Game 2012.111: Yankees at Tigers

Detroit Tigers, 60-50, 2nd place, .5 back.

Well, Jose Valverde almost pulled a Chris Perez, but tragedy was averted and the Tigers won their 7th consecutive, and 10th in a row at Comerica.

But all’s well that ends well, and that one ended well, and Detroit finally picked up a game on Chicago, and added a bit to their growing aura of invincibility at home.

These auras…I don’t know how reliable they are, and I’ve been having trouble finding any statistical measures by which to judge them, but they can’t hurt.

Tonight the Tigers hand the ball to Anibal. C.C. Sabathia will face the Right version of the Tiger lineup, featuring newest Tiger Jeff Baker, and bad boy Gerald Laird, who will try not to get ejected today (apparently Laird said nothing that merited ejection–although he admitted to making “hand gestures” from the dugout).

Stat of the Day: Tiger starters, 2nd half: 14-7, 3.79

Today’s Player of the Pre-game:  Jeff Baker.  The Tiger unveiling.

Today’s Baker’s Dozen Lineup:

  1. Austin Jackson CF
  2. Omar Infante 2B
  3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
  4. Prince Fielder 1B
  5. Delmon Young DH
  6. Jeff Baker LF
  7. Brennan Boesch RF
  8. Gerald Laird C
  9. Ramon Santiago SS

32 thoughts on “Game 2012.111: Yankees at Tigers”

    1. Agreed…Sanchez stinks… For being a free agent at the end of the season, he isn’t helping his career search…

    2. I agree ….. Sanchez stinks! It looks like this Smokey lineup is a “give a win away” lineup.

  1. At least Below will get to pitch tonight. With the Tigers winning so much lately he has been idled.

  2. That’s 32 baserunners in 15 IP for Sanchez in 3 starts, including 4 HR. And he wasn’t pitching very well before the trade either.

  3. I’d like to hear from Leyland why Young is even considered for the 5th spot.

      1. Actually, I have wondered what the reason was for keeping him after the end of last season. I had hoped that they would have traded him when his stock was high after the great performance he had at the end of the season and during the playoffs. But he has always been a streak hitter and it was inevitable that he would return to his average self. They could have perhaps gotten a solid back of the rotation starter or a secondbaseman for him, when we would have been better both by addition and subtraction, but I guess the top brass was fooled into thinking that he had finally reached his long predicted potential.

    1. Because with a left-handed pitcher, the 5 hitter is ALWAYS a right-handed batter. Although I’m surprised he didn’t put New Guy there.

  4. Anyone else having problems with At Bat/MLB.tv? Though maybe the game has been mercy blacked out.

  5. Great rally, but I don’t understand the reluctance to PH for Santiago there. Is Peralta injured?

    1. Immediately followed by bringing in the worst pitcher of the bullpen. If the manager’s job is supposed to be to put the players in the position of having the greatest chances to win, JL has a penchant for making it more difficult.

  6. Leave it to Coke to ruin the rally…And yeah, why wasn’t Santiago PH for? He looks terrible tonight.

  7. Pretty hard to win when your two worst pitchers combine to give up 9 runs. The offense is running on all cylinders right now anyway and with Fister going tomorrow there is a very good chance of winning the finale. And KC beat CHI 2-1, so there is that.

  8. Hey Capt Mumbles..Young doesn’t drive in any runs in the 5 spot…you said that yourself…the fact that he hasn’t driven in any runs in that spot doesn’t mean “he’s due” it means he is not going to drive in any runs…..DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  9. Hey Capt Mumbles there’s only two types of hitters Coke hasn’t been able to get out this year….those batting right handed and those batting left handed…….DUH!!!!!

  10. Well, we can’t win them all.

    I was really encouraged by the 7th inning rally, and then Infante’s HR in the 8th. Let’s be honest, those don’t happen a month ago. There’s a different feeling about this team.

    We didn’t lose any ground and I like our chances to take 3/4 against the Yankees tomorrow. That’s a huge series.

    1. Well, Coke was pretty good out of the pen the last two years, so he may be just having an off year. But to continuously pitch him like he is the highly valued 7th Inning Guy after all this time defies reason. Switch his role with Below and make Coke The Guy Who Only Pitches When The TIgers Are Losing Badly Early.

      1. Asked to what degree he was “concerned” about Coke, Leyland said:
        “I would say concerned a little bit. I’m not in panic-mode, but our other two lefties (Duane Below and Darin Downs) are very inexperienced. We need to get him (Coke) going.”

        Translation: “He’s my 7th Inning Guy.”

  11. Adding to Kevins post some,, having Infante and Dirks added to the 4- 5 guys who were doing good before is a huge difference….Peralta, Young, Avila still do very little, but there are more quality at bats out of the new regulars…..

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