Detroit Tigers, 73-63, 2nd place, 1 back, WC 5th place.
Every game counts.
Don’t blame me for that, that’s the official Tigers.com slogan. A lot of us were saying that back in May, but they didn’t seem to count as much back then, at least officially.
Anyway, let us not detract from the matter at hand, which is: Battle of the MVPs! Tonight Miguel Cabrera and the Detroit Tigers take on Mike Trout and the LA Angels, with the AL MVP on the line!!
(I don’t know, works for ESPN, thought I’d give it a shot).
I don’t have a real plan for how the Tigers will take this series (no thanks to Kevin the Greek), but my gut tells me tonight might be a good time to take a game. Here are the pitching match ups for the series:
- Scherzer (15-6, 3.93) vs Santana (8-11, 5.32)
- Verlander (13-7, 2.73) vs Wilson (11-9), 3.85)
- Sanchez (7-11, 4.08) vs Greinke (13-5, 3.72)
So on paper, this looks a bit like the rubber game of the series.
And let’s hope Kansas City continues to be a royal pain.
It looks like the Tigers may have gotten a bit of a break: Jered Weaver is missing his scheduled turn in the rotation. On the other hand, if recent history is a guide, the 5.00+ ERA Santana tonight will turn out to be the real challenge.
Strangely consistent Max Scherzer will try to strike out Too Many tonight (8+ strikeouts in last nine starts). Max has an ERA of 1.03 over his last 5 starts, and is 2-0, 1.29 vs the Angels this season.
The late start tonight (10:05 EST) will test the endurance of the DTW posters; it will be interesting to see who sticks this one out; at least we have some West Coast followers. Tomorrow night should be better, with the special 9:05 start time, which seems to have nothing to do with anything.
Stat of the Day: Ramon Santiago in the 2nd half practically makes one long for Raburn. In addition to various clown episodes in the field, he is hitting .136, with a robust .376 OPS. Although he is 1-for-3 lifetime against Santana, so there’s that.
Today’s Player of the Pre-game: Austin Jackson. In Wednesday crucial game against Cleveland, Detroit was making Jimenez look all Cy-ish, and was about to become the first team Jimenez faced in 2012 to leave the field without a single walk. When Jackson finally broke the spell and worked him for a walk in the 8th, the floodgates opened. I don’t think 2011 AJax would have pulled that off.
Todays ‘MonyBall Lineup:
- Austin Jackson CF
- Andy Dirks LF
- Miguel Cabrera 3B
- Prince Fielder 1B
- Delmon Young DH
- Brennan Boesch RF
- Jhonny Peralta SS
- Alex Avila C
- Ramon Santiago 2B
Comments
42 responses to “Game 2012.137: Tigers at Angels”
Ok night owls, I’m finally back home from the dismal KC series and ready to watch some Mad Max magic. We really need to start out well against the Rally Monkeys.
Delmon is batting .421 during the last week with 8 RBIs. He is batting .326 during the last month. Keep it going!
I guess Leyland decided to thumb his nose at the fans who don’t know who is and isn’t hitting. Nya na nya na nya na.
Black holes at the bottom of the order (6-9 = 2/15 0 BI?) bode a low scoring game for the Tigers, so hope Max is Mad again tonight.
As for Weaver, I would rather face him than Greinke right now. He has been getting hammered lately and probably has less of a shot at Cy than Verlander now.
CHI v KC is a back and forth affair so far. 5-5 in the 6th. If KC could pick up some good starting pitching this coming off season they might make some noise next year. That’s been their biggest problem for years of course.
Let’s go Tigers.
Not a good start…
I think this beginning qualifies as inauspicious.
Sweet home Alabama..the Prince of Motown!
That’s more like it, Max back on the Too Many Strikeouts Plan.
The Boss’ son with a buggywhip blast!
OK, gold star for anyone who called that one.
White Sox with the R3L2O fail in the 8th, still 5-5.
And KC makes them pay, 7-5
What’s with the green White Sox uniforms?
We’ve been waiting all year for Avila to get hot – this would be an acceptable time.
Yes, he and Mr. Boesch!
I have more faith in Avila than Boesch. At least he takes a reasonable amount of walks.
Royals take a 7-5 lead in the 9th!
Royals win. There must be a lot of wailing and gnashing of teeth in Chitown tonight.
KC beats the White Sox who were wearing green tonight!
5 complete innings for Santana, 0 ground balls.
Santiago’s last extra base hit was July 7th. His last RBI was June 25th.
He has become the Human Popup
On the other hand he is 1 for 5 lifetime vs. Santana (no XB hits and no RBI.)
What the? Cabrera has the rare opportunity to don the sombrero tonight.
Felix Hernandez got knocked around for 6 runs and 11 hits in 4+ innings tonight. Maybe that CYA is still up for grabs.
Raburn alert!!
The .172 hitter PHing for the .209 hitter…sigh.
Genius!
Surprisingly grounds out. I guess now we see him more often, since he has to build a lot of confidence.
Those are the kind of situations where managers really earn their pay; where genius wins out.
All that time away, Raburn hasn’t lost a thing.
I can hear the wheels in Leyland’s brain squeaking from here.
Scherzer has been so solid in August and now Sept. I dare wonder where we’d be without that?
shoot I thought Rayburn had a home run there….but it was a GB to the pitcher
At least he spared us from having to watch that called 3rd strike face he makes.
Same old same old.
Boesch–Peralta—Avila….to win………that h a 0 chance of happening
Telegraph pole Peralta. Too bad.
Tigers get runner to second and three of the 4 Stooges make outs…The Angels get runner on second and base hit…..this team sucks sucks sucks……same old crap!
That is bound to happen now and then with totem poles playing 3rd and SS.
If you can’t win on the road, you don’t make the playoffs, simple as that.
5-9……3 for 17 one run one RBI…..business as usual…….make those fishing and golfing dates for October because Peralta-Avila-Boesch-Young-Rayburn- Infante-Santiago and Leyland will join you!!!!!