Game 112: Tigers at White Sox

by billfer on August 5, 2008 · 557 comments

in 2008 Season, Game Post

PREGAME: Here we are at one of those critical junctures where if the Tigers lose, even the optimists have to call it a season. It reminds a lot of a series like this 2 months ago where Detroit improbably swept the White Sox. Of course that series was in the confines of Comerica Park.

It will be Nate Robertson taking on Gavin Floyd. Robertson has been the awful in 2 of his last 3 starts. Both of those came on the road. Both of them he was showering before the 4th inning started. And in both of them the team gave him a ton of run support. In between he picked up a quality start against these same White Sox.

Floyd’s ERA is 2 runs lower when pitching in Chicago. He has allowed 11 homers in 76 home innings, and the Tigers have been known to hit some homers, so that might be good.

As for all those changes Leyland was talking about, there were no roster moves, and other than Ryan Raburn starting in left (5 for 12 off of Floyd) there’s really nothing of note.

  1. Granderson, CF
  2. Polanco, 2B
  3. Guillen, 3B
  4. Ordonez, RF
  5. Cabrera, 1B
  6. Sheffield, DH
  7. Raburn, LF
  8. Inge, C
  9. Renteria, SS

Game Time 8:10

POSTGAME: Oh Holy Hell.

I’d like to say something about Polanco’s game. Or Fernando Rodney being the man. Or Ryan Raburn’s 4 hits. Or Nate Robertson making it through 5 innings. Instead…

Oh Holy Hell.

Farnsworth has allowed more homers than all but 25 AL pitchers. All 25 are starters. Edgar Renteria had had a good game with 3 hits and some nice defense…until he booted a routine grounder. The game should have been over. Joel Zumaya should have thrown something that wasn’t a fastball.

Oh Holy Hell.

 

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1 Andrew in Toronto August 5, 2008 at 5:28 pm

“Don’t perform and I won’t put you in the lineup”???

Sheffield, Renteria, Robertson have been performing great!

2 charlie August 5, 2008 at 6:09 pm

that’s why leyland is dead in the water with his players. he is going to stick with his vets until they are definitely out of contention and then we’ll see some kids.

3 Chris in Dallas August 5, 2008 at 6:15 pm

Just once, I’d like to see the 3-4-5 be Ordonez-Cabrera-Guillen. Not that the offense has been bad, I just think that might make it a little better. Maybe. Or maybe not. But you never know until you try.

4 Jeff Molby August 5, 2008 at 6:16 pm

he is going to stick with his vets until they are definitely out of contention and then we’ll see some kids.

I would hope so. Yes, you can get lucky and have a couple guys like Joyce and Galarraga overachieve for awhile, but you’re not going to win a division (aside from the NL West, maybe) by promoting your AAA team.

If the vets don’t start clicking on all cylinders ASAP, the season is over. There’s nothing anyone can do to change that fact.

5 Brian P August 5, 2008 at 6:29 pm

“Just once, I’d like to see the 3-4-5 be Ordonez-Cabrera-Guillen.”

Agreed. I’ve been wishing for this for some time — ever since Cabrera started heating up, to be precise. Leyland always says Maggs had a career year batting clean-up, so he doesn’t want to move him. But arguably, Guillen had a career year batting fifth last year. Cabrera has no support behind him right now, and I have to assume that translates into less hittable pitches.

6 cib August 5, 2008 at 6:33 pm

I’m going dorm-stuff shopping with my son; he’s 18 and leaving for Ann Arbor in 3 weeks so I’d rather spend the time with him at this point! I’ll record the game and if any miracles happen I’ll take a look and chime in later. Have fun!

7 Mike in CT August 5, 2008 at 7:00 pm

Hopefully this board has some descriptions, because this is a no-fly game on MLB.tv thanks to Hawk and DJ. My sanity is at a breaking point with the Tigers already without their tandem idiocy.

8 cib August 5, 2008 at 7:11 pm

Oy. I’m leaving for Target right now.

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb...../808050436

9 Amanda August 5, 2008 at 7:17 pm

Dang the game doesn’t start til 8:10 pm ..I gotta be to work at 5 am and get up alittle before 4 am.. so I def won’t be seeing the whole game. When I wake up they’ll probably be replaying it on FSN, like they usually do, hopefully I wake up to some good news. Go Tigers!!!

10 Dave BW August 5, 2008 at 7:50 pm

Robertson vs. Floyd. Yikes.

11 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 8:15 pm

Nice start.

12 ohiotiger August 5, 2008 at 8:15 pm

perfect… nate loves to blow early leads!

13 Dave BW August 5, 2008 at 8:15 pm

Placido two run homer!

14 Brian P August 5, 2008 at 8:19 pm

Ouch. Carlos swung at ball three, four, and five.

15 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 8:25 pm

cib: “I’m going dorm-stuff shopping with my son; he’s 18 and leaving for Ann Arbor in 3 week” Hey that’s cool.

One tip: don’t wait till the last thing to buy the cases of beer, or that dorm room gets all full of chairs and clothes and all that and it’s totally a pain to find any room. Oh wait, nevermind I just remembered that’s on the list of stuff you forget to tell your parents about…

16 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 8:27 pm

Damn, doesn’t that just figure? Granderson finally steals a base and Polanco goes and wastes it by Homering, he might has well have just stood on first for all the good it did him.

I’ll have to look this up but…it seems like Polanco and Inge both hit homers in the White Sox stadium.

17 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 8:28 pm

Here goes Nate trying to give the lead right back.

18 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 8:29 pm

Amanda: “..I gotta be to work at 5 am and get up alittle before 4 am”

crikey!

19 judpma August 5, 2008 at 8:29 pm

shoot there goes Nates NO Hitter

20 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 8:30 pm

Obviously we know what Amanda does for a living. Which is cool, since I’ve never known anyone who was a professional duck hunter before.

21 Tony August 5, 2008 at 8:30 pm

Anyone else smell a 3-run homer?

22 Dave BW August 5, 2008 at 8:31 pm

Yup, just keep running up those counts Nate

23 Dave BW August 5, 2008 at 8:32 pm

Nate holds a lead!

24 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 8:33 pm

Alright one inning full of stress in the books after the DP. Nice pitch Nate.

25 Tony August 5, 2008 at 8:33 pm

It’s amazing how much double plays smell like 3-run homers.

26 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 8:34 pm

Actually I think it sometimes works in our favor when there’s a guy on 2nd, especially if he moves around a lot, because sometimes that helps keep Edgar awake.

27 judpma August 5, 2008 at 8:34 pm

can we just call this a full game right here and chalk it up in the W column

28 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 8:38 pm

Raburn lays down a great bunt, and forces a throwing error to advance to second.

29 judpma August 5, 2008 at 8:38 pm

I hate sheff hitting but that was 6 inches outside

30 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 8:41 pm

C’mon Inge, let’s see some back-to-back two-base bunts for once.

31 Brian P August 5, 2008 at 8:43 pm

After that first swing from Edgar, I thought Ryan had a better chance of stealing home than him coming in on a hit.

32 T Smith August 5, 2008 at 8:45 pm

Is there anyway we can break up Inge and Renteria in the lineup, somehow? Just sayin. Those automatic two outs amid a rally or with RISP is just painful. Especially with a runner on 3rd with only one out.

Opportunities Squantered: 1

Let’s keep this number down if we have any shot at winning this game.

33 Chris August 5, 2008 at 8:48 pm

If Renta-retard continues his futile hitting in this series, and if he still is in the everyday lineup, then I will know that Leyland is full of crap when he says he is going to bench non-performers.

34 Dave BW August 5, 2008 at 8:48 pm

Konerko seems to have lose all understanding of the strike zone. He thought he had a walk on a fastball down the middle.

35 Mike in CT August 5, 2008 at 8:49 pm

For whatever the reason, be it 1997 or whatever, Jimmuh is forever loyal to Renteria. It’s going to end like the band going down with the Titanic, most likely.

36 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 8:50 pm

Wow. Nate looked good that inning. Here’s hoping it lasts.

37 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 8:51 pm

That’s OK, the White Sox may hit a few long balls, but obviously the have no answer for our one-two punch of the Big Bat of Polanco, bracketed by the small-ball attack of Granderson/Raburn, who effortlessly carry the shaky double-play hitters between them.

Plus Chicago made the 1st error, and the team making the first error usually ends up losing as often as not.

38 T Smith August 5, 2008 at 8:52 pm

And another thing:

I know this is a “softball” slugging team, but as long as we have Inge and Renteria and a struggling Sheffield in the lineup, I definately think we need to see some more suicide sqeezes with a runner on 3rd with less than two outs. I understand it’s not a popular call, but to me it’s a no brainer as long as someone not named Grandy, Polanco, Guillen, Maggs or Cabrera is at the plate.

Come on. Let’s start producing some runs anyway we can.

39 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 8:54 pm

Dave BW: “Konerko seems to have lose all understanding of the strike zone. He thought he had a walk on a fastball down the middle.”

In his defense, he may have visually calibrated “middle” based on the called 3rd on Sheffield

40 T Smith August 5, 2008 at 9:03 pm

For whatever the reason, be it 1997 or whatever, Jimmuh is forever loyal to Renteria. It’s going to end like the band going down with the Titanic, most likely.

Renteria is probably the sole reason Jim Leyland is managing today. If not for that winning hit in the 1997 WS (courtesy of Edgar Renteria), Jim Leyland probably becomes an also-ran manager who fades to oblivion. I can see something like “slave for life” gratitute oozing from Leyland as far as Renteria is concerned.

It’s kind of like that Jim Belushi movie — Mr. Destiny I believe, where the one strike out vs. hit changes his entire life.

This is as good as explination to me as any why Renteria is still playing.

41 judpma August 5, 2008 at 9:04 pm

actually Edgar and Inge batting bachck to back kills only one rally…if they were spread out they could kill 2

42 Chris August 5, 2008 at 9:05 pm

Looks like another Gavin Floyd dominating performince of the Tigers… Good thing Poly got that homer before Floyd found his mojo.

43 Forty August 5, 2008 at 9:05 pm

Renterias the man, he was traded for two good prospects. I doubt I’d be worth either of jurrjens or gorkys.

44 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 9:06 pm

T Smith: “I know this is a “softball” slugging team, but as long as we have Inge and Renteria and a struggling Sheffield in the lineup, I definately think we need to see some more suicide sqeezes with a runner on 3rd with less than two outs. I understand it’s not a popular call”

I’m with Tsmith…(Is that a Hungarian name perhaps?)…
Inge is a good bunter at least (yeah I know, he had that lame checked-bunt strikeout last year, but other than that), and is fast enough that if its fielded by an error-waiting-to-happen guy, it just may happen.

So is Sheff, but I can’t say that I can visually recall him bunting before…but I would enjoy seeing him square up, and at the last moment cock that thing and yank it hard foul off the wall between home and third.

I know it would just be a strike, and you would want to make sure LaMont was awake when the signs were put on because you don’t want Raburn stealing home then and getting the Cupid business.

But after that we can bunt as much as we want, and as hard as he tries that 3rd-baseman won’t be able to charge in for at least a few innings; he’ll want to, but his legs won’t move. That would be a fine peripheral to attain.

45 judpma August 5, 2008 at 9:06 pm

T Smith:This is as good as explination to me as any why Renteria is still playing.

I am going with your explanation also cause there can’t be any other reason that would make any basic sense

46 Mike in CT August 5, 2008 at 9:06 pm

the sad thing is, i have a bad feeling they might pick up his option.

47 Forty August 5, 2008 at 9:08 pm

I love gushing about ramirez after he lucks into a broken bat double

48 judpma August 5, 2008 at 9:09 pm

hey Nate way to keep Uribe from moving that runner over.

49 judpma August 5, 2008 at 9:11 pm

how about Miggys stretch /…he is getting good over there

50 Forty August 5, 2008 at 9:11 pm

What are the odds that we would have scored ramirez there? 10pct? 20?

51 Ken in Las Vegas August 5, 2008 at 9:13 pm

Man, with Gavin getting better each inning and Nate getting worse, I’m starting to seriously regret putting my life savings on this game. That’s going to be $14.25 sorely missed.

52 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 9:15 pm

judpma: “actually Edgar and Inge batting bachck to back kills only one rally…if they were spread out they could kill 2″

back to back is one thing, but I would feel better if they were back to back instead.

I think we will see poor Inge get a least a hat trick of strikeouts; those walks he has learned to love this season–well when he realizes who is on deck, they just make him double-play bait. I’m not sure he’s equal to the pressure of the “must….get….double…” game.

53 Vince in MN August 5, 2008 at 9:16 pm

Nato need only go two more innings and then we can turn it over to The Committee.

54 judpma August 5, 2008 at 9:17 pm

Sheff nice swing

55 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 9:20 pm

Oh but hey, some good luck for a change–2 outs! C’mon Inge you’re free! free of nagging DP fear! Take those pitches with wild abandon!

56 Forty August 5, 2008 at 9:20 pm

Inge, put that one out!

57 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 9:23 pm

Oh crap The Inge actually drilled that sucker, maybe there IS something to the DP-Phobia theory…

58 Ken in Las Vegas August 5, 2008 at 9:24 pm

And with that, Inge’s BA falls to a nerdy .219. He must feel like quite the man prancing around the clubhouse in his Peter Pan tights with half a ham sandwich.

59 Forty August 5, 2008 at 9:25 pm

Come on nate, all you have to do is hold the lead and hand it to the pen

60 sky August 5, 2008 at 9:25 pm

My intuition, such as it is, says this (4th) is the inning where Robertson will get shelled!

61 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 9:26 pm

Wow another DP. Nate found the pitcher’s best friend.

62 Joel in Seattle August 5, 2008 at 9:27 pm

GOOD J

63 Joel in Seattle August 5, 2008 at 9:27 pm

GOOD JOB, JIM.

64 Forty August 5, 2008 at 9:27 pm

Nates best friend is the four days he doesn’t start

65 Ken in Las Vegas August 5, 2008 at 9:28 pm

Thank you declining, never to hit above .270 ever again Jim Thome.

66 Forty August 5, 2008 at 9:29 pm

And now we get to see the future hall of famer. And griffey is up too.

67 Ken in Las Vegas August 5, 2008 at 9:30 pm

Despite the walk, Konerko is Tinkerbell to Inge’s Peter Pan.

68 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 9:30 pm

Forty

That’s four best friends.

69 sky August 5, 2008 at 9:31 pm

Guess my intuition is not that good today.

70 Brian P August 5, 2008 at 9:33 pm

Rod keeps calling Griffey Jr. “Griff”, but that only makes me think we’re playing against Fred McGriff.

71 Chris August 5, 2008 at 9:33 pm

Tigers need to find a way to run up the pitch count on Floyd and chase him out of there in the 6th.

72 Ken in Las Vegas August 5, 2008 at 9:33 pm

“And now we get to see the future hall of famer. And griffey is up too.”

Are you really claiming that Nate Robertson is a future hall of famer. I mean, ok ok you have an argument, but definitely not first ballot.

73 Vince in MN August 5, 2008 at 9:33 pm

Only 76 pitches so far for Nato. He should go five innings easy.

74 Chris August 5, 2008 at 9:35 pm

Ken Griffey Jr…… The Crime Dog…

75 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 9:37 pm

Ken in Vargas: You should have saved a few bucks from your debauched splurge; you could buy a book and then read it. What I am trying to say is if you had ever read the chronicles of the famous prancing gender-neutral sprite, you would know it is a vegetarian creature that would never let the salty-good but meaty with pigflesh ham dangle from its child-lips.

But he did lay a power of wood against that pitch and were it not for the unlucky circumstance of having a left fielder loitering about right out in the very left field where he sent the drive lining its way warning-trackward, you could have easily seen The P-Pan flutter all the way to 2nd in its dainty silk slippers.

76 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 9:37 pm

Thank You Grandy!!! Somebody needed to get to Floyd again.

77 sky August 5, 2008 at 9:38 pm

Edgar and Curtis…….what a ticket!

78 sky August 5, 2008 at 9:38 pm

And Polly!

79 Forty August 5, 2008 at 9:38 pm

Griffey yikes man…

80 Brian P August 5, 2008 at 9:39 pm

This is the exact reason I didn’t understand putting Griffey in center. He Joyced two bases for Polanco.

81 judpma August 5, 2008 at 9:41 pm

atta boy Grandy

82 judpma August 5, 2008 at 9:42 pm

problem with Renteria’s hit is that will guarantee him in the lineup for the rest of August

83 sky August 5, 2008 at 9:42 pm

Guillen gives the Tigers the Cycle in four batters!……..This is the fun part of the team. If only…………….! well, we will talk about the bullpen later.

84 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 9:42 pm

Good job Guillen. Let’s keep pouring it on. 5-1 “bad guys” according to hawk

85 mcb. August 5, 2008 at 9:43 pm

WAHOO!

However, we are not yet out of Robertson lead-blowing territory.

It’s still “Gum Time”.

86 Chris August 5, 2008 at 9:43 pm

Nice. Tigers finaly solving the riddle that is Gavin Floyd…

87 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 9:43 pm

Chris: “Ken Griffey Jr…… The Crime Dog…”

That is a difficult one. One the one hand, if he is a crime dog, we could have him quad-cuffed and hauled tailwise to the pound. And it’s not like we couldn’t use every little edge we can get.

But I think there may be a wrongness in that which would nag at me. If the dog has no ability to reason, no concept of what a weighing of right vs wrong would even be…can any dog be said to commit a crime once you reason from that starting point? You see the difficulty now?

Besides, we are pounding the living hell out of the ball right now anyway!

88 Palmcroft August 5, 2008 at 9:44 pm

T Smith:

Regarding Leyland owing Renteria for winning him a championship, you said “I can see something like ’slave for life’ gratitude.”

I agree that it’s the only possible explanation. I propose Renteria’s official nickname be “Gratitude.”

89 judpma August 5, 2008 at 9:44 pm

the question is how many runs will be a safe lead when it goes to committee???????????????????????

90 Forty August 5, 2008 at 9:46 pm

Grr at least dp is out now

91 Ken in Las Vegas August 5, 2008 at 9:47 pm

Coleman, are you really Clive Staples Lewis disguised as a man who mines cole? I have never heard a ham sandwich described with such vivid imagery.

“What I am trying to say is if you had ever read the chronicles of the famous prancing gender-neutral sprite…”

I have not read these chronicles, admittedly, but I’m pretty sure this sprite you speak of hangs out on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Flamingo Rd. Her name is actually Jackie.

On a more relevant note, thank you Grandy! And Polanco going for the cycle today?

92 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 9:48 pm

Palmcroft via Tsmith: “I propose Renteria’s official nickname be “Gratitude.” That’s coincidentally not far from my unofficial nickname for Renteria, “GIDPitude”

93 judpma August 5, 2008 at 9:51 pm

a sheff rally

94 mcb. August 5, 2008 at 9:53 pm

This past weekend, other mcb. called this scenario:

Detroit getting a 3-game sweep of the ChiSox, after which we would all get sucked back into the pennant race, then Detroit going to Kansas City and (I quote) “blowing the goats”.

Too bad he’s not really good at predicting these things. It would save me a lot of time.

95 T Smith August 5, 2008 at 9:54 pm

Either is certainly a milder version of suckitude, which is probably the most accurate

96 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 9:55 pm

KILV (oh now I get it, you’re a TV station, I’m a bit slow to catch on sometimes): “Polanco going for the cycle today?”

I would prefer he forgo the cycle out of deference to Renteria who couldn’t look less lively wearing lead leggings and by god cycling around the basepaths is like a three-day vacation to the leg-weary…

97 Ken in Las Vegas August 5, 2008 at 9:55 pm

Wasserman with a 8.56 e.r.a. Well what does he expect, spelling his name Eh-ren. That reads more like a glamorized stutter than anything.

98 judpma August 5, 2008 at 9:56 pm

good at BAT Rayburn

99 T Smith August 5, 2008 at 9:58 pm

At least Gratitude started off the inning with a double. And just when Leyland thought his debt was nearly paid….

100 Vince in MN August 5, 2008 at 9:59 pm

Nato’s job now is to hold them to four runs or less ths inning.

101 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 10:01 pm

I love listening to hawk get upset. He gets all flustered. He gone and he gone.

102 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:01 pm

these guys are very helpful DP DP DP

103 Vince in MN August 5, 2008 at 10:01 pm

Another DP – Nato’s balls must be heavy this evening.

104 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:02 pm

Man when was the last time you saw a team kill itself with dps like this?

105 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:03 pm

nice move Nate walk the guy with two outs to set up that next DP

106 billfer August 5, 2008 at 10:04 pm

In case anyone was wondering, the last time Polanco hit a homer with someone on base, it was Sept 27th, 2006.

107 Adam August 5, 2008 at 10:06 pm

You think when Nate Robertson gets run support he just starts to suck? I do.

108 Mike in CT August 5, 2008 at 10:06 pm

Nate does realize the majority of MLB pitchers do actually like pitching with multi-run leads, right?

109 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:07 pm

get the hook!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

110 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:08 pm

That was fortunate. Time for the committee to shut the door.

111 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:09 pm

my only HOPE here with the committee is the first guy you walk or hit ..you are out of there PERIOD. next

112 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:10 pm

You see the commercial is funny because when he stops making the mojito the music stops and the people stop dancing

113 Chris August 5, 2008 at 10:10 pm

Jermaine Dye is THE Tiger Killer and is having an excellent year…. God, am i amazed he did not hit a 3-run homer.

114 billfer August 5, 2008 at 10:10 pm

As much as I’d like Robertson out of the game, it’s Thome, Konerko, Griffey next inning. He’s held Thome in check and K’d Griffey twice. And Konerko spent the offseason training with Gary Sheffield. So I totally get it if he comes back out next inning.

115 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 10:11 pm

billfer: “the last time Polanco hit a homer with someone on base, it was Sept 27th, 2006.”

It’s something like the Lunar eclipse then?

No…it’s just your gentle way of breaking the bad news, isn’t it?

Let’s see, sure enough, there it is, Sept 27th…aww, we lost though! and that “N. Robertson” guy who got the loss had been pitching so well earlier…

116 Vince in MN August 5, 2008 at 10:13 pm

Has Robertson had a 1-2-3 inning lately?

117 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:14 pm

Edgar will NOT make you pay for hanging a curveball

118 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 10:17 pm

judpma: “my only HOPE here with the committee is the first guy you walk or hit ..you are out of there PERIOD. next”

It’s a bit more complicated than that. Like if you hit a guy but he’s a catcher with Darko hair, then you may remain until you hit a 2nd batter.

119 Chris August 5, 2008 at 10:17 pm

“Has Robertson had a 1-2-3 inning lately?”

Yes. The 2nd inning of this game.

120 Vince in MN August 5, 2008 at 10:19 pm

Despite the K by Granderson there, he has actually done a magnificent job vs. lefties this season. I think we need to give Lloyd McClendon a big round of applause for this success story.

121 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:21 pm

You can tell the sox miss ozzie ranting and raving

122 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 10:21 pm

I like it that so many of the Tigers seem like nice guys, but to me it doesn’t seem appropriate to go easy on this pitcher just because he is Amish.

123 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:21 pm

maybe if you hit a guy so hard in the middle of his chest that he can’t possibly run you get to stay in also

124 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:23 pm

You can put it on the board: nate sucks

125 Adam August 5, 2008 at 10:24 pm

Oh my God. YOU CAN’T PUT HIM OUT ANOTHER INNING.

HE’S NATE ROBERTSON.

126 ohiotiger August 5, 2008 at 10:24 pm

god, i hate “hawk”

127 Ryan in Brooklyn August 5, 2008 at 10:24 pm

I would have thought Nate’s leash would have been mighty short. Thome’s double seems like enough to me…and as I type this, Konerko homers. Captain Smokes???

128 Tony August 5, 2008 at 10:24 pm

I wonder what Nate’s BAA split is between him pitching out of the wind-up and pitching out of the stretch.

129 billfer August 5, 2008 at 10:24 pm

Boy was I wrong.

130 Mike in CT August 5, 2008 at 10:24 pm

…and robertson’s ERA is back to over 6.00

131 Brian P August 5, 2008 at 10:25 pm

Nate still managed to leave the game with a higher ERA than when we started.

132 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:25 pm

I am so glad we have Nate just getting it done

133 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:25 pm

Eh two runs is plenty for the committee

134 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:27 pm

bet he starts his next game totally ignoring the threat by the skipper of produce or your out of there

135 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 10:27 pm

Yes, and also their pitchers have to be careful, anything gets away from them inside…well the suspension iron is hot as they say.

And if one of ours got away inside on their catcher next inning, as much as they would be yearning for the payback, at the same time they are in mind of the hot suspension iron (not to mention the fine…um….skillet, yeah, the fine skillet. Because that’s not just parking meter money they are fining you, and they have families to feed…)

136 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:28 pm

And fossum induces the almost double f9…for a one third of an inning no hitter!

137 Chris August 5, 2008 at 10:29 pm

Now we are see why good bullpens are so damn valuable. Our bullepen is terrible while the Sox is the best in the majors… We needed about a 5 run lead going into this stage of the game…

138 sky August 5, 2008 at 10:29 pm

I was in the living room and commented to my wife that with the score 6-2 in the bottom of the 6th I expect the Tigers to lose. That is a very sad attitude, but two batters later the score was 6-4. So it isn’t cynicism, it is just the proof of experience this season against good teams like the White Sox. They are not going to give up and the Tigers have a bad habit of not scoring any more after getting early runs. They seem to sit on their laurels with leads instead of pouring it on.

139 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:29 pm

so far the bullpen is doing great!!!!

140 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 10:30 pm

judpma: “the threat by the skipper of produce or your out of there”

It depends on the produce.

a rotting head of lettuce upside the head would leave your cheek with a foul aroma that would take days to scrub off, try ignoring THAT.

141 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:31 pm

My girlfriend points out that juan is one letter away from being juan ooh-ree-nay

142 sky August 5, 2008 at 10:33 pm

Here’s a thought:

Listening to Ken Harrleson on White Sox TV is worse than watching Rodney pitch. You heard that right here, from Sky!

143 billfer August 5, 2008 at 10:33 pm

In case anyone was wondering, 3 of Juan Uribe’s 13 walks this season are courtesy of the Tigers. A little more surprising is that the strike throwing Twins have walked him 3 times also.

144 Adam August 5, 2008 at 10:34 pm

The Sox bullpen isn’t really that good. They’re pitching at a 6.50 ERA in the last two weeks.

145 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:34 pm

the game should be stopped here and awarded to the Tigers for the simple reason the Sox failed to take advantage of 2 Tiger bullpenners

146 billfer August 5, 2008 at 10:35 pm

I was in the living room and commented to my wife that with the score 6-2 in the bottom of the 6th I expect the Tigers to lose.

Honestly sky, have you EVER expected the Tigers to win this year regardless of the score?

147 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:37 pm

“There’s no reason to think olivo was thrown at”

No dan there isn’t. Unless you count the two previous pitches, the lopsided score, and olivo getting hit earlier in the season by the sox.

148 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 10:40 pm

judpma: “maybe if you hit a guy so hard in the middle of his chest that he can’t possibly run you get to stay in also”

that game is sucking even more as time goes on, like a cheap wine aging into a harsh vinegar in the hot sun. Because Inge should have gunned it to second on the sac bunt, because the runner on 1st was bluish from lack of breath, and I can’t imagine got down to 2nd like The Flash or anything.

149 sky August 5, 2008 at 10:40 pm

I really believe Rodney should not be allowed to pitch until after the 3rd out in the 9th inning. Then he can come out and throw to the Little Leaguers running the bases.

150 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:40 pm

the Tigs are in their lets get this over with offense cause we have more runs to give up

151 Mike in CT August 5, 2008 at 10:43 pm

“I really believe Rodney should not be allowed to pitch until after the 3rd out in the 9th inning. Then he can come out and throw to the Little Leaguers running the bases.”

SECOND

152 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:43 pm

Put me on record as actually thinking hawk has been fairly tolerable and reasonable tonight…it’s clearly all relative, but he hasn’t bugged me too much…

153 sky August 5, 2008 at 10:44 pm

Honestly sky, have you EVER expected the Tigers to win this year regardless of the score?

Many time, Billfer. But not for the last few weeks against teams like the Twins, Indians, Sox, or TB. Ask around, I am not the only one who gets this feeling.

Hey, I don’t like it! It is just a feeling of no confidence in the pen to stop the ops, especially in away games. I don’t think I am the only one who has noticed this!

154 Brian P August 5, 2008 at 10:45 pm

This small park is ridiculous.

155 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:45 pm

Man quentin is the man, he’s very good

156 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 10:46 pm

I think you have to bring Rodney out in the 9th. He’s the set-up guy. Then when it’s tied in the 10th, you bring in Farnsworth, since you need to save your closer in case you take the lead in the 11th.

157 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 10:46 pm

Way to waste a pitch Lopez.

158 Adam August 5, 2008 at 10:48 pm

Billfer, Sky’s usually right.

He likes to tell us he told us so.

159 ohiotiger August 5, 2008 at 10:48 pm

i think i’ve seen this game before…

160 Forty August 5, 2008 at 10:48 pm

B-i-t – wouldn’t call that hook an ideal 0-2 offering, but he didn’t hang it either. Quentin is good.

161 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:49 pm

walk em …….your outtta there. period next

162 Vince in MN August 5, 2008 at 10:49 pm

Just doing a quick calculation here, it looks like if Nate gets 9 more starts and averages 5 innings per start (45+ IP) he would need to allow 50 ER in order to get his ERA up to 7.00. On the other hand in order to get his ERA down to 5.00, he could allow up to 10 ER in those same number of innings. At this point neither goal seems to be attainable, but baseball is a funny game, and stanger things have happened (although I can’t think of any off hand).

163 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 10:49 pm

Put one in the dirt or some high cheese.

164 Mark in Chicago August 5, 2008 at 10:50 pm

I hope we haven’t all jinxed Bobby Seay by commenting on how good he’s been lately.

165 Adam August 5, 2008 at 10:50 pm

Can we have Armando close?

166 Mark in Chicago August 5, 2008 at 10:53 pm

This would be funny if it wasn’t so sad.

Nice job, Bobby.

167 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:53 pm

good work Bobby Seay

168 David G. August 5, 2008 at 10:53 pm

So does Seay come out for the 8th?

169 ohiotiger August 5, 2008 at 10:53 pm

well, its about time for our offense to pick us up with a run or 2, but the bullpen will get it back to a tied game in the bottom of the 8th

170 Ryan in Brooklyn August 5, 2008 at 10:54 pm

Bobby Seay is my hero.

171 Adam August 5, 2008 at 10:54 pm

Some more runs now plz.

172 judpma August 5, 2008 at 10:54 pm

can we just forfeit the next two innings

173 billfer August 5, 2008 at 10:54 pm

Sky – I know the pen doesn’t inspire confidence, but since you started coming around, it seems to be that every time the Tigers have a lead, no matter the opponent, you’re telling you’re wife they’ll blow it. They’ve been frustrating as all get out, and they blew way too many, but they’ve still won more than they’ve lost the last 6 weeks.

174 Mark in Chicago August 5, 2008 at 10:55 pm

Also, Dan Plesac is filling in for DJ as the analyst tonight. Plesac does not shut up. He is constantly talking. I’m not sure he’s worse than DJ, but it’s close.

175 Adam August 5, 2008 at 10:56 pm

Let’s get a hit. A HIT!

176 Ryan in Brooklyn August 5, 2008 at 10:56 pm

I say stay with Seay for the 8th. Especially with Griffey up 2nd.

177 Mark in Chicago August 5, 2008 at 10:58 pm

Brandon Inge is our Juan Uribe.

178 David G. August 5, 2008 at 10:58 pm

I remember that 7/25/07 game very well for Raburn. That game was pretty much the beginning of the end for this team.

179 Vince in MN August 5, 2008 at 10:59 pm

With Raburn getting 4 hits (so far) tonight, what are the odds that he sits tomorrow?

180 Mike R August 5, 2008 at 10:59 pm

At least you get your money’s worth when you watch a Tigers game.

181 T Smith August 5, 2008 at 11:00 pm

Cringe

You’re really testing the health of the ol’ oblique with those half-swing whiffs

182 Mike in CT August 5, 2008 at 11:00 pm

Rayburn 4-for-4…that makes Jimmuh a genius, right?

183 Cameron in Singapore August 5, 2008 at 11:00 pm

So what are the odds the bullpen is going to blow this game?

184 judpma August 5, 2008 at 11:01 pm

nice at bat Inge take a pitch down the middle check swing strike 2 on a ball outside and hit a ball off you shoe tops for yet another or your .218 outs

185 Forty August 5, 2008 at 11:01 pm

Leyland belongs to the “sell high” school of thought. Hence thames getting benched for defense during his home run streak.

186 Mark in Chicago August 5, 2008 at 11:03 pm

Raburn is 4 for 4, and 3 of those hits haven’t left the infield.

187 Forty August 5, 2008 at 11:03 pm

Great dig by paulie

188 judpma August 5, 2008 at 11:04 pm

good idea by Renteria throw your bat farther that you hit the ball to confuse the D

189 judpma August 5, 2008 at 11:05 pm

odds on winning are 20-80 at this point

190 Adam August 5, 2008 at 11:06 pm

Mark: that’s what speed could be doing for us, if we had any.

191 Palmcroft August 5, 2008 at 11:07 pm

GameCast just flashed the odds of the Sox scoring 2 runs to take the lead at 14.79%. Sorry, Bilfer, but they are not up on the Tigers bullpen. The odds are actually 49%.

192 Ken in Las Vegas August 5, 2008 at 11:07 pm

I’m usually not in the Sky School of Drats and other Such Grumblings, but when was the last time we closed out a 1 run lead after the 7th. I really don’t know. I think we would have to be the underdog in this situation. Drats!

193 Forty August 5, 2008 at 11:09 pm

Good thing jimmuh went and got seay. He looked way too good out there.

194 Dave BW August 5, 2008 at 11:09 pm

I think it’s awesome (and sensible) that opposing teams are now warming up their closers in the 8th inning when they’re still behind us by a run

195 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 11:10 pm

T Smith:

“Cringe
You’re really testing the health of the ol’ oblique with those half-swing whiffs”

Hey, the guy’s not done rehabbing yet. If you look at his check swings now compared to before he went on the DL you will see the difference, some are really almost not swings at all, and others are more slowed down swings but he’s swinging all the way through.

I think it could be another month before he can really reliably slam the brakes on that thing at the dead halfway point

196 Chris August 5, 2008 at 11:10 pm

Sox have the best bullpen in the majors this year. Quite a turnaround from last year when they were the worst. And Kenny Williams determination to right-the-ship really paid off.

Dave Dombrowski, I hope can learn from his rival. Please DD, do everything you can to drastically improve this bullpen.

197 Adam August 5, 2008 at 11:10 pm

Oh great. “Hey, Bobby. Way to throw 11 pitches and get 3 outs, but we’re going to go put in that guy who gave up 2 home runs in the same inning last time he went out. And we’re still only up by a run.”

Jesus, Leyland. Sell high indeed.

198 Ryan in Brooklyn August 5, 2008 at 11:10 pm

If Seay can pitch to Konerko, why can’t he pitch to Alexei Ramirez?

199 Ken in Las Vegas August 5, 2008 at 11:10 pm

Here comes Farnsnotworthit. Let’s see what happens shall we.

200 sky August 5, 2008 at 11:11 pm

Really?

201 Dave BW August 5, 2008 at 11:11 pm

haha, way to go professor

202 billfer August 5, 2008 at 11:11 pm

Kyle Farnsworth is like the Marcus Thames of pitchers.

203 Adam August 5, 2008 at 11:12 pm

Yep. Who freaking called it.

204 ohiotiger August 5, 2008 at 11:12 pm

we should trade farnsworth for a veteran catcher… i think it would make the team better

205 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 11:12 pm

What an idiot. Why take out the best relief pitcher we have right now. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

206 T Smith August 5, 2008 at 11:12 pm

Palmcroft:

49% ?? That’s a little low actually.

207 sky August 5, 2008 at 11:12 pm

No…That did not happen!

208 Dave BW August 5, 2008 at 11:12 pm

Has this bullpen overmanagement ever not backfired?

209 Forty August 5, 2008 at 11:13 pm

Hahahahahahahahaha

Nice job dd. Nice job jimmy.

210 Chris August 5, 2008 at 11:13 pm

This bullpen sucks so much.!!!!!!!!!!!! ERRRRRRRRRRR

211 Vince in MN August 5, 2008 at 11:13 pm

Oh, I get it now. That sly old dog Leyland, when he says “the Committee”, he means The Committee. He is using the whole damn shooting match. We’ll get Rodney and Zumaya later, with Dolsi held as the reserve. Well this makes sense: with the Closers 3 in there, it effectively makes this a 7 inning game.

212 Mark in Chicago August 5, 2008 at 11:13 pm

why throw ramirez a strike? ever? he’s walked like 12 times all year.

Why take Seay out? Is he really that bad against righthanders? You let him face Konerko, but not Ramirez? You also break up the momentum of the inning by taking him out.

I don’t get that entire sequence.

213 sky August 5, 2008 at 11:13 pm

I so wanted to mark on my calender the night that my big mouth was proven wrong!

Oh well, I may be wrong yet.

214 JOE Z August 5, 2008 at 11:13 pm

GREAT TRADE

215 tomd August 5, 2008 at 11:13 pm

It was weird, I had this nightmare that we traded a first-ballot hall of fame catcher for Kyle Farnsworth. No one would be that stupid, right?

216 Ryan in Brooklyn August 5, 2008 at 11:13 pm

Someone wake us all up from this nightmare…

217 jason August 5, 2008 at 11:13 pm

I can’t help but laugh.

218 Mike R August 5, 2008 at 11:14 pm

hahaha. If you can possibly detach yourself (and just accept that we’re watching a Texas Ranger team of the Midwest night in, night out) this is actually quite comical.

At least we got that solid B Grade prospect that came with Farnsworth for Pudge.

OH WAIT.

219 Adam August 5, 2008 at 11:14 pm

Yeah, he’s like “Wow, they need a home run to tie the game? I’ll give it to them.”

220 West Coast Tiger August 5, 2008 at 11:14 pm

Leland Leland Leland. We traded Pudge for that.

221 Palmcroft August 5, 2008 at 11:15 pm

I pretty sure we’re north of 80% at this point, I really hadn’t anticipated the sell high approach…again. I don’t mean to rain on everyone’s continuing Leyland-love, but this is kinda ridiculous, no?

222 Kevin in Austin August 5, 2008 at 11:16 pm

Mike R – CJ Wilson’s night – walk, HBP, K, walk, grand slam. You think Fernando Rodney’s got anything on him?

223 Cameron in Singapore August 5, 2008 at 11:16 pm

Farnsworth fits right in with the Tiger’s bullpen. He was a great addition!
Dombrowski, “Let’s see, right now we only have Rodney, Zumaya, and Jones to give up home runs and lead us to crushing defeats…We need some reinforcements. I bet Farnsworth can do it too!”
Let’s cut this guy tonight.

224 sky August 5, 2008 at 11:16 pm

You know, guys, we really could make some serious money in Vegas on this team.

225 Adam August 5, 2008 at 11:16 pm

Farns has lost us two games now, in the three games he’s pitched. Awesome.

226 tomd August 5, 2008 at 11:17 pm

Perhaps he’s the Yankee Manchurian Candidate, programmed to destroy what little threat Detroit was as a wild card. Or even revenge for 2006.

Mr. Farnsworth? Kyle Farnsworth? Kyle Lynn Farnsworth?

227 Forty August 5, 2008 at 11:17 pm

Jason – I smiled too. It’s like u of m last year. You just hope it gets your dbag coach fired.

228 Chris August 5, 2008 at 11:17 pm

Just look at the goooose-eggs put up by the Sox pen….. They make me sick…

229 T Smith August 5, 2008 at 11:17 pm

Not to second-guess the Pudge trade — this post isn’t about that — but how important is lefty-righty matchups when Seay is the only guy in the bullpen who can consistently get guys out? I honestly just wanted him to close out the inning. Ramerez is a very good fast ball hitter. In my mind, pulling Seay for Farnsworth is a crap shoot.

We can second guess all day long, but Seay is the only guy I want to see pitching in late innings until the rest of these guys learn to locate their strikes and stop throwing meatballs

230 Dave BW August 5, 2008 at 11:17 pm

Hey, cameron, Farnsworth gives up HR’s better than ANY of those guys! He waas the final piece we needed

231 PHT in HK August 5, 2008 at 11:18 pm

This is really pathetic and depressing.

232 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 11:19 pm

I swear on the Fielders Bible this vile Sobbing Barber is still on the Yankee payroll and Pudge and Girardi and Cashman are all doing a shot together every time the Sobbing One unleashes the Please Hit Me Out Pitch, but the Sobbing Barber, though late it be, he catches right up to them within no time at all of his arrival back in Manhattan, and then if this isn’t a good time what is!?

233 Mike in CT August 5, 2008 at 11:19 pm

hey..on the bright side Farnsworth is a FA after the season.

234 Ryan in Brooklyn August 5, 2008 at 11:19 pm

So what’s in store for the 9th? I’m not sure I want to know…

235 Chris August 5, 2008 at 11:19 pm

“Farns has lost us two games now, in the three games he’s pitched. Awesome.”

Yea, but he pitched great last Saturday, when the Tigers were down by 6 runs……(%*%$#@&)

236 Mith August 5, 2008 at 11:19 pm

Great trade, DD!!!

237 PHT in HK August 5, 2008 at 11:20 pm

If I remember correctly, our host did mention Farnsworth’s habit of giving up the long balls when the trade was announced.

238 David G. August 5, 2008 at 11:20 pm

Well, we got Maggs up. I will consider that a victory. But still think we need two runs to tie this game up after 9.

239 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 11:21 pm

God give me a break. Two freakin stabs by uribe.

240 Forty August 5, 2008 at 11:22 pm

So does zumaya give up a jack here? Or is it the lots of walks prolonged “1000 cut” approach?

241 sky August 5, 2008 at 11:22 pm

Was it me or did that throw to 2nd to force Guillen seem to pull the guy who caught it about 2 feet off the bag?

242 David G. August 5, 2008 at 11:22 pm

I am going to have a hard time believing this replay if he’s actually out at 2nd. They cut to commerical that quick just to be able to Dr. it for Hawk’s irrational Homerish gushings.

243 JOE Z August 5, 2008 at 11:22 pm

THERE IS NO WAY LEYLAND AND THE COACHING STAFF ARENT FIRED AFTER THIS SEASON. THIS IS OUT OF HAND AND EMBARASSING. AFTER THE SEASON WE BETTER FIND SOME DANG ARMS SOMEWHERE TOO

244 Kevin in Austin August 5, 2008 at 11:22 pm

I’m pretty sure that after a play like that, the Sox are gonna win this game. Wow.

245 Adam August 5, 2008 at 11:22 pm

In the situations that require a good at-bat, Maggs always puts it in play on the first pitch. It’s ridiculous.

246 Mark in Chicago August 5, 2008 at 11:23 pm

I have tried to be an optimist lately. Really, I have.

There is no way this game gets to extra innings. I just can’t see it. And I promise that walks are involved.

247 David G. August 5, 2008 at 11:23 pm

Dang, he is out….

248 Mike in CT August 5, 2008 at 11:23 pm

who knows if he’d get through waivers, but actual contending teams might actually give up something (not sure what) for Seay the way he’s pitching.

249 RudeMood19 August 5, 2008 at 11:24 pm

I usually defend Leyland, but bringing Farnsworthless in was the dumbest move.

And that stab by Uribe in the 9th was unbelievable.

LIke, nothing goes our way, just like this season.

250 Cameron in Singapore August 5, 2008 at 11:24 pm

Forty,
I vote for the lots of walks slow death sort of process.

251 tomd August 5, 2008 at 11:25 pm

Don’t worry, it’s ok. Farnsworth’s on the mound again.

(This message to everyone here who’d like to go to bed early and avoid the spectacle of extra innings)

252 Adam August 5, 2008 at 11:25 pm

Gather round my little children, and I’ll tell you the story of “Farnsworth and the Walk-Off Home Run.”

253 Travis August 5, 2008 at 11:26 pm

My money’s on Quentin.

254 Forty August 5, 2008 at 11:27 pm

So how come seay doesn’t get to pitch after getting three guys out but farnsworth gets to pitch the ninth after that debacle? And the two farns debacles in the previous games? Is that “demanding performance” jimmy?

He might be one of the worst managers in sport. What an epic, epic idiot.

255 Adam August 5, 2008 at 11:28 pm

Gonna be Quentin!

256 Mark in Chicago August 5, 2008 at 11:29 pm

I’ll take Dye beating us.

257 Kevin in Austin August 5, 2008 at 11:29 pm

Is there any question that Quentin goes yard here?

258 Travis August 5, 2008 at 11:30 pm

I like the Dye bet, too. Good call.

259 Kris August 5, 2008 at 11:30 pm

Complete suckage

A hot head who can’t pitch for a big head that couldn’t hit. On balance, the two v. one draft choice is the key loss.

Season is done, but very entertaining

260 Forty August 5, 2008 at 11:33 pm

Wait no one is warming up? Wtf?

261 Brian P August 5, 2008 at 11:33 pm

Why even give Dye anything close to the plate? His run doesn’t matter. Go after Thome, please.

262 Travis August 5, 2008 at 11:34 pm

Wow. How did we get out Quentin and Dye? Unbelievable.

263 Forty August 5, 2008 at 11:34 pm

Ok nice job farnsworth?

264 Cameron in Singapore August 5, 2008 at 11:35 pm

Amazing…Farnsworth didn’t singlehandedly lose the game. He lost the lead, but not the game. He’ll need help to do that.

265 billfer August 5, 2008 at 11:35 pm

There are only 25 AL starters who have allowed more homers than Farnsworth. And yeah, they’re all starters.

266 Mike R August 5, 2008 at 11:35 pm

Kevin in Austin wrote:

Mike R – CJ Wilson’s night – walk, HBP, K, walk, grand slam. You think Fernando Rodney’s got anything on him?

Psh. Rodney could do that lefthanded. That’s nothing. Someone show these numbers to Rodney so he can out-do him tomorrow. I’m envisioning 1 hit, 3 walks, 1 K, 1 HBP in 0.2 IP while throwing 18 of his 34 pitches for strikes.

What’s that? That happened 2 days ago? Oh.

267 RudeMood19 August 5, 2008 at 11:37 pm

i called they tigers r gonna sweep and im sticknig by it

268 JOE Z August 5, 2008 at 11:37 pm

good stat: extra innings this season: tigers 3-6 white sox 5-2

269 Kris August 5, 2008 at 11:39 pm

El crookedo sombraro warming up…kids, get the popcorn ready.

270 Chris August 5, 2008 at 11:39 pm

Farnsworth allows a homer per every 3.1 innings pitched.

Perhaps he can pitch in the homerun derby next year.

271 Adam August 5, 2008 at 11:40 pm

I hope Hawk Harrelson dies of a heart attack right now.

“I gone.”

272 Travis August 5, 2008 at 11:41 pm

Man, Dotel is nasty…

273 ohiotiger August 5, 2008 at 11:42 pm

i’m going to bed… this game is a re-run. i’ll give you a hint: Rodney walks in the game winning run

274 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 11:42 pm

Adam: “I hope Hawk Harrelson dies of a heart attack right now.
“I gone.”

Haha nice disguise, Bloodthirsty Chris…not likely though, unless someone could talk him into stepping into the box vs Cupid.

275 sky August 5, 2008 at 11:42 pm

Harrelson is complaining about the strike zone for Tiger hitters as opposed to Sox hitters. Have you ever heard Mario do this?

THE GUY HAS NO BROADCAST CLASS AT ALL!

276 RudeMood19 August 5, 2008 at 11:43 pm

Hawk pisses me off. It’s beyond homer-ism, it’s almost to the point that every baseball team somehow bullied him in life, and the White Sox were some group of guys that saved his life. It’s really pathetic.

277 Travis August 5, 2008 at 11:43 pm

Oh no. Here comes F-bomb…

278 Mark in Chicago August 5, 2008 at 11:44 pm

ahhahahhahahhahahahaaa!!!

Rodney in. at least I can go to bed now.

279 Cameron in Singapore August 5, 2008 at 11:45 pm

Oooh man…Seeing the words on Gamechannel, “Rodney relieved Farnsworth.”
I mean, is that going from bad to worse? Or from worse to worst? Or from worst to worst? I just don’t know how to describe the feeling such a statement brings.

280 Kevin in Austin August 5, 2008 at 11:46 pm

Can someone clue me in on what they Sox TV guys are saying about Rodney, I can’t stand to listen…but I’m curious if they are packing up already and getting ready to head home.

281 T Smith August 5, 2008 at 11:48 pm

I have a theory. Leyland is trying to get Rodney DFA’d tonight.

282 Forty August 5, 2008 at 11:48 pm

I’d have preferred rodney over farns in the 8th…though I’d have preferred I dunno maybe BOBBY SEAY to both

283 Chris August 5, 2008 at 11:49 pm

Tiger’s have 8 blown saves since July 5th…… At that rate a team would accumulate 48 in a season.

That is miserable.

284 Mike R August 5, 2008 at 11:49 pm

Ken Griffey walk off? Nahhh, Rodney with the K is my guess.

285 Kris August 5, 2008 at 11:49 pm

And so it begins…

286 Kevin in Austin August 5, 2008 at 11:51 pm

Goodness Chris, if the Tigers just win 1/2 of those games…think of where we’d be…

287 Coleman August 5, 2008 at 11:53 pm

Ken Griffey was determined…he was not about to let it all end, not here, not this way, with the broken ribcage…

288 T Smith August 5, 2008 at 11:54 pm

Nothing in the dirt on 0-2, please

289 Brian in Tampa August 5, 2008 at 11:55 pm

Rodney is so frustrating because he has good stuff. This inning is proof of it. He is just not consistent enough right now.

290 Travis August 5, 2008 at 11:56 pm

F-bomb = Roller Coaster, Jr.

291 billfer August 5, 2008 at 11:56 pm

Well, there was good Rodney. That strike 3 pitch to Griffey was a beauty. It’s like he meant to throw it there.

292 Mike R August 5, 2008 at 11:56 pm

We must give Rodney his due. 13 strikes, 6 balls, 2 K’s and a BB in the inning.

293 Kevin in Austin August 5, 2008 at 11:56 pm

Ramirez had to throw his bat at that ball to make contact…

294 sky August 5, 2008 at 11:57 pm

Rodney looked like a first class relief pitcher that inning. He does show that he has the talent. If only he could be consistent and predictable with it!

295 Travis August 5, 2008 at 11:58 pm

A few great pitches there by Rodney. When he is on, he is a dominant relief pitcher.

296 Mike R August 5, 2008 at 11:58 pm

That fastball to strikeout griffey was 100.2 mph according to MLB gameday.

297 billfer August 5, 2008 at 11:58 pm

Speaking of wild things, 6 K’s and no walks for Dontrelle tonight. Ten hits allowed, but 3 were in his first inning, and 4 were in his last inning. From the 2nd through the 6th all he allowed was 3 singles.

298 Adam August 5, 2008 at 11:59 pm

Sooo…who’s catching? Sardine-head?

I mean, Brandon could have flied out to center like that.

299 Forty August 6, 2008 at 12:00 am

Nice grandy means no more dotel

300 Chris August 6, 2008 at 12:00 am

Yes, the Tigers are 1-5 in those games where they blew the last 7 save opportunities. If they would have converted those save opportunities, the Tiger record would be 60-51…..

1-1/2 games out of 1st place…..

301 billfer August 6, 2008 at 12:00 am

Did Inge get hurt on one of those foul balls last inning? You don’t pull your number 1 catcher for offense leading off an inning do you? (Serious question here, not soliciting Leyland incompetence cracks)

302 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:01 am

Cupid was out there with a full quiver.

I guess Cap’n Smokey is getting a bit sleepy and wants to end this, it looks like we just pulled the goalie…

303 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:02 am

That was a very peculiar move. I understand the thinking (Joyce has been hot in the last 6 weeks with good pop and RH vs. LHH), but I don’t really like it. I don’t hate it either.

304 Ken in Las Vegas August 6, 2008 at 12:03 am

We just have to win this. We lose, forget about a playoff run. With Minnesota losing, if we win, we can live to see another day. Pleaaassseeee

305 Brian P August 6, 2008 at 12:04 am

“You don’t pull your number 1 catcher for offense leading off an inning do you?”

If Inge catches the next two games, then I’m fine with that move. Dotel was throwing mostly fastballs, and Joyce can definitely hit fastballs.

306 Travis August 6, 2008 at 12:04 am

Quick… what were Inge’s numbers against Dotel? I doubt Joyce has had much of a look. That could be a reason.

307 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:07 am

Ooof. Polanco had beef. That was outside.

308 Brian P August 6, 2008 at 12:08 am

Inge had no hits against Dotel… because he has zero plate appearances against him.

Not to sound Hawkish, but the strike zone is a bit large. For both sides.

309 Chris August 6, 2008 at 12:08 am

Matt Thornton….. Ozzy is throwing out one bullpen stud after another. The team is loaded….

This game is so lost….

310 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:08 am

Inge might give some useful tips to the Melancholy Dane for the next inning for handling the Red Bullpen. One idea worth trying: one catcher’s mitt on each hand. Because when the heat goes wild, there’s no time for the reaching over stuff.

311 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:08 am

3 hits over the last 6 innings.

Raburn infield single, Guillen single, Renteria single.

No Maggs or Cabrera?

Upsetting.

312 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:09 am

Chris, the best part about this is that Ozzy isn’t even managing! He’s suspended tonight. This game is being called by ghosts.

313 Travis August 6, 2008 at 12:10 am

Really? I’m surprised that Inge has no plate appearances against Dotel.

314 Mike in CT August 6, 2008 at 12:11 am

Spinning newspaper alert — Rodney’s ERA is under 6.00!

315 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:12 am

Not-Hawk just called Renteria “Enteria.”

As in, “You are now Enteria Fernando Rodney speed zone.”

316 Chris August 6, 2008 at 12:12 am

Yea, when you have a bullpen this good from top to bottom, you don’t need to manage the game.

317 David G. August 6, 2008 at 12:13 am

What a cruel season. Now Rodney is doing his best Rivera impression.

318 Travis August 6, 2008 at 12:13 am

Excellent outing by Fernando. He was lights out tonight.

319 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:14 am

Inge and Joyce had actually quite comparable no-plate-appearances against Dotel. (Although Joyce: career 0 – for – The White Sox [0-5])

The other thing I don’t like about the move besides having my evening end hoping for a Renteria/Sardinha rally, is that now both Inge and Joyce are done for the day, and who knows how long this will go on…

And I’ll be damned but Cupid, he shoots the straight arrow this eve…

320 Kevin in Austin August 6, 2008 at 12:14 am

Rodney for CY YOUNG!

321 Tbone August 6, 2008 at 12:14 am

I’m still up. I’m not entirely certain why, but I’m still up.

322 Brian P August 6, 2008 at 12:15 am

99 on the black. I blame dome baseball for our woes.

323 Ryan in Brooklyn August 6, 2008 at 12:16 am

my laptop battery only has 11 minutes remaining. Please don’t make me go dig up the charger.

324 David G. August 6, 2008 at 12:16 am

Looks like we have ourselves another shutout inning streak going. Cabs goes yard here or we lose.

325 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:17 am

Seriously, can SOMEONE see more than one pitch?

Maggs last two PA, two outs, two pitches seen.

STOP IT!

326 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:17 am

Kevinaustin: “Rodney for CY YOUNG!”

The night is yet young, and nobody knows where the wheel of fate will stop. But he could yet earn another Sigh Young.

327 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:19 am

Game? Probably.

328 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:19 am

Chris: What is encouraging, though, is that guys like Matt Thornton and whoever else the White Sox ran out of the bullpen last year (save for Jenks) they couldn’t throw strikes or get anyone out. I’m not a proponent of comparing this team to other teams from the past, but one thing that I do know is that bullpens are the most volatile component of a team in any sport in this country — you don’t know what you’re going to get. Matt Thornton has a WHIP of 1.509 last year in 56+ innings. This year he’s at 1.008.

I guess what I’m saying is that with a healthy Miggy next year (all year) and some guys reversing to their means (I’m looking at E-Rent if his option is picked up) and a bullpen reversal (not out of the question with the White Sox Pen posting 5.47 ERA and 1.605 WHIP while this year the WS Pen has posted 3.35 ERA and 1.288 WHIP.

329 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 12:19 am

Farnsworth screwed my day Sunday live and in person. Now he is screwing me out of sleep.

330 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:20 am

Wry Inn in Brooklyn:

“my laptop battery only has 11 minutes remaining. Please don’t make me go dig up the charger.”

Dude, this one could have a whole charge cycle left before it ends

331 David G. August 6, 2008 at 12:22 am

Now Leyland is gonna have to chomp on beef and salad and blame the offense.

332 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:22 am

B.I.T: “Farnsworth screwed my day Sunday live and in person. Now he is screwing me out of sleep.”

wow…I knew it was something though I could tell he hasn’t been focused on baseball…

333 Ryan in Brooklyn August 6, 2008 at 12:23 am

Yeah, Coleman, I’m plugged in now. I’m ready to see this through, for better or worse.

334 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 12:23 am

Thanks Coleman
Ha Ha

335 JOE Z August 6, 2008 at 12:24 am

adam and anyone else bashing maggs for swinging at the first pitch. pretty sure his 2nd in AL (hopefully finishing first again) and defending batting champ, knows what hes doing. regarding maggs, you dont get to have an opinion on his approach.

336 Chris August 6, 2008 at 12:24 am

Absolutely horrible at bats by both Guillen and Maggs. And what is Maggs doing swinging at the 1st pitch after Guillen got out on the 1st pitch…… FREAKEN GRIND IT OUT……. MAKE THE PITCHER WORK A LITTLE!!!!!!!

337 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:25 am

Wow. what a terrible K call on Thome.

338 T Smith August 6, 2008 at 12:25 am

I’m baffled.

339 Dylan August 6, 2008 at 12:25 am

Well Rodney has rebounded well. Maybe if we could score a run..

340 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 12:25 am

F-Rod looked great. Maybe we can get him a win.

341 David G. August 6, 2008 at 12:25 am

“Sheffield, Raburn, Sardinha”. Now That’s Funny. They might as well just list the next 3 Sox hitters up.

342 Forty August 6, 2008 at 12:25 am

Come on at this point Rodney is just padding his stats

343 Kevin in Austin August 6, 2008 at 12:26 am

Oh goodness, that was sick. Glad I got to watch.

344 Ryan in Brooklyn August 6, 2008 at 12:26 am

Wow. Rodney for 3 shut out innings. Whodathunkit?

345 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:26 am

The pitches that Guillen and Maggs swung at were both thigh high, down the middle. If they double on those pitches, no one says a word. But they didn’t. I’m fine with them swinging at a meatball coming in like that. They were poorly located.

346 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:27 am

I hope they bring Thornton out for another inning because Inge has a .750 OBP against him. Oh wait, nevermind.

347 Travis August 6, 2008 at 12:28 am

Rodney stepped up huge tonight. How about a homerun to make it worthwhile?

348 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 12:28 am

Shut up Hawk you a-hole

349 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:30 am

I’m guessing Hawk was complaining about the strike zone — with good reason. That 2nd pitch to Gary was at the knees and called a ball.

350 David G. August 6, 2008 at 12:30 am

I like how each team’s announcer’s in succession laud their pitcher for a great performance against Sheffield. But don’t seem to acknowledge his YTD stats.

351 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:31 am

Sardinha already used up his triple for the season, but if Raburn can put down another 2-base bunt, The Dane just might still have a double left in the tank somewhere…

352 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 12:31 am

He was begging for the long foul ball. Just foul. It was mashed.

353 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:32 am

Who has Sardinha in the walk-off HR pool?

Edit: Doesn’t matter.

354 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:33 am

God this sucks. And Joe Z, Maggs showed us last year he can bat almost .400. He can do better and we all know it. You’re not allowed to tell me when I’m not allowed to have an opinion.

355 Travis August 6, 2008 at 12:33 am

Too bad Sardinha and Raburn are in the game now with Inge out. That limits the choices to let Thames pinch hit because we need to keep them both in case of an injury. I wish I had thought of that when Joyce pinch hit for Inge. In retrospect, bad call.

356 Chris August 6, 2008 at 12:35 am

Thornton just untouchable… We have no shot as long as he is in the game pitching.

357 greg August 6, 2008 at 12:35 am

Sheffield’s bat looks considerably slower than earlier in the year to me. Down to average bat speed I’d say….not good.

358 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:36 am

this game has turned into a game of chicken where we will trade long fouls and strikeouts back and forth until somebody makes a mistake and somebody else gets the W (7 – 6)

359 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:37 am

Maybe Swish can put us out of our misery.

Maybe he deserves it after what we did to his A’s in ‘06.

360 T Smith August 6, 2008 at 12:37 am

And the Tigers have now been shut out for the last eight innings of White Sox pitching. Not so good.

361 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:37 am

James Hoye got that one right on Swish.

362 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:38 am

I want Miggy to extend his hit streak…how many innings do we have to play for that to happen?

363 Kevin in Austin August 6, 2008 at 12:41 am

If Uribe wins this game I may suffocate myself with a Paws doll.

364 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:41 am

We’re Batman, and the White Sox are the Joker. Or is it the other way around. Hawk does call us “The Bad Guys.”

But then again he’s like the Penguin.

365 billfer August 6, 2008 at 12:42 am

I want Miggy to extend his hit streak…how many innings do we have to play for that to happen?

Hopefully just 14

366 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:42 am

hopefully we get the lead because Dolsi was wild in that inning (7 strikes, 5 balls) and none that were real borderline (and thanks to Ramirez/Uribe swinging at balls out of the zone) I don’t want him to be pitching with the game still tied.

367 Kevin in Austin August 6, 2008 at 12:42 am

Thank goodness.

368 T Smith August 6, 2008 at 12:42 am

I’m calling it. Renteria is going yard here.

369 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 12:43 am

Grandy sac bunt.

370 T Smith August 6, 2008 at 12:43 am

But I guess a basehit will do

371 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:44 am

E-Rent not bad today.

372 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:44 am

“I’m calling it. Renteria is going yard here.”

I’m calling the ball doesn’t make it out the infield. Even money on his bat though.

373 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:46 am

Why is Granderson taking so long to square around? He’s straight up sac bunting here, square up immediately. Don’t even mess with your batting stance.

374 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:47 am

Can we not have our XBH machine bunt? Because he’s going to do that.

375 Travis August 6, 2008 at 12:48 am

NO WAY!

376 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:48 am

Oh wow! 1/3rd of Polanco’s homers coming in tonight’s game!

377 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 12:48 am

Holy crap. Polanco again. No way.

378 Joel in Seattle August 6, 2008 at 12:48 am

POLLY!!!

379 Kris August 6, 2008 at 12:48 am

Horrible bunt – failing to execute the little things continues to kill this team.

Edit – Pollypollypolly!!!

380 Ryan in Brooklyn August 6, 2008 at 12:48 am

POLLY!!!!!!

381 billfer August 6, 2008 at 12:49 am

I kid you not. I was just bringing up Polly’s page on b-r to find his last 2 homer game as he hit that. Coincidentally enough, it was this year against the Yankees – and the second came off of Kyle Farnsworth.

382 T Smith August 6, 2008 at 12:49 am

Polanco with 2 HR night. You can put on the board, yes!

383 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:49 am

POLANCO!!! 2 2-run home runs!

384 Joel in Seattle August 6, 2008 at 12:49 am

I think they should let Polanco pitch the bottom half of the inning. He deserves credit for winning the game.

385 Ryan in Brooklyn August 6, 2008 at 12:49 am

Hey Billfer, when was Polanco’s last home run with men on base? :)

386 Travis August 6, 2008 at 12:49 am

That was very poor form on the bunt attempt. You absolutely cannot drop the bat head like that, especially against somebody throwing that kind of heat.

Way to pick up Grandy, Polly. That a boy.

387 Kevin in Austin August 6, 2008 at 12:50 am

I just joked up my Paws doll.

edit “Choked” but who gives a damn.

388 greg August 6, 2008 at 12:50 am

I hereby annoint Polanco the greatest Detroit Tiger of all time….

at least for tonight!

:-)

389 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:51 am

NOW we can use Zumaya.

390 greg August 6, 2008 at 12:51 am

T-Smith – LOL

391 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:51 am

Placiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiido!

It’s the Placido Po-Longball Show! Good night and drive safely

392 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 12:51 am

I would like a few more runs. Just to be safe.

393 billfer August 6, 2008 at 12:52 am

Hey Billfer, when was Polanco’s last home run with men on base? :)

Yesterday :)

394 Adam August 6, 2008 at 12:53 am

Aw, poor Miggy. But he had 6 chances.

395 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:53 am

Po-longball. hahaha. Well done Coleman.

396 Forty August 6, 2008 at 12:53 am

It’s funny I was thinking after the Granderson bunting adventure “if we’re not going to out-execute them, we may need to out-slug them”

prayer answered!

397 Travis August 6, 2008 at 12:54 am

It’s really Zoomy’s game, now. He’s the last man standing out there in the pen.

398 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:54 am

And the White Sox, gracious in defeat, do the gentlemanly thing and concede the bottom of the inning, and all shake hands and rehash the big plays of the game and vow to put on another good show tomorrow…

399 T Smith August 6, 2008 at 12:54 am

Presuming the Tigers hold on to win this one, Kyle Farnsworth’s preformance still puts our bullpen behind the eight ball for the final two games of this series.

Let’s hope Verlander gives us eight innings tomorrow.

400 Forty August 6, 2008 at 12:55 am

Let’s do it Zooms!

401 Greg in Albuquerque August 6, 2008 at 12:55 am

come on zoom! throw strikes. please.

402 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:55 am

Oh great those poor losers are gonna make us pitch now i hope we make them pay for that tomorrow.

403 Forty August 6, 2008 at 12:56 am

Zoomacoaster?

404 Joel in Seattle August 6, 2008 at 12:56 am

Well, the Sox’ bullpen is equally behind said eight ball, if not more so. They’ve actually pitched an extra inning.

405 Forty August 6, 2008 at 12:57 am

Should we be fielderly indifferent here?

406 Joel in Seattle August 6, 2008 at 12:58 am

Just keep it down, Zoom…

407 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 12:59 am

Im more concerned about pitcherly indifference

408 Joel in Seattle August 6, 2008 at 12:59 am

So gamecast shows 7 fastballs thrown so far…

409 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 12:59 am

Hey. Here’s an idea: How about Joel Zumaya throws something OTHER than a fastball?

410 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:00 am

Freaking Quentin and his goofy crouch swing.

411 Travis August 6, 2008 at 1:00 am

Can I get an off-speed pitch please? Jesus…

412 Adam August 6, 2008 at 1:00 am

Oh God. Hit ties, Homer wins.

413 David G. August 6, 2008 at 1:00 am

Dude just doesn’t strike guys out anymore.

414 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 1:01 am

It’s 1-1 but should be 0-2 since the first pitch heater was at the knees.

415 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:01 am

on the bright side – a fair amount of strikes…ending up in the outfield

416 Adam August 6, 2008 at 1:01 am

Intentional walk?

417 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:02 am

Honestly, when was the last time Jermaine Dye hit a game winning homer after a clutch hit from Quentin?

418 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 1:02 am

if dye gets anything anywhere near the plate with runners on 2nd and 3rd somebody needs to finish out the season wearing a clown nose. unless its the kind of close to the plate where he is standing close to the plate and is saying ow on his way to 1st

419 Kris August 6, 2008 at 1:02 am

Excellent…the recipe is in order…a dash of hope followed by another crushing defeat.

I can’t stop watching

420 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 1:02 am

Pitch 3 was at the knees. Hoye has been giving the high strike and off the plate away to the pitcher all night. Anything down in the zone doesn’t get called.

421 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:03 am

WOW

422 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 1:03 am

Nice play Rent-a-wreck.

423 David G. August 6, 2008 at 1:03 am

Season cannot end fast enough.

424 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:03 am

DP?

425 greg August 6, 2008 at 1:04 am

more of the same from Edgar

426 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 1:04 am

Hawk wants contact. I say DP contact.

427 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:05 am

who nominated edgar to the committee?

428 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 1:05 am

For the love of tito fuentes somebody just agree on what hurts on Renteria and DL him till about the middle of spring training.

429 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 1:05 am

If we want to talk about someone’s bat that’s slowed down, it’s Jim Thomes. It’s like he’s swinging a redwood tree trunk.

430 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 1:05 am

Alright Zoom 1 more out please.

431 David G. August 6, 2008 at 1:05 am

“Dude just doesn’t strike anyone out anymore.”

432 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:05 am

nice joel, that’s a huge k. i guess throwing 99 does come with some benefits. HUGE AB coming up. let’s do it tigs.

433 Joel in Seattle August 6, 2008 at 1:06 am

ATTA BOY, JI

434 Adam August 6, 2008 at 1:06 am

Swisher to get and we win.

435 Joel in Seattle August 6, 2008 at 1:06 am

JIM

436 David G. August 6, 2008 at 1:06 am

I hate this matchup, though.

437 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 1:06 am

someday we all may be lucky enough to see the rarity of a pitcher charging the shortstop…his own…

438 Travis August 6, 2008 at 1:07 am

Come on Zoomy. Set Swish down like it’s ‘06.

439 Kevin in Austin August 6, 2008 at 1:07 am

So I’m watching Grindhouse, has anyone out there seen this? I’m not quite sure what the plot is. Wait, it just ended.

440 David G. August 6, 2008 at 1:07 am

Just don’t tie it on a f’ing passed ball/wild pitch.

441 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:08 am

holy christ

442 David G. August 6, 2008 at 1:08 am

Nice Season. Cut them all.

443 Brian in Tampa August 6, 2008 at 1:08 am

No F’N Way. I give up.

444 Dylan August 6, 2008 at 1:08 am

Season over.

445 Adam August 6, 2008 at 1:08 am

MOTHER OF GOD NO.

446 Kevin in Austin August 6, 2008 at 1:08 am

Ouch.

447 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 1:09 am

Okay. I’ve detached myself from being emotionally wrapped up in games but this one just plain hurts like hell.

448 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:09 am

david g be careful what you wish for :(

449 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 1:09 am

I think this might be a smart time for Dane to try the double-mitt approach

450 Tbone August 6, 2008 at 1:09 am

Wow!

These Tiger losses get more and more spectacular with each passing game. This one was really impressive.

451 Joey the K in Portland OR August 6, 2008 at 1:09 am

Its official, someone has cursed the bullpen. Unreal.

452 PHT in HK August 6, 2008 at 1:09 am

Jones, Rodney, Zumaya . . . who would want the job?

453 Cameron in Singapore August 6, 2008 at 1:09 am

You can’t be serious.

454 Travis August 6, 2008 at 1:09 am

Oh my God.

455 Kevin in Austin August 6, 2008 at 1:10 am

Sucks to lose, but it doesn’t hurt same that it did a few weeks ago. The Polanco theatrics were just short lived fun.

456 Ryan in Brooklyn August 6, 2008 at 1:10 am

oh god. season over (if it wasn’t already)

sad

457 Adam August 6, 2008 at 1:10 am

Here’s the thing. NONE of our pitchers can pitch under pressure. THEY CAN ALL PITCH really well when there’s nothing at stake. As soon as it’s a SAVE SITUATION, people start to suck. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO IT IS.

IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO IT IS.

458 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 1:10 am

Uhhhhhhh. Hey Beavis, this video sucks, so like, why do we keep watching it.

Yeah, sucks. hehe. hehe.

459 JML August 6, 2008 at 1:11 am

I think I need another mental health break from this team…

460 T Smith August 6, 2008 at 1:12 am

Can we please start swearing?

461 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:12 am

so how do we rank leyland, farnsworth, renteria, zumaya today? in order of blame deservingness?

462 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 1:13 am

What’s the most disappointing is that Nick Swisher golfed a bottom of the knee-cap high 99 MPH heater out to win it. It’s not even like he hung something belt high for him.

463 Travis August 6, 2008 at 1:13 am

That really hurts… Yet another nominee for worst loss of the season?

464 Kathy August 6, 2008 at 1:13 am

Flush Edgar down a toilet.

465 Mike R August 6, 2008 at 1:14 am

Farnsworth
Farnsworth
Farnsworth
Renteria
Farnsworth
Zumaya

In that order.

466 Forty August 6, 2008 at 1:14 am

at least todd jones is resting up for the stretch drive

467 mellerman August 6, 2008 at 1:14 am

So the sad saga continues…. NO PITCHING!!!!
Hats off to Rodney tonight.
This is so damn depressing.

468 Greg August 6, 2008 at 1:14 am

I don’t remember previous seasons having as many emotional, gut-wrenching losses as this season. It must really stress Bilfer’s rule about “not blogging while angry.”

469 greg August 6, 2008 at 1:14 am

Can’t expect to win if you give them 4 outs, not with a below average bullpen that often wilts under pressure.

Thanks Renteria.

Is there a stat for giving games away? There should be

470 Fed Up August 6, 2008 at 1:15 am

The Pudge/Farnsworth deal will be what we look back as the nail in the coffin of this season.

471 Adam August 6, 2008 at 1:15 am

I’d like to thank all my fans, my family, God, and most importantly, Sky.

For believing it would happen.

472 Jeff Molby August 6, 2008 at 1:16 am

Here we are at one of those critical junctures where if the Tigers lose, even the optimists have to call it a season.

Billfer was right. I was one of the relative optimists that hated all of the early season whining, but this was it right here. If they don’t have what it takes to win this game, they don’t have what it takes.

The bullpen, which is mediocre anyways, is absolutely shot. It’ll take a tremendous effort by a starter to salvage one game in this series.

Season over. Book it.

P.S. Here’s hoping we maintain some semblance of dignity.

473 Paul August 6, 2008 at 1:17 am

Nice play, Renteria…. nice season in fact, you pile of crap. That trade will bite us for YEARS.

This might be the worst bullpen I’ve ever seen in my years as a baseball fan. Not for the Tigers… FOR BASEBALL.

I’m so disgusted right now. At least when we were awful, these losses barely hurt… but as we feign contention, these are crushers… absolute crushers.

Pack it in, fellas… season’s over.

474 Brian P August 6, 2008 at 1:17 am

I crawled into bed after the Polanco home run, confident that it was over. I had to come back on to see everyone’s reaction.

*group hug*

Best of luck in ‘09.

475 mellerman August 6, 2008 at 1:18 am

This season has set this organization back at least 2 to 3 years. This really sucks!! I love my Tigers and always will but this season has taken too much out of me. Go Lions!!

Leyland needs to say bye. Why take out Dolsi? Managers never go with their gut anymore. It is so by the book it is pathetic. I’m just soooo sick of it!

476 Joey the K in Portland OR August 6, 2008 at 1:18 am

I must have already hated the white sox as much as humanly possible, cuz I don’t hate them any more than I did at the start of the day.

477 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 1:18 am

I’d better quietly go have a ham sandwich because I swear on Bill Madlock’s gut if Chief Smileyface comes by to explain how it’s still pretty likely the Tigers will win the division, one of us won’t make it back out of this blog…

478 Adam August 6, 2008 at 1:19 am

This guy is most definitely wrong.

We proved it.

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn.....BHeadlines

479 Kevin in Austin August 6, 2008 at 1:19 am

They’re not quite as painful as they were a few weeks ago. Really more spectacular now than anything.

480 Tater August 6, 2008 at 1:20 am

This Committee should be permanently adjourned.

481 Christie August 6, 2008 at 1:20 am

that was a pathetic display by a shortstop who might i add, cannot bat, as well as a pathetic display of pitching. can’t believe i’m saying this, but rodney was the best tonight. way to go zumaya and renteria. way to go.

482 Travis August 6, 2008 at 1:21 am

2009 Free Agent Relief Pitchers (from Cot’s Baseball Contracts)

Relief Pitchers
Jeremy Affeldt CIN
Tony Armas Jr. PIT
Luis Ayala WAS
Joe Beimel LAD
Joe Borowski CLE
Juan Cruz ARZ
Brendan Donnelly BOS
Scott Downs TOR
Alan Embree * OAK
Scott Eyre CHC
Kyle Farnsworth DET
Casey Fossum TB
Brian Fuentes COL
Aaron Fultz CLE
Tom Gordon * PHI
LaTroy Hawkins HOU
Mark Hendrickson LAD
Trevor Hoffman SD
Bobby Howry CHC
Jason Isringhausen STL
Steve Kline SF
Brandon Lyon ARZ
Damaso Marte * NYY
Tom Martin COL
Julio Mateo PHI
Guillermo Mota MIL
Will Ohman CHC
Hideki Okajima * BOS
Darren Oliver LAA
John Parrish SEA
Chris Reitsma SEA
Dennys Reyes MIN
Juan Rincon CLE
Francisco Rodriguez LAA
Brian Shouse MIL
Rafael Soriano ATL
Jorge Sosa NYM
Mike Stanton * CIN
Salomon Torres * MIL
Derrick Turnbow MIL
Oscar Villarreal ATL
David Weathers CIN
Dan Wheeler TB
Dave Williams NYM
Matt Wise NYM
Jay Witasick TB

Any interesting names to anyone? Time to open the pocket book a little wider, Uncle Mike…

483 Joey the K in Portland OR August 6, 2008 at 1:22 am

ok now I feel kinda sick.

484 greg August 6, 2008 at 1:24 am

The most unfortunate thing is the trade deadline has past so we can’t dump anyone and build for the future.

485 Paul August 6, 2008 at 1:24 am

Kevin, I’m in Austin, too… would you mind coming to shoot me?

486 Ken in Las Vegas August 6, 2008 at 1:24 am

Balls in my face, Tigers. Thank you for placing your sweaty balls in my face. I was already celebrating the fact that I had doubled my life savings. Do you know what one can do with $28.50 at some of the dives here in Vegas?

I’m no longer watching their games. I’ll check the boxscore to see who blew it, and then laugh maniacly while throwing ham sandwiches at the pedestrians from my porch.

487 Tony P August 6, 2008 at 1:26 am

Nice error by Edgar Gonorrhea. I’d refer to him as Edgar Diarrhea, but that implies the production of runs–something Edgar has done little of this year.

488 Adam August 6, 2008 at 1:26 am

Ok, Renteria made an error.

But he was also part of the two runs that scored at the top of the inning. Without his hit, Polanco’s home run isn’t going to be enough anyway.

489 JOE Z August 6, 2008 at 1:27 am

Here we are at one of those critical junctures where if the Tigers lose, even the optimists have to call it a season.

—- it is true.

barring some massive run, probably shadowing the rockies of last season, this season is doomed.

what a pathetic loss.

490 adjust August 6, 2008 at 1:27 am

omg get rid of zumaya already!!!!1 and i’d drop cabrerra while its hot too, i’m still not buying the hype. time for a fire sale in the over hyped department.

491 Joey the K in Portland OR August 6, 2008 at 1:28 am

crap seattle came back to win beat the twinkies too. woulda been nice to pick up a game on both the WSux and Twins.

492 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 1:28 am

That is an excellent list and I swear there won’t be a team that escapes the stunning awe when they see them all go start warming up in the 7th and the first season especially will be unprecedented because we could almost make the all star game without ever using the same closer twice.

But I worry after Illitch empties his wallet for the pitchers…I mean it is no joke at all what it is going to cost him in bullpen catchers.

493 PHT in HK August 6, 2008 at 1:29 am

A bad night for Motown. A crushing loss in the game tonight and it seems like the mother of the Thug Mayor is going to keep her job. Bottom line – no accountability for anything these days.

494 ron August 6, 2008 at 1:30 am

That was brutal.

495 Jim August 6, 2008 at 1:30 am

In his post game Leyland for a second just looked off into space…The man just looks like utter defeat.

496 Kevin in Austin August 6, 2008 at 1:31 am

Paul – I’ll be at Union Park tomorrow night drinking until I finish my letter to Leyland entitled “How many 5 year olds can you take in a fight but still be out-managed by them?” Feel free to join me.

497 Paul August 6, 2008 at 1:33 am

adjust, I’m in full-blown irrational, pissed-off, would-like-to-break-something mode, but please don’t pretend that Miggy isn’t an amazing hitter. It took him a bit to adjust to the much better league, but he’s been amazing of late. Even during his “struggling” period, he was one of the best hitters around.

498 Travis August 6, 2008 at 1:34 am

I’d love to pluck Marte, Howry, Okajima, Wheeler, and K-Rod off that list and throw Olde English D’s on their chests. I guess that’s not reality, unfortunately. This is going to sting for a while.

Interesting comments by Leyland. I can’t believe I am saying this, but I am sorry that we all took the time Todd Jones spent here as our closer (both stints) for granted. Good night.

499 Coleman August 6, 2008 at 1:36 am

Melancholy Ken in Last Vagrants:

I think you should try to talk to a counselor or close friend or a man of the cloth, (I think that’s the right term for the fashion designer?) because it is a very troubling sign of dark times coming spiritually, when one begins to think of throwing the ham sandwich off the porch and to have that thought and to have none of the human feeling at all where you realize how much you would give to have even the half of the sandwich back to acquaint with your mouth.

Also: that ball-face thing.

500 Joey the K in Portland OR August 6, 2008 at 1:36 am

If we’re gonna lose, just lose. How much more of THIS kind of losing can our collective hearts take?!

501 ron August 6, 2008 at 1:45 am

Coleman, you are a funny guy. A lot of your stuff goes over my head , but that duck hunter remark made me laugh out loud. I just figured what lol means.

502 Paul August 6, 2008 at 1:47 am

Oh and the worst part is I wanted to get to bed early tonight because I was absolutely wiped out after work today. Might as well go back to being shutout time & again instead of delaying it like tonight…

503 Chris August 6, 2008 at 1:49 am

Wow, Tigers now have 9 BLOWN SAVES since July 5th– exactly one month ago today– 5 of them in the past week. The Tigers were 1-6 in those games……. This is the most painful stretch of missed opportunities that I could have imagine. If they could have converted all of those saves the Tigers would be at 61-51, just a half game back of the Sox. It is time for a massive bullpen overhaul.

On a positive note: this could serve as a motivation to make as big of a push to improve the bullpen as possible. And it is also time to give up on both Rodney and Zumaya being middle relief aces. They have the stuff, but are tooooooooo inconsistent.

504 adjust August 6, 2008 at 1:55 am

paul, i feel where you’re coming from, but i’ve been thinking about this for a while, tonight i just finally actually said it out loud. i think it was an over priced mistake, for the tigers specifically, not that he isn’t an incredible hitter, i just think the cash could have been better spent elsewhere for the team. pitching, pitching, and more pitching. it’s like buying a fancy hood ornament for a beater car.

beyond that, i feel bad for him for this crap we’re surrounding him with. I like to see great players achieve great things, and being a part of the means is where the action is. unfortunately, the tigers are not the vehicle at the moment, feels like were on our way down again and its a bad time for a superstar to try and save a team.

definitely not dissing the good man, not meant to be taken that way. those are just two big moves i would make if i were shaking up the roster.

505 judpma August 6, 2008 at 2:44 am

if Renteria starts tomorrow I want in on the Fire Leyland campaign
If Robertston starts another game I want in on the Fire Leyland campaign
If Inge and is .215 starts tomorrow at catcher I want in on the Fire Leyland campaign
if….
if….
if…..

506 Chris August 6, 2008 at 2:51 am

This is the season of the gut-wrenching loss. Here, I felt compelled to make a list of them:

May 4th at Minnesota, 6-7 — Goats: Guillen (costly error), Miner & Entire Batting lineup

May 16th at Arizona, 4-3 — Goats: Guillen (costly error) & Miner

May 28th at LA Angels, 3-2 — Goat: Cruceta

June 4th at Oakland, 4-5 — Goat: Rentaria (0-5 w/ 10 LOB)

June 17th at San Francisco, 6-8 — Goat: Rodney

July 5th at Seattle, 2-3 — Goat: Rodney

July 10th vs Minnesota, 6-7 — Goat: Jones

July 20th at Baltimore, 10-11 — Goat: Zumaya

July 25th vs ChiSox, 5-6 — Goat: Jones

August 3rd at Tampa, 5-6 — Goats: Farnsworth & Rodney

August 5th at Chisox, 8-10– Goats: Farnsworth & Renteria.

507 Amanda August 6, 2008 at 4:22 am

Jeepers! I’m getting ready for work and watching the replay on FSN, it’s the top of the 5th inning, the Tigers are ahead 5-1 yet not being able to & unable to wait to the end of the game I flip over to ESPN where they’re scrolling the scores across the bottom of the screen to see that we lost 10-8? How does that happen? What a horrible way to start the day. I’ll bbl to read the blogs of this tragedy :(

508 David August 6, 2008 at 6:32 am

Can anyone explain to me how Garry $ head is still on the team?

It is August…

He’s our DH and has a lower slugging % than everyone with more than 40 AB not named Jones or Rentaria…

Is hitting .226

Is still taking massive cuts at the ball

I have never seen him choke up on the bat, I have never seen him try to lay down a bunt, I have never seen him TRY TO go to the opposite field

I have not seen him do anything to try to be a run producer (besides the rare walk)

He is a cheater,and piece of scum, he should have never been traded for and should have been booted off the team months ago, or traded for Farnsworth to be back in NY where he belongs

HE IS HITTING .226 AS A DESIGNATED HITTER IN AUGUST!!!

I WOULD RATHER SEE ANY AAA PLAYER IN HIS SPOT

The sad thing is he thinks he is good, and when he hits a HR it he thinks it validates him for a month.

BTW Y IN DEH HECK IS LEYLAND SO CAREFUL WITH SEAY, EFF EXPLOITING THE LEFTY-LEFTY MATCHUP, I SAY GET YOUR MONEYS WORTH OUT OF OUR ONE AWESOME RELIEVER, OR BRING UP SOME GOOD AAA STARTERS IF OURS ARE ONLY GOING TO LAST 5/6 INNINGS

509 Ryan P August 6, 2008 at 7:57 am

Glad I didn’t stay up for that one. I hope nobody from the bullpen is back next year except for Seay. Nate can go waste his huge contract in the ‘pen, too.

What a joke.

510 Joe August 6, 2008 at 8:09 am

Let me try to be the voice of reason. First, I love the Tigers even though this season is draining! Now, they are not that far away. Not this year but next. As I said before, we cannot give up on Rodney or Zumaya. They have potential, but I agree its tough to swallow right now. Someday, they are someones closer -both of them. We must trade one of our big hitters for a proven starter. That means anyone-Polanco, Guillen, Ordonez, Cabrera, Grandy for a #1 starter. If not, sign a free agent. Thats what we have of value that other teams might want. We must not panic with our bullpen-believe me, next year it will be much better. This year our potential closers have All been significantly injured. Give them 1 more year. Jones- I’m not sure about but he is a great guy in the clubhouse + he will work his butt off. We could also use a catcher + SS but theres not much out there better than what we now have. We cant keep booing our closers and then get mad when they keep failing.

511 Scott August 6, 2008 at 8:10 am

hey, last night was a “moral victory”….our bullpen only walked 2 guys…… :-(

512 Ryan P August 6, 2008 at 8:24 am

Why do people keep mentioning trading Cabrera or Granderson, I just don’t get it.

Honestly, we have to do more than just trade for one starter in the offseason. We need to obtain (don’t care how) at least two GOOD starters and one GOOD bullpen arm, maybe a closer. Yeah Illitch, I’m looking at you – you’ve forked over the money before, you can ante up for K-Rod. I don’t care how much he costs.

513 Travis August 6, 2008 at 8:29 am

John Lackey, Ben Sheets, CC Sabathia, Derek Lowe, and Brad Penny are all free agents next year. I’d rather see us take a serious run at one of them than trade a big name out of our lineup.

514 Anson August 6, 2008 at 9:30 am

Glad to see the ham sandwich trade is still being regreted, DD should have moved on it when he had the chance. As for next season, we just need to get pitchers. We need at least one amazing starter and a closer. I say let Ramon try SS, he’s better defensively and offensively then the ham sandwich. I think Inge is coming back as our catcher, despite so many people being against this. Finally, it would be nice to dump Shef, so we could let some of the kiddies play but I don’t see it happening any time soon.

515 Dave BW August 6, 2008 at 9:45 am

Apparently they have decided to end the season with a collapse. Good for them.

516 Kurt August 6, 2008 at 9:47 am

I am seriously growing allergic to August baseball. I’m going to start cringing every July 31 the rest of my life.

517 MCM August 6, 2008 at 9:53 am

Looking on the bright side, I’ve got my evenings back. No more stolen evenings, rooting for a losing team that finally put the nail in the coffin last night. I’ll get more sleep and spend more time and attention on my family. Bless you Tigers. B-Bye Leyland. B-Bye Jonesy.

518 Palmcroft August 6, 2008 at 10:00 am

That loss was just a fluke, it was not a loss in keeping with the rest of the avalanche-just-burried-momma-and-the-dogs losses that we’ve had this month. Zumaya made a good pitch, shin flippin’ high. Only a lucky swing goes and gets that one, a lucky swing or Vlad G., and Swish ain’t no Vlad, so it’s just a fluke. That stuff happens. Just a fluke.

Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke.