2007 Season, Game Post

Game 93: Tigers at Twins

201 Comments

PREGAME: A Metrodome sweep would be sweet for the good guys, but the series has been a success already.

Today will be Jeremy Bonderman matching up with Scott Baker. It’s actually a rematch of the Sunday night 1-0 game. The difference maker in that game was of course the Marcus Thames homer. Unfortunately Thames won’t be available today, or any time over the next 15 days as he hit the DL after blowing his hammy. Timo Perez is your newest Perez on the roster.

Perez’s last productive season was 2002. He has been raking for Toledo, but we’ll see how that translates. Hopefully this is a short term stop gap.

Game Time 1:10

DET @ MIN, Thursday, July 19, 2007 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

POSTGAME: I’m writing this blind. I was at work and didn’t see the game, but I did hear parts on the radio, and saw part of the replay, and of course read all the commentary here. So take all this with a grain of salt.

  • The Timo Perez era begins, and it was a rocky start. Twice he came up with runners on 1st and 2nd, and twice he failed. But his second turn was a decent at-bat with a line drive to second. He later singled and walked so it wasn’t a bad debut. Given his Major League numbers I’m still very skeptical, but if he can carry the stick he was swinging in Toledo for a couple weeks it might work out.
  • Pretty impressive to scratch a run across against Joe Nathan, even if it was in his 2nd inning of work.
  • The bullpen came up big again today. They’ve had narrow margins to work with as of late, and they’ve made it stand up. Including and especially Todd Jones who had to face the middle of the order with a 1 run lead each of the last 2 nights.
  • Bonderman seemed pretty good today, until he started to falter that 3rd time through the lineup. Given that the bottom half of the Twins lineup was hardly intimidating today, I’d say it was a pretty average outing for Bondo.
  • These 3 games were exhausting as a fan so I’m sure the players are feeling it as well. But it should be a happy flight home. Here’s hoping that there’s no let up once they are home and taking on the Royals. Gil Meche is a good pitcher, even if he is overpaid.

201 thoughts on “Game 93: Tigers at Twins”

  2. So Raburn can only play against lefties?!

    It would have been nice if they had let Hannahan get a chance to play.

  3. They needed an outfielder and Timo is hitting the best of any outfielders. Hessman would have been the better story…his power and average numbers in the minors are similar to a Thames/Monroe (on a good day)

  4. Leyland used 5 relief pitchers yesterday. We need Bonderman to go deep, especially with the upcoming schedule (a doubleheader and no off days). I guarantee Zach Miner pitches today.

  5. Tigers at the prime-time on TV ….at least here in Germany ;)(1.05 p.m ET is 7.05 p.m CET )

    NASN (North American Sportsnetwork) has the FSN Detroit Broadcast with Mario and Rod. Great, not those “Sutcliff”sm 😀

    Best wishes from Germany to all

  6. And so the Timo Perez era begins.

    Does anyone know what’s up with Monroe? Is he just day-to-day with his back, or what? And is today Pudge’s suspension or is it just his ordinary day off?

    If anyone starter is going to go deep into the game for us it’s my man Bondo. I predict 8 innings.

    Enjoy the game everyone.

  12. Dirk, thanks for the warm welcome from Germany. I, too, was glad to see Bonderman have an uneventful 1st inning.

    Now we just need some offense. If we can get a win today with this banged up offense it would almost be like stealing.

  14. Not sure we are gonna get too much from the bottom of this order.

    Big Boys will have to deliver. Again.

  15. Can’t be too upset about our bottom third with their Kubel/Jones/Punto/Tyner “Murderers Row”. It may be the worst hitting outfield I can recall ever seeing.

  16. Maybe we’ll have to wait if this Baker-boy is 2-times through the lineup if we see the top of the order producing. Bondo has his A-Game Stuff, 9 in a row. So Anne’s Prediction of 8 Innings looks good so far

    Pitch-count through 3: Baker 40, Bondo 35

  22. Despite the out, Timo had a good at bat. I noticed from his stats he doesn’t stike out much.

  24. Why doesn’t Leyland move Inge up in the line-up on days like this? I realize that Inge isn’t exactly Johnny McContact, but you’d think that occasionally hitting the ball far would be preferable to not really being able to hit at all.

  25. It doesn’t make much sense to put three singles hitters in a row like Casey, Perez, and Rabelo. I’d move Inge up too.

  28. if these 3 “Single Hitters” would single in a row, that’s ok 😀

    Big Strikeout against Mauer.

    Miner and McBride are looking if they haven’t enough sleep last night

  34. Is this a “get out of town game”, or what?

    Bottom 3 for both teams now a combined 0-13. First team who has a 7-8-9 hitter get a knock wins.

  35. With a sweep possible, I would have put Sheff in LF, Omar in RF, and given Maggs’s knees a little rest by putting him at DH. Just saying.

  36. I can’t believe they scored the Bartlett at bat a hit. Carlos booted that ball.

  38. two (late) thoughts.

    1) who thuoght it was a good idea to start a guy who just got off the plane?. Oh.

    2) that was E6 for sure.

  40. Huge DP. Glad it was Redmond running.

    Too bad Polly is hurt now, too…

  48. i can’t believe rabelo’s hit two triples this year. that’s incredible.

  50. Oh sheff. Can’t have that. Little over-aggressive, cost us a run…..

  51. Hello, guys, I have to work a little before I tuned into the game at work. Looks like a good time though.

    Base hit………….. Sweet

    Steve

  52. can gardenhire avoid using Neshek for a whole game? We’ll just have to see.

  53. Okay,

    Horrible time for MLB.com to go on the fritz… somebody update me. Last time I heard, it was 2-1 with Polanco up. What happened?

  54. polly doubled, sheff doubled, both off punto’s glove. they walked maggs, sheff got picked off, guillen singled, casey flied out (yes, it’s flied, not flew).

  66. Shoot, well that’s a downer, especially for Bondo. Twinkies still batting in the 7th?

  67. hey guys, that cricket noise during the pickoff throws stops being funny after about the 300th time

  70. For those of you whose gamecast is stuck – Bondo is coming out of the game. 2 on, 2 out, Bottom of the 7th, Mauer coming up.

  73. Oy – that doesn’t sound good. Let’s see if the bullpen can keep up the good work.

  78. Seay gets a ground out, heading to the 8th. I like our chances. We need to get through Morneau one more time, but another run should do it.

  80. I prefer living in my alternate Gameday reality where the Tigers are still ahead 3-1 and the world’s longest coaching visit to the mound is taking place.

  82. cbsportsline.com appears to be working. I don’t like it, but at least its running!

  87. I thought maybe sheff was fighting with umps after being picked off 2nd! how does that happen anyway!

  91. fyi adam dunn is rumored to have been traded to Milwaukee, which effects absolutely no one here.

  93. Sean Casey broke the Internet!

    Glad to hear the pen got us out of a jam. Sounds like a familiar song, which is becoming one of my favorites.

  100. That was a fascinating play to listen to on the radio. I can only imagine what it must have looked like on TV.

  104. Morneau got trapped in a run-down between 3rd and home and hilariously intentionally threw himself in front of Rabelo’s throw for some reason. Two out.

  110. SWEET! MLB must not know how to score that one, its frozen again. thanks for the update!!!!

  111. Actually Dave, it was Seay that made the throw and he did it in proper Tigers’ pitching fashion. That ball would not have made it all the way to Inge at third. Morneau definitely helped us out by getting in the way of the weak toss.

  115. Joey, CBS sportsline appears not to have the trouble that Gameday, Yahoo, Espn are all having.

  119. exactly. Inge threw a wild pitch that got picked out of the dirt by Casey at home, who threw to Seay at short. I’m glad we’ve got this settled.

  121. Dave,

    Where did you catch that Dunn rumor, i can’t find it anywhere. My buddy is a huge Cubs fan and he very well may sh!t himself… so naturally I want to tell him as quickly as possible.

  122. it’s from Milwaukee radio (who actually stated he’d been traded), apparently. I couldn’t find it at MLB either.

  123. your friend might already be aware, but the Cubs are confirmed to have traded useless SS Marcus Izturis today for cash and a PTBNL

  124. gotya, thanks. I’ll just tell him anyway, and assume it’s 100% accurate.

  125. ack, err, Cesar Izturis. The Angels would probably frown on the Cubs trading their players to the Pirates.

  126. Punto makes easy plays look hard. Inge makes hard plays look easy (and crazy plays look sane).

  127. Yeah, I saw the Izturis thing too. He knows, his first guess was Jason Bay was the PTBNL. He was kidding, of course.

  128. Joe Nathan is still in there at the top of the 10th. He promptly walks Perez.

  129. So much for getting out of town….

    C’mon bottom 3, make me eat my words. Again!

  131. Same procedure as last time. Perez on first, Rabelo sacrifies 😀
    Hopefully this time he will come around

  134. Inge slams a double to center-right. Perez scores! Jones is warming up. (i’ve just gotten into an updating habit now, despite its apparent lack of necessity)

  137. Let’s get one more here boys. I like our chances with Granderson and Polanco up.

  140. Alright Brando!

    OK, so not exactly the start I’d hoped for from Bonderman, but it wasn’t bad, either. Let’s hold on here fellas.

  141. This game has actually turned into a battle of the bottom third of the lineups. Who woulda thunk?

  144. There is NO WAY Jones can make it through Mauer and Morneau with a one run lead for a third consecutive day…

    Is there?

  146. Time to use my powers of jinx for good….

    Boy, they’ve got some good hitters coming up!

  147. cib: I’m aiming for Jim Price’s spot – frankly, he seems like the more vulnerable of the pair

  149. Correction, Jones didn’t face Mauer last night in the 9th, but you guys get my point…

  153. Maybe that should be Jonesy’s nickname? The Marlboro Man. He makes us all need a smoke.

  158. Guillen…

    Is it just me or does he go down to one knee obnoxiously often?

  159. morneau hits a double play ball to Polanco, who throws to Guillen. Guillen, seemingly ignorant that it is in fact a double play ball, drops it. Luckily, we got the force at second anyway. Two outs.

  160. Dear Tigers,

    Please stop making Todd Jones get four outs an inning. Three is rollercoastrous enough.

    Sincerely,
    Collective sanity

  167. A three game sweep, three saves by Jones in 3 opps, all w/o allowing a run. Is it time to forgive him for the blowup in Cle?

  168. SWEEEEEEEEP!

    And can we have a little love for Jones here please? Heaven knows he could use it, and he’s earned it this series at least. Thanks Jonesy.

  170. From what I’ve read (thanks to everyone here and NO thanks to GameDay, GameCast and MLB whatever) it does sound like we got a lot of breaks (Morneau thrown out at home on a wild pitch? Wierd). Great series with the Twins and also…is there a way we can steal Neshek?

  171. Nice. Time to go taunt the Twins fan I work with. Thanks all for filling in the gaps in Gameday’s coverage!

  172. Huh? Three straight awesome saves from Jones? Did we trade for Gagne and give him a funny moustache?

  174. I’d be interested to know when the last time was a team pinned losses on Santana and Nathan on back-to-back days.

    Need to remember this series the next time we lose a few heartbreakers.

  175. From what I’ve read (thanks to everyone here and NO thanks to GameDay, GameCast and MLB whatever) it does sound like we got a lot of breaks (Morneau thrown out at home on a wild pitch? Wierd). Great performance from the bullpen, despite the nailbiting.

    Great series with the Twins and also a general question…is there a way we can steal Neshek? Like kidnap him or something? I’m up for suggestions.

  178. Yes!! And the monsoon in downtown Detroit has now let up so maybe I can drive home in a decent amount of time. Thanks to all of you great posters for moving the game along.
    Billfer did anything ever develop re:actually meeting up at Comerica Park?

  181. If I ever have to miss a game because of work or whatever, I usually come back to DTW later and read the game thread, so any play-by-playing is actually very appreciated. Some comments can be kind of cryptic if you don’t know the context. 🙂

  184. Good night to everyone (don’t laugh it’s nearly 11.pm here 😉 ). I think I will dream of Morneau today 😀

  185. That was the most tense game I’ve ever not watched. Thanks for all the updates and CHEERS to Jonesy.

  186. This is not the game I expected, given the starting pitching matchup. What a win! Depleted bullpen and all. The fluky plays just went our way. So nice to get a sweep in Minnesota. I hope Polanco’s feeling ok after the collision at 2B.

  187. The fans live blogging at SBG are not exactly happy with the Twins right now. Tough loss for them, but trust us, we’ve been there (this year already!)

  189. twins fans right now are the most gratuitously pessimistic fans this side of Red Sox Nation. I mean, guys, your team is still pretty damn great – everyone can’t contend every year.

  190. In our defense, we have the defending league MVP, the defending Cy Young Award winner, the AL Batting Champ, and the best bullpen in the league. All we needed to contend this year was to trust our young arms and go out and get a serviceable 3Ber and an average bat for the DH position. Our GM did none of that (Hello, Sidney Ponson, Ken Harvey, and Ramon Ortiz. Take a seat on the DL, Rondell White) and we’re wasting a golden chance to compete this year.

    Next year our CF will be gone and our ace will be in the last year of his contract and looking for $20 million plus.

    Therein lies our angst.

  191. SBG – thanks for stopping by.

    Everyone – I encourage you to stop by SBG’s site, just click the link in his name. They’ve got a great community over there.

    Dave – just imagine what the comments would have been like on this board if we had just dropped 3 in a row by 1 run and mustered only 5 runs in 3 games. It’s easy to forget that it’s only 3 games out of 162 and the future starts to look incredibly bleak. I don’t mean that as criticism of the Twins or fans at all, just empathy.

  192. SGB, it’s got to be a pain to root for a team like the Twins who fiscally can’t/won’t fulfill their needs. I wonder what the odds are after this sweep that Torii Hunter gets shopped. That would open up money to lock Morneau up long term and/or try to throw some semblance of a reasonable deal towards Johan.

  193. Oh, and as for the game: I was praying for Rabelo’s ball to leave the yard. I want to see him hit a HR very badly. I have an affinity for backup catchers.

    And I felt like I stepped back into 2006 for this 3 game series. Winning close games, great pitching, a bullpen that didn’t blow the games and Todd Jones being relatively, dare I say, dominant (as dominant as he can be. . .) closing games out.

  194. I seriously doubt that Hunter will get traded. I’ve long advocated that the Twins trade him — but I don’t think it will happen. He’s had a great year so far, but I’m leery of him — he has played significantly better in contract/option years than otherwise.

    There have been studies suggesting that there isn’t much difference in what you get by trading a guy like Hunter in the last year of his contract at the deadline (although you would know that sometimes deadline deals can sting for years *cough, Smoltz, cough*) and what you get in draft compensation picks. I guess given that I’d let him play out the season.

    I really like this Tigers club. I can’t take that we couldn’t get to Jones even once in this series, but your club looks very good. Best of luck to you this season (I think we are out of it).

  195. I’ve hated the Twins ever since they use to beat up on us by 15-3 or 17-4 scores. I don’t know why, but the Twins really stick in my craw. I guess we showed them. Sorry about that no no remark. Got a little excited. It’s just a matter of time before Bondo gets one.

  197. SBG: I would be an advocate of trading Torii Hunter. It would just be money that can be used elsewhere on the team. But the comp picks — and I’d expect you’d get the max number of them — would be fairly good compensation for a team that historically drafts solidly coupled with a potential career year. Honestly, if I’m in the CFer market this year, I think Torii Hunter’s one guy I would stay away from. I’m very leery of him.

    Ron: I don’t want to say that I hate the Twins, but I definitely hated getting beat up by them in the early part of this decade; then again, who didn’t beat up on us? It’s nice to be on the other side of the coin, though.

  198. SBG: You guys are never out of it. I don’t hate the Twins at all, I admire the incredible success they’ve had with (comparatively) limited resources, BUT I am glad we’re doing the beating up now for a while. 🙂 Plus, I think of the AL central as the “Midwest League”, and regard all its teams as my neighbors as well as friendly rivals. OK yeah, I’m sappy, what can I say?

  199. In case anyone was wondering, the minor league roundup:

    Toledo 3, Norfolk 5
    Offensively, Kevin Hooper, Erick Almonte, and Chris Shelton each had an RBI. Shelton’s numbers are taking a hit as he’s hitting .200/.303/.345 in the month of July. Jordan Tata took the loss after going 5 1/3rd innings, giving up 4 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks without striking out a hitter. Preston Larrison and Jeremy Johnson combined for the final 2.2 IP and struck out 3 while walking one and allowing one run.

    Erie 1, Bowie 3
    Seawolves hitters combined to strike out 13 times as they put up one run despite out hitting Bowie 7 to 6. Clete Thomas and Matt Joyce each had a triple. Andrew Kown pitched well enough to win throwing 6 innings, allowing 3 runs on 5 hits and 2 walks while striking out 6.

    Lakeland 1, Tampa 0
    In what I’m assuming was a rain-shortened game, Lakeland squeezed out a 1-0 win after just 7 innings of play. Burke Badenhop went the full 7 innings allowing just 3 hits, and walking two while striking out 4. Will Rhymes and Jeff Kunkel each picked up two hits and the lone Flying Tigers run was unearned.

    Kane County 1, West Michigan 4
    Scott Sizemore, Brennan Boesch, and Ryan Strieby all had an RBI apiece. Lauren Gagnier allowed 4 hits and one run over 6 and a third innings. Brett Jensen picked up his 18th save in front of 4, 857.

    Jamestown 3, Oneonta 5
    Catcher Devin Thomas had 2 hits including a 3 run homer. 3rd baseman Cory Middleton and Outfielder Casper Wells each drove in a run to complete the Oneonta scoring. Mark Brackman picked up the victory allowing 2 hits and zero runs over 6 2/3rd innings.

    GCL Braves 3, GCL Tigers 4
    2nd baseman, Hayden Parrot (out of West Bloomfield, MI) hit a 2-run homer and had 3 RBI’s. The 19-year-old is now hitting .342/.369/.456 for the GCL Tigers. Gene Lamont’s son, Wade, was 0-3 with a strikeout and is now hitting .180 (11-61) with 18 strikeouts against just 3 walks. Not the pro-ball start he probably envisioned. Dario Carvajal got a no decision despite having a quality start (3 runs allowed, 6.2 IP). 5’11, 157 lbs. Santo Franco picked up his 6th save for the GCL Tigers by striking out 2 of the 3 hitters he faced in the final inning. In 9 2/3rd innings, he’s allowed only 4 hits and 1 run while striking out 13, walking 7, and holding opponents to a .133 average, although, he is 22 in short-season ball.

  200. Rabelo may be a nice guy and easy to pull for, but…..make no mistake, his stay at this level is very temporary. When Vance is ready(next season) there will be no contest for that job considering Rabelo’s fielding and hitting. He obviously needs more time. At this time we really have no other options.

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