2008 Season, Game Post

Game 31: Tigers at Twins

72 Comments

PREGAME: It will be Justin Verlander taking on Scott Baker at the Metrodome tonight.

Baker faced the Tigers once and he limited the Tigers to 3 runs over 7 innings before the explosion. On the season Baker is striking out more than 5 batters for every walk he issues. Baker has allowed 6 homers but they’ve all been solo.

Verlander has one quality start on the season. Now would be a good time for a second.

DET @ MIN, Saturday, May 3, 2008 Game Preview – Baseball-Reference.com

Game Time 7:10

POSTGAME: Well, Verlander pitched pretty good. Marcus Thames made some nice plays. Curtis Granderson had a real nice at-bat culminating in a home run (only the second run of the series for Detroit). That’s it for highlights. Again. Ergh. Three games below .500 again. Ergh.

72 thoughts on “Game 31: Tigers at Twins”

  1. I hate to say it, but I just have no confidence in Justin Verlander at this point. I just think he flat-out stinks as a major league pitcher.

  2. Enjoy the game everyone. I’m on my way to pick up my car in Grand Rapids that I purchased on ebay. God help me, I hope it runs better than the Tigers did last night.

  3. Verlander will be fine. He’s the only one in the rotation I’m NOT worried about. He’s actually pitched pretty well overall in my opinion, but some really shaky defense blew up a couple excellent starts, some bad luck here and there, and he did himself in a couple of times, but I think its only a matter of time until the results start to match his stuff.

  6. “When facing the Tigers, seems like Baker is the BEST pitcher ever.”

    He along with Galvin Floyd & Brian Banister– the greatest pitchers EVER!!!

  7. I just started following, I don’t have the TV on yet – why did Twins change pitchers??

  12. Do you guys think, like I do, that Verlander’s quick pace can hurt him at times?

  15. It seems like when he doesn’t get run support he tries too hard later in the game.

  16. Is there something wrong with Pudge? If I’m not mistaken, Inge caught Thursday, pinch hit yesterday for Pudge, and is in there today.

  19. I would love to know what the major league average is for driving in runners from third with less than two outs.

    It seems like our average is about 20%.

  22. Can’t complain about Verlander. Good quality start. Let’s go offense!!

  23. I think it is time to consider Sheffs future as the everyday DH.

    SF talk radio is giving a lot of play to the idea of Bonds going to Detroit. I’m beginning to think with the win now attitude of DD and Illitch, this might have some legs, due to the relationship between Leyland and Barry.

  24. 6 IP, 2 R

    Bilfer’s got his quality start (for the moment, at least).

    Now for a side of offensive scoring to go with it . . .

  25. Offense looks horrible. We suck against the Central teams right now.

  30. Thanks Jimmy. Buttwipe.

    Verlander has been mishandled so much this year. So much.

    I don’t care if he says he doesn’t want to come out. TAKE HIM THE FREAK OUT.

  32. Still a pretty good pitched game. Not sure why we can’t score. This baffles me. I’m sure Verlander puts some pressure on himself.

  33. I don’t disagree with Jim Leyland on keeping JV in there. He’s trying to get more innings out of his starter on a game they are going to lose anyway. Brian Bass is pitching like a god right now and the Tigers can’t get anything going

  34. What is the Tigers all time record in this dome. I know it’s got to be horrible.

  35. Still a pretty good pitched game. Not sure why we can’t score. This baffles me

    Back to what Leyland preaches: early in counts they need to let pitcher’s pitches go by (two strikes is a different situation) and swing at batter’s pitches. When they’re hitting well it’s because they’re patient and not swinging at everything that might be called a strike.

    The last two nights they’ve been swinging at pitches early in counts just because they might be called strikes. Thus a lot of ground outs or pop outs — or swings at pitches that may be called balls.

  38. Why doesn’t Jim play small ball back in the 6th and squeeze Curtis home, with his speed?

  40. SF talk radio is giving a lot of play to the idea of Bonds going to Detroit. I’m beginning to think with the win now attitude of DD and Illitch, this might have some legs, due to the relationship between Leyland and Barry.

    We already have 3 DHs. No thanks.

  46. Why doesn’t Jim play small ball back in the 6th and squeeze Curtis home, with his speed?

    With Sheffield at the plate?

  49. Holy hell. How can we sweep the Yankees and then look like this?? Right, that’s baseball.
    If Mark From Chicago is out there, I found a great place to watch Detroit sports when I was in Chi this week. Timothy OTooles on Fairbanks at Ontario. They put the Pistons and the Tigers on the screens near our table for us. And good food.

  50. Kyle: If anyone can “tell” Sheff to bunt, it’s Jim Leyland.

    Although at that point, aren’t the chances of Sheff hitting a fly ball deep enough for a sacrifice better than him bunting successfully? Duh.

  54. Guess not. That was the only other outcome aside from a k that doesn’t score a run.

  61. Don’t worry guys, we’ve got Jones on deck and Inge in the hole.

    They’re money.

  62. Alright guys bring home a win tomorrow. I’m not watching. Going to the beach.

  64. Pesos?

    When will we be rid of Jones? How long does it take to get through certain thick skulls that he is NOT getting any better?

  66. I also agree about Jones. Play Thames. We are real bad in the division right now.

  67. They won’t win the division if they cannot win in it. Too many games to play against the teams in it.

  68. Jim Leyland has said it. This team won’t manufacture many runs. Not unless you try Jim. There are games when you need to. This was one of them.

  69. Gee, I thought manufacturing runs was part of being a decent professional baseball team. A lot of games will not involve smacking the ball all over the park. You have to think on the fly. Surprise bunts and hit and runs go a long way toward setting the other team back on it’s heels.

  70. Where were the four runs we were going to manufature to win this game? The Sheffield at bat in the 6th illustrates the problem with “manufacturing runs”–even a power hitter with a dead eye for the strike zone is far from a guarantee to hit a fly ball when you need one. Advancing runners from base to base without hits is not a given. And you have no margin for error–give up one out and it doesn’t work.

    This teams is built to hit. They need to (and will) win games by putting together multi-run innings.

  71. I’m not talking specifically about this game. It should be part of any team’s arsenal. Of course they are going to win a lot of games with their power hitting because of all the poor pitching in baseball. But will it be enough? How about starting off a game with a bunt once in a while.

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