I blame the bus.
The Tigers took the unusual step of going to Cleveland by bus instead of plane, and look what happened: a three-game sweep at the hands of the Indians. So, yes, I’m throwing the bus under the bus.
Unfortunately, they will be taking the same bus back to Detroit to face the Yankees. Or will they? Does the bus drop them off and then wait 3 days, or does a different bus take them back? Or might they go by bus, and return by plane? Details on this are frustratingly scarce.
Brandon Inge did not mention how the team got back to Detroit, but he did call a team meeting, which he referred to as a unifying meeting, and added “we are going to be a winning team.”
At any rate, the Yankees have been hot, winning 4 of their last 5, and the hottest of the hot has been none other than our old friend Curtis Granderson, who hit his 8th HR of the season yesterday. Granderson credits his hitting coach, Kevin Long, with helping him refine his swing.
An intriguing match-up to watch will be Granderson vs Justin Verlander, who opens the series for Detroit. They have faced each other once before, and Granderson has a HR in 4 ABs to show for it. And that was with his old swing.
The Yankees send out a reanimated Bartolo Colon, taking the rotation spot of Phil Hughes, whose arm apparently died. Colon did not pitch in 2010, added another 30 pounds or so to his already portly frame, and was signed by the Yankees in the spring. Now what kind of message does that send to the youngsters out there?
Today’s Player of the Pre-Game: Austin Jackson
Austin’s mission is to find a way to sneak in a bit of time with that Kevin Long guy.
Today’s Magglio’s-back lineup:
- Austin Jackson CF
- Ramon Santiago 2B
- Magglio Ordonez DH
- Miguel Cabrera 1B
- Brennan Boesch RF
- Ryan Raburn LF
- Jhonny Peralta SS
- Alex Avila C
- Brandon Inge 3B
Comments
73 responses to “Game 2011.29: Yankees at Tigers”
What will KJax do tonight back in the leadoff position? I say at least 2 K’s. The pressure will really be on him tonight and I think he will crumble.
K-Burn may be up to the task of keeping pace with KJax
I say: “Give the boys a chance.” For all those who love baseball, those were three great baseball games in Cleveland, and each could have gone either way. Refuse momentary emotions, but resolve to enjoy a victory this evening.
They are not momentary emotions……they have been brewing for years……and they hinge on the way that bumbling idiot Smoke on the Brain has handled the team!
Wait, how come the Yankees don’t swing at the first pitch?
See, Austin was patient–he saw 3 pitches
K #1 for Jackson…When is this line-up going to see a shake up? Verlander is struggling tonight, I’m thinking this will be seven in a row.
Straight fastballs right down Broadway and KJax dosn’t even swing? K #1. He should be on the next bus to Toledo to learn how to hit!
Nah…Leyland believes he’s due…He’ll hit .150 all season long, but he’ll eventually be due and he’ll be due only in the leadoff spot, no where else.
Perhaps it would be easier for us to just start the game off with a 1 out handicap…
Coleman, your preview tonight was OUTSTANDING.
Seriously.
Jackson and Santiago make a good 1-2 punch for the 1973 Chicago Cubs.
What about the 2003 Tigers?
Them too.
With a better angle on that ball Raburn could have easily deflected that one over the fence
It looks like it’s going to be a long evening. I think I will switch over to the hockey game and hope a miracle happens for the Tigers tonight!
Hey, looks like Avila came to play today!
Alex Avila just realized, hey wait, this is Bartolo Colon pitching…BARTOLO COLON!
Hopefully, some of the others will catch on.
KJax with number two on the evening….Really, they aren’t doing him any favors by keeping him in the Majors, it’s time to send him down.
And the boos begin to come for Magglio
And Magglio needs to go to the DL…why is it taking so long for these obvious decisions to be made? I’d rather give a bunch of Mudhens a chance than have KJax and Magglio in this lineup right now.
Lucky for the Tigers, the Yankees scoutung leaves something to be desired – Miggy shgould have gotten a free pass there.
KJax for the trifecta.
Maggs was priced right at 3M / Year……. At 10M and this out put Im feeling sick
Boodonez.
It looks like we should’ve had Santiago lead off and Cabrera hitting 2nd and Avila hitting 3rd. And everyone else 9th.
Wow, watching Justin last inning was a real treat. And now we get Brad Thomas…oh good, just one batter, phew.
People please! His nickname is still Ajax! He’s a disinfectant killing all germs and rallies.
The Tigers have too many holes in their lineup. Jackson should be sent down, Ordonez is through, Inge never has hit and is hitting his usual 220, Rhymes is a Minor leaguer. They are not going to score enough runs. They are a minor league offense except for Cabrera and who knows when he will relapse.
Raburn=horible defensively! He needs to DH. This team is driving me crazy!!!!!!!
Hilarious moment on ESPN: Sean McDonough: ‘Is that as fast as Raburn can run?’
Meanwhile Rod Allen described same Raburn fielding attempt as ‘nicely played.’
Alex Avila is a one man band. This guy is great.
Anyone kow how many one-run homers the Tigers have this year – it seems like a lot.
I mean a high percentage. Obviously they haven’t hit a lot.
Clown Show Averted
This game is getting fun
Inge – 207, Jackson – 188 and Ordonez – 151. Any other major league team have 3 everyday players hitting that poorly?!
Boesch isn’t going all 2010 on us again, is he?
I hate to say (ok type) it, I really do but I see 2nd half Bosch re emerging. He is what 3 for his last 24 or close to it? And he is hacking at junk.
Leyland has him all screwed up. Having him hit behind Cabrera is putting pressure on Boesch and he can’t take it. I think it was better to have Jhonny behind Miggy.
Thank you Curtis!
Man, what luck. And boy, luck is all that was.
Well, at least old Inge has that great leather in the field … Geez
Valverde’s end zone dance after Grandy overslide makes him really hard to root for.
Any bets that Valverde is heading to the DL tomorrow?
Valverde is the clown show!
Clown show alert.
Clown Show Resumed
How long until we are in last place?
Thursday.
How bad was that passed ball?
They’re all bozos on that bus.
Is it even necessary to watch the rest of this inning? The predicability of the outcome is off the charts.
I think the Tigers should get back on the bus, no stop for happy meals in Grayling, and drive it straight into Torch Lake.
K-Burned
Well, the good news is that they stopped the walk-off streak at 3.
That’s only because they are playing at Comerica.
POG candidate.
How long until Leyland is out of a job?
I predict two-year extensions for both DD and JL at the end of the season.
Strong POG candidate.
the big move was just announced. Sizemore is coming up. Let’s see, that means JL will bat him 8th.
Probably 9th so Inge can move up to 8th – he’s earned it. Who is going out?
Wee Willie Rhymes — aka Busta.
Rhymes is a hen in the mud. I don’t think Rhymes was such a disaster, but with Ramon on the team–who can bat left and has a good glove–Rhymes doesn’t really offer anything special.
And I am sure they want him to play every day so he can get his stroke back.
Agreed. Sizemore should have come up from Lakeland from the start to play 2nd but the brain trust apparently decided that because Rhyme batted around .300 for a few weeks last fall (whilst on his 1st trip to the bigs) that he earned a starting role this year. Another decision based on a very thin data set.
Leyland seems to really like players that remind him of himself (“scrappy” little third-stringers).
Just repeat to yourself “he’s scrappy” three times, quickly, and you’ll be on the right track.
didn’t see the game but caught the final score – this is getting tiresome.
Any chance Amber Grand is in town?
So sad to see them Tigers playing like they do, it’s a shame
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