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PREGAME: Anyone else still tired from last night? Hopefully Justin Verlander went home early and got a good night’s sleep. The Tigers used 10 innings worth of bullpen last night and need Verlander to be more efficient than his 110 pitch, 4 inning outing against the White Sox. The Tigers bullpen presumably consists of Freddy Dolsi, Joel Zumaya, and Clay Rapada who was activated with Todd Jones hitting the DL.
On the other side it will be Fausto Carmona. Carmona didn’t make it out of the 3rd before surrendering 10 baserunners to the Twins in his first start off the DL.
DET @ CLE, Thursday, July 31, 2008 Game Preview - Baseball-Reference.com
Game Time 12:05
POSTGAME: No offense to speak of. Verlander throwing oodles of pitches. Tigers pitchers combining for 6 walks and 2 HBPs. A pretty crappy end to the series.
This is 2 bad outings for Verlander in a row. Is this a blip, a bump? Are his mechanics bad? Is it a result of the heavy workload he’s carried this year? A bigger topic woth a deeper dive I suppose.
{ 225 comments… read them below or add one }
I saw Professor Farnsworth’s name being used earlier, so with Futurama and Todd Jones’ absence in mind, I’ll say:
“Good news, everyone!”
Presumably Fossum leaves when teary-eyed Farnsworth joins us tomorrow.
Is it illegal to throw a ball that is soaked from a waterfall of tears?
As long as Kyle steps off the mound before-hand, it’s fine, Dave.
I hope he is the closer. That would be entertaining as hell.
I love these 11 AM CST starts!
Here’s the lineup, featuring plenty from the bench as expected:
Granderson, CF
Santiago, 2B
Guillen, 3B
Cabrera, 1B
Joyce, RF
Thames, DH
Renteria, SS
Raburn, LF
Sardinha, C
Definitely a fan of the all work day afternoon game.
I like the scrubtastic lineup. I expect good things today.
Word stealer.
“Definitely a fan of the all work day afternoon game.”
Only causes guilt and confusion for me. I can’t truly enjoy the game at work.
Hey now. Word borrower.
Besides, I’m still bitter over not receiving proper credit for “Pollygagging.”
Could Sardinha be moved to a lineup position lower than ninth?
I love Curtis and would like to have his babies.
The post Pudge era starts off just fine.
Umpire down!
Trade the batboy for Rivera.
I always wonder what’s happening when Gameday pauses for a long time. Ump took one near the groin last night, where’d todays ump get it?
I hope the Tigs knock Carmona on his fat amorous can. Yeah, that was an anagram. You wanna fight about it?
“I love Curtis and would like to have his babies.’
Ha. I’d settle for having his talent.
Note: Rod believes that the umpire call that allowed Granderson to take 3rd was “the right move”
Have you heard? Griffey –> White Sox
Ryan P.,that can be arranged through the Granderson Sperm Bank located in Trenton.
“fat amorous can”
Extra points for anagrams that can be used in a sentence more or less invisibly without necessarily seeming out of context. Bravo.
I’m not sure that Griffey will have better production than the guys from whom he’s taking playing time. Weird trade.
There may be some anatomy related issues on this end. But I hear anything can be done these days.
Gorilla’s Uncle!
Agreed, Sean, this is probably my favorite Tigers lineup ever
So did Grandy get a double on that hit or what, I’m confused.
It seems Griffey will play CF and Swisher and Konerko will platoon at 1B. Not all that bad. A rangeless CF and a pair of .220 hitters splitting AB’s. I don’t see how this makes them better.
Grandy singled and reached second on a passed ball. At least that’s the word on the street.
Verlander really needs to shut them down today. I expect the Cleveland players to finish the day with no names on the backs of their jerseys, as JV will have kicked their ass and took them.
Howd he get to third.
Another option is Griffey at DH, Thome at 1B and Konerko on the bench.
That was beautiful, Chris
LOL @ Chris in Dallas
How much time left to trade?
I’m feeling another typical ~5 inning JV performance.
3.5 hours to trade.
4 is the deadline, ron
Craptacular
the Indians might as well be the Rangers when they’re playing us
Ryan - incredibly, Grandy got to third on that PB. The batboy thought it was a foul ball and interfered with the ball in play. They sent Grandy back to second then after a long discussion let him take third.
Does it make me a bad person becuase I wish for Ben Francisco to contract a combination of syphillis and herpes?
We’ve got Lopez, Rapada and Zumaya available out of the pen today. JV needs to find a way to get us 7 innings.
Rod, on Francisco’s amazing catch: “That should be against the LAW”
He sprouted bat wings at the last possible moment. Drat.
I consider it a success for JV if he throws 5 or less pitches in the at bat. Result of the at-bat doesn’t matter. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen much.
“I expect the Cleveland players to finish the day with no names on the backs of their jerseys, as JV will have kicked their ass and took them.”
Even if Justin’s isn’t, stuff this good virtually assures a Tigers win. I’ve researched the game threads and will post stats on it soon.
Love to see the hit and run.
I guess this isn’t relevant, what with fat amorous can being a righty and all, but look at Curtis vs. portsiders this year.
.314/.360/.429
Allow that to sink in. World domination in imminent.
Jones officially on the DL. Wonder how hurt he really is.
JV has got to lead the majors in pitches thrown.
just got back from the gym…how is Verlander’s pitch count already at 50 with only one walk issued?
I was impressed recently to see how far ahead JV was compared with the rest of the Tigers starters in called strikes per BF. Now I see what I overlooked.
Coming into today, here are your MLB leaders in # of pitches:
Sabathia 2494
Burnett 2427
Cain 2414
Meche 2394
Halladay 2390
Verlander 2378
So he’d have to throw about 120 to take over the lead today.
“Jones officially on the DL. Wonder how hurt he really is.”
I don’t think he’s hurt, other than his feelings.
Man, what an arm.
Pitches per inning leaders:
Dice-K 17.6
Washburn 17.2
Bannister 17.1
Meche 17.0
Verlander 17.0
looks like hes gonna have to throw about 150 today!
Pitches per plate appearance (min. 100 IP)
Dice-K 4.04
Meche 4.04
Weaver 4.00
Verlander 3.98
How’s JV’s curve working today? Can’t follow Gameday closely enough to figure it out.
Is that the top 4, Chris?
Yes that’s the top 4 (all of MLB, not just AL)
“So he’d have to throw about 120 to take over the lead today.”
Sorry, didn’t look up far enough to see all the posts on this.
I think he throws 120 today, maybe.
Apparently JV’s curve is working OK. 4 K’s through 3 IP generally indicates that. Unless the change-up is his outpitch today.
Is the Griffery to white sox rumor true?
Fat amorous can is gonna make a mistake to Joyce or Thmaes and pay for it.
Too bad we don’t have 9 Grandersons.
OK, I’m a liar. This time.
Dave T: Yes.
Sean: Thmaes is cuontry storng.
‘Too bad we don’t have 9 Grandersons.”
But you’re working on that, right, Ryan?
Chris, probably because I like him so much, I seem doomed to misspell his name the same way 90% of the time. It’s really pathetic.
You’ll have to wait 20 years or so, but we will be SO good in 2030.
Verlander’s pitching well today. It’d be nice to show some support in the form of runs.
Is it griping if I ask why it takes 8 pitches to strike out a .183 hitter? I don’t mean to gripe, but I find it somewhat alarming.
Sean: I assumed you were referring to Thmaes, our new Macedonian superstar
JV hummin along now.
“Thmaes, our new Macedonian superstar”
Ha. Now I’ll never be able to spell it right.
Come on dudes, score some runs before lunch ends, please.
After last night’s game, this is soooo refreshing.
Sean C. are you having a ham sandwich for lunch or just munching on a can of spam?
The book on Sardinha seems to be “Pitch the ball.”
does anyone else think this “pitcher’s duel” will wind up 7-6 after the bullpen’s get involved?
OMG I am still so shellshocked after yesterday I forgot the game started at noon. Where’s our offense???
Had to go with the ham sandwich for luck today, Ron. Also, the more ham sandwiches we can take out of circulation, the more assured we are of getting Edgar back for another year. So it’s win-win.
“after the bullpen’s get involved?”
Speaking of which, what’s Cleveland got left for a pen today?
Fasano has the raccoon look going on.
He hit the wrong catcher!
If we had Griffey we’d put him at 3rd and move Guillen back to left
craaaaaaaaap
Wow.
Walks are bad….
Twio bonus runs for Cleveland with that HBP and walk.
jeeeeeeez. sizemore makes verlander pay for hitting, then walking, the 8 and 9 hitters.
What is the deal with Verlander? Pitch selection on the lower tier Cleveland batters stunk.
He should be burning it by them.
Sean, hope you we’re able to keep that sandwich down after that bomb.
Really, Really, Really bad performance by Verlander. Walk the bottom two of the line-up, and give up a 3-run homer. And he did not have to play last night. Very poor performance.
Dan and Jim are echoing the same thing, Andrew. Inexcusably bad pitching by Verlander.
the bottom of lineups tend to kill us. i am referring specifically to the twins series where denard span and nick punto were 7 for 8.
here’s hoping we can muster something off fausto and the cleveland pen.
This is the exact opposite of what Verlander was supposed to do today. He apparently is hellbent on striking everyone out and running up his pitch count. And grooving pitches to guys with 26 HR. I mean 27.
That’s OK, when the Tigers get down 8-1…that’s when they’re really dangerous.
Where is Chief Monday when we need him? We need some buckin’ up here, pal.
This is enough to make me want to get back to work. Damn.
Renteria just isn’t the same hitter without the other whipping boys around him in the lineup…
If I had told you that Verlander would have 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB and 9 K, would you have thought he’d have given up a 4-spot?
I mean honestly, the Indians aren’t even a good hitting team with the injuries they have now. Our pitching is such a joke. LDfjslDfjILJF try walking the guy with 27 HRs next time instead of the 8 and 9 hitters moron.
HBP = first man on in quite a while. Lets see if we can do something now.
“If I had told you that Verlander would have 5 IP, 3 H, 2 BB and 9 K, would you have thought he’d have given up a 4-spot?”
No, but I may have guessed the Tigers would be doing squat at the plate…
I’m trying to come up with an insult for Grady Sizemore right now. Perhaps I can use this for a guide. I urge you, the DTW nation, to vote for the best one…
http://www.cracked.com/article.....world.html
And Santiago charges the mound, unable to control the fury of his anger, eyes glaring, hell-bent on hurting someone, anyone…
Oh sorry, looks like he actually just jogged to 1st and took his base.
Thank goodness Cleveland is so terrible. We can’t play like this against the D-Rays and expect to win.
We’re getting so many gifts this series you’d think it was Christmas.
Now would be a nice time for a Matt Joyce jimmy-jack, no?
EDIT: Or that.
I love these kind of runs. We don’t need no stinkin’ homer.
Thanks to Cabrera (the Cleveland one) for booting home a run; actually I’m more interested in the previous play, Cabrera pops out to 2nd, Santiago advances to 3rd (?)
Well, that seemed like a strange pitch for Marcus to bite on, but what do I know.
Thames is useless.
I hate Sizemore. He just bothers me, Mr. Perfect, just the way everyone fawns over him. And when I went to a game in Cleveland and all these girls were wearing tshirts saying “Grady’s Ladies”. I think that made it worse. Ugh.
Does it not give you a warm and fuzzy feeling inside to watch the incompetent play on the part of the Indians: bad fielding, inability to score with bases loaded and no outs (last night), a bad bullpen, etc………and you know suddenly: WE ARE NOT ALONE!
“Cabrera pops out to 2nd, Santiago advances to 3rd (?)”
Yeah, me too. Cool, though.
Cabrera was called out by the infield fly rule, but Asdrubal didn’t catch the ball, which allowed Santiago to advance.
Infield fly rule, ball was dropped so Santiago was able to run.
Thank you, Brian.
I keep hearing how Thames is due, I would hate to see what his poor mother went through
“Grady’s Ladies”.
Oh my. That is putrid.
Maybe if a bunch of guys showed up wearing t-shirts that said Grad’s Lads…perhaps that would bring some unwanted attention to Mr. Sizemore (and he needs more size…hehe…hehe).
Send Thmaes back to Macedonia for 5 lbs. of posna sarma.
Thames’s Gems’s. Miggy’s Twiggies. Maggs’ Hags. (he he)
Garko is a name you could learn to like, because I think he put up a good fight against Godzilla at some point
“Send Thmaes back to Macedonia for 5 lbs. of posna sarma.”
I think I’m in for a treat when I figure that one out.
It would make Renteria’s life a lot easier if they would just go and institute the Infield Grounder rule.
Raccoon boy sends JV to the showers.
http://www.gradysladies.com/index.html
I guess I would be one of Maggs’ Hags!!!
It is just sad to see Verlander flounder like this. It means we really have no one at all we can truly count on in the rotation. Is it too much to expect?
???
It’s healthier than a ham sandwich.
Verlander was doing his Robertson impersonation only with strike outs.
So now our hopes ride on Crapada…
Garko? Was he the salamander thing in that one movie?
Sad times for Verlander, I see. Hope the bats come roaring back again.
Oops sorry, that’s C. Rapada, overlooked the punctuation there…
What a joke!. Rapada looks like someone from my Little League team!
Well, this is all just peachy. Any pitcher I show support for craps the bed.
ah if we’re gonna lose, keep hitting Indins!
I blame that run on bloodthirsty Chris in Dallas who clearly had Crapada all worked up with seething Sizemore hatred…
‘I guess I would be one of Maggs’ Hags!!!”
No way, cib. I’d come up with something more flattering for you, Kathy, et al, if only I had some brain power and Magglio Ordonez was easier to find rhymes for.
Coleman?
“ah if we’re gonna lose, keep hitting Indins!’
Wait till Farnsworth goes out there…they don’t call him the Sobbing Barber for nothing….
Sometimes I think JV is a little bit ADD. Some games he seems to be somewhere else entirely, kind of forgetting what he’s supposed to be doing. I don’t get it.
Does Armando G have any brothers??
I like Sizemore’s hair.
“It’s healthier than a ham sandwich.”
Well played. If the Tigers took their cue from us, 2008 would look very different.
Cib, someone has to take up for Bondo.
Yeah, cib, but the Flying Galarragas are on tour this summer, unfortunately. Totally booked.
Thames’ Ahems? No wait….Crapada’s Armada…hmmm
Inge’s Bit– no wait I can’t say that can I…ummm…
Here we come.
Jeremy’s Marry-Me’s?
I’ve seen this film before. This is the part where Dane triples.
I repeat…it amazes me to see Cleveland continue to make this really bad plays. If the Tigers were doing this I would be having a stroke!
It’s hard work scoring runs like this. Thank you Raccoon boy.
“If the Tigers were doing this I would be having a stroke!”
Ah, that explains a lot.
j/k
Cleveland looks like a rec league softball team, a couple of guys who mash but swing way to hard (bases loaded in the 12th, ahem) and throw the ball around the infield (the ones they don’t boot) with a complete disregard of the current situation
Ha! Who’s Raccoon Boy?
Jeremy Bonderman’s Hairy Old Washwomen
Your backup catcher’s worse than our backup catcher, nyah nyah.
Hey we don’t even have an earned run yet do we?
I’m starting a petiition to stop hitting into double plays, who will sign?!
I won’t sign, it will turn into one of those Rod Serling kinda deals where we don’t hit into any more double-plays all season…because we have no more base-runners, aaahhhh!!!!
…That wasn’t so bad from C-Rap (Pronounced like “sea-wrap”).
Crap?
No, c-rap, c-rap
But it looks like Crap..
No there’s a dash there, you fool, call me c-rap
OK calm down, sorry about that Crappo.
NO…oh nevermind.
Thames is…. Thames is not good in this series.
Well, no double-plays that inning, were there? I blame that inning on the reckless “no double play” deal made by Joey the Strikeout in Portland.
“Jeremy Bonderman’s Hairy Old Washwomen”
Winner
This would be a good time for a double play ball, with the slow Salamander at first and the plodding Raccoon at the plate.
I assume Farnsworth isn’t with the team yet because he’s utilizing covered wagon transport to get to Cleve