Game 162: Tigers at White Sox

PREGAME: It seemed to take for ever for this season to get here, and even longer for it to end. Instead of a preview, I’ll just point you to Baseball Prospectus where they have a nice write up already in place, what with this being the only game on the docket and all.

God Speed Freddy Garcia.

Comments

95 responses to “Game 162: Tigers at White Sox”

  1. jud Avatar
    jud

    as much as I don’t want to see the Twinkies in the post season…..my main concern this morning is this .,,,

    ..come on Freddie! STICK it to the Sox…..

  2. Tbone Avatar
    Tbone

    Looks like there may be a bit of rain in Chicago. This season may never end!

  3. Tbone Avatar
    Tbone

    Today’s lineup, in the faint chance that anyone is interested:

    Granderson CF
    Sheffield DH
    Ordonez RF
    Cabrera 1B
    Country LF
    Raburn 2B
    Inge(!) 3B
    Ryan C
    Santiago SS

  4. Brian P Avatar
    Brian P

    Here’s what I’m hoping for: Tigers lose (assuring a slightly, almost meaningless better draft position), Sheffield hits 500, Twins win 1-game playoff in blowout fashion.

  5. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    Here’s what I’m hoping for: Tigers win, Sox sit, Sheffield hits 500 and announces retirement, Twins fail to score any runs and get smoked 3-0 in ALDS.

  6. Nick Gouge Avatar
    Nick Gouge

    I’m with Loon on this one!

  7. jud Avatar
    jud

    I’m with Loon 2

  8. Andrew Avatar

    Here, here to the Loon!

  9. Andrew Avatar

    I can’t believe more fans aren’t fired up to cheer the Tigers on and finish the White Sox season. No matter how poorly the season turned out if I were a player I would relish playing the role of spoiler.

    Guess the bandwagon has been vacated so there’s more room for those that cheer on the Tigers through the good times (too few) and the bad times (too many).

  10. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    This game against the White Sox, which might end up being a night game if they get it in at all, is the next best thing to making the playoffs. The Tigers actually have a say in who wins the AL Central. That’s pretty big, and I’m not being sarcastic.

  11. Nate Avatar
    Nate

    Any word on a possible start time?

  12. stephen Avatar
    stephen

    You have to root for the Twins. They’re a small mkt team on the verge of making the playoffs after losing the best pitcher in baseball. That’s kinda awesome.

  13. albot Avatar
    albot

    There is another incentive for the Tigers to win today: NOT FINISHING ALONE IN DEAD LAST BEHIND THE ROYALS.
    for the love of everything holy. I know I’m not the only one that will have to eat both of my shoes after the confidence i showed in this team at the start of the year. Dead last.. we cant let it be.

  14. Tbone Avatar
    Tbone

    First pitch now scheduled for 5:10 p.m. which means I will miss most of the game. Cursed rain.

    Go Tigers!

  15. Andrew Avatar

    Hey, I better get it in gear and finish mowing the lawn. I’ll actually be able to catch the game. Sweet.

  16. David Avatar
    David

    Go Tigers

  17. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    2 outs, Sheff on 2nd after a SB. Come on, Miguel, let’s draw first blood.

  18. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    Cabrera grounds out. Time to see what Freddy’s got.

  19. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    Well, walking OC isn’t a good start.

  20. Chris in Dallas Avatar
    Chris in Dallas

    Wow. I may actually be able to get home in time to catch some of this. Go Tigers.

  21. Joey the K in Portland OR Avatar
    Joey the K in Portland OR

    wow tight strike zone.

  22. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    Hmmm. Another walk, 2 on and none out for Dye. Definitely not a good start. DP, please?

  23. Bobber Avatar
    Bobber

    Doesn’t look like Freddy has much.

  24. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    Ahead of Dye 0-2, Freddy yields an RBI single to Dye. Let’s hope this is one of those rain delay shake off the rust 1st innings.

  25. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    Has Garcia thrown a fastball for a strike yet?

  26. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    OK, there’s one to Thome.

  27. Mike R Avatar

    I am just throwing it out there that I’m openly rooting for the White Sox in this game because a loss benefits the Tigers and I’m neither a Twins or White Sox fan, so i don’t care who wins the division.

  28. stephen Avatar
    stephen

    Sweet play by Inge. If he was making 800 grand and was getting 140 ab’s as a spot starter and late inning defensive replacement I would be completely in love with him as a player.

  29. Joey the K in Portland OR Avatar
    Joey the K in Portland OR

    blerg. come on blue!

  30. Chief Monday Avatar
    Chief Monday

    Good point Mike R.

    With a loss we are in a 3 way tie for the 8th worst record. We’re looking at either the 8th, 9th, or 10th draft pick.

    With a win we are in a 3 way tie for the 11th worst record. We’re looking at either the 11th, 12th or 13th draft pick.

    If that’s how it works. Does anyone know exactly how they do the draft order?

  31. Mike R Avatar

    Cheif, it is important to remember that the “10th pick” is actually the 11th since the Washington Nationals have teh 9B pick since they did not sign their top pick from last year (Aaron Crow). So it is imperative to get into that 3-way tie.

  32. Joey the K in Portland OR Avatar
    Joey the K in Portland OR

    BRANDON!!!!

  33. Andrew Avatar

    New ballgame! All tied up thanks to next years starting 3B, Brandon Inge 😉

  34. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Inge ties the game with a double! Take that, stephen!

  35. Andrew Avatar

    Was that next years SS striking out?

  36. Mike R Avatar

    Andrew, if that was our everyday short stop in 2009 that just struck out, there will be a Fire Dave Dombrowski blog a-starting immediately.

  37. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Epic Granderson AB sadly ended in a strikeout

  38. Andrew Avatar

    Mike, I am hoping that isn’t the case (Santiago as everyday) as well. I was reading something today that alluded to Santiago as the starting SS. That’s the reason for my snarky comment.

    Way to get us out of the inning Sheff! I thumb my nose in your general direction.

  39. David Avatar
    David

    Inge – backup?

    I think not

    Not being behind the plate and watch him hit

    Maybe he’ll duplicate 2004 hit to all fields and bat .290

  40. stephen Avatar
    stephen

    Or! Inge will duplicate his 2007 third base numbers and strike out to all fields. Dude’s batting average has dropped every year since 2004.

  41. Andrew Avatar

    Nice inning by Garcia.

  42. Steve Avatar
    Steve

    I cant stand the thought of Hawk Harrelson getting a win and having to listen to him. If nothing else I would like to see the Who sox go down.

  43. Andrew Avatar

    Nothing better than hearing the Hawk crying about losing.

  44. Andrew Avatar

    We’ll take that. This game is tense!

  45. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    lol Floyd just intentionally walked Inge. He doesn’t want to deal with that magic bat!

  46. Andrew Avatar

    Uh-oh. Bullpen time. Garcia is in line for the win. Classy White Sox fans booing Garcia. Yep, same nice fans that jumped that 3B coach for the Royals (I think).

  47. Mike R Avatar

    Seriously, Ramon Santiago and Brandon Inge might be the worst offensive left side of an infield in the last 50 years. This is absolutely terrifying to think about.

  48. Coleman Avatar
    Coleman

    White Sox announcers whining that Detroit is taking SO LONG to change pitchers here…what’s the hurry? It’s not like you have anywhere to be tomorrow, heh heh.

  49. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Galarraga in. Jimmy really wants this game.

  50. Andrew Avatar

    LOL @ Coleman 🙂

  51. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Does anyone know if Garcia managed to hurt himself? I’ve just got gameday today

  52. Andrew Avatar

    That is Gallaraga pitching, right?

  53. Coleman Avatar
    Coleman

    I’m thinking all the passed balls on Inge this season, and on Pudge before that, have more to do with the pitching this season than the catching….

    Poor Dusty…

  54. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Leyland is doing his best Ozzie Guillen impression… Bobby Seay in.

  55. stephen Avatar
    stephen

    Having Armando Galarraga appear in relief on a wet field is just the latest Leyland idiocy. I’m all for contesting the game since it matters, but you don’t put at risk a building block of your starting rotation in this situation. Just absolutely ridiculous.
    What next? Verlander warming up?

  56. Andrew Avatar

    This is shades of 2006 World Series. Wet field, poor pitching, passed balls. Ugh.

  57. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Yay, another intentional walk

  58. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Bobby is trying like hell to get that double play ball, but he can’t get Griffey to bite

  59. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Woohoo, pitching change! Team savior Gary Glover on the mound

  60. Andrew Avatar

    Well, this stinks.

  61. Andrew Avatar

    Kiss this one.

    Goodbye.

  62. Mike R Avatar

    TOP 8 PICK ON THE WAY!

  63. Joey the K in Portland OR Avatar
    Joey the K in Portland OR

    I really thought I couldn’t hate the white sux any more, I guess I was wrong.

  64. Andrew Avatar

    Microcosm of Tigers 2008 Season.

  65. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Grand slam by Ramirez. Have you ever awoken from a bad dream and gone back to sleep only to have that same dream… about a hundred more times?

  66. Andrew Avatar

    Well, lets talk 2009 roster.

    Obviously there is no love for Ryan at C and Santiago at SS.

    Solutions?

  67. Joey the K in Portland OR Avatar
    Joey the K in Portland OR

    only consolation this game is on ESPN so I don’t have to listen to horrible chitown announcers.

  68. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    It seems like the only choices for catcher are Ryan or a trade — with the free agent catchers available, you might as well start Sardinha

  69. Ryan Avatar
    Ryan

    I know I’ve been watching this all year, but…

    Gary Glover? How does this even happen? How on earth is it possible that this guy is a Tiger? What happened?

  70. albot Avatar
    albot

    Is this a major league team? Walks, passed balls, Bad coaching. I know a little league team that has better fundamentals. This Tigers fan is nauseous.

  71. Matt Avatar
    Matt

    God, this team sucks.

  72. Coleman Avatar
    Coleman

    Good ol’ “Game Over Gary” does his thing…

  73. ron Avatar
    ron

    This game ain’t over.

  74. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Curtis may be trying to reach 20 steals by the end of this game

  75. stephen Avatar
    stephen

    Bring back Pudge for one year at 6 m. That sounds like fair market price.

  76. Joey the K in Portland OR Avatar
    Joey the K in Portland OR

    wow worst team in the Central. Unreal. But we sure have looked like it.

  77. RudeMood19 Avatar
    RudeMood19

    lol the 6th inning was the epitomy of your 2008 tigers.

    garcia tweaks his neck after dominating…galarraga came in an pitched like rick ankiel….seay decided, hey there’s still some bases with no one on them, ill put them on…glover comes in, and was like, uh oh, i cant pitch when thers ppl on base, whats the quickest solution to get rid of them…boom, grand slam…

    we let floyd off the hook too, we shoulda burned him.

    didnt happen, this team is cursed lol, but hey, top 8 draft pick

  78. mark_in_gr Avatar
    mark_in_gr

    I seem to remember saying something last week to the tune of “it’s all about pitching”.

  79. Rick G Avatar
    Rick G

    Yeah, we’re the worst. And I was hoping we’d win so there’d be a one game playoff with the Royals!

  80. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    And it’s still a silly argument. If the team could score ten runs a game, horrendous pitching would be irrelevant. Obviously, such would be an unrealistic expectation, and obviously, this team needs better pitching, but to say “it’s ALL about pitching” (my emphasis) is ridiculous.

  81. RudeMood19 Avatar
    RudeMood19

    dave i think with decent pitching this year, they woulda won the division comofrtably….

  82. mark_in_gr Avatar
    mark_in_gr

    I will rephrase . . . not ALL, but that certainly is the most important ingredient in modern baseball. And ask yourself what is sillier, expecting offensive explosions of 8-10 runs a game, or consistent pitching which doesn’t walk 6-8 hitters a game and get behind on 65-70% of the counts?

  83. Cameron in Singapore Avatar

    What a disappointment…

  84. Bobber Avatar
    Bobber

    Wow. I don’t remember Casey Stengel’s Mets doing any worse than this game.

    Truly painful.

  85. Neal Avatar
    Neal

    I’m not really disappointed in the loss, it just means both the Twins and Sox have to have a one game playoff, that just weakens both for the first round. I’m just disappointed that Tigers couldn’t force the Sox deep into their pen in order to force them to deplete their staff.

  86. mark_in_gr Avatar
    mark_in_gr

    This just in . . . rumor has it that the Tiger organization is in talks to replace DD w/ Mr. Mathew Millen. Mr. Millen, as many of you may recall, was the infamous Detroit Lions GM until last week when the Lions organization seemed a bit upset w/his 31-83 record since 2001. Mr. Millen will strongly consider the GM position if he A) Is able to bring Joey Harrington into the starting rotation as Matt feels he has a calling as an ace, and B)He is awarded four titles, one greater than Mr. Dombrowski.

    When interviewed today, Mr. Millen said that he is completely confident that he will be able to get the Tigers to at least 5 games below 500 and fourth place in the AL central in 2009.

  87. wipron Avatar
    wipron

    Is that the kind of Baseball you poor Tiger fans were forced to watch all year? For the fans sake, I hope not. What a pathetic display of a so-called baseball team. 4 walks, 3 wild pitches and a Grand Slam, all in the same inning (that’s all I could stomach)! They should truly be EMBARRASSED! I was embarrassed for all you Tiger fans! YUCK!!

  88. mark_in_gr Avatar
    mark_in_gr

    So, moving forward to the off season . . .

    Who loses their job other than the two already gone?
    What does this organization focus on in the draft?
    Who from the Toledo faithful will be back in 2009?

  89. jud Avatar
    jud

    after watching every pitch of that game I fell that I owe Jim Lreyland an apology for all the bad things
    I might have said about him this year……

    .God couldn’t coach this team

    Jim I am sorry

  90. […] … and even longer for it to end. Instead of a preview, I’ll just point you to Baseball Prospectus where they have a nice write up already in place, what with this being the only game on the docket and all. God Speed Freddy Garcia . …[Continue Reading] […]

  91. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    Bitter end to a sour season.

  92. Andrew Avatar

    Ugh. Need to go wash this horrible taste out of my mouth now that the season is kaput.

  93. Dave BW Avatar
    Dave BW

    Tiger with the best impact on this game: Raburn (+23.1% WPA)
    Tiger with the worst impact on this game: Glover (-22.1% WPA)

    Best play of the game: Raburn reaching 1st and Cabrera scoring on Floyd’s error in the 6th. (+16% WPA)
    Worst play of the game: Glover giving up a grand slam to Ramirez in the 6th. (-23.5% WPA)