5-3, 2nd place, .5 games behind CWS
Several things came to an end yesterday. The Tigers will not go wire to wire this year a la ’84 (though 35-5 still remains a possibility). The Tigers will not win every series this year. The Tigers will not go all season without back to back losses.
But we did see a strong performance from Adam Wilk before Fielder knocked him out of the game with a line drive to the shoulder (unintentionally, I think). Wilk will be a great spot starter and could get some innings if Smyly doesn’t pan out.
Rick Porcello climbs the hill today looking for his first W, and trying to notch the first W of the season for the starting pitching.
At DH, Brandon Inge, batting 8th. Inge, batting 8th. A lineup like this lineup against lefties could spell trouble this season.
1. Jackson, CF
2. Santiago, 2B
3. Cabrera, 3B
4. Fielder, 1B
5. Young, LF
6. Raburn, RF
7. Peralta, SS
8. Inge, DH
9. Laird, RF
2:10 PM ET Start
Comments
86 responses to “Game 2012.9: Tigers at White Sox”
Which is worst, Inge batting 8th, or Raburn batting 6th? And bringing his clown show to RF? If Inge spends the season pinch-hitting and DHing we are in huge trouble…
It looks like Smokey wants to hand the Sox the sweep ….. with the line-up he is fielding today!
Why the h#&& is Kinge the DH ….. look at what he did/didn’t do in his first at bat!
What is Smokey puffing on now?
Game is Free on MLB.tv today.
Also on WGN
Jim Price is still out on sick leave. Will be out until Thursday when the Rangers come to town. Dan Petrie will be standing in for Jim while the Tigers are in Kansas City. Best wishes for speedy recovery.
lets see Boesch raises his average 50 points this week..better give him the day off…Raburn is 2 for April…keep playing him….he’s due…and as a side note start the other two Mendosa brothers Inge and Laird as well…..wow
Is it because of his cancer treatment? Or maybe he just got the bug that was going around the clubhouse?
Dickerson said it was a bug.
Dickerson has been phenomenal riding solo. I like Jim Price, but we’re lucky to have Dan.
One of the great joys of Tiger baseball this year: watching Prince Fielder run the bases 🙂
Well, we got the first Inge LOBs out of the way, so there’s that.
Nice fielding play by Miggy.
Well done Porcello!
Gee-money!!!
Oh yes …… it’s goneeeeeee!!!!
Money…..u kiddin…me!
LOL!! Launch One, Laird!
whats up with Miggy…hes been ………………….
solid on D and terrible on O
he even looks totally out of it at the plate
He’s feeling the pressure, looking back over his shoulder…The Inge is back, waiting to steal his job.
You are right about Cabrera today…he looks Inge-like at the plate.
Not only at the plate, but also at 3rd!
At least with his walk, Raburn got his OPS over the Mendoza line (.220).
jonny P…..goes vertical…yes
Will we score JP?
Yes. Chicago Clown Show.
The White Sox apparently have Delmon Young in CF
The gods smile on G-Money
Gerald Laird: New favorite backup?
Reverse wild pitch clown show
Am I the last one to figure out that the Metro Detroit Chevy Dealers radio spot is making fun of Leyland?
Do we need to bring in the Bernstein Advantage?
A little scare there, but Porcello very efficient: only 51 pitches through 5 IP.
JV, Wilk, Porcello, is this a coincidence, or a new strategy from Jones?
Wheels Fielder might have had a triple?
I like the good example he sets running the bases hard every time ….. even on ground outs at first!
I love watching Prince run the bases 🙂
Clete Thomas just hit a 2-run homer in his first game as a Twin.
Raburn just had his second walk! (and no RBIs)
Good for Clete. He can be a nice 4th guy somewhere.
Rayburn with some good “hitting” there, working Jones for a BB.
CS Alert
Let’s put this game out of reach.
Inge is really really due!
Don Cooper drinks a lot of beer.
Smokey is pinch-hitting for him ….. but he’s really really due!
Eh, Inge could’ve done that.
Inge would have hit a bomb there.
Double R3L2O Fail.
Pathetic.
Ugh. Let’s hope that doesn’t bite us in the rear.
is this considered a clown show offense when you have to rely on the other team to wild pitch in your runs???
Tigers are really defying some statistical laws with the bases loaded over the past few games.
http://www.tangotiger.net/RE9902.html
Porcello has 5 1-3 plays
Out of 11 ground ball outs total. Anybody know what the record is for pitcher assists in one game?
Porcello spot-on so far……….thru 7 innings…….keep it up
ok, fine. Take Porcello out…….this is why we pay the ‘pen, right?
Great job..Rick!!!…lets save this….
Uh oh, Benoit is Joaquin guys.
Whew..well done Porcello!
this is why I gotta question Leyland. this seems to happen all the time. he takes the starter out, who’s basically doing fabulous, and brings in a reliever who starts walking guys……..grrrrr………
To be fair, Porcello was at 99 pitches and Leyland seems to be on the conservative side with pitch counts for starters so far this year. Also, he seems to have been kind of conservative with Porcello in the past anyway.
Nothing wrong with the decision to pull Porcello. Before the HR, Fukudome hit a rope that would’ve been a double if not for the a real nice play by Cabby. Benoit is pretty dependable and he is coming in fresh. Porcello pitched a great game, no need to let him spoil it for himself as Verlander did on Wednesday.
What I have a quarrel with is not leaving Benoit in to pitch the 9th. Once we got up four there is no need no need to waste Valverde. Add to that the fact that Valverde doesn’t pitch well in non-save situations and its a head scratcher move by Leyland. This “well he got loose in the bullpen so I’m gonna use him” mentality is pure bullheaded thinking on Ol’ Smoky’s part. How many times does Papa Grande need to demonstrate to Ol’ Smoky that he is not sharp in non-save situations before Ol’ Smoky gets it??
Well, if history is a guide, Leyland is never going to get it.
From a strategy perspective, the best thing to do here is to score 1 run (1 BB and 3 WP would do it) to preserve the save opportunity for Valverde, providing just the right amount of cushion while not putting the Big Potato outside of his comfort zone.
And keeps Porcello away from getting a loss
Three singles works for me.
a carreer day..no a career week for Laird…..good job!
Ramon catching the Laird fever….yes
Ramon leads Raburn in RBIs!
Cabrera goes hitless in the series
0 for last 17….never thought we would ever see that…
ok, Papa…….follow the one rule all closers / relievers gotta follow: THROW STRIKES!!
Rayburn…adds RF to his Clown Collection
and Raburn actually gets paid for playing In the MLB…hahaha
What Rayburn did to that flyball was criminal.
At least he didn’t volley it over the fence this time.
Tigers are making the White Sox feel like contenders in the AL Central
Steve Stone is a saint for what he puts up with everyday. 4 innings is my Hawk tolerance for the year.
He has many of years of experience with Harry Carray
Hawk makes it real easy to root against the White Sox. He really grates one’s nerves/patience if you are not a diehard ChiSox fan.
My favorite least-favorite thing: “stay fair!! dagnabit!!” when someone yanks a ball 30 ft foul.
On the other hand, he played golf with Jackie Robinson once, so there’s that…
whew!!!!!…everyone is a contender if the Tigers play like this weekend.
The Tigers are now 1-0 when Inge plays.