Pick your pleasant surprise

Excuse my enthusiasm, but winning is fun. I certainly thought that 3-0 was possible, but the manner in which the Tigers are doing it has certainly left surprised. Some pleasant Tiger surprises after a thumping of the Rangers:

  • Tiger starters have yet to walk a batter. While Nate Robertson wasn’t dominating like Kenny Rogers and Jeremy Bonderman were, he did extend the starter’s walkless streak to 17 2/3 innings. In the meantime the starters have racked up 17 strikeouts.
  • Pudge Rodriguez already has two walks.
  • I’m not really surprised that Chris Shelton can hit, but 4 homers in 3 games to lead the managers is a little more than I expected.
  • The Tigers homers are prime. The first game they hit 3 home runs. The second game they hit 5 home runs. Against Texas in the third game they hit 7 home runs. Now the next prime number is 11. Do you think they have a shot? In case you were wondering last year it took them 17 games before they hit their 15th homer. And the 15 homers in the first 3 games is a major league record.
  • Every decision that Jim Leyland has made has worked out. Curtis Granderson coming off a 3 for 6 day doesn’t get the start in favor of Marcus Thames – who homers. Brandon Inge takes Granderson’s leadoff spot – and homers. Later in the game Granderson comes in as a defensive replacement, and makes a diving catch. It’s absolutely uncanny.


Other items of interest:

6 thoughts on “Pick your pleasant surprise”

  1. Now all we need is to get DY a chinstrap to keep his helmet on when he is taking those big swings.

  2. It is completely uncanny how things are falling into place, Bill. I like the moves you mentioned about Leyland but others include Zoom coming in to pitch as shadows crossed the plate in the Opener, and his decision to have all right-handed batting against rightie knuckleballer Dickey. Things just “feel” different.

    We need to get though this series with the Rangers first, but if the Tigers can win at least 4 out of 7 in that first homestand against the White Sox and Indians, we’re going to have a pretty good idea if this team can compete.

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