The Detroit Tiger Weblog

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  • Series Wrap: Tigers at Royals

    The Tigers managed to pull off a sweep of the Royals, despite some rough starts by the rotation. With the exception of Justin Verlander’s series opening shut out, the rest of the starters were knocked around. Fortunately the Tigers were playing the Royals, where if you have outs left you always have a chance.

    Still, the success that a team like the Royals had against the Tigers staff is disconcerting to say the least. Now that the rotation has made quite a few starts, have the scouting reports caught up to them? Did new patterns brought in by Chuck Hernandez and Kenny Rogers throw opposing teams off, but now they’ve got the memo? Or is it simply a regression to the mean because they had been pitching so good for so long? Only time will tell. Onto the stats…

    Tigers Royals
    Wins 4 0
    Offense
    Runs 35 16
    BA .338 .279
    OBP .409 .324
    SLG .580 .413
    HR 10 9
    SB/CS 1/1 0/2
    Pitching
    BB/9 2.5 4.3
    K/9 5.3 6.3
    ERA 4.00 8.00

    (more…)

  • Game 48: Indians at Tigers

    PREGAME: The Indians are looking to exact some revenge after being swept by the Tigers two weeks ago at home. Nate Robertson, who has been stingy with runs despite walking 13 in his last 3 starts, starts for the Tigers. They’ll face Jake Westbrook.

    POSTGAME: You kind of got the feeling things were going the Tigers way on the first play of the game when Grady Sizemore was cutdown stretching a double into a triple, after Curtis Granderson overthrew the cut-off man. But the throw was online and Santiago made a lighting quick turn on the relay. Things continued to go Granderson’s way as he knocked in 5 with a single and a triple. Nate Robertson was effective again, and really only encountered one jam.

  • Mike Maroth to the DL

    So I guess that elbow thing is pretty serious. Mike Maroth has been placed on the 15 day DL and Chris Spurling has been recalled. Presumably Roman Colon or possibly Jason Grilli will become the 5th starter for the next couple weeks, with Spurling back-filling the bullpen.

    There aren’t many details yet, but Maroth had been scheduled to visit with a doctor today. Presumably the news wasn’t good.

    This is disappointing, and not from a “can the Tigers get by” perspective. Mike Maroth endured quite a bit during that 2003 season, and personally I really wanted him to continue his early season success. I was hoping this would be his redemption year.

    As for Spurling, after a couple rough outings initially in Toledo he has been lights out.

  • Tigers Minor League Wrap – May 25th

    Toledo – PPD Rain

    Harrisburt 7, Erie 5
    Mike Rabelo was the second Tiger org. catcher to hit a triple yesterday. He added a single as well and is now hitting 304/360/520. Preston Larrison took the loss allowing 4 walks and 7 hits for 6 runs in 5 2/3 innings. He allowed 3 homers and struck out none. Eulogio De La Cruz, who had been pitching well of late, allowed 3 hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings.

    Lakeland – PPD Rain

    Southwest Michigan 5, West Michigan 4
    Sendy Vasquez only lasted 4 innings and gave up 4 runs on 6 hits and 2 walks. Michael Hollimon doubled and walked and Pedro Cotto added two hits.

  • Maroth and Wilson hurting

    During last nights broadcast, Rod Allen mentioned that Mike Maroth’s elbow was hurting him again. Today Maroth was hammered. Maroth’s elbow has been a recurring problem since spring training. With only throwing 27 pitches today, hopefully he can make his next start. Otherwise the Tigers will probably dip into AAA and recall Wil Ledezma or Jordan Tata. I’m not sure that either would start, but they could make Roman Colon or Jason Grilli available to slide into that spot.

    Also, Vance Wilson was supposed to get the start today. But he stepped on a ball while running during batting practice and rolled his ankle. It sounds like only a sprain, and it hopefully won’t be serious. In the meantime it will probably just mean less time off for Ivan Rodriguez. And in the event that Pudge gets hurt, the Tigers have a plan for emergency catcher. If you were thinking Brandon Inge or Chris Shelton you’d be thinking logically, and you’d be wrong. Instead, your emergency catcher is none other than Ramon Santiago.

  • Game 47: Royals at Tigers

    PREGAME Mike Maroth takes the mound for Detroit as the Tigers try and complete their 7th sweep of the season. The Royals send out Denny Bautista, who has been decent since returning from the disabled list. In his last outing agains the Cardinals he allowed one run on 5 hits as St. Louis pounded the ball into the ground (GB/FB – 16/2).

    POSTGAME: You guys have already hit on many of the salient points of the game, so I’ll keep my comments along the lines of HOLY FREAKIN’ CRAP. HFC that Mike Maroth allowed 6 runs and never got a second out. HFC that the Tigers score 13 runs without Magglio Ordonez and Chris Shelton in the lineup. HFC that the Tigers scored 3 runs on one hit in the 2nd inning. HFC that the best pitching performance the Tigers faced in the series came from Bobby Keppel who completely shut the Tigers down for 3 1/3 innings. HFC that Pudge Rodriguez, who was supposed to get the day off until Vance Wilson rolled his ankle stepping on a ball, hit both a triple and a homer after the 7th inning.
    (more…)

  • Tigers Minor League Wrap – May 24th

    Toledo 1, Buffalo 0 (10 innings)
    Jordan Tata made his second solid start in a row, allowing 6 hits and one walk in six innings. He fanned 4. Chris Spurling added two innings of scoreless relief and dropped his era to 0.93. Mark Woodyard got the win after two more scoreless innings.

    Erie 5, Harrisburg 4
    Kody Kirkland doubled and hit his 11th homer. Chris Maples and Kelly Hunt also added homers (Hunt doubled and singled also). Virgil Vasquez had a hard time limiting baserunners with 11 hits and 2 walks in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out 5 and allowed 4 runs.
    Lakeland 11, Vero Beach 2
    Jeff Frazier had two hits and a walk, and Jeff Larish added two hits also. Brent Dlugach doubled and walked twice. Dallas Trahern pitched 7 shutout innings allowing only 3 hits and a walk while K’ing 5.

    West Michigan – DNP

  • Believe it or not

    Look at what’s happened to me,
    I can’t believe it myself.
    Suddenly I’m up on top of the world,
    Should have been somebody else.

    Believe it or not I’m waking on air
    I never thought I could feel so free
    Flying away on a wing and a prayer
    Who could it be?
    Believe it or not, it’s just me.

    Looks like the light of a new day,
    Hit me from out of the blue.
    Breaking me out of the spell I was in,
    Making all of my wishes come true.

    Yes I am using short lived obscure early 80’s TV theme music tonight. (Greatest American Hero for all you young’uns)

    With the Tigers winning, there are some remarkable phenomena taking place. (more…)

  • Game 46: Tigers at Royals

    PREGAME: The Tigers look to continue their 4 game winning streak in Kansas City. Jeremy Bonderman looks to rebound from a performance that was, well, awful. After only throwing 66 pitches, he should be fresh. Bonderman has been significantly better on the road this year. This will be his 6th road start, and he’s only allowed 11 runs.

    Jimmy Gobble will make an emergency start for the Royals. The Tigers don’t have a lot of experience against Gobble, but outside of a 5 for 6 effort for Polanco the results haven’t been impressive.

  • Tigers Minor League Wrap – May 23rd

    Buffalo 5, Toledo 0
    The Mud Hens managed 8 hits and 4 walks, yet weren’t able to score. Ryan Ludwick had a double and a single. Don Kelly added two hits. Colby Lewis allowed two homers amongst 8 hits for 5 runs. He fanned 8 and walked none in 7 2/3 innings.

    Erie 14, Harrisburg 0
    Humberto Sanchez had a stellar outing. He got all but the last out, allowing only 4 hits and a walk while fanning 9. Mike Rabelo had 3 hits, including 2 doubles. Kody Kirkland added a grand slam. Despite all the offense, Brent Clevlen continued to struggle going 0 for 4 with 3 K’s.

    Lakeland 6, Vero Beach 5
    Wilkin Ramirez hit his 5th homer. Jeff Larish added a double and Jeff Frazier picked up two hits. Jeremy Johnson came on in relief of Lance Davis and picked up a 4 inning save allowing only two hits.

    West Michigan 3, South Bend 0
    Ramon Garcia continues to be one of the most impressive pitchers in the Tigers system. He threw a complete game one hit shut out today and his ERA stands at 1.05. Michael Hollimon doubled and singled to lead the West Michigan offense.

  • Game 45: Tigers at Royals

    PREGAME: It will be Kenny Rogers taking on Runelvys Hernandez. Rogers will look to repeat his Kaufman Stadium Opening Day performance. Rogers will also try to prolong the scoreless streak. It stretches back to the Griffey slam in the 7th inning on Saturday.

    POSTGAME     Nice jinx on that scoreless streak huh? That said, it was a very nice come from behind win. More clutch hitting for everyone, with Curtis Granderson once again delivering the big blow. Rogers clearly struggled – 4 homers – to the Royals? But the bullpen completely shut the door.

    As for the Royals, that game looked painfully familiar. Your offense actually hits the ball pretty well, and has a weeks worth of homers in 7 innings. Your starter is pitching a very solid game and you find yourself with a lead. Your defense has made several nice plays and not thrown the ball around. And yet you just kind of had the feeling that it wouldn’t last. That those last 9 outs wouldn’t come quick enough. Once again, all I can say is I sympathize with the plight of Royals fans.

  • Young to DL, Hannahan up

    Dmitri Young has been place on the disabled list. Whether or not it was his quad or his other issues limiting him, he needs time to get himself right.

    Jack Hannahan will get his first major league taste in Young’s place. Hannahan is 26, bats left handed, and spent the bulk of his minor league career as a solid defensive third basemen. This year he’s been playing several infield positions. He’s had a solid year at the plate hitting 282/390/412.