PREGAME: It’s an afternoon tilt today as the Tigers behind Jeremy Bonderman take on Dustin McGowan and the Blue Jays.

McGowan is off to a pretty good start this season. He sports a 3.71 ERA and has fanned 16 in 17 innings of work. But he hasn’t made it past the 6th inning because his pitch count has become elevated. The Blue Jays had to go to their pen early last night so making McGowan work could have benefits for the rest of the series.

Bonderman is coming off a pretty solid outing. He went 6 1/3 and probably could have gone farther were it not for 3 errors by his defense. He also fanned 5 which was a nice sign after he K’d only 3 in his other 2 starts.

DET @ TOR, Saturday, April 19, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 1:07

POSTGAME: In a lot of ways, a loss like today’s is much more irksome than the shellacking they took in Cleveland. In the Indians game they were just flat out beat. In today’s game, there were several opportunities to swing the game in the Tigers favor yet they couldn’t take advantage.

Bonderman was awful, but he kept the damage to a minimum. Six walks though keeps him in line with the rest of the staff. Bonderman said he couldn’t find his slider, but I think that was only part of the problem. In the inning where he walked in a run, he was getting ahead of hitters. But he kept throwing the slider to the same spot. The hitters knew the slider was coming, and they knew where it was coming so it was easy to lay off. It’s a pattern we’ve seen from Bonderman in the past.

And once again he was the victim of an unearned run and this one decided the game.

Still, the offense had their chances. Twice there were 2nd and 3rd no out situations and twice they only came away with one run. I’m not one to harp on the LOB stat too much, because I tend to think it works itself out over the course of a season. But their inability to cash in cost them in a very winnable game.

PREGAME: You know that both Kenny Rogers and Toronto starter David Purcey have received the exact same run support so far this season? The difference is tonight will be Purcey’s first start and it will be Kenny’s 4th. That’s right, the Tigers have been shut out in all 3 of his starts. Of course Rogers hasn’t pitched so great either. He had a quality start his first time out but hasn’t made it out of the 5th inning in the two starts since.

On the other side Purcey will be making his first start. The 2004 1st round pick of the Jays has a 21:6 strike out to walk ratio in two AAA starts this year.

DET @ TOR, Friday, April 18, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 7:05

POSTGAME: So the Tigers exercised considerable patience early in this game picking up 5 walks in the first two innings but they couldn’t hit Purcey. If Purcey can get a handle on where the ball is going he could be trouble because the Tigers couldn’t hit him.

Although Jim Leyland did help him out by giving away an out when he called for a sac bunt in the 2nd inning following back to back walks. I’ll never understand letting a struggling pitcher off the hook with a sac bunt. It’s one thing if a guy is dealing and you get a double and want to scratch across a run. But that clearly wasn’t the case tonight.

Kenny Rogers turned in a solid outing going 6 2/3 inning and allowing 4 runs so it wasn’t quite a quality start. The 4 walks are still troublesome, as is the one strike out. But he was effective allowing only 3 hits.

The Tigers offense continues to swing it, at least off the bullpen. Seven of their 10 hits went for doubles and the did a nice job stringing them together.

For the second time this week Edgar Renteria belted a first pitch homer that would provide a nice cushion.

And is there anyone having as much fun out there as Miguel Cabrera? He just seems to love the game and it’s fun to watch. So is seeing him knock a couple doubles on his birthday and steal a base.

Finally, a nice job by Aquilino Lopez, Denny Bautista, and Todd Jones. Jones had some kind of mechanical flaw where he couldn’t get the ball down and walked two straight. A short chat with Chuck Hernandez and the game was over 5 pitches later.

PREGAME: The Tigers will try to keep rolling along as they send Justin Verlander out to do battle with Fausto Carmona.

Verlander is coming off his best start of the season, though you wouldn’t know it by looking at his final line. He had allowed just 1 run through the first 7 innings against the White Sox on Saturady before things fell apart for him in the 8th. Verlander has struggled against the Indians historically. Last year he allowed 7 runs in 3 of his 5 starts against them, including a 4 homer effort in September.

Carmona’s stats just don’t add up for the Tribe this year. He has 17 walks and only 8 strikeouts in 16 innings so far. Eight of those walks came in his last start against the A’s. Yet his ERA is 2.20. Part of the reason is he’s only allowed 1 extra base hit. Another part of the explanation is his power sinker induces double play balls and opponents have hit into 7 in his 3 games.

DET @ CLE, Thursday, April 17, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 7:05

POSTGAME: I really have very little to say about this one. I missed the first couple innings while coaching my son’s team. Saw the blow-up in the middle innings, and that’s about it. Verlander seemed to be hitting 94 mph a little more and it came at the expense of his control. I wonder if it was a situation like Todd Jones in spring training where he was over throwing because of all the velocity concerns. Or perhaps he just didn’t have it again.

And the offense generated some chances but couldn’t capitalize. These games are a lot less worrisome after a 3 game win streak.

PREGAME: The Tigers will look to build on a two game win streak, and relinquish control of first dibs on the waiver wire, as they head into Cleveland. The two teams that are supposed to be at the top of the division are on the bottom looking up.

The Tigers send out rookie Armando Galarraga. Galarraga made one start last year for Texas and he allowed 5 runs on 4 walks and 4 hits in 4.2 innings. But in his two starts at Toledo he was quite impressive with 11 K’s and only 1 walk. Here’s hoping he attacks the strike zone with the big club as well.

While the Tigers send out a replacement starter, the Indians send out C.C. Sabathia. Sabathia hasn’t made it through the 6 inning in his 3 starts this year and he currently sports a 11.57 ERA. I hope he doesn’t find his groove tonight. He has managed to go at least 7 innings in 4 of his last 5 starts against the Tigers.

DET @ CLE, Wednesday, April 16, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Programming Note: For those of you with satellite TV service there is some relevant info about where to find the game tonight:

DIRECTV: Ch. 672 (instead of the normal 669)

Dish Network: Game will not be shown due to lack of an available channel. Dish Network returns for Friday’s Tigers-Toronto game (Ch. 452)

Sorry to those of you who have Dish Network. It looks like it will be a night of Dan & Jim and MLB.com
Game Time 7:05

POSTGAME: We’ve seen this before. Pitchers who can’t throw strikes. Hitters rushing through at-bats. A lack of concentration leading to runs on defense. But it’s sooooo much more enjoyable when it’s the others guys doing that stuff.

Continue reading Game 15: Tigers at Indians →

PREGAME: Last night’s win was great and dramatic and uplifting. It reminded me in some respects of a dramatic come from behind victory against the Blue Jays last September. The win was supposed to propel the team back into the playoff hunt. Instead Chad Durbin came out and gave up 5 runs without making it out of the 3rd inning. So there’s some pressure on Nate Robertson tonight to let last night’s effort emotion carry over.

Robertson hasn’t been sharp in his first 2 outings, but not awful either. Working in his favor are 11 K’s in 10.1 innings. Not working in his favor are 19 baserunners and 198 pitches in those 10.1 innings.

Scott Baker is taking the mound for the Twins. He turned in a gem of a game in Comerica Park where he lost a 1-0 duel on an 8th inning Marcus Thames homer. That might be part of the reason Thames is in the lineup over Jacque Jones tonight despite Baker having 846 OPS allowed against lefties as opposed to .735 for righties.

MIN @ DET, Tuesday, April 15, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

POSTGAME: Now that is the powerful middle of the order in action. Sheffield-Ordonez-Cabrera-Guillen, or 3-4-5-6 all went deep tonight. Maggs doubled in the tying run and the foursome accounted for all 6 RBI. Continue reading Game 14: Twins at Tigers →

PREGAME: Jeremy Bonderman and Nick Blackburn.

The mind is a strange thing, men. We must begin by asking it…

…”What is losing?”

Losing is a disease…as contagious as polio…

Losing is a disease…as contagious as syphilis…

Losing is a disease…as contagious as bubonic plague…

… attacking one… but infecting all.

But curable.

from The Natural

I’m off to the game.

MIN @ DET, Monday, April 14, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 7:05

PREGAME: Now that the first pesky win is out of the way, as is the second win, can we get a series win? Am I being greedy?

The Tigers send out Kenny Rogers who was fairly efficient his first time out against the Royals, but who labored against the Red Sox. Javier Vazquez will be throwing for the Sox. He notched a quality start his last time out against the Twins, but allowed 9 baserunners over 5 innings in his season debut against the Indians.

DET @ CHW, Sunday, April 13, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 2:05

POSTGAME: At least they didn’t hit into any double plays today.

I’ll have more later tonight.

PREGAME: You know, after that 0-7 start the Tigers have been playing .667 ball. I’m just sayin’. They’ll try to improve that to .750 ball this afternoon with Justin Verlander taking on Gavin Floyd.

The Tigers can’t seem to hit Floyd at all so something needs to change. Floyd held them to 3 runs (all driven in by Brandon Inge) when he faced them on Saturday.

Verlander struggled in his last start, but wasn’t helped by poor infield defense. Including Carlos Guillen dropping a Miguel Cabrera throw. That won’t happen today because Guillen is out of the lineup due to the hammy he tweaked last night.

Your lineup courtesy of Jason Beck:

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

Game Time 1:05

DET @ CHW, Saturday, April 12, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

PREGAME: Jose Contreras and Dontrelle Willis. I’d put the over/under on pitches thrown tonight at 400.

The Tigers trade one set of Sox for another one. They arrived in the Windy City around 3:30 this morning. They will send out Willis who’s spring training control issues carried over into his first start. He walked 7 in 5 innings last Saturday while only allowing 1 hit.

The White Sox send out Contreras who had his own issues last Friday in Detroit. He allowed 14 baserunners in just 5 innings of work.

Gary Sheffield sits tonight due to finger swelling. Jacque Jones is your DH and Clete Thomas is your left fielder. Critique away.

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

I will say putting the Jones behind Cabrera isn’t a bad move to make Contreras think a little about pitching around Cabrera to get to a left hander.

This one is on FSN+, and by now you should know the drill.

Game Time 8:11

DET @ CHW, Friday, April 11, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

POSTGAME: For the second night in a row the bullpen is the story, but boy did they flip the script. Pressed into duty in the first inning, they picked up all 27 outs while allowing just 4 hits and 2 walks while fanning 10.

Aquilino Lopez who was supposed to be the Mud Hens closer went 4 innings and allowed the only run. He also wiggled out of a 2nd & 3rd none out situation allowing only 1 run to score.

Jason Grilli had an awful inning with a HBP and 2 walks, but wiggled out of it and chased it with back to back 1-2-3 innings.

Denny Bautista allowed a hit, but some bad baserunning and an excellent throw from Clete Thomas took care of Jermaine Dye’s single.

Todd Jones even pitched a 1-2-3 inning striking out the last 2 batters. Unreal. It was his first save opportunity of the season. Also unreal.

Offensively the Tigers plated 5 runs, and they probably deserved some more. There were multiple liners hit right at White Sox infielders. There were a couple rushed innings against Contreras, but they were generally patient.

The Tigers also got a hit with the bases loaded from Magglio Ordonez. Plus, Miguel Cabrera came up with a 2-out RBI. It’s starting to click like we had all hoped it would.

The only downside is that Willis may be out. Cabrera is becoming more hobbled. And Carlos Guillen’s hamstring started barking late in the game. There may be no bench tomorrow.

PREGAME: Time for the Tigers to put a win streak together. To do it they’ll have to get by knuckleballer Tim Wakefield. Inge moves into the leadoff spot based on his 6 for 22 history with two homers off of Wakefield. The rest of the lineup is what we’ve become used to with Pudge in the 8 spot and Marcus Thames at the bottom.

Nate Robertson takes the mound for the Tigers. Nate battled through 5 innings in his start against the White Sox. He fanned 5 and only walked 2, but found himself in a full count on six different batters.

This one is on FSN+ with the Red Wings playoff run starting tonight.

DET @ BOS, Thursday, April 10, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 7:05

POSTGAME: That was an absolutely inexcusable performance by the bullpen. It was poorly managed, it was poorly coached, and it was poorly executed. The bullpen recorded 8 outs and allowed 8 runs, powered by 7 walks. The pitchers have to throw strikes, and if they can’t throw strikes (which they couldn’t) they need to be lifted. This is a bullpen with 8 pitchers and yet they were left out there to throw over 35 pitches in 2 different innings. Zach Miner averaged 15 pitches per out, that’s about the league average per inning.

Moving beyond the bullpen…

• Nate Robertson looked great with the exception of the 4th inning where it all went south. He basically matched his pitch count from the previous 3 innings combined in that dreadful 4th. But he did rebound and had an easy 5th.
• The offense looked pretty good for a second day in a row with everyone reaching base. The Tigers had 7 walks of their own, and yest they stranded most of them early on. But Wakefield had the knuckler dancing (part of the reason there were so many walks) and they just couldn’t find it.
• Pudge with walks in consecutive games?????
• Finally, the defense didn’t have any miscues today.

Has an April win ever felt so good? If it wasn’t dark and 11:00 p.m. I’d be inclined to say that the sun is shining and the birds are singing. Regardless, the Tigers and their fans can sleep a little better tonight. I was confident that the team wouldn’t finish 0-162 but am very happy to no longer have to test the theory.

Some thoughts from the game:

• The Tigers actually hit a couple balls hard early on, but they were gobbled up by Red Sox defenders. But unlike in other games, the offense didn’t go in a shell.
• The Tigers worked 8 walks tonight chasing Lester early. Nice to see the patience, but Magglio Ordonez still swung at the first pitch in 3 of his plate appearances.
• Meanwhile Carlos Guillen had a tremendous night seeing pitches working Lester for 15 pitches in his first 2 at bats.
• But the offensive star was Edgar Renteria who got the big hit with a 2 run gapper in the 4th. Everyone could take a breath and Marcus Thames followed with the 2 run bomb. Renteria kind of tormented Boston fans when he played for them, now he did it again.
• Jeremy Bonderman had one of those Nate Robertson type battling nights. His defense hurt him early on forcing him to get extra outs and raising his pitch count. But he limited the damage to 2 runs. He seemed to be getting quite a few swinging strikes but only 3 K’s. Also, his fastball really dropped off again around the 80 pitch mark where he was sitting in the high 80s.
• The bullpen did an excellent job. Bobby Seay got all 4 hitters we was called on to face. Francis Beltran and Denny Bautista did their jobs as well.
• And it was another scary Todd Jones night. He didn’t exactly get hammered with a handful of grounders and a pop up doing most of the damage. The only part that bothered me was when he lost the strike zone. Still, some add on runs courtesy of Inge and Guillen provide a cushion.

Okay. Time for a 7 game win streak and we’ll just start the season over again.

PREGAME: Jeremy Bonderman gets the unenviable task of trying to hold the Boston Red Sox to negative runs. In his last start he pitched well until running out of gas around the 70 pitch mark. I’d expect that Bonderman will throw heavy doses of 2 seam fastballs trying to get some early contact and prolong his outing.

The Tigers will try and right their bats against lefty Jon Lester. Lester went 6.2 innings and allowed only 3 hits in his last start against Oakland.

Jason Beck notes that Magglio Ordonez and Miguel Cabrera did some extra hitting work while Carlos Guillen worked on taking throws with Rafael Belliard.

Also courtesy of Beck, here is the lineup:
1. Rodriguez, C
2. Polanco, 2B
3. Sheffield, DH
4. Ordonez, RF
5. Cabrera, 3B
6. Guillen, 1B
7. Renteria, SS
8. Thames, LF
9. Inge, CF

DET @ BOS, Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 7:05 (note, this is on FSN+ so here is your channel listing)