PREGAME: Ah, a return to Kansas City where the Tigers began their out-of-nowhere season last year with a 2 game sweep to start the season, and clinched a playoff spot with a 3 game sweep in September.
The Tigers will throw Justin Verlander against the Royals. Verlander kind of feasted on Royals last year, allowing only 2 extra base hits and 2 runs in 21 innings. Of course, the 2006 ROY didn’t have to deal with 2007 ROY preseason candidate Alex Gordon.
The Tigers will face their first southpaw in Jorge De La Rosa. De La Rosa only has 144IP in his career and he has nearly as many walks (106) as strikeouts (114). The newly patient Tigers could exploit this number, espeically on a bitter cold night where gripping the ball could be a challenge.
Game Time 8:10
POSTGAME Enough with the excuses about wind in the outfield. Craig Monroe had his second ball this season drop in front of him. Magglio Ordonez screwed up 2 plays in the outfield, one was on the ground so I don’t think the wind impacted it. Plus, the Tigers hit pretty much every ball in the air and the Royals didn’t have a problem with it.
Other comments:
- Jose Mesa wasn’t fooling anyone, and the ball was up. The results speak for themselves. Monroe’s gaffe allowing the second run wasn’t Mesa’s fault, but the damage had already been done. He was pretty bad in spring training allowing 23 baserunners in 13 1/3 innings. I wonder how many chances he’ll be given.
- Verlander looked great early on, but then the control completely disappeared. The five walks didn’t cost him, except for shortening his outing.
- Craig Monroe’s double was only the Tigers 4th extra base hit.
- Two very nice plays from Brandon Inge. He needed some help from Casey on his first throw, but it was a heck of a play to come up with it in the first place.
- Very nice first outing for Wil Ledezma coming in to bail out Mesa and only allowing a walk in 1 2/3.
I hope they play. The Chicago-Minnesota game was postponed due to cold. It’s 34F in Chicago and 37F in Kansas City right now.
I would guess that it is up in the air whether they will have the game.
Hello,
It does look cold there.
MLB and the cable companies came through >> I have MLB EI and can watch.
Billfer, I still love the site, I see lots of new faces here and THAT is good to see.
Stay warm everybody……..
Steve
GREAT diving stab by Inge, then an absolutely horrible throw that Casey makes a tremendous dig on. Brandon looks a lot like me in our men’s league softball league — million dollar pickup and a ten cent throw 🙂
Doesn’t matter, he’s still my wife’s tiger 🙂 She loves the soul patch.
Not so much with the offense tonight. The pop-ups are killer. One hard hit ball all night.
Ladies and gentlemen, Joe Table!
Now where’s that Omar Vizquel character?
Its only early April and I’m already ranting that Magglio is an utter joke in right…can’t Sheff play right instead of Suger Foot?
Ugh…Mesa making a mess.
I’m thinking the same thing about Monroe. He screwed up on Monday on that play with Guillen and the misplayed sac fly cost them another run.
He’s woefully mediocre as a major league corner outfielder, at the plate and in the field.
Why did we sign Mesa again??
The fielding doesn’t help him I guess…
Because we chose Sheffield over Walker and every other overpriced reliever.
Way to go Wil!!! He’s having a great showing. Nice to see it.
I’m starting to think the Royals will be the darkhorse. They have some new players and are playing inspired ball with their manager coming back from throat cancer and a city dying for a winner. Even Dickerson and Price keep saying, “now last year the Tigers……….”.
I’m all for trying Maggs as the DH and Sheff in right. Here Here….
Actually Bilfer, Inge had 3 outstanding plays. I think his best play of the night was the first foul pop-up he caught. That was a play that only a few 3rd basemen would have made… There is no way a Troy Glaus gets to that ball. The better part of Inge’s first diving stab was an amazing play by Casey. This is not my Inge Bias (afterall I am pointing out another great play of Inge’s that you ommited), but rather 25 years of playing first base. That throw was incredibly hard to scoop. Of course where was Casey’s scoop on Mags throw?
Ordonez looked like he wanted his rear off the field and into a warm hotel room. His plate appearance and his fielding certainly looked to be this way in my opinion. I hope Jimmy lays into him for lacksidasical play. Sheffield is at least trying, but a dp and a K are not what we traded three arms for.
Might be time to get Thames some AB’s either in left or right. If only to get Mags a break from this weather that he clearly hates.
Geeze so many negative comments. Although you expected it to be a pitcher’s duel, I’ll take that from Verlander every time out. Inge looked alot better.
I’ve always said Maggs is a horrid outfielder, and Monroe is very sloppy (rarely charges unless its 2 late and never uses 2 hands). Mesa is also worse than Jones and you can stick a fork in him.
We’ll come around, still with Maroth and Bonderman pitching the final 2 games of this series we still have a good chance to take it.
Also don’t forget that last year we started out 7-7, so far we’ve lost 2 that we could have and probably should have won, but with 1.85% of the season played I would go crazy.
I really look forward to Maroth’s start, although its the only game (i think) that isn’t televised
Anyone know what channel FSN + is in West Bloomfield?
Thanks!
Go Tigs!
Also don’t forget that last year we started out 7-7, so far we’ve lost 2 that we could have and probably should have won, but with 1.85% of the season played I would not go crazy.
I really look forward to Maroth’s start, although its the only game (i think) that isn’t televised
Anyone know what channel FSN + is in West Bloomfield?
Thanks!
Go Tigs!
Hmmm… boy, who saw THAT meltdown coming from Joe Table?
Grilli, Rodney and Mesa: get rid of em before it’s too late. It’s a long, long season, but I think their books have already been written… they’re not getting any better anytime soon.
Wow we’ve played 3 games and people are already bringing out the hook. The only one I totally agree with getting rid of is Jose Mesa. I questioned his addition from the get-go.
Otherwise, lets let them play more than three games before sticking a fork in ’em.
Our outfield defense has cost us both losses at this point. Monroe has let two lazy fly balls drop – both have cost runs and potentially the game.
Maggs looks slow, tired and lazy. He should drop to #5 and hit Guillen #3.
Get Thames in there. At least he isn’t going to play in the cold like he just wants to get back in the clubhouse.
Its going to be alright. The Tigers will still win somewhere over 83 games this season, they will not drop back to what they were in 1994-2005.
As for Magglio I really do think the weather is effecting him. His quotes about being stiff indicate that. Its time to get him out of the field until it warms up. Let Sheffield go out there until then.
I have a confession. I’m afraid the loss is really my fault and not due to any thing else. See, I have this away hat that seems to possess some evil mojo. The day I got it the Tigers lost to the Blue Jays. And every time hence that I have worn it, even during Spring Training, they have lost. I’ve tried every thing to alter the evil mojo in it. worn it backwards, to either side, upside down, with my away jersey, with my home jersey, and a few other ways. Nothing works. I guess it’s my fault for the World Series loss too. I tell you it’s evil. So I apologize. I’ve set it off to the side and won’t touch it again this whole season. My home hat has only two losses in it so the Tigers should be good for the rest of the season now. Can you all forgive me?
Thank you, Ed. Now if everyone else can just pitch in a bit, we can still recover from this seemingly insurmountable hole.
P.S. You better not wear it next year either.