Comments on: Game 139: Angels at Tigers

By: Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:03:31 +0000

Wow, Chris. You’ve spun the matchup more masterfully than I could have – I only took a superficial look at Santana’s numbers and said “uh-oh.” Now I’m pooping my pants, too. Valkyrie maidens cry!

By: Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:53:11 +0000

Looks like there’s fair chance of rain throughout the game. Current conditions are supposedly clear, but I’m not in Detroit right now. Surprisingly enough.

By: Chris in Dallas

Chris in Dallas — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:53:06 +0000

I’m getting more excited about this matchup by the second. I’m talking like poop-my-pants excited. Ervin Santana under the mean old sun in 2008: 2-2, 5.23 ERA. For his career, UV rays inflate his ERA to 5.68. Interestingly, though, his career ERA on grass is 4.21. He should be subjected to a drug test. Sorry, I’ve been waiting to use that joke all season.

By: Chris in Dallas

Chris in Dallas — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:45:04 +0000

More good news. Career at CoPa for Magic Santana. Look at it. It screams at me. Like a valkyrie. Wow, that rhymed.

1-2, 10.29 ERA, 14 IP, 20 H, 4 HRA.

By all means, Country Strong needs to get the chance to get his jimmy jack on.

By: Chris in Dallas

Chris in Dallas — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:41:19 +0000

OK nevermind. I’ll do the heavy lifting for you. Ervin Santana likes Angel Stadium. A lot. Elsewhere not so much.

2005: (H) 9-3, 3.18 (A) 3-5, 7.43
2006: (H) 10-2, 3.02 (A) 6-6, 5.95
2007: (H) 6-4, 3.27 (A) 1-10, 8.38

This year his splits are almost identical, but the previous three seasons were quite wacky. Someone change the calendar in the visitors clubhouse to read ’2007′ posthaste.

By: Chris in Dallas

Chris in Dallas — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:35:53 +0000

Look at Santana’s home/road splits prior to this year. Let’s hope he reverts to that form. Wait, what am I saying? He’s on my fake baseball team. I need the Tigers to eke out a 1-0 victory for ERA and WHIP purposes.

By: Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:17:41 +0000

Oh, I noticed a similarity between E. Santana and Verlander in season by season career numbers. Maybe superficial. But it would be nice to see Justin come back with a Santana-like season in 2009.

By: Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 16:15:50 +0000

Kenny Roger’s last start against the Angels (May 26, in Anaheim) was arguably his best start of the year, and it was the beginning of an incredible run for him: 11 starts, 8 quality starts, WHIP of 1.34, 4-2 with a 2.92 ERA.

Does Kenny turn it around again today? I say yes.

Then again… Ervin Santana. The Tigers haven’t hit him so far this season. Start Thames. He’s about due for some kind of big hit. I want 2 HR from Sheffield and at least 1 from Thames.

By: Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:50:21 +0000

I’m waiting – with great suspense – to hear what Victor DeGrate has to say, assuming he hasn’t left the country already.

Why did I click on a link pertaining to the Lions? I feel cheap and violated. Had. Thanks, Stephen.

By: Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:31:58 +0000

“Sean, you forgot that your dum[b] has been founded.”

D’oh! Obviously, I need even more caffeine even earlier.

By: Chris in Dallas

Chris in Dallas — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 15:00:56 +0000

This is entirely unrelated to the Tigers, and I’m not even a Lions fan but this whole Rudi Johnson/Tatum Bell story is the leader in the clubhouse for Retardedest Sports Story of 2008. You Detroit people need to give me the inside dope.

By: Chris in Dallas

Chris in Dallas — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:55:49 +0000

Sean, you forgot that your dum has been founded.

By: Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:49:27 +0000

The Cubs are going to regret not giving the Tigers Henry Blanco for Gary Sheffield when they had the chance.

By: Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:43:02 +0000

“My flabber has been officially gasted.”

That’s the sentence I like. Yours, right? Pretty darn good. It’s going to spawn imitations.

My flum has been officially moxed.

My whelm has been officially overed.

My away has been officially blown.

OK, that last one wasn’t so good.

By: Smoking Loon

Smoking Loon — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 14:30:42 +0000

Rough game for Joyce, I see. Not much of a showing by Rapada, either. Rodneycoaster.

Not bad when 15 words can encapsulate all the negatives in a game. Then again, a number of bad games this season could be captured in one word, so…

I could be wrong, but I think the chances for the 2 DPs turned were enhanced by the absence of Messrs. Guillen and (by happenstance) Renteria. In any case, a game with a 5-4-3 DP and no errors anywhere is another rarity for the 2008 Tigers.