Comments on: Game 2009.010: Tigers at Mariners

By: David

David — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:17:38 +0000

Also nice points @ Coleman.

By: David

David — Sun, 19 Apr 2009 00:15:17 +0000

I don’t think Inge’s play cost us the game – that is alittle much. But it sure didn’t help Justin Verlander’s 5th inning or his confidence in his D. Also it could be argued that Laird (since he is a MLB catcher) should have been able to pick that ball. If anyONE person cost us the game it was Verlander, he totally fell apart…

Plus you have to give some credit to the other team. Their is a reason the Mariners have the best record. Wakamatsu didn’t look like a dummy either.

How ’bout the Tribe? 22 runs WOW

Heres to Jackson keeping his dominance against the Ms intact!

By: billfer

billfer — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 22:33:15 +0000

Whether or not the Inge error “cost the game” I think you’re downplaying the event. If he makes the play it’s runners on first and third with 2 outs and the #9 hitter up – and a two run lead. It takes the squeeze play out of the equation and Gutierrez has to try and hit the ball. Maybe he does, maybe he doesn’t but I’ll take those odds. The tying run is on first base with 2 outs instead of third base with one out.

By: Coleman

Coleman — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 21:33:39 +0000

The way I look at it the Inge error allowed a run when instead there should have been an out. Which to me doesn’t constitute “costing the Tigers the game.” The idea that the Inge error CAUSED the Verlander meltdown is just silly. For one thing, he was already getting shelled–the error was preceded by a double, single, single, sac bunt. He was already not the Verlander of innings 1-4 at that point. Besides that I just don’t like the whole idea of causation here. I don’t think it would be any less logical to argue that Inge’s bad throw was caused by the stress of watching Verlander lose it on the mound.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 20:28:29 +0000

A good game for both teams, but I saw some things that disgusted me.
For one, that error by Inge cost us the game. Two.. why didn’t Leyland or even Laird come out to the mound and calm down JV after that error? Three, when Granderson got on against Kelley, why did Polanco promptly swing at the first pitch? He looked pretty shaky, I thought Polanco could have at least taken a pitch or two. You never know. He walks Polanco, you have two on, nobody out, Maggs up (who promptly laced one to left), Cabrera looming, and who knows what would have happened? Ugh.

By: Mr. X

Mr. X — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 20:11:43 +0000

I just watched the game myself. Nice game by both teams. Loved the small ball.

By: Chris in Dallas

Chris in Dallas — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:49:54 +0000

Diabolical. If Verlander has that kinda stuff all year, he’s still going to win 20 games. One. Bad. Inning.

By: scotsw

scotsw — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 19:11:55 +0000

OK, watched the whole thing last night. The Tigers had 7 innings of solid pitching, and 1 bad one. They had 8 innings of lousy hitting, and 1 good one.

The whole story of that game is Justin’s 5th inning. Let’s stipulate that he could have gotten a bit more help from Inge on that throw, BUT — Laird STILL should have scooped that ball and made the tag. Bouncing the throw to the plate isn’t exactly unheard of. The other issue with Laird is — where were his trips to the mound???? Come on Gerald — that’s your job. Settle him down. Justin was obviously worked up and needed a breather or two.

That inning was 100% mental. His stuff wasn’t even that bad. The Mariners made a nice adjustment, and Justin didn’t adjust his approach quick enough.

Ugh.

By: ron

ron — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 15:26:28 +0000

Verflounder in Seattle. I love it.

By: rings

rings — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 14:02:29 +0000

The Tigers runs also came courtesy of some shakey defense (very generously scored as hits) on Guillen’s infield hit in front of Beltre and Inge’s bouncer into the 5-hole that Betancourt misplayed. That said, the Tigers wasted a golden opportunity to score more runs that inning and chase King Felix, leaving them loaded. These blown opportunities do not go unpunished against a hot team that’s feeling good about themselves.

As for the nightmare inning, Inge’s poor throw was a big play (he has waaay to many poor throws for a guy with his arm & reputation), but the larger factor was Verlander letting his emotions get in the way. He lost his command, stopped attacking hitters, often going to three ball counts, and basically huffed & puffed his way around the mound until he got the 2nd out. His lack of composure was the problem in turning a leadoff double on a pitch that was nearly past Beltre into a 5-run inning (especially considering he admits to thinking about no-no’s every game).

By: Russ

Russ — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 11:24:34 +0000

so much for the Tigers’ “ace.” Now Jackson and Galarraga are left to pick up the pieces yet again.

By: Coleman

Coleman — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 07:15:26 +0000

@JIP: Hey, nice to see you here again…I’m all for the “Joey in Seattle”…the “Joey in Portland OR” bit triggers some repressed memories of some guy who used to be a QB from Oregon or something…

By: Joey in Portland OR

Joey in Portland OR — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:58:26 +0000

Man, I was at this game tonight and Justin was DEALING. First pitch strikes, making guys look silly. I didn’t want to mention no-hitter or perfect game after the 4th, but someone must have cuz man the wheels came off! That was brutal, sure the M’s were helped by an E and some bad plays but yikes. The Tigs really needed to add on when they had the chance and had Felix on the ropes.

I hope we take the next 2, I”ll be at both. I guess I should temporarily change my name to Joey in Seattle WA.

By: Coleman

Coleman — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:54:32 +0000

All hair-pulling criticisms of Verlander aside, I have to give credit to Seattle–Verlander was, as they say, just pounding the strike zone, and Seattle came out in the 5th, every one of them, with a Swing First Ask Questions Later approach, which is really what you have to do when you’ve had guys starting out behind in the count all game. Small ball rules and the easy schedule and all that…but the Mariners, I suspect, are also benefitting from some good coaching this season…

On the other hand…what’s up with their uniforms?? I suppose it could be some sort of flat screen in a bar distortion, but it really does seem that they have navy jerseys and purple caps. Whose idea was that? A little yellowish-greenish trim and they would look like bruises…

By: Coleman

Coleman — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 06:49:01 +0000

Oh that was just fab…I left from my undiscolosed location to go watch the rest of the game–”rest” being from the point where it was DET 3 SEA 0 (right after Verflounder gave up the leadoff double), and when I arrived at Game Showing Locale I was greeting by scoreboard graphic that somehow seemed to show DET 3 SEA 5. WTF! (Incidentally it showed the Tigers line as 3 6 7, and it took me 5 min to figure out the Tigers hadn’t somehow made 7 errors in the time it took me to get there. Maybe 7 was correct somehow metaphorically). And checking on gameday: did Verlander really throw a change-up that was apparently about 4 feet outside?? And I missed the “bad Inge” play, but it hardly seems like the turning point, and maybe a bit overly harsh to blame him for the loss (since they likely would have had, approximately, between 0 and 1 runs without him in the line-up).

For me Verlander going from No-hit Justin to being all ’06 world series-like was the most distressing, that along with, to second billfer, the ugly head-rearing of the GIDP beast (not to mention knowing when I apply my “secret formula” I will no doubt find the Tigers finishing around .500 this season instead of 89-73).