2007 Season, Game Post

Game 86: Red Sox at Tigers

54 Comments

PREGAME: The Tigers are in position to sweep the Red Sox and head into the All Star Break on a real high note. Both teams will probably start some bench guys today with last night’s game lasting 13 innings. Plus, the temperature is supposed to push 100 with some humidty.

If you’re going to the game the Tigers do let you bring water into the game, so take advantage of that. Just make sure it is sealed when you go through the gates. Otherwise load up on Lemon Chills or take a break from the heat in the AC of the Beer Hall and watch an inning or two on TV.

The Tigers will have their work cut out for them with Daisuke Matsuzaka on the mound. He’s been freakishly good in his last 4 starts allowing just 2 runs in 29 innings while fanning 34 and walking 10. That’s good enough for a 0.62 ERA and opponents have a .425 OPS over that span. Plus it’s been over a month since the last homer he allowed (June 5th at Oakland).

Meanwhile, Nate Robertson will be looking for his first win since May 19th. Of course there was some DL time in there as well but it is a 5 game losing skid nonetheless. With the bullpen heavily used last night (lots of pitchers were used, but probably only Jones is unavailble) it would be nice if Nate could get through at least the 6th inning – something he hasn’t done since May 2nd. He is coming off an 8 K appearance though, and he has looked better in his last 2 starts since coming off the DL.

Game Time 1:05pm

BOS @ DET, Sunday, July 8, 2007 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

POSTGAME: Now that’s a way to head into the All Star Break. Yeah there were 5 errors and a baserunning mistake, and the Tigers nearly let a 4 run lead slip away, but it’s still a sweep. Plus it was with a lineup without 3 starters.

First the good stuff. The Tigers thumped Matsuzaka. Three homers off of a pitcher that hadn’t allowed one in a month was impressive, and Marcus Thames banging one off the camera well was jaw dropping to say the least. That’s twice on this 5 game winning streak that the Tigers have pounded a front line pitcher. It makes yesterday’s struggles against Kason Gabbard all the more baffling.

Curtis Granderson’s theft of a Willy Mo Pena homer will be seen countless times, and deservedly so. On Baseball Tonight they ran down the top 5 centerfield web gems from the first half and it was number one beating out Grady Sizemore’s catch on a Curtis Granderson blast.

  • Craig Monroe gets a big double last night and adds two singles today. And yet still has a rough game. His bat has finally produced and now he picks up 2 errors and a baserunning mistake. The first error, a one hop throw right to the plate that Mike Rabelo couldn’t handle was certainly a tough error. The one in the 9th that allowed the tying run to move from 2nd to 3rd was inexcusable though.
  • Last night when Mike Timlin came in I was sure the Tigers would hit a walk off homer off of him. Instead, they did nothing. And then today I thought they would pad their lead, and instead did nothing. Huh.
  • Nate Robertson looked real good at times, and then real bad at times. Particularly frustrating was the inning with 4 walks and a HBP that resulted in 2 runs without the benefit of a hit. I’d guess that on the latter homers in the 7th, Nate was a little gassed. I don’t know that he has all his strength back, plus it was really freakin’ hot.
  • The bullpen wasn’t quite as good today as last night, yet they seemed to still get the big outs when they needed them. Jose Capellan made his own mess with a walk and an error, but also got out of a 2 on, one out jam in the 7th. And then Zach Miner got a big K to end the 8th with the tying run on 2nd.
  • And the closer Todd Jones closed again, the day game after a night game, a night game in which he pitched 2 innings. This one wasn’t quite as easy, but he still protected the one run lead.

54 thoughts on “Game 86: Red Sox at Tigers”

  1. Pingback: Sports Leader » Blog Archive » Open Thread - Game 86: Red Sox (53-33) at Tigers (51-34) (Bless You Boys)

  2. This is probably the weakest lineup the Tigers could possibly put out there today, per yahoo stattracker:

    CF Granderson
    RF Thames
    DH Sheffield
    1B Casey
    SS Guillen
    LF Monroe
    C Rabelo
    2B Infante
    3B Inge

    I guess you could insert Neifi (if he was available) for the weakest possible lineup….this one doesn’t look good today..but Manny isn’t playing for the BoSox either. All of our All-Star starters are off today.

  6. OK, it’s Freaky Friday and Nate and Grilli switched bodies last night. Only explanation… 😛

  11. Well not quite alone… perhaps everyone else is at the game. Not quite the pitchers dual today.

  12. CARLOS!! And here I figured we’d drop this game… (well, we still might if our pitching doesn’t get in order today, but still..)

  13. I was at yesterday’s game and I’m glad I am NOT at today’s, heat-wise. Last night was beautiful at the ballpark.

  16. JML: I was there too. Honest to God, the Tigers look fabulous today even in the heat. That catch by Grandy!!!!!OMG!!!!!!!!

  17. I live two blocks from Grandy, I need to sneak up on him and congratulate him tonight LOL

  21. Kathy, I don’t know. But it’s a swank, new place so it can’t be where they lived last year. I can ask him if I actually get the drop on him! LOL

  22. Since May 1, Sheffield has more rbi’s and a higher slugging % than Maggs, which is pretty frickin amazing since Maggs has got the inside track for MVP.

  23. can’t get the game here in ALA, but Nate’s numbers look pretty good. seems to have settled down a bit.

    a side note–has anyone ever watched via mlbtv on mlb.com? if so, is it decent quality?

  24. The EI package has NESN broadcast on today….did they ever say how long Thames HR was? Grandy’s catch might be the play of the year.

  25. Marcus hit it 440 I think. And the Red Sox and starting to hit ’em hard, too. Oh-oh. Bed time for Nate?

  27. Nate is a 90-pitch pitcher it seems – after that it is just batting practice.

  29. I watch every game on mlb.com. I dont have cable and live in indiana, and the satellite services are too expensive. MLB.com is a decent price to pay for watching every tiger game plus other games you wouldn’t otherwise get to see. There is a pretty wide blackout area though, so make sure you can get the tigers where you are before subscribing. For example I can’t get any games involving either of the chicago teams, and cincinnatti, which sucks because I can’t watch tigers-white sox games, but thems the breaks. The 700kb picture quality is much better than the 400kb so its worth the extra couple bucks if you’re going to watch the games on a small screen. I always suspected lots of people on this blog were watching on mlb.com and would be interested to know what they thought

  30. Cleve just lost and the WSox are beating the Twins – time to pick up some ground and go into the break on a fine note. Hope the pen can hold it here.

  31. Jason–

    thanks. I usually follow games on mlb.com’s gameday portion when I am at home.

    I prefer cable to Direct TV, so I don’t have the extra innings package. Unfortunately, that meant only watching when they play on Fox/ESPN (which until last year was never) or WGN against the Sox–or TBS vs ATL.

    I watched Friday and yesterday at my neighbors house (who is a big Sox fan and has DTV).

  35. Sheesh – Julio Lugo has been one of the worst regulars in all of MLB over the first half, but you wouldn’t know it from this weekend.

  40. Wow, what do you think Todd Jones’ ERA is on day games after he pitches two innings of relief 18 hrs earlier? Infinity plus one? If he pulls this off, this really really is the Tigers’ year.

  44. Wow, what do you think The Tigers’ record is with five errors? If we pulls this off, this really really is the Tigers’ year.

  47. Could there be any better way to go into the break? 5-game win streak, all alone in 1st and a SWEEP of the BoSox! I was ready to write this game off, especially with the starting lineup, but one thing this team’s proven over and over is never say die.

  48. Detroit: “here boston, please take the win for this game, we don’t want it”
    Boston: “No thanks, guys, we’re fine”

  49. Do not write any game off, ever. 2 out of 3 is never good enough. Granderson schooled Coco on how to catch an “uncatchable” ball. How sweet it is! Get that all-star game over with so we can get on with it. A test of a champion is how they respond after a tough loss. The Tigers have responded big time.

  50. I was at the game and my first thought is… man was it HOT! I was dying in the stands. The scoreboard said 86 at game time, but I don’t believe it. It felt much higher.

    The Granderson catch was amazing, and the crowd (at least in the outfield, wher i was) really let him know how much they liked it. Plus, when he batted next, he got another ovation.

    Great game, great series.

  51. Has anyone heard what rotation order Leyland will use coming out of the All-Star break for the Seattle series? I thought I had heard that Bonderman will start the Thursday night game but I haven’t seen or heard anything official.

  52. Keith –

    The word thus far is that Miller will be the first starter after the break. I forget the other details, other than that Rogers will be between Bonderman and Verlander (which is how Leyland always prefers it)

  53. Just read this in the Freep this morning: Miller, Bonderman, Rogers, Verlander, Robertson.

  54. It’s a good team that can have the second string make 5 errors(wtf?) and beat the Red Sox.With Matsuzaka pitching no less.When I saw him pitch the first time against the Tigers I speculated he may become less effective as other teams see him more often and learn the unusual rhythm of his windup.

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