2007 Season, Game Post

Game 116: A’s at Tigers

121 Comments

PREGAME: Danny Haren and Justin Verlander.
7:05pm

OAK @ DET, Saturday, August 11, 2007 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

POSTGAME: Nice win tonight, and don’t look now but the Tigers are 3-3 in their last 6 games. Umm, yeah. But still, a really nice win with enough offense against a tough pitcher, enough out of Justin Verlander when he didn’t have his best stuff, and a lock down effort by the pen.

  • More on the pen, 9 batters faced, 9 batters retired. Four of those came via the punch-out. The biggest of course being the combined effort of Bobby Seay and Aquilino Lopez who wiggled out of a first and second, no out jam in the seventh. If you were wondering the run expectancy in that situation is about 1.5. With a 1 run lead at that point, that is why Seay and Lopez combined for more WPA points than Magglio Ordonez.
  • And Fernando Rodney is looking very 2006, and that’s a very fine vintage. Even being squeezed on the corners, he wasn’t rattled and picked up 2 K’s.
  • Some insurance runs made it an easy night for Todd Jones, who has been quite effective for about 6 weeks now.
  • Magglio Ordonez had his 2nd straight 3 hit night. I, like many, expected him to fade from a batting average stand point and finish out of the running for the batting title. Of course there is plenty of time for that to happen, but it is mid August now and he seems to have shaken off that July funk and is driving the ball again. Just an incredible season and a joy to watch.
  • And if you were wondering about the brevity of the pregame tonight, it actually had less to do with my frustrations with the team(which are present, believe me), and more to do with that’s what the bosses (my kids) would allow me to get done. But with the results, expect another short one tomorrow.

Tigers 5 A’s 2

121 thoughts on “Game 116: A’s at Tigers”

  1. So we have several people at the game who claim the Tigers are undefeated when they attend. I’ll take whatever superstitious magic we can get at this point.

  4. Gosh, Billfer. Extremely turgid pregame commentary. Guess you’re as human as the rest of us with your frustration level.

  6. I love Marcus Thames. Give him as many bats as, say, Sheffield, and he’ll be the Tiger’s HR leader. I’ve been saying this for a long time now, but I’m also biased against Monroe.

  7. Stephen:

    Agreed. Wild card will come from the East, and I’m going out on a limb here: wild card goes to Boston.

  9. And i preface this by saying yes, i know there is pitching is old, and yes i the tigers kicked their butts last year, but they’ve got 4-5 hall of famers or borderline hall of famers and they’ve got that chamberlain guy setting up rivera…

  10. sorry, my grammar off as a scarf down pizza. but for those who say ‘hey, the yankees could revert to early 07 form, the thing is their early 07 phase was at a point when literally 5-6 starting pitchers went down. If that would have happened to another team, they would have packed it in and had a Devil Rays season.

  12. Well, that lead was fun while it lasted. In retrospect I feel like I really took it for granted. I wish I would have told it how much I loved it.

  15. This is why our starters are getting thier butts kicked, other teams take walks and work counts by fouling off pitches. Our hitters swing at the first pitch and don’t take pitches when they should.

  16. Well, I hope the guys they brought up from Toledo are well rested. Verlander is at 62 pitches after 3 innings.

  17. Hey, David Wells is available. We might as well hire a guy who has actual gout since are staff is pitching like they’ve consumed too much beer and shellfish.

  18. We can’t act desperate Steven. You know leads aren’t attracted to desperation. We have to act cool, almost as if we could care less. Leads love what they can’t have.

  20. I swear lead if you come back, my ‘playa’ days are over. i will nurture you. we will talk. we will eat meals with television off. i will buy you four bedroom house in nice subdivision with good schools! No more late night skylarking while you lose 16-10!

  21. Stephen! What did I say about groveling. Haven’t you ever been dumped before? Oakland is probably acting mysterious and playing hard to get, so the lead is just drooling over them. Meanwhile you’re promising the world, so the lead knows it can have its fun with Oakland for as long as it wants and still come back to us down the road. But it could be weeks before we see it again. Now we’re going to have to act like we’re interested in someone else to even have a chance.

  24. Stephen, the fact that you used the word “skylarking” in a sentence casts doubt on the likelihood of ‘playa’ days in your past.

  25. Lead to Stephen:

    What about the Holidays? Will you come with me to visit my family? (I know my mother’s no picnic, but…) Or will you just desert me again? I need STABILITY, Stephen. I need security. Otherwise you can just kiss those 9-8 leads goodbye.

  26. Dave; my ‘playa’ days are actually more of a British-style bounder where i wear an ascot, hint my grandfather is in the house of lords, and then swindle ms. lead out of her inheritance. skylarking is oft-followed by monkeyshining.

  27. What I hate most is when Ms. Lead says she going to visit her mother, but she’s wearing her stripper heels, halter top, and hair extensions. I’m not that dumb! That’s when i know we’re about to be swept.

  28. So Marcus Thames hits a home run every 13.5 at bats. That’s best on the team. Sheff comes in second at 16.33. If Marcus had 400 AB’s right now he would have about 30 homers.

  29. So I got that call from a mutual friend that I was hoping would never come. The lead and Oakland are official. I think it really likes them too. Hopefully Oakland will cheat on it or something.

  31. Maybe Inge should be a stay at home mom instead. This “batting” role just isn’t working out.

  34. Yeah you know what? Brandon Inge just plain sucks. He is a career .242 hitter also hitting .240 for the year. He is on pace for a career high in strikeouts. You want to pay him 2-3m a year and use him as a spot starter and a defensive replacement, fine. But 4 yrs, 24m? I’ve said this before, the Tigers are gonna end up eating the last year of that contract.
    .240 for a starting 3rd baseman!

  36. I agree Stephen. And I’m pretty sure you wrote that BEFORE the retarded blunder at 3rd.

  38. Uh ohh, Stephen. Now you’ve done it.. Hell knows no wrath like an Inge supporter scorned. They’ll be coming out of the wood work after your last post.

  39. He has a .319 OBP, though, which – while not great – definitely doesn’t suck. But this has been discussed endlessly many times already.

    Anyway, that was the second extremely stupid mistake this infield has made in as many days. It was nowhere near as bewildering as that aborted run-down play yesterday, for what it’s worth.

  41. Wow, that was huge. I was just wondering the last time gary or maggs hit a homer with men on base.

  42. Ah..lead….so you come craawwwling back. Wait…we can’t get cocky. It’s time to do all the little things to show it we care. We can’t blow it this time.

  43. Okay, here’s the deal:

    You let Verlander go out there in the seventh. If he gets in trouble, pull him. But you absolutely let him start the inning.

  47. has anyone been warming up in the pen? Verlander is at 106, can’t believe they let him go again.

  51. Man Leyland sure isn’t making very smart decisions lately. I would never have sent Verlander out there.

  52. Inge would be 9th in the AL right now. Incidentally, last in the AL is gold-glover Eric Chavez.

  54. Stephen,

    For God’s sake, man! You got her back! God only knows how you did it, but you did it. Don’t screw this up! Coddle her, whisper in her ear, buy her flowers… whatever! Do not let Lead get away!

    She’s a keeper.

  56. Hey an Inge supporter right here. I don’t care about Inge’s career stats that much because he’s not behind the plate anymore. This is the 3rd year in a row his batting average has dropped from the year before. But I don’t care about a 10 point drop in batting average as much as a SLG that’s under .400, At least his defense is rating almost as good as it has the last two years, if he ages into an average defender he’s bench material. Last year he hit .252 and his ops+ was 99 which is fine for someone whom I considered to be an elite defender.

    At one point this year, late June I think, his OBP was easily over .350, that was a lot nicer.

  57. Going to our bullpen is like taking a 3 month business trip, and leaving the lead at home. You’re just asking it to fall in the love with the mail man and leave you.

  62. HUGE!!

    Where has that stuff been for the last month? Big props to Seay and Lopez for getting out of that.

  63. That’s what I’m talkin about baby! Now we got Rodney and Jones in the 8th and 9th. We need to put up at least 1 more run this inning.

  65. Where was Lopez last night? Wow. I’m either easily impressed, due to circumstance, or drunk with the happenstance that I don’t need to look at Grilli/Miner/McBride

  67. Assuming Inge is considered a great defensive 3rd baseman. What type of offensive production would you want from just an average defensive 3rd baseman to warrant replacing him. Also assume you’re paying them the same money. Where’s that “replacement line” so to speak. I would say a .275 avg, .360 ops, and 25 home runs for the year would do it for me.

  68. Hey Ken, that was damn funny stuff. It kinda weirded me out a bit, but I’m laughing nonetheless.

  70. Yeah, considering we’ve been running with that metaphor for the last 2 hours, it’s probably gone a bit too far.

  72. I was looking at those Inge stats and thought I would see how badly Monroe sucks while I was at it. My conclusion: Very badly. Last in the AL in batting average amongst anybody with over 200 at bats. That’s probably intuitive considering nobody except for Leyland would play somebody who sucked that badly that much.

  73. Brandon Inge’s EqA is .243, which is generally not very good. Average is .260.

    He’s a below-average offensive player who has great range at third and sometimes makes spectacular plays and sometimes boots easy ones.

    DD thinks that’s worth $6 million per. I’m just not sure what other options they had.

  74. Sheff really hurt the rally by trying to do too much in the 7th. That was ball four that he popped out on. Take the walk Sheff and let Maggs hit when they have nowhere to put him. Don’t come down with Pudge Syndrome (inability to take a walk) Gary!

  77. Re: Thames.

    As much as I think we in the DTW Peanut Gallery tend to be much too hard on Dombrowski and Leyland, I do think it’s inarguable that Thames should have been getting regular at bats long before now. A homer every 15 at bats makes up for a lot of weaknesses.

  84. I was going with his career #s–1 HR every 15.2 points. Even more evidence Tigers management should have seen his potential earlier.

    Polanco fanning Casey with a towel after he scored from 1st is classic.

  85. Brandon says, “In your face, nerdy bloggers.” That triple even set off the Mortal Combat theme song at the stadium. That means its big.

  88. Todd Jones has the least intimidating entrance music I’ve ever heard in my life. He might as well play “Low Rider” or something.

  89. Dave, don’t let them roll out of your head because then 3rd to last in the American league statistically Inge would lose his most ardent defender.

  90. Lately, every time something good happens, the Family Feud opening theme song goes off in my head. Dunna naaaaaa, dunna naaa.

  91. I’m pretty sure losing my eyes wouldn’t kill me, no matter how hot they are.

    Tigers win!

  92. Great win. Solid contributions all around–Verlander battles through six, offense comes through in the clutch, bullpen shuts them down. Suddenly, I like baseball again.

  94. I really think 89 wins could win the division. Indians looking terrible. I half-expect Dombrowski to be quoted saying ‘i knew cleveland was going to go in the tank, that’s why i made no deals.’

  97. Nice win. I would also like to compliment everyone on a solid blog thread tonight. We hustled from the opening pitch with a solid mix of statistical research, metaphors, and exclamatory remarks. Anyway, I’m headin out to drink my face off, and will even wear my Tigers hat. Not just because I’m too lazy to put gel in my hair, but because I’m proud of my team……and the blog.

  99. I felt that 7th inning was really the key tonight. We have had nothing to rely on out of our pen for the 7th all year since Zu Zu’s been out. How many times have we seen games desinigrate with our middle relief? It was a shot in tne arm to get out of there with no damage.

    F-Rod looks rock solid, thank you baseball Gods.

    TJ – keep doin whatever it is you’re doin…

  100. That was the bullpen we all wish we had on a nightly basis. Hats off to the all the guys who came out of the pen tonight. I don’t think any of them allowed a baserunner over the last three innings, did they?

  101. Keith G:

    A swing at ball four is always disappointing, but I think Sheff is the last player on the squad you should have a beef with in terms of taking walks. I’m just guessing here (Maggs may be close) but I’m sure it’s accurate: Of all in the lineup, Sheff’s got the most base on balls, and therefore, definately knows how to take a pitch. Let’s not confuse him with Pudge or Monroe. Also (and I don’t think I’m being paranoid here — this observation is based on empirical observation) his strike zone on 2 strike pitches is VERY wide, remarkably wide and coincidentally wide after his “confrontation” with our esteemed UMPs. They don’t like him. And let’s face it, would you like Sheffield if you were an umpire? You don’t flip someone the bird on the freeway and then expect the recipient to graciously let you merge ahead of you. Sheff is definately working at a disadvantage. They’re gonna call that last strike on him (if it’s anywhere near borderline), and he knows it. He has to swing.

    Vince in MN: Yup. He’s popping up a lot lately. See above paragraph.

  102. T. Smith, I never thought of it that way and I suppose its a valid point although I can’t recall Sheff getting rung up a lot lately on called third strikes. I honestly also don’t think the umps are calling pitches out of the zone strikes on him earlier in the count. Nonetheless, there was only one out and the inning is not over even if the ump rings Sheff up in the 7th. Sheff has drawn a lot of walks this year and I don’t generally have beefs with him. However, that pitch in the seventh had the look of a guy who was trying to do something big with the bat no matter where the pitch was located. Nonetheless, good point about umps perhaps giving Sheff the ‘Sheed treatment.

  103. Just gooooot back!

    Wel I just picked up a Neifi! shirt not too long ago and every game I’ve been to with it on they’ve won:

    http://andrewfalconer.com/neifi/neifi_tee.gif like that but orange with a D instead of the C.

    Good game all around…Verlander won without his best stuff and that was nice. He did look all over the place though.

    Seay had a nasty K and Lopez definatly looked more ‘fresh’ then others…Rodney and Jones were shut down. Good win all around…

    Btw, when Inge hit that triple I laughed hard because I knew you guys were lambasting him here after his AB’s against Haren (who absolutly cut him up tonight)

    For the record I like Inge for what he is. I think time will show the deal will make sense. Atleast I hope. I enjoy watching him play.

    oh, and give Mahcus the ABs he deserves! my father and I have been yelling 400 ab’s since the begining of the year for him. Jebus.

    Oh…and Bazardo has been lights out his last three starts in AAA so I’m not sure why he wont get the next start. Meh.

  104. Keith G:

    Let’s watch tomorrow. He’s not a guy who loses his confidence for too long a period. He usually gets a pretty good handle on balls and strikes over time. He usually adapts after a mistake. Guarantee, if the situation comes up again, he takes that pitch. Let’s see if it’s ball four. Last two times I’ve seen him take a ball in that situation, they called it a strike, and Sheff gives them a glare, some words even, as he’s walking back to the dugout.

    Also interesting, on 1 strike counts he’s had horrendous stike calls go against him (that he’s taken) and then he reaches for the next ball (because he feels he HAS to swing) and of course he either pops up or weakly grounds out. I’m only commenting on this because I’ve actually made note of it more than a few times in the past few games he’s played. I think Rod and/or Mario even commented something along the same lines.

    In any case, he did seem to be trying to do too much at that at bat in the seventh.

  105. By the way, I haven’t made any comments pertaining to the flawless bullpen performance because… I’m… utterly… speechless.

    My jaw is still agape.

  106. The Tigers can get away with having Inge at 3rd because they get abnormally good production out of their middle infield. With that being said, I can’t stand watching him at the plate. He’s brutal. People crack on Casey, but he’s pretty good defensively, and he makes the pitchers earn their outs against him. Inge just goes up there and swings as hard as he can with his eyes closed.

  107. back from copa……rodney looked filthy…i forgot what its like to watch a total pitching domination….his strut, his new tude….he’s a rooster now…

  109. apparently my old email on here is “under moderation” for the terrible things i’ve said on here…

  110. Inge, the most polarizing player in Detroit sports. I’m generally an Inge supporter, but he’s not getting it done this year.

    Last year his OBP was a little shy of the position average, but he slugged for a little more. And several defensive metrics ranked him in the top 2-3 at the position and that did mean he was saving 20-25 runs. So that would put him above average for the position overall.

    But this year, after rebounding from an abysmal April and on July 1st was hitting 252/349/438 which were pretty solid numbers. Since then he’s taken 4 walks and the OBP plummeted to unacceptable levels, as has the slugging. Plus, I don’t think he has contributed as much defensively and that may be a function of Kenny Rogers not being in the rotation as much.

  111. Please leave Inge alone. In the playoffs ,he’s the guy whose going to steal a game or two for you. God, I can hardly wait for the Yankees. It will make us or break us. Go Tigers.

  113. and im drunk as a suckn btw. This egg sandiwsh i fired up myself is delicious althoght i have mayo on my hands.

    and if anyone is ever up and around section 324 on a saturday night ill be the asian ddude in the briht orange NEIFI! shirt.!

    nite nite

  114. Yup, well said Billfer.

    I adree with everything you said except the fact that Inge is a superb defender, though not as good as last year, but I thought that last year was the best defensive season I’d ever seen by any player.

    The one thing I’d wish he’d do would be to borrow a couple short Polanco bats and have Polanco help him in just making contact with the ball, He, like Craig Monroe are Poster Childs for this baseball generation. Where are they days where it was hard to find someone who K’d more than 50x in a season?

    I’d like to see Inge at SS

  115. Brandon Inge is entering his 4th straight season of offensive decline. Should we really have been surprised? But, good news, we only gave him a 4 year deal!!

    And since we’re talking of guys who don’t get on base and their defense not being above average, can we really take a long, long look at Pudge? Especially that 08 option we have left on him. His defense is way down and not much better then Mike Rabelo and Pudge’s sub.300 obp is just pathetic.

    After Rabelo’s abysmal 1-for-17 April, he’s been hitting .313/.350/.438 while nearly being at Pudge’s defensive level thus far.

  116. good point on Rodney in the post-game. I think he has pitched 4 innings w/o a hit since coming back.

    Of course, I worry about our starters more nowadays, it seems. I think Stephen is right–we may have to steal it with 90 wins or so. We would have to play .667 ball to match last years total, which I doubt we can do, unless our starters are all healthy and pitching well.

    Still only a half back, though, as bad as it’s been.

  117. lotta good stuff here this morning. I always watch the game in the local Saloon so I can’t chitter/chatter as it goes along but that’s OK

    I would like to observe that this game went off in accordance with Jim’s Game Plan

    although it would appear the A’s Game Plan to run up the pitch count and get Verlander out of the game was working,– just not quite enough, — and that only left a little work there for Lopez and Sea in the 7th which they did take care of business there

    and this is All Good. Mark up the win.

    But every game ain’t gonna go like Jim would like. That don’t happen.

    Ball players are just like any of us: we have good days and bad. It happens. Guy having an off day, give him a break and then bring him back in. Good player has mostly good days but does have some off days. we all do. And it’s the manger’s job to deal with that.

    I like Leyland. Game is at 1 and I’ll be down to the Tavern to suck down some cold suds, smke a ceegar, and enjoy the game.

    oh, and BTW you guys! quit pickin’ on Inge

  119. Not brash at all.In fact,it’s remarkable how their fluky success in 2006 caused virtually all the learned baseball people in print and in voice to instantly overrate the entire team,similar to the way the White Sox were predicted for great things the year after their unexpected success.
    Last season skewed the perceptions of many.It was more reasonable to expect this year to be a modest improvement on the .500 season any of us would have been thrilled with in April 2006.

  120. Pudge is one heck of a fine player. day after day, backing up the pitcher the way he does. he’s absolutely amazing.

    ya wanna mix and match yer own team they have fantasy baseball for that. the real thing is like the real world: ya gotta play the best with the team ya got. Game is at 1 O’Clock

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