PREGAME: It will be Chad Durbin taking on Bartolo Colon in game 2 of the series.
In his last start, Durbin held the Red Sox offense at bay. In his last 3 starts he has a 2.37 ERA but he also has as many walks (8) as strikeouts over that period.
Colon got a late start on the season, but has been quite effective and able to pitch late into games. Four of his six starts have seen him pitch a full 7 innings. Part of the reason is that he hasn’t been walking people. He’s only allowed 7 free passes in 39 innings.
Game Time 7:05pm
POSTGAME: Things were going so well. Magglio Ordonez continued to campaign for the MVP with a couple solo homers. Pudge Rodriguez was shaking off his slump with a 3 hit night, and his out was to deep right-center. Curtis Granderson broke a string of 4 straight K’s by reaching base in every subsequent at-bat. Chad Durbin turned in another solid 5th starter type performance. And Jason Grilli was perfect for 2 innings, his best outing since a 3 inning effort in Toronto. Everyone reached base, and Brandon Inge the lone Tiger not to get a hit still walked and started a tough double play on a slow roller. A total team effort.
And then Jose Mesa happened. The strikeout of Vladimir Guerrero was encouraging, but then it was straight to the crapper. A single, a walk, and a 3 run homer made this a one run game. Inexplicably Jim Leyland left him in there to allow a deep shot to triples-ville. Finally he was lifted in favor of Tim Byrdak who did what Tim Byrdak does and fanned Chone Figgins to retire the side.
Jonesy was Jonesy.
Stuff I just didn’t understand tonight:
- Mike Reilly’s strike zone. And this is from a fan of the team that I think benefited from it. But it was all over the place.
- Mike Reilly missing the swing on the stolen base. It’s one thing to miss the call. It’s another to compound it by not asking for help.
- Jim Leyland ordering Sean Casey to steal with 1 out and a full count with Craig Monroe up. To try and avoid a double play you send the slowest runner in the game with a guy who is in the top 10 in strikeouts. Really, what’s the more likely DP scenario?
- Jim Leyland sticking with Mesa after the homer. There was no stall tactic or anything. Leyland was going to leave Mesa in come hell or high water to do the job. It has to be Leyland’s fierce loyalty to washed up National Leaguers. The Mesa signing was odd to begin with, and it only gets worse the more he plays. Forget Mesa’s 12.46 ERA for a minute. He’s now averaging a run per appearance.
Comments
56 responses to “Game 45: Angels at Tigers”
So far, Chad has been lights out. The Tigers better win tonight since I made the ultimate sacrifice last night and missed my guy, Apolo, win the big glitter ball.
And, my Battle Creek neighbor, Mike Reilly, is behind the plate. Go Tigers!!!!!!!!!!
We absolutely pounding everything Krusty the Clown is throwing.
Using Bill James’ Game Score stat (it’s a measure of how well a starter performed in a given game), I ranked the best starts by all of our current starting pitchers in their careers. Check out that #6, yo:
1) Kenny Rogers, 7-28-1994 (perfect game)
2) Mike Maroth, 7-16-2004 (one-hit shutout vs. Yankees)
3) Jeremy Bonderman, 9-30-2004
4) Kenny Rogers, 9-06-1999
5) Jeremy Bonderman, 8-23-2004
6) Chad Durbin, 4-25-2007 (vs. White Sox)
So far, so grid.
Hello,
Decent outing by Durbin. The Angels have a good hitting team. Need some help here tonight, I would have liked to seen Durbin make through the 7th, but at least we are in the lead by three when it was turned over.
It will be interesting to see what happens when Kenny comes back. Does Durbin go to the pen, and then who goes to Toledo?
Did I mention I love MLB EI,
Steve
That was some kind of outing by Jason Grilli. Six up Six down. Great to see.
Magglio is some kind of freaky right now.
And a couple of pounders by Maggs………………
This inning is another sign that the answer to the who goes down (or away) question is Mesa.
Oh, Lord!
And why is he still in the game?
The Human Gas Can and the Automatic K Machine strike again to keep this game close.
Oh, and have the Angels officially said no to Troy Percival? I’d certainly take a chance on him. What’s the worse that happens? He puts up Jose Mesa numbers?
What does Leyland see in this guy? His tendency is to overmanage and now he leaves this guy in the game. The Angels are so scared they just green-lighted a mediocre hitter on 3-0.
Unconditional release now please.
I am not usually one to call Leyland nuts. But what could possibly be the reason for using Grilli and Mesa in two straight games?! I know it was kind of a mop up situation, but Mesa is not that good of a pitcher. He should be looking for work elsewhere by now.
Jose Mesa is a joke. A complete joke.
And Byrdak continues to K everyone imaginable.
Why did we even sign Mesa to begin with? At best, he’s another Jason Grilli. At worst, he’s, well, what we just saw. I never understood the signing.
Leyland seems to have no problem presenting his pitchers with a challenge. If they can’t handle it, they won’t be there. It’s still May and they’re probably still deciding who stays and who has to go. IMO.
Thats right, Thank you Curtis
last year it was neifi perez, this year jose mesa…there has to be better choices than this guy.
Brydak continues to amaze me
Awful slide by Sheffield on that DP. It looked like he did everything he could to avoid contact.
That blooper was just what Shef was not getting in April. I am not a huge Sheffield fan but glad he is here for another big bat. He is now hitting 239, with Maggs at a cool 348.
Mesa, this should be it for him. Billfer is correct on the gas, but it is Colemen fuel he had tonight.
Wow…our bullpen is a mess. Hold this one together Jonesy.
I thought maybe Brydak would come back for the 9th.
How do you not ask the other umpires? Reilly’s strike zone has been awful tonight to begin with.
I’m calling Mike Reilly’s wife and tell her what she can do with her husband’s call.
How do you call that a ball. His bat was pointing at the mound at the end
UNDOUBTALBY a swing. Its calls like this when i say VIDEO REPLAY PLEAE
That was quite possibly the worst umpiring ever. Well, that’s an exaggeration. But yah, that was pretty bad.
I can’t stand this!!!!!
Grandaddy’s HR pays off.
IDIOT
Was that kid going to ask Jones why he couldnt go 1-2-3?
I love that the crowd is singing “goodbye” at the guy who ran on the field. That, and Jonesy even had to ask what he was doing.
WheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeWwwwwwwwwwWWWwww
Aaaaaaaaaaahh!!!! Good win.
Bad umpiring and Jose Mesa and the Tigers still win. These are the games that separate good teams from playoff teams.
Mike Reilly is a huge Tigers fan. But that was a terrible call.
That and the Who Sox and In-juns are losing tonight
I would’ve cracked up if Jones put his arms up like “what are you doing” Then just speared the dude.
Typical Jones outing. But the rest of this bullpen has been atrocious aside from Tim Byrdak. What more does he have to do to get more appearances? I know he’s not out long term answer but feed the hot hand, errr arm.
That moron is lucky Jones has allowed Jesus in his life…..
I’m not so upset about him missing the call, Pudge was standing up, but he could at least consult the other umpires.
That was weird to have a fan get that close to the pitcher. Better beef up security.
Agree, he should have consulted. Ridiculous.
Where was Byrdak last year. Was he in our minors system, or was he somewhere else. Hes sooo good
If we were the Cardinals, Byrdak would be starting by next week.
Byrdak was getting tuned up in Baltimore giving up 48 base runners in 26.2 inning (he did have 31 k’s and only gave up 1 hr).
-Sam
Mesa has got to, got to, got to go.
Anyone missing Zumaya about now? Let’s not get too down after a win, though.
Of course we’re missing Zumaya. You don’t lose a early 20’s fireballer that’s the future closer and not miss him. What compounds the loss is the ineptitude of Wil Ledezma (god that hurts to see him pitch. I’m so high on that kid) and Jason Grilli. Oh, and Leyland’s love for as billfer put it “washed up NLer’s”.
I would like to hear that the Tigers release Jose Mesa and make an offer to Troy Percival. He cannot be any worse. And give Byrdak the ball more. His track record is terrible, but right now he’s Johan Santana out of the bullpen so feed the hot arm.
Billfer was that you on the field tonight?
Ok I’m willing to waive my no trade clause and be traded to the Tigers, now if we can just convince my employer to take on Neifi and Mesa….
“Forget Mesa’s 12.46 ERA for a minute. He’s now averaging a run per appearance.”
Not to mention he’s averaging over a run per IP. He’s given up 2+ runs in a third of his appearances. It’s sad when you can’t even count on a guy in mop up situations. When Kenny comes back from the DL, he’s got to be the one to go!
“Jonesy was Jonesy”? He had to give up an out that wasn’t his fault, a strike that wasn’t his fault, deal with a loony coming on the field, face the heart of the Angels’ order, and he still got Vladimir bleeping Guerrero to ground into a DP at a time most relievers would be calling for their mommies. I say he’s a hero.
Man, I thought the only jerks who ran on the field were White Sox fans.
Nah, nah, nah , nah,
nah, nah, nah, nah,
J-o-s-e – goodbye
(pretty please – make him disappear)