PREGAME: The Tigers will once again try and pick up their first win against their Central Division foes. It won’t be any easier tonight with Jose Contreras taking the mound. He shut down the Tigers earlier in the season.
Meanwhile Justin Verlander, who was rocked by the Sox in his second start, will try to play the role of stopper once again.
My big game pick tonight is Carlos Guillen.
Well same 4-3 score, same result tonight. The one thing to take heart in is that both of these games with Chicago could have went either way. Also, we still have a 1/2 game lead in the Division even after a terrible stretch here. It’s going to be a long season and we’ll put it back together soon, hopefully tomorrow so we can get back up to a 1 1/2 lead over the Sox.
well, we’ve completed 9 of 10 v the “elite” teams….result: 2-7. Unfortunately, that’s gotta tell us the Tiges aren’t quite ready to assume an “elite” team role yet. But, after 12 yrs of futility and sub-.500 records, it’s hard to get down on ’em too hard. Progress is definitely being made here; we can actually still be interested in mid-June. But the best thing: the Sox aren’t that much better than us. They’re just getting that hit with the man in scoring position, while we’re not (that line out to Crede comes to mind – a little higher, a couple feet in a different direction, and it scores the run). It didn’t help that Monroe jammed his foot and a run scored because of it, either. And our pitching is hanging tough with the Sox; they’re definitely not out-pitching us. As long as the front office doesn’t do anything stupid, we can forward to continued ascendency in the coming seasons…….. 🙂
As mentioned earlier, I was at that game. There were actually a fair number of Tigers’ fans scattered throughout. I agree with the comments above; there’s not that much difference between the two teams. Thome’s homer would have been an long flyout at Comerica. Dye’s wasn’t that far either; hard to tell from my vantage point. The Tigers just need to tighten up on some little things. Shelton bobbled a pickoff throw enabling someone to steal second, as an example. Of course the White Sox had a similar situation letting Ordonez up in the 9th. Boy that was a classic finish, only it went the wrong way.
Despite the loss, there’s a lot to be happy about, and some real upside here. Verlander’s the real deal.
As mentioned earlier, I was at that game. There were actually a fair number of Tigers’ fans scattered throughout. I agree with the comments above; there’s not that much difference between the two teams. Thome’s homer would have been an long flyout at Comerica. Dye’s wasn’t that far either; hard to tell from my vantage point. The Tigers just need to tighten up on some little things. Shelton bobbled a pickoff throw enabling someone to steal second, as an example. Of course the White Sox had a similar situation letting Ordonez up in the 9th. Boy that was a classic finish, only it went the wrong way.
Despite the loss, there’s a lot to be happy about, and some real upside here. Verlander’s the real deal.
I could just be circling the wagons, but I think too much has been made of this stretch against these tough teams. If they would have gone 7-3, we would all feel better about the team right now, but they wouldn’t really have been any better protected against the late season meltdown we all fear. In fact, it would have just hit us harder because they would have “passed the test” and made us let our guard down a bit more than we already have.
I’m no more, no less concerned about the same things I was concerned about before this stretch, and still of the opinion that the Tigers are WAY ahead of where I expected and any time they can spend legitimately in the playoff picture is gravy.
At the beginning of this season, I looked at this as a season to look for good signs, and that’s still what I’m doing. Obviously, the division or the playoffs would be great, but the season isn’t a failure if they don’t make it and I pray to the baseball gods that they don’t mortgage their future again in the effort to reach either goal.
BTW, as a side note, I noticed that Billfer picked Carlos Guillen as his player of the game. From memory of watching the game, I think Guillen got on base every time. I could be wrong; if not every time, he was close. Marcus Thames just had a bad day and kept stranding him.
Also, long term, I could easily see Zumaya being the closer. Wow!
Leyland keeps dropping hints about a trade…need more speed etc…anyone have any ideas?
This lineup really is a bit stale right now. To many similar types of hitters. And can we please move up Guillen to 3rd for the rest of the year? The guy can play, he gets on base, and has a bit of pop as well. Rolling Omar Infante out there in the 3 hole isn’t going to cut it.
Left handed bat with speed…
How about Carl Crawford? We’d have to give up a ton to get him though. It sucks Monroe just got hurt because I’d package him in a second. But we’re looking at dealing top prospects to get Crawford.
Crawford also doesn’t walk much and his OBP is nothing to write home about so I’m not sure if that’s what we need.
Crawford is also my “personal pipe dream” as a friend of mine put it. I’d love to have him, but I think it’d take alot to get him, and I don’t think TB wants to give him up either.
I don’t think we’re likely to pick up anyone expensive either. I doubt we’ve got much on the big league team we’d be willing to trade right now. However, assuming we’re looking for an Outfielder depending on Monroe’s staus, we may be able to pick someone up like San Diego’s Dave Roberts. Somebody fairly cheap with good speed and reasonable bat controll. Colorado has a couple of solid young lefty Outfielders as well.
Roberts is a great call. I don’t know how keen they’re gonna be to deal him considering the race the Pads are in. I bet something could be worked out.