a minor leaguer.
And a 2B playing SS.
Are Hollimon’s socks up? They can’t be with a throw like that. He will atone for his mistakes in the 5th inning.
Mike - Tigers first, Dodgers second. Yankee pinstripes are 4th for me.
Jim better be talking to that young man.
Verlander makes contact! Take THAT, TSmith!
Granderson looked awful to start that AB, but adjusted to work a walk
Grnaderson needs to start stealing. I know this is a tough combo to steal on. Hit and run maybe.
Billfer: Solid choices. Tigers home (i’d love to see them wear the v-neck throw backs from the 80’s they wore one night in cleveland last year … june or july I believe it was. Magglio homered that night if I recall correctly).
Then Giants home
Royals home
Blue Jays powder blue. I’m a sucker for most powder blue jerseys/unis.
Mike –
Powder blue high-five!
Oh, and Tim Lincecum looks so much like Cameron from Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, it’s ridiculous.
Tiny Tim.
Cameron.
Nothing better than the Yankee pinstripes. You can hate the team but that uni is timeless and unmatched.
Oh and I’ll give it up for the powder blues as well!
Dave has good tastes! Most people I know don’t like the powder blues.
Powder just doesn’t sound good when talking about professional sports.
Time for the big boys.
Brian - But what about the Chargers powder blues? Those are awesome.
I’m a fan of the Royals blue’s, but not the other copycat powder blue explosion of the 80s.
I like the color. Not the name. It sounds soft.
The powder blues remind me of my early 80’s Topps sticker books. Anybody remember those?
Oh yeah Ryan. SWEET!!
I’m a little young for the topps sticker books.
Tim Lincecum looks like he is 10 years old. And for a MLB pitcher, he is quite short and scrawny. Definitely a deceptive talent.
Thanks alot Mike R.
I stand corrected on Verlander making contact.
Grandy needs to steal. I don’t know why he didn’t go. We need to manufacture runs and take some chances. Who has the red phone to the Tiger’s dugout? Grandy has to steal there.
MARCUS THAMES !
LOOK OUT BOY!
HOLY THAMES!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh my god marcus
OMG
That right there is a major leaguer.
That is just amazing, Marcus.
Marcus Thames 3, SF Giants 1.
Marcus Thames is Babe Ruth!
I’m speechless right now. Just speechless.
This is just getting ridiculous. Thames HR!!!!! 3-1 Tigers
And Rod throws in another “Country Strong” for good measure!
I love that guy!
Marcus Thames will win this game by himself.
COUNTRY!!!!
Rod Allen annoys me more often than not, but I think I could listen to a collage of clips from when he gets excited all day long.
“LOOK OUT BOY! GO ON WIT CHA BAD SELF! HE’S COUNTRY STRONG!”
When is the last time you saw a hitter this hot? I remember ARod hit HRs in 7 straight back in ‘01 or ‘02, and I seem to remember someone else did it in ‘06. Anyone remember?
(watching on MLB.tv, just heard a fan in the background “Are you SERIOUS?!”)
Marcus Thames for President
Marcus Thames sold his soul to the devil….. There is just no other way to explain it…..
Maaarcuuus, Maaarcuuus, Maaarcuuus!
Thames and Pudge. What a combo.
The only thing that would make that HR sweeter would be to hear what Rod had to say. You know he’d unleash some new phrase or expression after that one.
How can u not look at marcus and think “there goes a guy with a high contact to damage ratio”
Ryan in Brooklyn
Can I get a Marcus Thames Topps Sticker?
Marcus is capable of carrying an offense when he’s on.
T - Grandy was stealing. That’s why it was a dp. Vizquel was going over to cover and it’s right where the ball was.
Marcus Hobbs
Edit: oh, and verlander seems to be below 4.50 era now.
If we win this game, I call another sweep.
Home runs against Tim Lincecum this season:
Marcus Thames: 2
The National League: 3
But Thames still has a couple at bats to go . . .
So what did Rod say? I’m listening to the SF guys…
Verlander looks awesome right now.
So what did Rod say? I’m listening to the SF guys
Ha! That’s awesome, Kyle
“Some kind of Country Strong” TSmith.
Tim Lincecum has only given up three home runs ALL YEAR, before tonight. Marcus Thames gets two in two ABs…. If I were Tim Lincecum, I would never-ever-ever-ever-ever pitch to him again.
My main question is: do the Tigers have enough defense in left field to win with Thames playing everyday? Perhaps we should resign Jacque? Or platoon Clete Thomas?
/sarcasm
Back to back 2 strike hits.
God-I jinxed JV. Alright DP please.
And they get one back. Come on, Justin. Keep us in this one.
When Thames hit it out and Mario finished his call and Marcus was just getting around first rod yelled “LOOK OUT BOY!” and then later called him country strong.
I can’t deliver a Marcus sticker. But here’s the original from back in the day. Complete with George Brett sporting the powder blue on the cover.
http://www.plunderhere.com/auc.....gID=426336
Thames has single-handedly pushed Lincecum’s ERA up by .2
I hate that he gave up that run. And I just read Bilfer’s game preview vis a vis, Thames. Now that’s Funny.
I’m really enjoying these SF TV guys.
Thames’ll get pulled for Clevlen after his next AB. It’s happened like every night this week.
Thanks for the visual Ryan. It brings back the good old days.
Did the Det announcers make any comments about cutting Granderson’s throw there? Seems like it would have been there in time, though it may have been up the 3B line.
Verlander flies out to right?!?! What are we paying him for?!
Wow. If that ball drops Verlander might have had a double.
Yeh these SF announcers are good.
BTW, I’ve watched a lot of Lincecum the last year, had him in fantasy. Don’t be surprised if he reels off quite a few outs in a row at this point. I hope my typically bad prognosticatin skills are on point again this time but I’ve seen it before and Verlander and the Pen better be in shutdown mode for a bit.
SF announcers are so good I had a red bull grey goose to stay awake.
Carlos Guillen was switched to 3B this year. Rich Aurilia, the guy who kept Guillen from getting the SS job in Seattle, is playing 3B tonight. That’s just weird.
I’d have given pollygagger a hit, but I’m a homer. That was a rocket to third.
Lincecum’s only got one more inning.
I have no problem cutting off Grandy’s throw. Especially since Pudge was a quart of the way up the line on the 3rd base side since that’s where the ball was going. So it wasn’t on target.
CaCa.
No way that just happened. Verlander provides all the power.
Fred Lewis HR ties the game again. 3-3
Dang, Justin.
Nobody really believes the “you let him supply the power” stuff right? The physics of that just seem ridiculous…the difference between a home run has to come from the angle of bat on ball + bat speed, right? Can’t imagine the difference between 95 and 89 on the throw is material…
justin did you think that 93 down the middle of the plate…. he would take it or what????
But forty, Rod Allen is a baseball man so it MUST be true! If only he’d focused on making contact rather than figuring out who was supplying the power, he wouldn’t have had to go lay the smackdown on a Japanese pitcher when he played ball in Japan.
Look at his swing. That is not a dead center HR swing.
Sorry Brian, I didn’t mean my comment to seem directed at you — I sent before I read yours.
The dude they are showing in the stands all shriveled up inside his jacket on the SF broadcast is pretty funny. Ridiculous that weather they get there in the middle of June.
If Rod said what I said, than I don’t believe it.
God I hate the Molinas.
always an adventure with this infield
Um, what the heck, Hollimon?
Hell of a catch by Hollimon that was almost wasted by another subpar throw
Nice play Hollimon. But c’mon kid. Set your feet on the throw!
Forty
It’s cool. I just couldn’t believe that ball went out.
Another botched throw from the minor league 2B.
Marcus could use a little help out there tonight.
That early error could be costly in this tight game.
Not a good inning for pitch count on Lincecum.
Does anyone else see some of these outside “strikes” being at least three to four inches off the plate?
And he gets through it in 6 pitches. Great.
Heart of the order in 6 pitches.
6 pitch inning for Lincecum
Marcus has arrived. Those were A Rod type boos.
Brian — you’re right, there were two bad calls there.
Giant fans booing Marcus. That’s gotta feel kind of good for him.
I’ve wondered about those borderline innings, where it looks like the starter will probably only go one more only to see the offense swing early in the count. It’s frustrating as hell when it results in a 6 pitch inning, but I wonder how much is by design with the hitters figuring that the starter knows he doesn’t have much left and they’ll be getting strikes early in the count.
Trade Thames, he’s finished
Verlander’s getting the far outside call too, so I can’t really complain.
Forty - I don’t know the Physics behind it, I couldn’t pass Physics in college, but when I played, I thought it was true. The harder they threw it, the better I drove the ball when I made contact. Pretty consistently for a number of years.
I never made it past t-ball Greg, so tough for me to relate
I did make a sweet outfield assist in a co-ed softball game one time though. You do not run on Forty*
*: just that one time. other times the green light should always be on.
OK, so I just joined in after dinner. Ummmmm, what’d I miss? Verlander’s line looks good and Marcus is unreal with 2 HR. Anything else?
that’s three
Like I said. Thames and Pudge. What a duo.
Now what? Squeeze?
Oh and nice leadoff triple for pudge.
Pudge! Leadoff stand-up triple. Hollimon needs to atone here.
“In play, no out.”
Please be a triple.
Get this run home.
lets get this run before Fredddddiiieee Time
Oops. I thought Verlander was up.
pudge triple?? What on earth is going on?
Don’t worry, Hollimon, I’m sure you’ll get that first hit someday.
can hollimon handle the bat?
Make up time for the kid.
Gotta pinch hit here.
This is Hollimon’s opportunity to make up for the stupid error in the 2nd.
Pudge has to get driven in somehow.
I posted that before I knew it was a triple. Swear to God. Wow that feels good. PUDGY!
Ugh, I almost hate this pinch hit option. I may vomit if we don’t score this run.
Hm. Edgar needs to hit a fly ball here. please.
Then turn it over to the bullpen. Is Rodney available?
Mike Hollimon isn’t Verlander’s best friend tonight. He’s helped take him out of line for the win twice now tonight.
When is Santiago supposed to come off the DL? Can we get Inge to play backup SS? Anything?
Phew, and sweet.
What a slide. WOO HOOO!!!
Good enough!!! Great slide!!!
Yay Jim Leyland!
Oh man, he was meat at the plate.
Tigers got a break there me thinks.
wow that was a close play. sorry timmy lince.
ouch replay pretty conclusive…he was out. nice to get a break i guess.
Renteria wasn’t pretty or even a run but we will take it…to heck with instant replay
Molina didn’t argue that too hard, it’s tough to think he actually did tag him.
San Francisco manager gets tossed for arguing that Molina tagged Pudge. Which he did, apparently.
4-3 Tigers
Recant. Thank you blue.
What is Lyons talking about, “not even close”?
ooooooooh, never mind. Molina tagged him. Break for the Tigers all the way.
Does anyone really want to see Rodney tested his first time back in a one run nail-biter with the season on the line?
I don’t.
Also: Lincecum doesn’t get his QS. How nice for us!
Looks like the Tigers caught a break.
It’s bullpen time.
He may have been out but you get that call al lot more often if you hit the body and he DEFINITELY did not get the body.
Rod and Mario say he was tagged but I didn’t see it from that camera angle.
That’s why you never ever want instant replay.
Unfortunately, I don’t see this game as anywhere close to over.
in April and May they would have called Pudge out and Granderson too for just being there …that is how it was going….
Great start for Verlander, and nice job by the offense to scratch out 4 on one of the best pitchers in the game. Up to the pen now!
He was out.
Not that I’m terribly upset by the call.
He was definitely out. You could see Pudge’s sleeve move when Molina swiped his arm.
Dolsi in.
He was out but not getting the body and letting the ump see the catcher’s mitt get deflected a bit will make that a 50/50 call just about every time.
When you’re sexy, you can will line drives right at people
Absolutely crazy catch by Cabrera for the second out. Durham flies out on one pitch to end the inning. 1-2-3
Dolsi’s been perfect in his last 3 innings, but he’s also been lucky that everything has been hit at people. I thought the strike outs were sexier, but I’m not going to complain. I’m just sayin…
Lincecum is out and replaced by Keiichi Yabu, who I have never heard of in my life.
Freddy just let’s em hit it if they can.
Holy cow Vizquel is good.
You know, for an 85-year-old man, Vizquel can play a pretty mean shortstop.
Good call on the Pudge play (powder) blue.
hm. fast inning there.
is sexy freddy still in?
Freddy still in against the heart of the order
He’s ready, he’s steady, and he’s sexxxy!
these san fran announcers are paranoid about people scuffing balls
I believe in sexy. Let’s go Freddy.
Forty
Your right about that. Good Lord! GO SEXXXY!!
San Francisco is all about the booing today
DARN. Base knock right into the hole.
Rodney coming in? He was up…
So much for easing Rodney into things…
How does Renteria not get to that.
oh man, that hurts. 0-2 single on a bad pitch.
Dolsi out, Rodney in. Dear lord it’s late.
gimme a break a 0-2 hit and run
Hollimon gets to that ball. Who knows where the throw is going, but he gets to the ball.
Renteria was covering on the hit and run I think, Brian.
This is it, boys. The moment of Truth.
Bad feeling about this.
and here comes Rodney…
Our relief is not………just continues to be that way.
Polanco was covering I think…watched the replay on dvr…
I DONT LIKE BRINGING IN RODNEY, what the heck, throw him into the fire i mean god.
Fernando better throw strikes.
That’s all I have to say.
Rodney will DOMINATE!!
Lyons does not realize Rodney’s LH/RH splits.
two great changes from nando. let’s get this k. come on buddy, we missed you.
I swear that Rodney looks like he’s ready for a knife fight to break out at any moment. I’ve missed that look!
Here comes a K!
Ughhhhhhhhh. Or not. Time to pass the baton off to Tiff, maybe.
Super.
I’m going to bed.
Okay, that didn’t work out. G’night.
Wow. Tough situation for Fernando to come into. Who does Bowker think he is, Thames?
I bet if you check the Tigers have not won a game this year in these circumstances. I knew that Rodney would blow it. I have absolutely no idea what anyone sees in home.
yeah, at least he threw strikes.
damn, that sucks.
…
Bowker hammers a Rodney changeup for an HR. 6-4 Giants. Yeesh.
LOL WTFM <SBJKF:LDBHKjgvladfgdkmdffh
How does this guy (Bowker) beat the Tigers?
Your fault, Ryan. You had the bad feeling…
Wait, no, Adam. Your fault. sorry, Ryan
And that, my friends, is why.
Good game.
ouch
Rodney picked up right where he left off last year
Rodney had him set up for a fastball off the plate away, he would have had no chance. Instead, hanging changeup. Terriible pitch.
Senor Hunches Strikes Back: We don’t like no stinking prosperity!
Don’t we still get three outs in the ninth? Let’s go Tigers!
Every one of these hits is coming with 2 strikes. You gotta be kidding me.
I meant in Rodney………..I have never seen him do any good at all. My brother and I are constantly saying that as soon as he comes in the game is lost….So why is our bullpen supposed to be helped by him? Maybe some of you have seen something I never have. Fernando Rodney is a complete joke in my opinion. Maybe he did something in 2006 that I missed, but last year I never once saw him execute relief.
Well Rodney is back…
Welcome back, Rodney.
If Leyland had Rodney in mind as option B for this 8th inning he should’ve just let him start the inning. He throws him in there with one out and runners of first and third in his first big league game in months. Not exactly a brilliant managerial move in my estimation!
Giants deserve the credit, billfer. Tigers pitchers made bad pitches with 2 strikes all inning and they got punished.
Hindsight is 20/20, but why take Dolsi out. I don’t understand that at all.
Hey Rodney, we missed you. Welcome back. Thanks for jumping right back in where you left off.
Sky, Rodney was flat out dominant in 2006. I don’t blame him THAT much for this outing (he did throw the pitch so he gets blame) but for me, this comes down to another terrible decision by the ‘leader’ of the ball club that we pay money to make the best move that puts the Tigers in position to win baseball games. Jim Leyland (Senor Hunches) fails to do this. And with regularity.
Guys, the game isn’t over. This is the NATIONAL LEAGUE.
I am really at a loss for this…..Why all the press about him coming back…….who cares? …I really need to know if someone can tell me when, if ever, Rodney was ever any good in relief? Every single time I recall seeing him come in he gives up more runs………….I mean every single time………am I wrong on this or missing something? This is not a rant, folks, I am trying to understand what he has ever done to deserve being on the team.
“Fernando Rodney is available in the bullpen, though Jim Leyland said before the game that he’d like to ease him in with an outing before throwing him into setup duty in a close situation.”
from Becks Blog… Well Jimmy didn’t really stick to that plan….
Dylan, didn’t know that Jim said that. Well, now it all makes sense. When’s the last time Jim said something that he actually stuck to this year?
Verlander gets screwed again.
We’ll still take 2 of 3 this series, and 2 of 3 in SD. A 4-2 trip is a success.
that was a horrible decision. not only the havent pitched in the majors this season rodney choice. -> but how bad is that it appears leyland has no confidence in todd jones. most any big time closer is in there for a 5 out save.
Mike, I must have missed it in 2006. But I do recall last year……….he did not do a thing………..and he is totally ineffective now……I really believe he is unable to be a relief pitcher in any context.
Such a good game. Then Rodney gives up 5.
Really? Damn.
As Mike said, Rodney was terrific in 06 and he was also above average in 07. You’re probably thrown off by the horrible stretch he had at the beginning of last year
Can Rodney go back on the DL?
Yeah, I think saying Rodney wasn’t effective at all last year is a bit harsh. He battled through some arm injuries and managed to strike out 24.2% of hitters while walking only 9% — those are above average numbers.
Can we please put Rodney back on the DL again…… Maybe he can hang out with Sheffield & Willis down in Lakeland.
I watched MLB all 2007 and can not remember any times when Rodney was any good. I know he was hurt last year as well, but as soon as he came in I wondered if it would just be a repeat of last year’s ineptitude. And by the way, Tiger fans, please do not be putting much store in Zumaya either. Sorry, I just do not see these guys as the great relief hope everyone is talking about.
Relievers have to be able to control and overpower, or outwit the opposition. Frankly, other than seeing replays from 2006 when Z threw 100 mph and loved looking at the speed on the board I do not recall he did much last year either. And why are these guys always hurt?
Sky — I could paste Rodney’s game logs from last year if you reaaaalllly want tomorrow. Now, however, bed. I can tell you, however, that he had 13 straight appearances where he didn’t give up a single run, including two straight where he struck out the side.
Rodney has one pitch (the change) and no control of anything else. In other words, a recipe for failure. It’s just one game, but like the chorus of people are saying his 2007 was instantly forgettable. Leyland didn’t have anyone else with some game experience in a one-run game? Very very bad possible loss looming.
Sky - When Rodney came off the disabled list last year he closed out the year with a 2.82 ERA. He allowed 7 runs in 22 innings over 21 games. He struck out 29 in that span.
The Tigers needed a strike out in that situation and Rodney was the best option for that in the Tigers pen.
Sky: That’s because it’s human nature to remember only the bad pitching performances. At the end of the year, what pitching performance will stand out the most to you or most tiger fans? The Dontrelle Willis blow up on national television.
Or, in 2007 what do people remember about Bonderman? He’s complete shallacking he took out in Anaheim. People forget he was 10-1 with a mid-3’s ERA and a like 4.5 K:BB Ratio through his first 18 starts.
Also, Zumaya is “always” hurt because a freak injury where his finger tendon ruptured when he was warming up in the bullpen and KC and when a box of trophies fell on his shoulder when he was helping his parents move out of his childhood home when wild fires in southern california were threatening to engulf the house in flames.
I’m just consistently amazed how quickly people forget the great things some players have done. First it’s all of Miggy’s entire career in Florida and now it’s that Fernando Rodney was a dominant reliever for 1½ of the last 2 full seasons of baseball. Ridiculous.
I have seen this whole game, and was commenting to my wife that I felt we would let it slip away in the 8th because our relievers are so unreliable. We have had a lot to cheer about this past week, but this glaring weakness of NO RELIABLE RELIEF PITCHING AT ALL, has just killed us all year and will continue to do so. Right now it is the single biggest problem.
i can understand you want a strikeout, but doesnt a groundball double play sound better. this isnt a perfect world, but a K is hardly the only option
Double play is on the way.
It’s one game. I hope Rodney can pitch ASAP. I can’t wait for ZOOM to get back. It’s too easy to remember the bad, and not praise the good.
Mike, I never saw what you are talking about in 2006 …………….that is why I was asking. I figured there had to be some history I had not seen. I was not available in the US to follow the Tigers in 06 until the playoffs. So I did not see Rodney do anything and I never have. That is exactly what I was trying to figure out.
Hail Mary full of grace….
Tying run at the plate.
Well I hate to disagree with some on this blog but most might actually agree with me. This situation is all wrapped up in one phrase.
“What is not broken doesnt need fixing.”
This bullpen hasnt been lights out but pretty darn good. Rodney I agree needs to be on the team but to put him in a situation like that first game back. Not to mention that my faith in Leyland is stretching because who brings in a righty(who has a god aweful Lefty splits) against a lefty. Leyland should have gone with Fossum and Jones of course in the ninth. Bring Rodney into a none situation like mop up or something just get back into his game. He looked just aweful out there.
I’m just throwing this out there…
If Renteria gets that ball through the hole, the score is still 4-3 right now. Is it a hard play? Yes. Is it an impossible play to get? I don’t think so.
Sky, billfer also pointed out that he was dominant for the 2nd half of the 2007 season after he got over his shoulder fatigue/injury. So it wasn’t just limited to what you were unable to see in 2006.
T Smith: Dolsi was on the mound for that play, correct? Then I’ll go this route: If Dolsi makes a better pitch that induces a swing and a miss, the defense behind him doesn’t matter.
Edit: And what’s the better option? Carlos Guillen doesn’t get that ball and if he does, he airmails it to first base. If Mike Hollimon gets to that (he probably does) who knows where the ball is going with his throwing problems tonight due to a lack of setting his feet. There are no other options, so to me, saying that “if Renteria . . .” when there’s no option for SS other than him right now, what’s the point?