2007 Season, Game Post

Game 145: Rangers at Tigers

102 Comments

PREGAME:It will be Chad Durbin and Vicente Padilla in the first half of today’s doubleheader. Padilla has been awful away from home this year with a 9.06 ERA in 51.7 innings. Last year it wasn’t an issue, so it’s most likely coincidence that his worst starts have come away from Arlington. He spent some time on the disabled list in July and August and in his 5 starts since coming back he has a 4.08 ERA with 16 K’s and 7 BB’s in 28 2/3 innings.

Durbin has been the ultimate swing man this year. He’s made 34 appearances, 18 as a starter and 16 from the pen. He’s back in the starting role again, and it will be his 2nd start since rejoining the rotation. He pitched 5 shutout innings in 78 pitches against the White Sox. I’d imagine he can throw a few more pitches today, hopefully with similar results.

The Tigers are using the B lineup, although it’s getting harder to tell them apart. Timo and Casey are hitting 2-3 in the lineup. Maybe Timo and The Mayor can team up for some magic. I mention this only because I wanted to say Timo and The Mayor. Doesn’t it sound like a cop show? Timo and The Mayor. Timo and The Mayor.

Game Time 1:05

102 thoughts on “Game 145: Rangers at Tigers”

  3. Interesting lineup.
    Just got in from picking up lunch and saw a bunch of people leaving my building to go to the game. I know I can’t go to EVERY game but I felt pangs of jealousy. It’s cool out but sunny and clearing up pretty nicely compared to midmorning.

  8. I wish the guys would take a little more. He’s not throwing very many strikes. Or else bunt and get something going.

  9. HR went off Thames glove, hit the top of the wall, and rolled over.

    Very bad break.

    For that matter, the run in the 1st was also a bad break. Curtis misread the fly and it dropped in. He probably would have caught it if he read it right.

  11. So far, so bad. Of course the Rangers got into town yesterday, according to Mario and Rod, and were luxuriating at the Townsend Hotel while the Tigers were grinding it out last night. I hate that.

  12. Good to see Byrdak warming up already. Nothing like blowing out the bullpen as fast possible in a doubleheader.

    Durbin’s gotta get it together here, quick.

  15. I think Thames should have caught it. It wasn’t an “error”, but I think he should have got it.

  17. It seems with every swing the Rangers are aiming for the fences. With the softball-like lobs Durbins grooving in there, I can’t blame them. (Though Kinsler definitely went around for strike three when he got hit.)

  19. Wallside Windows is definitely going to get it’s money’s worth this afternoon. Giving up runs is one thing, but the team, even with a crummy lineup better not Vincente Padilla look like Cy Young…or Gavin Floyd for that matter.

  20. Not exactly what we needed from Chad today. Need to shut then down and start swinging the lumber now.

  22. I ripped on Byrdak last night, but I was wrong. He’s been pretty good this year.

    Sorry, Timmy.

  24. IMOBF ( In My Opinion as a baseball Fan ) the count is the best indicator of how a pitcher is doing:

    If the at-bat ends 0-x that is the best: score: 0
    If the at-bat ends 1-x that is score: 1
    If the at-bat ends 2-x that is score: 3
    If the at-bat ends 3-x that is score: 6
    If the at-bat ends 4-x that is the worst: score 10

  28. Rangers are big power hitters. Beat the orioles 30 – somthin.

    But their pitcher isn’t very good. Tigers could have had 4 or 5 walks by now.

  29. Yep. Typical Tigers swinging at ball four. Every team seems to set out to rack up our pitch count, while we do the opposite.

  30. We’re going to need at least 6, Kevin. And that assumes we shut them down from here.

    We have dug ourselves a big hole early. It’s not impossible, but it sho ain’t easy.

    Where is the reset button?

  37. Jeez, we’re making someone who can barely string a strike or two together look like Cy Young here…stop swinging at ball four fellas!!!

  38. Wow, Fortune has certainly turned her back on us fast after last night’s miracle….that last AB hurts.

  39. Wow…I’m watching on the MLBtv and didn’t realize that ball hit Infante. Unreal. Typical of the season. An amazing comeback followed by a no-show vs. a team with nothing to play for.

  41. On a side note, anyone know why Gameday has turned off the strike zone feature? Makes it a bit more difficult to judge the accuracy of the pitch calls…

  42. Makes it a bit more difficult to judge the accuracy of the pitch calls…

    ya think?

    tee hee

  43. whats the over/under on pitchers used by the tigers today/ this afternoon?

    I say 10 total today
    6.5 this afternoon

  45. Re: Bill A \ Kal MI: Yeah, I thought about that too, but seems a bit too obvious, no?

    Also, what the hell is Padilla throwing that we have TWO called third strikes already? Is Ed Montague’s zone that inconsistent?

  46. Montague is a little erratic; Padilla is throwing a tailing fastball that might be a little inside but is too close to take.

  47. And once again the Tigers appear to be struck by Post-dramatic Win Syndrome.

    Symptoms of this ailment include bullpen failures the day after your ace throws a no-hitter (see Game 64) and mailing it in the night after you win one at 3:30 a.m. (see Game 129). The illness can also account for getting pushed around by a pitcher with a road ERA over 9.

  48. Oh My God you must be kidding me. I’m leaving my office now, I’ll be at the park in time for them to ask ME to pitch . . .

  49. cib, if you leave and they rally, you are not allowed to watch a game for the rest of the year.

    Just FYI.

  54. ha ha Mark.
    Honestly, this is shameful.
    I am supposed to meet Billfer et al at the bar at 5:30. I might just stay there and not go tonight. I’m as loyal as they come but they are doing their best to kill me today.

  55. Just when you think there is a glimmer of hope…this is absolutely pathetic. It’s even beyond pathetic.

    The starting pitching just isn’t there this year.

    Can they call up Chris Shelton for mop up duty in this one?

  58. This is killing me. Maybe my boss will call me in for a one-on-one talk. That would be more fun.

  60. If we win the nightcap and the Yankees lose, we’re 3 back.

    The good news is that no matter how many runs the Rangers score, it only counts as one loss and we start tonight’s game 0-0.

  61. Brandon takes the lead among AL 3rd sackers in errors again. But at least this time he didn’t tag a bag that did not have force play on it, which is nice. Though to give credit where credit is due, he has plummeted all the way down to 3rd place in the AL in strikouts. Of course his next strikeout will tie his career high, and he will have done it in roughly 166 fewer at bats… But today isn’t Inge’s fault. Bad, bad, BAD pitching.

  62. Mark, that’s a good attitude. I’m latching on to that philosophy and turning my afternoon around.

  63. Mark I might have to start calling you Pollyanna. What’s your number so I can textmessage you from the ballpark tonight when I need more uplifting sentiments, lol

  64. I’ve found it’s easier to be upbeat when you’re drunk 99% of the time. 😛 only kidding.

    At least there’s more room on the bandwagon now.

  65. Yeah – I wonder how many we’ll see tonight – with the weather getting cooler and this going on – – –

  66. I was disappointed, and now I’m just angry.

    How can the same staff be so good one year, then so bad the next? It’s stupid.

  68. How can the same staff be so good one year, then so bad the next? It’s stupid

    dunno

    what was changed ? ( tee hee )

  70. one more thing – you think Leyland knew this was going to happen? After the dramatic win, Leyland said bluntly, “It won’t matter if we don’t pitch good tomorrow.” Be careful what you wish for!

  71. Leyland’s favorite quote (it seems) is:

    Momentum is only as good as tomorrow’s pitcher.

    He is right. Durbin sucked, and the guys behind him were worse. We could score 8, it still wouldn’t be enough. Thus, there goes the mo’.

  72. I think he said it for his pitchers to hear, tiff. The starting pitchers have to keep them in the game.

  73. How disappointing to follow up yesterday’s magic with this horror-show. Our pitching is abysmal at the moment.

    For perspective, this was on Starks page today at ESPN.com:

  74. “Ominous note for teams like the Tigers, Dodgers and Phillies (all of whom emerged from Labor Day weekend at least three games out in the wild-card race): In the 12 seasons of the wild-card era, just one of the 24 wild-card teams was as many as three games back on Labor Day: the 2001 Cardinals. One asterisk: The ’99 Reds were four out, came back and tied the Mets, but missed the playoffs because they lost in a one-game playoff the day after the regular season.”

  84. Rings,

    I saw that piece that Stark put out there. I would frame it another way:

    In the WC era, 2 of 24 teams were 3 or more games back on Labor Day and came back to have a legitimate shot at the postseason on the season’s final day. That is 8.3%, and the Reds lost in a one-game playoff, where the odds of either team winning are roughly a coin flip. If the Tigers come back and tie the Yankees and go to a one-game playoff, any of us here would take it.

    Plus you’ve got the whole issue of sample size, etc. and a very limited portion of the schedule. I don’t think there’s enough there to draw any concrete conclusions. The Yankees made up 14.5 games from July to September 10 in 1978, and that doesn’t get counted because it’s not part of the “WC era”.

    It’s tough, but not impossible. Losing 13-5 isn’t good, and we need help. But it’s not impossible.

  85. So, I think I’m afraid to stop outside, because if 8 home runs flew out of comerica, it must be too windy to drive. It’s pratically a tornado, right?

  88. I told you we’d put up 6 or 7…but I didn’t think we’d give up 13…

    Oh well. Let’s just win tonight and hope for a Yankees loss, I’ll take 1/2 game.

  90. Very anxious to see Jair. He had such good stuff before he went on the DL. We sure do need a good game from him.

  92. Does anyone remember the results from last year’s bloggers day? I can’t recall exactly, but something tells me we lost the game.

  93. Very anxious to see Jair. He had such good stuff before he went on the DL. We sure do need a good game from him.

    me too & Roger that

  101. After the last Day-night doubleheader, I remember Danny Knobler saying something about how poorly the Tigers have performed, versus back-to-back doubleheaders, and he warned about their last one of the season, on Sept 11.

    Prove ’em wrong, boys!

    Good luck to all the bloggers at the park tonight.

  102. Am I missing something? Where are the comments from the 2nd game? I got 4 tickets last-minute. More than tickets, I got the free parking pass for lots 1&2, and the complimentary free pizza & pop. Nice….

    I had a perpindicular angle, so I couldn’t tell if Jair was dealing, or just got lucky. No arguing with the results though. Everyone was good, including favorite-whipping-boy Jason Grilli.

    It struck me as odd that in the 9th inning Clevelen replaced Perez in LF, but left Magglio in RF. Haven’t we been hearing about how Magglio’s range is hampered by a bad heel? It looked like it from where I sat. And didn’t Timo make several outstanding catches recently? Puzzling… just like pinch running Maybin (fastest runner available) Monday night when his run would still have us 2 down.

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