2008 Season, Game Post

Game 112: Tigers at White Sox

557 Comments

PREGAME: Here we are at one of those critical junctures where if the Tigers lose, even the optimists have to call it a season. It reminds a lot of a series like this 2 months ago where Detroit improbably swept the White Sox. Of course that series was in the confines of Comerica Park.

It will be Nate Robertson taking on Gavin Floyd. Robertson has been the awful in 2 of his last 3 starts. Both of those came on the road. Both of them he was showering before the 4th inning started. And in both of them the team gave him a ton of run support. In between he picked up a quality start against these same White Sox.

Floyd’s ERA is 2 runs lower when pitching in Chicago. He has allowed 11 homers in 76 home innings, and the Tigers have been known to hit some homers, so that might be good.

As for all those changes Leyland was talking about, there were no roster moves, and other than Ryan Raburn starting in left (5 for 12 off of Floyd) there’s really nothing of note.

  1. Granderson, CF
  2. Polanco, 2B
  3. Guillen, 3B
  4. Ordonez, RF
  5. Cabrera, 1B
  6. Sheffield, DH
  7. Raburn, LF
  8. Inge, C
  9. Renteria, SS

Game Time 8:10

POSTGAME: Oh Holy Hell.

I’d like to say something about Polanco’s game. Or Fernando Rodney being the man. Or Ryan Raburn’s 4 hits. Or Nate Robertson making it through 5 innings. Instead…

Oh Holy Hell.

Farnsworth has allowed more homers than all but 25 AL pitchers. All 25 are starters. Edgar Renteria had had a good game with 3 hits and some nice defense…until he booted a routine grounder. The game should have been over. Joel Zumaya should have thrown something that wasn’t a fastball.

Oh Holy Hell.

557 thoughts on “Game 112: Tigers at White Sox”

  1. “Don’t perform and I won’t put you in the lineup”???

    Sheffield, Renteria, Robertson have been performing great!

  2. that’s why leyland is dead in the water with his players. he is going to stick with his vets until they are definitely out of contention and then we’ll see some kids.

  3. Just once, I’d like to see the 3-4-5 be Ordonez-Cabrera-Guillen. Not that the offense has been bad, I just think that might make it a little better. Maybe. Or maybe not. But you never know until you try.

  4. he is going to stick with his vets until they are definitely out of contention and then we’ll see some kids.

    I would hope so. Yes, you can get lucky and have a couple guys like Joyce and Galarraga overachieve for awhile, but you’re not going to win a division (aside from the NL West, maybe) by promoting your AAA team.

    If the vets don’t start clicking on all cylinders ASAP, the season is over. There’s nothing anyone can do to change that fact.

  5. “Just once, I’d like to see the 3-4-5 be Ordonez-Cabrera-Guillen.”

    Agreed. I’ve been wishing for this for some time — ever since Cabrera started heating up, to be precise. Leyland always says Maggs had a career year batting clean-up, so he doesn’t want to move him. But arguably, Guillen had a career year batting fifth last year. Cabrera has no support behind him right now, and I have to assume that translates into less hittable pitches.

  6. I’m going dorm-stuff shopping with my son; he’s 18 and leaving for Ann Arbor in 3 weeks so I’d rather spend the time with him at this point! I’ll record the game and if any miracles happen I’ll take a look and chime in later. Have fun!

  7. Hopefully this board has some descriptions, because this is a no-fly game on MLB.tv thanks to Hawk and DJ. My sanity is at a breaking point with the Tigers already without their tandem idiocy.

  9. Dang the game doesn’t start til 8:10 pm ..I gotta be to work at 5 am and get up alittle before 4 am.. so I def won’t be seeing the whole game. When I wake up they’ll probably be replaying it on FSN, like they usually do, hopefully I wake up to some good news. Go Tigers!!!

  15. cib: “I’m going dorm-stuff shopping with my son; he’s 18 and leaving for Ann Arbor in 3 week” Hey that’s cool.

    One tip: don’t wait till the last thing to buy the cases of beer, or that dorm room gets all full of chairs and clothes and all that and it’s totally a pain to find any room. Oh wait, nevermind I just remembered that’s on the list of stuff you forget to tell your parents about…

  16. Damn, doesn’t that just figure? Granderson finally steals a base and Polanco goes and wastes it by Homering, he might has well have just stood on first for all the good it did him.

    I’ll have to look this up but…it seems like Polanco and Inge both hit homers in the White Sox stadium.

  20. Obviously we know what Amanda does for a living. Which is cool, since I’ve never known anyone who was a professional duck hunter before.

  24. Alright one inning full of stress in the books after the DP. Nice pitch Nate.

  26. Actually I think it sometimes works in our favor when there’s a guy on 2nd, especially if he moves around a lot, because sometimes that helps keep Edgar awake.

  28. Raburn lays down a great bunt, and forces a throwing error to advance to second.

  31. After that first swing from Edgar, I thought Ryan had a better chance of stealing home than him coming in on a hit.

  32. Is there anyway we can break up Inge and Renteria in the lineup, somehow? Just sayin. Those automatic two outs amid a rally or with RISP is just painful. Especially with a runner on 3rd with only one out.

    Opportunities Squantered: 1

    Let’s keep this number down if we have any shot at winning this game.

  33. If Renta-retard continues his futile hitting in this series, and if he still is in the everyday lineup, then I will know that Leyland is full of crap when he says he is going to bench non-performers.

  34. Konerko seems to have lose all understanding of the strike zone. He thought he had a walk on a fastball down the middle.

  35. For whatever the reason, be it 1997 or whatever, Jimmuh is forever loyal to Renteria. It’s going to end like the band going down with the Titanic, most likely.

  37. That’s OK, the White Sox may hit a few long balls, but obviously the have no answer for our one-two punch of the Big Bat of Polanco, bracketed by the small-ball attack of Granderson/Raburn, who effortlessly carry the shaky double-play hitters between them.

    Plus Chicago made the 1st error, and the team making the first error usually ends up losing as often as not.

  38. And another thing:

    I know this is a “softball” slugging team, but as long as we have Inge and Renteria and a struggling Sheffield in the lineup, I definately think we need to see some more suicide sqeezes with a runner on 3rd with less than two outs. I understand it’s not a popular call, but to me it’s a no brainer as long as someone not named Grandy, Polanco, Guillen, Maggs or Cabrera is at the plate.

    Come on. Let’s start producing some runs anyway we can.

  39. Dave BW: “Konerko seems to have lose all understanding of the strike zone. He thought he had a walk on a fastball down the middle.”

    In his defense, he may have visually calibrated “middle” based on the called 3rd on Sheffield

  40. For whatever the reason, be it 1997 or whatever, Jimmuh is forever loyal to Renteria. It’s going to end like the band going down with the Titanic, most likely.

    Renteria is probably the sole reason Jim Leyland is managing today. If not for that winning hit in the 1997 WS (courtesy of Edgar Renteria), Jim Leyland probably becomes an also-ran manager who fades to oblivion. I can see something like “slave for life” gratitute oozing from Leyland as far as Renteria is concerned.

    It’s kind of like that Jim Belushi movie — Mr. Destiny I believe, where the one strike out vs. hit changes his entire life.

    This is as good as explination to me as any why Renteria is still playing.

  41. actually Edgar and Inge batting bachck to back kills only one rally…if they were spread out they could kill 2

  42. Looks like another Gavin Floyd dominating performince of the Tigers… Good thing Poly got that homer before Floyd found his mojo.

  43. Renterias the man, he was traded for two good prospects. I doubt I’d be worth either of jurrjens or gorkys.

  44. T Smith: “I know this is a “softball” slugging team, but as long as we have Inge and Renteria and a struggling Sheffield in the lineup, I definately think we need to see some more suicide sqeezes with a runner on 3rd with less than two outs. I understand it’s not a popular call”

    I’m with Tsmith…(Is that a Hungarian name perhaps?)…
    Inge is a good bunter at least (yeah I know, he had that lame checked-bunt strikeout last year, but other than that), and is fast enough that if its fielded by an error-waiting-to-happen guy, it just may happen.

    So is Sheff, but I can’t say that I can visually recall him bunting before…but I would enjoy seeing him square up, and at the last moment cock that thing and yank it hard foul off the wall between home and third.

    I know it would just be a strike, and you would want to make sure LaMont was awake when the signs were put on because you don’t want Raburn stealing home then and getting the Cupid business.

    But after that we can bunt as much as we want, and as hard as he tries that 3rd-baseman won’t be able to charge in for at least a few innings; he’ll want to, but his legs won’t move. That would be a fine peripheral to attain.

  45. T Smith:This is as good as explination to me as any why Renteria is still playing.

    I am going with your explanation also cause there can’t be any other reason that would make any basic sense

  51. Man, with Gavin getting better each inning and Nate getting worse, I’m starting to seriously regret putting my life savings on this game. That’s going to be $14.25 sorely missed.

  52. judpma: “actually Edgar and Inge batting bachck to back kills only one rally…if they were spread out they could kill 2”

    back to back is one thing, but I would feel better if they were back to back instead.

    I think we will see poor Inge get a least a hat trick of strikeouts; those walks he has learned to love this season–well when he realizes who is on deck, they just make him double-play bait. I’m not sure he’s equal to the pressure of the “must….get….double…” game.

  53. Nato need only go two more innings and then we can turn it over to The Committee.

  55. Oh but hey, some good luck for a change–2 outs! C’mon Inge you’re free! free of nagging DP fear! Take those pitches with wild abandon!

  57. Oh crap The Inge actually drilled that sucker, maybe there IS something to the DP-Phobia theory…

  58. And with that, Inge’s BA falls to a nerdy .219. He must feel like quite the man prancing around the clubhouse in his Peter Pan tights with half a ham sandwich.

  60. My intuition, such as it is, says this (4th) is the inning where Robertson will get shelled!

  70. Rod keeps calling Griffey Jr. “Griff”, but that only makes me think we’re playing against Fred McGriff.

  71. Tigers need to find a way to run up the pitch count on Floyd and chase him out of there in the 6th.

  72. “And now we get to see the future hall of famer. And griffey is up too.”

    Are you really claiming that Nate Robertson is a future hall of famer. I mean, ok ok you have an argument, but definitely not first ballot.

  75. Ken in Vargas: You should have saved a few bucks from your debauched splurge; you could buy a book and then read it. What I am trying to say is if you had ever read the chronicles of the famous prancing gender-neutral sprite, you would know it is a vegetarian creature that would never let the salty-good but meaty with pigflesh ham dangle from its child-lips.

    But he did lay a power of wood against that pitch and were it not for the unlucky circumstance of having a left fielder loitering about right out in the very left field where he sent the drive lining its way warning-trackward, you could have easily seen The P-Pan flutter all the way to 2nd in its dainty silk slippers.

  80. This is the exact reason I didn’t understand putting Griffey in center. He Joyced two bases for Polanco.

  82. problem with Renteria’s hit is that will guarantee him in the lineup for the rest of August

  83. Guillen gives the Tigers the Cycle in four batters!……..This is the fun part of the team. If only…………….! well, we will talk about the bullpen later.

  84. Good job Guillen. Let’s keep pouring it on. 5-1 “bad guys” according to hawk

  85. WAHOO!

    However, we are not yet out of Robertson lead-blowing territory.

    It’s still “Gum Time”.

  87. Chris: “Ken Griffey Jr…… The Crime Dog…”

    That is a difficult one. One the one hand, if he is a crime dog, we could have him quad-cuffed and hauled tailwise to the pound. And it’s not like we couldn’t use every little edge we can get.

    But I think there may be a wrongness in that which would nag at me. If the dog has no ability to reason, no concept of what a weighing of right vs wrong would even be…can any dog be said to commit a crime once you reason from that starting point? You see the difficulty now?

    Besides, we are pounding the living hell out of the ball right now anyway!

  88. T Smith:

    Regarding Leyland owing Renteria for winning him a championship, you said “I can see something like ‘slave for life’ gratitude.”

    I agree that it’s the only possible explanation. I propose Renteria’s official nickname be “Gratitude.”

  89. the question is how many runs will be a safe lead when it goes to committee???????????????????????

  91. Coleman, are you really Clive Staples Lewis disguised as a man who mines cole? I have never heard a ham sandwich described with such vivid imagery.

    “What I am trying to say is if you had ever read the chronicles of the famous prancing gender-neutral sprite…”

    I have not read these chronicles, admittedly, but I’m pretty sure this sprite you speak of hangs out on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Flamingo Rd. Her name is actually Jackie.

    On a more relevant note, thank you Grandy! And Polanco going for the cycle today?

  92. Palmcroft via Tsmith: “I propose Renteria’s official nickname be “Gratitude.” That’s coincidentally not far from my unofficial nickname for Renteria, “GIDPitude”

  94. This past weekend, other mcb. called this scenario:

    Detroit getting a 3-game sweep of the ChiSox, after which we would all get sucked back into the pennant race, then Detroit going to Kansas City and (I quote) “blowing the goats”.

    Too bad he’s not really good at predicting these things. It would save me a lot of time.

  95. Either is certainly a milder version of suckitude, which is probably the most accurate

  96. KILV (oh now I get it, you’re a TV station, I’m a bit slow to catch on sometimes): “Polanco going for the cycle today?”

    I would prefer he forgo the cycle out of deference to Renteria who couldn’t look less lively wearing lead leggings and by god cycling around the basepaths is like a three-day vacation to the leg-weary…

  97. Wasserman with a 8.56 e.r.a. Well what does he expect, spelling his name Eh-ren. That reads more like a glamorized stutter than anything.

  99. At least Gratitude started off the inning with a double. And just when Leyland thought his debt was nearly paid….

  106. In case anyone was wondering, the last time Polanco hit a homer with someone on base, it was Sept 27th, 2006.

  108. Nate does realize the majority of MLB pitchers do actually like pitching with multi-run leads, right?

  111. my only HOPE here with the committee is the first guy you walk or hit ..you are out of there PERIOD. next

  112. You see the commercial is funny because when he stops making the mojito the music stops and the people stop dancing

  113. Jermaine Dye is THE Tiger Killer and is having an excellent year…. God, am i amazed he did not hit a 3-run homer.

  114. As much as I’d like Robertson out of the game, it’s Thome, Konerko, Griffey next inning. He’s held Thome in check and K’d Griffey twice. And Konerko spent the offseason training with Gary Sheffield. So I totally get it if he comes back out next inning.

  115. billfer: “the last time Polanco hit a homer with someone on base, it was Sept 27th, 2006.”

    It’s something like the Lunar eclipse then?

    No…it’s just your gentle way of breaking the bad news, isn’t it?

    Let’s see, sure enough, there it is, Sept 27th…aww, we lost though! and that “N. Robertson” guy who got the loss had been pitching so well earlier…

  118. judpma: “my only HOPE here with the committee is the first guy you walk or hit ..you are out of there PERIOD. next”

    It’s a bit more complicated than that. Like if you hit a guy but he’s a catcher with Darko hair, then you may remain until you hit a 2nd batter.

  120. Despite the K by Granderson there, he has actually done a magnificent job vs. lefties this season. I think we need to give Lloyd McClendon a big round of applause for this success story.

  122. I like it that so many of the Tigers seem like nice guys, but to me it doesn’t seem appropriate to go easy on this pitcher just because he is Amish.

  123. maybe if you hit a guy so hard in the middle of his chest that he can’t possibly run you get to stay in also

  127. I would have thought Nate’s leash would have been mighty short. Thome’s double seems like enough to me…and as I type this, Konerko homers. Captain Smokes???

  128. I wonder what Nate’s BAA split is between him pitching out of the wind-up and pitching out of the stretch.

  134. bet he starts his next game totally ignoring the threat by the skipper of produce or your out of there

  135. Yes, and also their pitchers have to be careful, anything gets away from them inside…well the suspension iron is hot as they say.

    And if one of ours got away inside on their catcher next inning, as much as they would be yearning for the payback, at the same time they are in mind of the hot suspension iron (not to mention the fine…um….skillet, yeah, the fine skillet. Because that’s not just parking meter money they are fining you, and they have families to feed…)

  137. Now we are see why good bullpens are so damn valuable. Our bullepen is terrible while the Sox is the best in the majors… We needed about a 5 run lead going into this stage of the game…

  138. I was in the living room and commented to my wife that with the score 6-2 in the bottom of the 6th I expect the Tigers to lose. That is a very sad attitude, but two batters later the score was 6-4. So it isn’t cynicism, it is just the proof of experience this season against good teams like the White Sox. They are not going to give up and the Tigers have a bad habit of not scoring any more after getting early runs. They seem to sit on their laurels with leads instead of pouring it on.

  140. judpma: “the threat by the skipper of produce or your out of there”

    It depends on the produce.

    a rotting head of lettuce upside the head would leave your cheek with a foul aroma that would take days to scrub off, try ignoring THAT.

  142. Here’s a thought:

    Listening to Ken Harrleson on White Sox TV is worse than watching Rodney pitch. You heard that right here, from Sky!

  143. In case anyone was wondering, 3 of Juan Uribe’s 13 walks this season are courtesy of the Tigers. A little more surprising is that the strike throwing Twins have walked him 3 times also.

  144. The Sox bullpen isn’t really that good. They’re pitching at a 6.50 ERA in the last two weeks.

  145. the game should be stopped here and awarded to the Tigers for the simple reason the Sox failed to take advantage of 2 Tiger bullpenners

  146. I was in the living room and commented to my wife that with the score 6-2 in the bottom of the 6th I expect the Tigers to lose.

    Honestly sky, have you EVER expected the Tigers to win this year regardless of the score?

  147. “There’s no reason to think olivo was thrown at”

    No dan there isn’t. Unless you count the two previous pitches, the lopsided score, and olivo getting hit earlier in the season by the sox.

  148. judpma: “maybe if you hit a guy so hard in the middle of his chest that he can’t possibly run you get to stay in also”

    that game is sucking even more as time goes on, like a cheap wine aging into a harsh vinegar in the hot sun. Because Inge should have gunned it to second on the sac bunt, because the runner on 1st was bluish from lack of breath, and I can’t imagine got down to 2nd like The Flash or anything.

  149. I really believe Rodney should not be allowed to pitch until after the 3rd out in the 9th inning. Then he can come out and throw to the Little Leaguers running the bases.

  150. the Tigs are in their lets get this over with offense cause we have more runs to give up

  151. “I really believe Rodney should not be allowed to pitch until after the 3rd out in the 9th inning. Then he can come out and throw to the Little Leaguers running the bases.”

    SECOND

  152. Put me on record as actually thinking hawk has been fairly tolerable and reasonable tonight…it’s clearly all relative, but he hasn’t bugged me too much…

  153. Honestly sky, have you EVER expected the Tigers to win this year regardless of the score?

    Many time, Billfer. But not for the last few weeks against teams like the Twins, Indians, Sox, or TB. Ask around, I am not the only one who gets this feeling.

    Hey, I don’t like it! It is just a feeling of no confidence in the pen to stop the ops, especially in away games. I don’t think I am the only one who has noticed this!

  156. I think you have to bring Rodney out in the 9th. He’s the set-up guy. Then when it’s tied in the 10th, you bring in Farnsworth, since you need to save your closer in case you take the lead in the 11th.

  160. B-i-t – wouldn’t call that hook an ideal 0-2 offering, but he didn’t hang it either. Quentin is good.

  162. Just doing a quick calculation here, it looks like if Nate gets 9 more starts and averages 5 innings per start (45+ IP) he would need to allow 50 ER in order to get his ERA up to 7.00. On the other hand in order to get his ERA down to 5.00, he could allow up to 10 ER in those same number of innings. At this point neither goal seems to be attainable, but baseball is a funny game, and stanger things have happened (although I can’t think of any off hand).

  164. I hope we haven’t all jinxed Bobby Seay by commenting on how good he’s been lately.

  169. well, its about time for our offense to pick us up with a run or 2, but the bullpen will get it back to a tied game in the bottom of the 8th

  173. Sky – I know the pen doesn’t inspire confidence, but since you started coming around, it seems to be that every time the Tigers have a lead, no matter the opponent, you’re telling you’re wife they’ll blow it. They’ve been frustrating as all get out, and they blew way too many, but they’ve still won more than they’ve lost the last 6 weeks.

  174. Also, Dan Plesac is filling in for DJ as the analyst tonight. Plesac does not shut up. He is constantly talking. I’m not sure he’s worse than DJ, but it’s close.

  178. I remember that 7/25/07 game very well for Raburn. That game was pretty much the beginning of the end for this team.

  179. With Raburn getting 4 hits (so far) tonight, what are the odds that he sits tomorrow?

  181. Cringe

    You’re really testing the health of the ol’ oblique with those half-swing whiffs

  184. nice at bat Inge take a pitch down the middle check swing strike 2 on a ball outside and hit a ball off you shoe tops for yet another or your .218 outs

  185. Leyland belongs to the “sell high” school of thought. Hence thames getting benched for defense during his home run streak.

  191. GameCast just flashed the odds of the Sox scoring 2 runs to take the lead at 14.79%. Sorry, Bilfer, but they are not up on the Tigers bullpen. The odds are actually 49%.

  192. I’m usually not in the Sky School of Drats and other Such Grumblings, but when was the last time we closed out a 1 run lead after the 7th. I really don’t know. I think we would have to be the underdog in this situation. Drats!

  194. I think it’s awesome (and sensible) that opposing teams are now warming up their closers in the 8th inning when they’re still behind us by a run

  195. T Smith:

    “Cringe
    You’re really testing the health of the ol’ oblique with those half-swing whiffs”

    Hey, the guy’s not done rehabbing yet. If you look at his check swings now compared to before he went on the DL you will see the difference, some are really almost not swings at all, and others are more slowed down swings but he’s swinging all the way through.

    I think it could be another month before he can really reliably slam the brakes on that thing at the dead halfway point

  196. Sox have the best bullpen in the majors this year. Quite a turnaround from last year when they were the worst. And Kenny Williams determination to right-the-ship really paid off.

    Dave Dombrowski, I hope can learn from his rival. Please DD, do everything you can to drastically improve this bullpen.

  197. Oh great. “Hey, Bobby. Way to throw 11 pitches and get 3 outs, but we’re going to go put in that guy who gave up 2 home runs in the same inning last time he went out. And we’re still only up by a run.”

    Jesus, Leyland. Sell high indeed.

  204. we should trade farnsworth for a veteran catcher… i think it would make the team better

  205. What an idiot. Why take out the best relief pitcher we have right now. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

  211. Oh, I get it now. That sly old dog Leyland, when he says “the Committee”, he means The Committee. He is using the whole damn shooting match. We’ll get Rodney and Zumaya later, with Dolsi held as the reserve. Well this makes sense: with the Closers 3 in there, it effectively makes this a 7 inning game.

  212. why throw ramirez a strike? ever? he’s walked like 12 times all year.

    Why take Seay out? Is he really that bad against righthanders? You let him face Konerko, but not Ramirez? You also break up the momentum of the inning by taking him out.

    I don’t get that entire sequence.

  213. I so wanted to mark on my calender the night that my big mouth was proven wrong!

    Oh well, I may be wrong yet.

  215. It was weird, I had this nightmare that we traded a first-ballot hall of fame catcher for Kyle Farnsworth. No one would be that stupid, right?

  218. hahaha. If you can possibly detach yourself (and just accept that we’re watching a Texas Ranger team of the Midwest night in, night out) this is actually quite comical.

    At least we got that solid B Grade prospect that came with Farnsworth for Pudge.

    OH WAIT.

  219. Yeah, he’s like “Wow, they need a home run to tie the game? I’ll give it to them.”

  221. I pretty sure we’re north of 80% at this point, I really hadn’t anticipated the sell high approach…again. I don’t mean to rain on everyone’s continuing Leyland-love, but this is kinda ridiculous, no?

  222. Mike R – CJ Wilson’s night – walk, HBP, K, walk, grand slam. You think Fernando Rodney’s got anything on him?

  223. Farnsworth fits right in with the Tiger’s bullpen. He was a great addition!
    Dombrowski, “Let’s see, right now we only have Rodney, Zumaya, and Jones to give up home runs and lead us to crushing defeats…We need some reinforcements. I bet Farnsworth can do it too!”
    Let’s cut this guy tonight.

  226. Perhaps he’s the Yankee Manchurian Candidate, programmed to destroy what little threat Detroit was as a wild card. Or even revenge for 2006.

    Mr. Farnsworth? Kyle Farnsworth? Kyle Lynn Farnsworth?

  227. Jason – I smiled too. It’s like u of m last year. You just hope it gets your dbag coach fired.

  229. Not to second-guess the Pudge trade — this post isn’t about that — but how important is lefty-righty matchups when Seay is the only guy in the bullpen who can consistently get guys out? I honestly just wanted him to close out the inning. Ramerez is a very good fast ball hitter. In my mind, pulling Seay for Farnsworth is a crap shoot.

    We can second guess all day long, but Seay is the only guy I want to see pitching in late innings until the rest of these guys learn to locate their strikes and stop throwing meatballs

  230. Hey, cameron, Farnsworth gives up HR’s better than ANY of those guys! He waas the final piece we needed

  232. I swear on the Fielders Bible this vile Sobbing Barber is still on the Yankee payroll and Pudge and Girardi and Cashman are all doing a shot together every time the Sobbing One unleashes the Please Hit Me Out Pitch, but the Sobbing Barber, though late it be, he catches right up to them within no time at all of his arrival back in Manhattan, and then if this isn’t a good time what is!?

  235. “Farns has lost us two games now, in the three games he’s pitched. Awesome.”

    Yea, but he pitched great last Saturday, when the Tigers were down by 6 runs……(%*%$#@&)

  237. If I remember correctly, our host did mention Farnsworth’s habit of giving up the long balls when the trade was announced.

  238. Well, we got Maggs up. I will consider that a victory. But still think we need two runs to tie this game up after 9.

  240. So does zumaya give up a jack here? Or is it the lots of walks prolonged “1000 cut” approach?

  241. Was it me or did that throw to 2nd to force Guillen seem to pull the guy who caught it about 2 feet off the bag?

  242. I am going to have a hard time believing this replay if he’s actually out at 2nd. They cut to commerical that quick just to be able to Dr. it for Hawk’s irrational Homerish gushings.

  243. THERE IS NO WAY LEYLAND AND THE COACHING STAFF ARENT FIRED AFTER THIS SEASON. THIS IS OUT OF HAND AND EMBARASSING. AFTER THE SEASON WE BETTER FIND SOME DANG ARMS SOMEWHERE TOO

  244. I’m pretty sure that after a play like that, the Sox are gonna win this game. Wow.

  245. In the situations that require a good at-bat, Maggs always puts it in play on the first pitch. It’s ridiculous.

  246. I have tried to be an optimist lately. Really, I have.

    There is no way this game gets to extra innings. I just can’t see it. And I promise that walks are involved.

  248. who knows if he’d get through waivers, but actual contending teams might actually give up something (not sure what) for Seay the way he’s pitching.

  249. I usually defend Leyland, but bringing Farnsworthless in was the dumbest move.

    And that stab by Uribe in the 9th was unbelievable.

    LIke, nothing goes our way, just like this season.

  251. Don’t worry, it’s ok. Farnsworth’s on the mound again.

    (This message to everyone here who’d like to go to bed early and avoid the spectacle of extra innings)

  252. Gather round my little children, and I’ll tell you the story of “Farnsworth and the Walk-Off Home Run.”

  254. So how come seay doesn’t get to pitch after getting three guys out but farnsworth gets to pitch the ninth after that debacle? And the two farns debacles in the previous games? Is that “demanding performance” jimmy?

    He might be one of the worst managers in sport. What an epic, epic idiot.

  259. Complete suckage

    A hot head who can’t pitch for a big head that couldn’t hit. On balance, the two v. one draft choice is the key loss.

    Season is done, but very entertaining

  261. Why even give Dye anything close to the plate? His run doesn’t matter. Go after Thome, please.

  265. There are only 25 AL starters who have allowed more homers than Farnsworth. And yeah, they’re all starters.

  266. Kevin in Austin wrote:

    Mike R – CJ Wilson’s night – walk, HBP, K, walk, grand slam. You think Fernando Rodney’s got anything on him?

    Psh. Rodney could do that lefthanded. That’s nothing. Someone show these numbers to Rodney so he can out-do him tomorrow. I’m envisioning 1 hit, 3 walks, 1 K, 1 HBP in 0.2 IP while throwing 18 of his 34 pitches for strikes.

    What’s that? That happened 2 days ago? Oh.

  273. i’m going to bed… this game is a re-run. i’ll give you a hint: Rodney walks in the game winning run

  274. Adam: “I hope Hawk Harrelson dies of a heart attack right now.
    “I gone.”

    Haha nice disguise, Bloodthirsty Chris…not likely though, unless someone could talk him into stepping into the box vs Cupid.

  275. Harrelson is complaining about the strike zone for Tiger hitters as opposed to Sox hitters. Have you ever heard Mario do this?

    THE GUY HAS NO BROADCAST CLASS AT ALL!

  276. Hawk pisses me off. It’s beyond homer-ism, it’s almost to the point that every baseball team somehow bullied him in life, and the White Sox were some group of guys that saved his life. It’s really pathetic.

  279. Oooh man…Seeing the words on Gamechannel, “Rodney relieved Farnsworth.”
    I mean, is that going from bad to worse? Or from worse to worst? Or from worst to worst? I just don’t know how to describe the feeling such a statement brings.

  280. Can someone clue me in on what they Sox TV guys are saying about Rodney, I can’t stand to listen…but I’m curious if they are packing up already and getting ready to head home.

  282. I’d have preferred rodney over farns in the 8th…though I’d have preferred I dunno maybe BOBBY SEAY to both

  283. Tiger’s have 8 blown saves since July 5th…… At that rate a team would accumulate 48 in a season.

    That is miserable.

  286. Goodness Chris, if the Tigers just win 1/2 of those games…think of where we’d be…

  287. Ken Griffey was determined…he was not about to let it all end, not here, not this way, with the broken ribcage…

  289. Rodney is so frustrating because he has good stuff. This inning is proof of it. He is just not consistent enough right now.

  291. Well, there was good Rodney. That strike 3 pitch to Griffey was a beauty. It’s like he meant to throw it there.

  294. Rodney looked like a first class relief pitcher that inning. He does show that he has the talent. If only he could be consistent and predictable with it!

  297. Speaking of wild things, 6 K’s and no walks for Dontrelle tonight. Ten hits allowed, but 3 were in his first inning, and 4 were in his last inning. From the 2nd through the 6th all he allowed was 3 singles.

  298. Sooo…who’s catching? Sardine-head?

    I mean, Brandon could have flied out to center like that.

  300. Yes, the Tigers are 1-5 in those games where they blew the last 7 save opportunities. If they would have converted those save opportunities, the Tiger record would be 60-51…..

    1-1/2 games out of 1st place…..

  301. Did Inge get hurt on one of those foul balls last inning? You don’t pull your number 1 catcher for offense leading off an inning do you? (Serious question here, not soliciting Leyland incompetence cracks)

  302. Cupid was out there with a full quiver.

    I guess Cap’n Smokey is getting a bit sleepy and wants to end this, it looks like we just pulled the goalie…

  303. That was a very peculiar move. I understand the thinking (Joyce has been hot in the last 6 weeks with good pop and RH vs. LHH), but I don’t really like it. I don’t hate it either.

  304. We just have to win this. We lose, forget about a playoff run. With Minnesota losing, if we win, we can live to see another day. Pleaaassseeee

  305. “You don’t pull your number 1 catcher for offense leading off an inning do you?”

    If Inge catches the next two games, then I’m fine with that move. Dotel was throwing mostly fastballs, and Joyce can definitely hit fastballs.

  306. Quick… what were Inge’s numbers against Dotel? I doubt Joyce has had much of a look. That could be a reason.

  308. Inge had no hits against Dotel… because he has zero plate appearances against him.

    Not to sound Hawkish, but the strike zone is a bit large. For both sides.

  309. Matt Thornton….. Ozzy is throwing out one bullpen stud after another. The team is loaded….

    This game is so lost….

  310. Inge might give some useful tips to the Melancholy Dane for the next inning for handling the Red Bullpen. One idea worth trying: one catcher’s mitt on each hand. Because when the heat goes wild, there’s no time for the reaching over stuff.

  311. 3 hits over the last 6 innings.

    Raburn infield single, Guillen single, Renteria single.

    No Maggs or Cabrera?

    Upsetting.

  312. Chris, the best part about this is that Ozzy isn’t even managing! He’s suspended tonight. This game is being called by ghosts.

  315. Not-Hawk just called Renteria “Enteria.”

    As in, “You are now Enteria Fernando Rodney speed zone.”

  319. Inge and Joyce had actually quite comparable no-plate-appearances against Dotel. (Although Joyce: career 0 – for – The White Sox [0-5])

    The other thing I don’t like about the move besides having my evening end hoping for a Renteria/Sardinha rally, is that now both Inge and Joyce are done for the day, and who knows how long this will go on…

    And I’ll be damned but Cupid, he shoots the straight arrow this eve…

  323. my laptop battery only has 11 minutes remaining. Please don’t make me go dig up the charger.

  324. Looks like we have ourselves another shutout inning streak going. Cabs goes yard here or we lose.

  325. Seriously, can SOMEONE see more than one pitch?

    Maggs last two PA, two outs, two pitches seen.

    STOP IT!

  326. Kevinaustin: “Rodney for CY YOUNG!”

    The night is yet young, and nobody knows where the wheel of fate will stop. But he could yet earn another Sigh Young.

  328. Chris: What is encouraging, though, is that guys like Matt Thornton and whoever else the White Sox ran out of the bullpen last year (save for Jenks) they couldn’t throw strikes or get anyone out. I’m not a proponent of comparing this team to other teams from the past, but one thing that I do know is that bullpens are the most volatile component of a team in any sport in this country — you don’t know what you’re going to get. Matt Thornton has a WHIP of 1.509 last year in 56+ innings. This year he’s at 1.008.

    I guess what I’m saying is that with a healthy Miggy next year (all year) and some guys reversing to their means (I’m looking at E-Rent if his option is picked up) and a bullpen reversal (not out of the question with the White Sox Pen posting 5.47 ERA and 1.605 WHIP while this year the WS Pen has posted 3.35 ERA and 1.288 WHIP.

  329. Farnsworth screwed my day Sunday live and in person. Now he is screwing me out of sleep.

  330. Wry Inn in Brooklyn:

    “my laptop battery only has 11 minutes remaining. Please don’t make me go dig up the charger.”

    Dude, this one could have a whole charge cycle left before it ends

  332. B.I.T: “Farnsworth screwed my day Sunday live and in person. Now he is screwing me out of sleep.”

    wow…I knew it was something though I could tell he hasn’t been focused on baseball…

  333. Yeah, Coleman, I’m plugged in now. I’m ready to see this through, for better or worse.

  335. adam and anyone else bashing maggs for swinging at the first pitch. pretty sure his 2nd in AL (hopefully finishing first again) and defending batting champ, knows what hes doing. regarding maggs, you dont get to have an opinion on his approach.

  336. Absolutely horrible at bats by both Guillen and Maggs. And what is Maggs doing swinging at the 1st pitch after Guillen got out on the 1st pitch…… FREAKEN GRIND IT OUT……. MAKE THE PITCHER WORK A LITTLE!!!!!!!

  341. “Sheffield, Raburn, Sardinha”. Now That’s Funny. They might as well just list the next 3 Sox hitters up.

  345. The pitches that Guillen and Maggs swung at were both thigh high, down the middle. If they double on those pitches, no one says a word. But they didn’t. I’m fine with them swinging at a meatball coming in like that. They were poorly located.

  346. I hope they bring Thornton out for another inning because Inge has a .750 OBP against him. Oh wait, nevermind.

  349. I’m guessing Hawk was complaining about the strike zone — with good reason. That 2nd pitch to Gary was at the knees and called a ball.

  350. I like how each team’s announcer’s in succession laud their pitcher for a great performance against Sheffield. But don’t seem to acknowledge his YTD stats.

  351. Sardinha already used up his triple for the season, but if Raburn can put down another 2-base bunt, The Dane just might still have a double left in the tank somewhere…

  354. God this sucks. And Joe Z, Maggs showed us last year he can bat almost .400. He can do better and we all know it. You’re not allowed to tell me when I’m not allowed to have an opinion.

  355. Too bad Sardinha and Raburn are in the game now with Inge out. That limits the choices to let Thames pinch hit because we need to keep them both in case of an injury. I wish I had thought of that when Joyce pinch hit for Inge. In retrospect, bad call.

  357. Sheffield’s bat looks considerably slower than earlier in the year to me. Down to average bat speed I’d say….not good.

  358. this game has turned into a game of chicken where we will trade long fouls and strikeouts back and forth until somebody makes a mistake and somebody else gets the W (7 – 6)

  359. Maybe Swish can put us out of our misery.

    Maybe he deserves it after what we did to his A’s in ’06.

  360. And the Tigers have now been shut out for the last eight innings of White Sox pitching. Not so good.

  362. I want Miggy to extend his hit streak…how many innings do we have to play for that to happen?

  364. We’re Batman, and the White Sox are the Joker. Or is it the other way around. Hawk does call us “The Bad Guys.”

    But then again he’s like the Penguin.

  365. I want Miggy to extend his hit streak…how many innings do we have to play for that to happen?

    Hopefully just 14

  366. hopefully we get the lead because Dolsi was wild in that inning (7 strikes, 5 balls) and none that were real borderline (and thanks to Ramirez/Uribe swinging at balls out of the zone) I don’t want him to be pitching with the game still tied.

  372. “I’m calling it. Renteria is going yard here.”

    I’m calling the ball doesn’t make it out the infield. Even money on his bat though.

  373. Why is Granderson taking so long to square around? He’s straight up sac bunting here, square up immediately. Don’t even mess with your batting stance.

  379. Horrible bunt – failing to execute the little things continues to kill this team.

    Edit – Pollypollypolly!!!

  381. I kid you not. I was just bringing up Polly’s page on b-r to find his last 2 homer game as he hit that. Coincidentally enough, it was this year against the Yankees – and the second came off of Kyle Farnsworth.

  384. I think they should let Polanco pitch the bottom half of the inning. He deserves credit for winning the game.

  386. That was very poor form on the bunt attempt. You absolutely cannot drop the bat head like that, especially against somebody throwing that kind of heat.

    Way to pick up Grandy, Polly. That a boy.

  388. I hereby annoint Polanco the greatest Detroit Tiger of all time….

    at least for tonight!

    🙂

  391. Placiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiido!

    It’s the Placido Po-Longball Show! Good night and drive safely

  396. It’s funny I was thinking after the Granderson bunting adventure “if we’re not going to out-execute them, we may need to out-slug them”

    prayer answered!

  398. And the White Sox, gracious in defeat, do the gentlemanly thing and concede the bottom of the inning, and all shake hands and rehash the big plays of the game and vow to put on another good show tomorrow…

  399. Presuming the Tigers hold on to win this one, Kyle Farnsworth’s preformance still puts our bullpen behind the eight ball for the final two games of this series.

    Let’s hope Verlander gives us eight innings tomorrow.

  402. Oh great those poor losers are gonna make us pitch now i hope we make them pay for that tomorrow.

  404. Well, the Sox’ bullpen is equally behind said eight ball, if not more so. They’ve actually pitched an extra inning.

  417. Honestly, when was the last time Jermaine Dye hit a game winning homer after a clutch hit from Quentin?

  418. if dye gets anything anywhere near the plate with runners on 2nd and 3rd somebody needs to finish out the season wearing a clown nose. unless its the kind of close to the plate where he is standing close to the plate and is saying ow on his way to 1st

  419. Excellent…the recipe is in order…a dash of hope followed by another crushing defeat.

    I can’t stop watching

  420. Pitch 3 was at the knees. Hoye has been giving the high strike and off the plate away to the pitcher all night. Anything down in the zone doesn’t get called.

  428. For the love of tito fuentes somebody just agree on what hurts on Renteria and DL him till about the middle of spring training.

  429. If we want to talk about someone’s bat that’s slowed down, it’s Jim Thomes. It’s like he’s swinging a redwood tree trunk.

  432. nice joel, that’s a huge k. i guess throwing 99 does come with some benefits. HUGE AB coming up. let’s do it tigs.

  437. someday we all may be lucky enough to see the rarity of a pitcher charging the shortstop…his own…

  439. So I’m watching Grindhouse, has anyone out there seen this? I’m not quite sure what the plot is. Wait, it just ended.

  450. Wow!

    These Tiger losses get more and more spectacular with each passing game. This one was really impressive.

  455. Sucks to lose, but it doesn’t hurt same that it did a few weeks ago. The Polanco theatrics were just short lived fun.

  457. Here’s the thing. NONE of our pitchers can pitch under pressure. THEY CAN ALL PITCH really well when there’s nothing at stake. As soon as it’s a SAVE SITUATION, people start to suck. IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO IT IS.

    IT DOESN’T MATTER WHO IT IS.

  458. Uhhhhhhh. Hey Beavis, this video sucks, so like, why do we keep watching it.

    Yeah, sucks. hehe. hehe.

  461. so how do we rank leyland, farnsworth, renteria, zumaya today? in order of blame deservingness?

  462. What’s the most disappointing is that Nick Swisher golfed a bottom of the knee-cap high 99 MPH heater out to win it. It’s not even like he hung something belt high for him.

  467. So the sad saga continues…. NO PITCHING!!!!
    Hats off to Rodney tonight.
    This is so damn depressing.

  468. I don’t remember previous seasons having as many emotional, gut-wrenching losses as this season. It must really stress Bilfer’s rule about “not blogging while angry.”

  469. Can’t expect to win if you give them 4 outs, not with a below average bullpen that often wilts under pressure.

    Thanks Renteria.

    Is there a stat for giving games away? There should be

  470. The Pudge/Farnsworth deal will be what we look back as the nail in the coffin of this season.

  471. I’d like to thank all my fans, my family, God, and most importantly, Sky.

    For believing it would happen.

  472. Here we are at one of those critical junctures where if the Tigers lose, even the optimists have to call it a season.

    Billfer was right. I was one of the relative optimists that hated all of the early season whining, but this was it right here. If they don’t have what it takes to win this game, they don’t have what it takes.

    The bullpen, which is mediocre anyways, is absolutely shot. It’ll take a tremendous effort by a starter to salvage one game in this series.

    Season over. Book it.

    P.S. Here’s hoping we maintain some semblance of dignity.

  473. Nice play, Renteria…. nice season in fact, you pile of crap. That trade will bite us for YEARS.

    This might be the worst bullpen I’ve ever seen in my years as a baseball fan. Not for the Tigers… FOR BASEBALL.

    I’m so disgusted right now. At least when we were awful, these losses barely hurt… but as we feign contention, these are crushers… absolute crushers.

    Pack it in, fellas… season’s over.

  474. I crawled into bed after the Polanco home run, confident that it was over. I had to come back on to see everyone’s reaction.

    *group hug*

    Best of luck in ’09.

  475. This season has set this organization back at least 2 to 3 years. This really sucks!! I love my Tigers and always will but this season has taken too much out of me. Go Lions!!

    Leyland needs to say bye. Why take out Dolsi? Managers never go with their gut anymore. It is so by the book it is pathetic. I’m just soooo sick of it!

  476. I must have already hated the white sox as much as humanly possible, cuz I don’t hate them any more than I did at the start of the day.

  477. I’d better quietly go have a ham sandwich because I swear on Bill Madlock’s gut if Chief Smileyface comes by to explain how it’s still pretty likely the Tigers will win the division, one of us won’t make it back out of this blog…

  479. They’re not quite as painful as they were a few weeks ago. Really more spectacular now than anything.

  481. that was a pathetic display by a shortstop who might i add, cannot bat, as well as a pathetic display of pitching. can’t believe i’m saying this, but rodney was the best tonight. way to go zumaya and renteria. way to go.

  482. 2009 Free Agent Relief Pitchers (from Cot’s Baseball Contracts)

    Relief Pitchers
    Jeremy Affeldt CIN
    Tony Armas Jr. PIT
    Luis Ayala WAS
    Joe Beimel LAD
    Joe Borowski CLE
    Juan Cruz ARZ
    Brendan Donnelly BOS
    Scott Downs TOR
    Alan Embree * OAK
    Scott Eyre CHC
    Kyle Farnsworth DET
    Casey Fossum TB
    Brian Fuentes COL
    Aaron Fultz CLE
    Tom Gordon * PHI
    LaTroy Hawkins HOU
    Mark Hendrickson LAD
    Trevor Hoffman SD
    Bobby Howry CHC
    Jason Isringhausen STL
    Steve Kline SF
    Brandon Lyon ARZ
    Damaso Marte * NYY
    Tom Martin COL
    Julio Mateo PHI
    Guillermo Mota MIL
    Will Ohman CHC
    Hideki Okajima * BOS
    Darren Oliver LAA
    John Parrish SEA
    Chris Reitsma SEA
    Dennys Reyes MIN
    Juan Rincon CLE
    Francisco Rodriguez LAA
    Brian Shouse MIL
    Rafael Soriano ATL
    Jorge Sosa NYM
    Mike Stanton * CIN
    Salomon Torres * MIL
    Derrick Turnbow MIL
    Oscar Villarreal ATL
    David Weathers CIN
    Dan Wheeler TB
    Dave Williams NYM
    Matt Wise NYM
    Jay Witasick TB

    Any interesting names to anyone? Time to open the pocket book a little wider, Uncle Mike…

  484. The most unfortunate thing is the trade deadline has past so we can’t dump anyone and build for the future.

  486. Balls in my face, Tigers. Thank you for placing your sweaty balls in my face. I was already celebrating the fact that I had doubled my life savings. Do you know what one can do with $28.50 at some of the dives here in Vegas?

    I’m no longer watching their games. I’ll check the boxscore to see who blew it, and then laugh maniacly while throwing ham sandwiches at the pedestrians from my porch.

  487. Nice error by Edgar Gonorrhea. I’d refer to him as Edgar Diarrhea, but that implies the production of runs–something Edgar has done little of this year.

  488. Ok, Renteria made an error.

    But he was also part of the two runs that scored at the top of the inning. Without his hit, Polanco’s home run isn’t going to be enough anyway.

  489. Here we are at one of those critical junctures where if the Tigers lose, even the optimists have to call it a season.

    —- it is true.

    barring some massive run, probably shadowing the rockies of last season, this season is doomed.

    what a pathetic loss.

  490. omg get rid of zumaya already!!!!1 and i’d drop cabrerra while its hot too, i’m still not buying the hype. time for a fire sale in the over hyped department.

  491. crap seattle came back to win beat the twinkies too. woulda been nice to pick up a game on both the WSux and Twins.

  492. That is an excellent list and I swear there won’t be a team that escapes the stunning awe when they see them all go start warming up in the 7th and the first season especially will be unprecedented because we could almost make the all star game without ever using the same closer twice.

    But I worry after Illitch empties his wallet for the pitchers…I mean it is no joke at all what it is going to cost him in bullpen catchers.

  493. A bad night for Motown. A crushing loss in the game tonight and it seems like the mother of the Thug Mayor is going to keep her job. Bottom line – no accountability for anything these days.

  495. In his post game Leyland for a second just looked off into space…The man just looks like utter defeat.

  496. Paul – I’ll be at Union Park tomorrow night drinking until I finish my letter to Leyland entitled “How many 5 year olds can you take in a fight but still be out-managed by them?” Feel free to join me.

  497. adjust, I’m in full-blown irrational, pissed-off, would-like-to-break-something mode, but please don’t pretend that Miggy isn’t an amazing hitter. It took him a bit to adjust to the much better league, but he’s been amazing of late. Even during his “struggling” period, he was one of the best hitters around.

  498. I’d love to pluck Marte, Howry, Okajima, Wheeler, and K-Rod off that list and throw Olde English D’s on their chests. I guess that’s not reality, unfortunately. This is going to sting for a while.

    Interesting comments by Leyland. I can’t believe I am saying this, but I am sorry that we all took the time Todd Jones spent here as our closer (both stints) for granted. Good night.

  499. Melancholy Ken in Last Vagrants:

    I think you should try to talk to a counselor or close friend or a man of the cloth, (I think that’s the right term for the fashion designer?) because it is a very troubling sign of dark times coming spiritually, when one begins to think of throwing the ham sandwich off the porch and to have that thought and to have none of the human feeling at all where you realize how much you would give to have even the half of the sandwich back to acquaint with your mouth.

    Also: that ball-face thing.

  500. If we’re gonna lose, just lose. How much more of THIS kind of losing can our collective hearts take?!

  501. Coleman, you are a funny guy. A lot of your stuff goes over my head , but that duck hunter remark made me laugh out loud. I just figured what lol means.

  502. Oh and the worst part is I wanted to get to bed early tonight because I was absolutely wiped out after work today. Might as well go back to being shutout time & again instead of delaying it like tonight…

  503. Wow, Tigers now have 9 BLOWN SAVES since July 5th– exactly one month ago today– 5 of them in the past week. The Tigers were 1-6 in those games……. This is the most painful stretch of missed opportunities that I could have imagine. If they could have converted all of those saves the Tigers would be at 61-51, just a half game back of the Sox. It is time for a massive bullpen overhaul.

    On a positive note: this could serve as a motivation to make as big of a push to improve the bullpen as possible. And it is also time to give up on both Rodney and Zumaya being middle relief aces. They have the stuff, but are tooooooooo inconsistent.

  504. paul, i feel where you’re coming from, but i’ve been thinking about this for a while, tonight i just finally actually said it out loud. i think it was an over priced mistake, for the tigers specifically, not that he isn’t an incredible hitter, i just think the cash could have been better spent elsewhere for the team. pitching, pitching, and more pitching. it’s like buying a fancy hood ornament for a beater car.

    beyond that, i feel bad for him for this crap we’re surrounding him with. I like to see great players achieve great things, and being a part of the means is where the action is. unfortunately, the tigers are not the vehicle at the moment, feels like were on our way down again and its a bad time for a superstar to try and save a team.

    definitely not dissing the good man, not meant to be taken that way. those are just two big moves i would make if i were shaking up the roster.

  505. if Renteria starts tomorrow I want in on the Fire Leyland campaign
    If Robertston starts another game I want in on the Fire Leyland campaign
    If Inge and is .215 starts tomorrow at catcher I want in on the Fire Leyland campaign
    if….
    if….
    if…..

  506. This is the season of the gut-wrenching loss. Here, I felt compelled to make a list of them:

    May 4th at Minnesota, 6-7 — Goats: Guillen (costly error), Miner & Entire Batting lineup

    May 16th at Arizona, 4-3 — Goats: Guillen (costly error) & Miner

    May 28th at LA Angels, 3-2 — Goat: Cruceta

    June 4th at Oakland, 4-5 — Goat: Rentaria (0-5 w/ 10 LOB)

    June 17th at San Francisco, 6-8 — Goat: Rodney

    July 5th at Seattle, 2-3 — Goat: Rodney

    July 10th vs Minnesota, 6-7 — Goat: Jones

    July 20th at Baltimore, 10-11 — Goat: Zumaya

    July 25th vs ChiSox, 5-6 — Goat: Jones

    August 3rd at Tampa, 5-6 — Goats: Farnsworth & Rodney

    August 5th at Chisox, 8-10– Goats: Farnsworth & Renteria.

  507. Jeepers! I’m getting ready for work and watching the replay on FSN, it’s the top of the 5th inning, the Tigers are ahead 5-1 yet not being able to & unable to wait to the end of the game I flip over to ESPN where they’re scrolling the scores across the bottom of the screen to see that we lost 10-8? How does that happen? What a horrible way to start the day. I’ll bbl to read the blogs of this tragedy 🙁

  508. Can anyone explain to me how Garry $ head is still on the team?

    It is August…

    He’s our DH and has a lower slugging % than everyone with more than 40 AB not named Jones or Rentaria…

    Is hitting .226

    Is still taking massive cuts at the ball

    I have never seen him choke up on the bat, I have never seen him try to lay down a bunt, I have never seen him TRY TO go to the opposite field

    I have not seen him do anything to try to be a run producer (besides the rare walk)

    He is a cheater,and piece of scum, he should have never been traded for and should have been booted off the team months ago, or traded for Farnsworth to be back in NY where he belongs

    HE IS HITTING .226 AS A DESIGNATED HITTER IN AUGUST!!!

    I WOULD RATHER SEE ANY AAA PLAYER IN HIS SPOT

    The sad thing is he thinks he is good, and when he hits a HR it he thinks it validates him for a month.

    BTW Y IN DEH HECK IS LEYLAND SO CAREFUL WITH SEAY, EFF EXPLOITING THE LEFTY-LEFTY MATCHUP, I SAY GET YOUR MONEYS WORTH OUT OF OUR ONE AWESOME RELIEVER, OR BRING UP SOME GOOD AAA STARTERS IF OURS ARE ONLY GOING TO LAST 5/6 INNINGS

  509. Glad I didn’t stay up for that one. I hope nobody from the bullpen is back next year except for Seay. Nate can go waste his huge contract in the ‘pen, too.

    What a joke.

  510. Let me try to be the voice of reason. First, I love the Tigers even though this season is draining! Now, they are not that far away. Not this year but next. As I said before, we cannot give up on Rodney or Zumaya. They have potential, but I agree its tough to swallow right now. Someday, they are someones closer -both of them. We must trade one of our big hitters for a proven starter. That means anyone-Polanco, Guillen, Ordonez, Cabrera, Grandy for a #1 starter. If not, sign a free agent. Thats what we have of value that other teams might want. We must not panic with our bullpen-believe me, next year it will be much better. This year our potential closers have All been significantly injured. Give them 1 more year. Jones- I’m not sure about but he is a great guy in the clubhouse + he will work his butt off. We could also use a catcher + SS but theres not much out there better than what we now have. We cant keep booing our closers and then get mad when they keep failing.

  511. hey, last night was a “moral victory”….our bullpen only walked 2 guys…… 🙁

  512. Why do people keep mentioning trading Cabrera or Granderson, I just don’t get it.

    Honestly, we have to do more than just trade for one starter in the offseason. We need to obtain (don’t care how) at least two GOOD starters and one GOOD bullpen arm, maybe a closer. Yeah Illitch, I’m looking at you – you’ve forked over the money before, you can ante up for K-Rod. I don’t care how much he costs.

  513. John Lackey, Ben Sheets, CC Sabathia, Derek Lowe, and Brad Penny are all free agents next year. I’d rather see us take a serious run at one of them than trade a big name out of our lineup.

  514. Glad to see the ham sandwich trade is still being regreted, DD should have moved on it when he had the chance. As for next season, we just need to get pitchers. We need at least one amazing starter and a closer. I say let Ramon try SS, he’s better defensively and offensively then the ham sandwich. I think Inge is coming back as our catcher, despite so many people being against this. Finally, it would be nice to dump Shef, so we could let some of the kiddies play but I don’t see it happening any time soon.

  516. I am seriously growing allergic to August baseball. I’m going to start cringing every July 31 the rest of my life.

  517. Looking on the bright side, I’ve got my evenings back. No more stolen evenings, rooting for a losing team that finally put the nail in the coffin last night. I’ll get more sleep and spend more time and attention on my family. Bless you Tigers. B-Bye Leyland. B-Bye Jonesy.

  518. That loss was just a fluke, it was not a loss in keeping with the rest of the avalanche-just-burried-momma-and-the-dogs losses that we’ve had this month. Zumaya made a good pitch, shin flippin’ high. Only a lucky swing goes and gets that one, a lucky swing or Vlad G., and Swish ain’t no Vlad, so it’s just a fluke. That stuff happens. Just a fluke.

    Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke. Just a fluke.

  519. Actually, given the recent performance of the bullpen, that loss was NOT a fluke.

    If the bullpen had actually held a lead and finished out a game, THAT would be a fluke.

    But giving up homeruns in the late inning to blow the lead and lose the game? Sorry, but right now that’s the norm.

  521. I was hoping to make it into the 15th or 16th innings…which I considered a safe-zone assuming that we would have gotten past our bullpen and started using position players as pitchers.

    The loss was only disorienting in that Rodney wasn’t the one that effed us big-time. Farnsworth and Renteria…classic.

    Props to Swish for immediately causing me to face-plant after my observation that he’d probably have more luck hitting ‘Maya batting righty.

    My apologies to all for jinxing the game.

  522. That Farnsworth trade was pure genius. If the goal was to move up in the draft, that is.

  525. Tight game, tough loss. What can you say? I’m just glad Marcus didn’t strike out. Or did he?

    My, what a fun bunch here. I’m putting the following together for some reduced-scrolling smiles and chuckles. Join me.

    GOOD STUFF

    Obviously we know what Amanda does for a living. Which is cool, since I’ve never known anyone who was a professional duck hunter before.

    Anyone else smell a 3-run homer?

    It’s amazing how much double plays smell like 3-run homers.

    Actually I think it sometimes works in our favor when there’s a guy on 2nd, especially if he moves around a lot, because sometimes that helps keep Edgar awake.

    actually Edgar and Inge batting bachck to back kills only one rally…if they were spread out they could kill 2

    Man, with Gavin getting better each inning and Nate getting worse, I’m starting to seriously regret putting my life savings on this game. That’s going to be $14.25 sorely missed.

    And with that, Inge’s BA falls to a nerdy .219. He must feel like quite the man prancing around the clubhouse in his Peter Pan tights with half a ham sandwich.

    Nates best friend is the four days he doesn’t start

    “And now we get to see the future hall of famer. And griffey is up too.”

    Are you really claiming that Nate Robertson is a future hall of famer. I mean, ok ok you have an argument, but definitely not first ballot.

    if you had ever read the chronicles of the famous prancing gender-neutral sprite, you would know it is a vegetarian creature that would never let the salty-good but meaty with pigflesh ham dangle from its child-lips.

    problem with Renteria’s hit is that will guarantee him in the lineup for the rest of August

    I agree that it’s the only possible explanation. I propose Renteria’s official nickname be “Gratitude.”

    Detroit going to Kansas City and (I quote) “blowing the goats”.

    KILV (oh now I get it, you’re a TV station, I’m a bit slow to catch on sometimes):

    Another DP – Nato’s balls must be heavy this evening.

    Nate does realize the majority of MLB pitchers do actually like pitching with multi-run leads, right?

    I like it that so many of the Tigers seem like nice guys, but to me it doesn’t seem appropriate to go easy on this pitcher just because he is Amish

    Honestly sky, have you EVER expected the Tigers to win this year regardless of the score?

    Kyle Farnsworth is like the Marcus Thames of pitchers.

    It was weird, I had this nightmare that we traded a first-ballot hall of fame catcher for Kyle Farnsworth. No one would be that stupid, right?

    If you can possibly detach yourself (and just accept that we’re watching a Texas Ranger team of the Midwest night in, night out) this is actually quite comical.

    Perhaps he’s the Yankee Manchurian Candidate, programmed to destroy what little threat Detroit was as a wild card. Or even revenge for 2006.

    I have a theory. Leyland is trying to get Rodney DFA’d tonight.

    Sooo…who’s catching? Sardine-head?

    Well, there was good Rodney. That strike 3 pitch to Griffey was a beauty. It’s like he meant to throw it there.

    B.I.T: “Farnsworth screwed my day Sunday live and in person. Now he is screwing me out of sleep.”

    wow…I knew it was something though I could tell he hasn’t been focused on baseball

    “regarding maggs, you dont get to have an opinion on his approach.”

    You’re not allowed to tell me when I’m not allowed to have an opinion.

    “Hey Billfer, when was Polanco’s last home run with men on base?”

    Yesterday

    And the White Sox, gracious in defeat, do the gentlemanly thing and concede the bottom of the inning, and all shake hands and rehash the big plays of the game and vow to put on another good show tomorrow…

    Hey. Here’s an idea: How about Joel Zumaya throws something OTHER than a fastball?

    on the bright side – a fair amount of strikes…ending up in the outfield

    if dye gets anything anywhere near the plate with runners on 2nd and 3rd somebody needs to finish out the season wearing a clown nose.

    Excellent…the recipe is in order…a dash of hope followed by another crushing defeat. I can’t stop watching

    If we want to talk about someone’s bat that’s slowed down, it’s Jim Thomes. It’s like he’s swinging a redwood tree trunk.

    Uhhhhhhh. Hey Beavis, this video sucks, so like, why do we keep watching it.

    Yeah, sucks. hehe. hehe.

    Can we please start swearing?

    at least todd jones is resting up for the stretch drive

    I’d like to thank all my fans, my family, God, and most importantly, Sky. For believing it would happen.

    I’d better quietly go have a ham sandwich because I swear on Bill Madlock’s gut if Chief Smileyface comes by to explain how it’s still pretty likely the Tigers will win the division, one of us won’t make it back out of this blog…

    They’re not quite as painful as they were a few weeks ago. Really more spectacular now than anything.

    Kevin, I’m in Austin, too… would you mind coming to shoot me?

    Paul – I’ll be at Union Park tomorrow night drinking until I finish my letter to Leyland entitled “How many 5 year olds can you take in a fight but still be out-managed by them?” Feel free to join me.

  526. For a change of pace; we win the next two and Twins lose one, we’re 5 and a half out with 48 to play. And, what’s with Texas?

  527. Ugh is it really almost time for another game already? Good god, Tigers, mercy is a virtue.

  528. No Dave, “mercy” is a hawkism…now go sit in the corner till you’ve learned your lesson.

  529. “If people don’t start stepping it up, you got to go in different directions,” said the visibly frustrated Tigers skipper. “Whether it’s calling people up [from Triple-A Toledo] or making other changes.”

    “This is not some kind of a threat. I really like this team. But you got to do better. I can’t keep putting them in the lineup or giving them the ball to pitch.”

    These quotes aren’t from May. They come prior to Game 111. Put them in the context of what has happened in 2008, especially the first 2 months. This will illustrate why I would rather not see Leyland back for 2009.

    Leyland has been and can be a good manager. I don’t dislike him (and why would I?). But there’s a reason why a manager’s record is the same as the team’s record. Curtis Granderson is not 55-57. Justin Verlander and Todd Jones are not 55-57. Gary Sheffield and Edgar Renteria are not 55-57. Jim Leyland is 55-57. His worst moves have been more damaging than his best ones have improved the team, in my view. I don’t believe for a second that he is motivating any veteran in that clubhouse anymore. They’ll pay him lip service, but he might as well be phoning it in from Pennsylvania.

    You don’t wait 110 games to make it clear (more like “claim” or “idly threaten”) that performance will equal playing time. You just don’t. Illitch and Dombrowski, don’t risk this happening again in 2009.

  531. Well, I dunno about that…

    I feel kinda bad, I’ve noticed I tend to post a lot more when we lose…but then again, we do it in ways that force me to use this blog as therapy.

    I’m at a crossroads, of the two remaining games I would have much rather gone to see JV pitch, but I already did that once earlier this year, and we lost that one. After last nights jinx…I dunno if I can risk endangering the teams good chances of winning the division 🙂

  532. Andre,

    I can only imagine what you went through last night and this morning with your roommate. I imagine he was that body they found in the dumpster in Oak Park.

  533. Sometimes it really takes a Herculean effort of self restraint to not post a string of f-bombs on this site after a game like that one. Really.

  534. Guys, Rodney looked great and fully corrected. He is gifted pitcher and could be a big help over the next six weeks. Zumaya did not throw a bad pitch to end it, he looked a little rough in the 14th, but not completely ineffectual; and Gratitude was not his friend. Zumaya remains part of our excellent core, I think.

    Robertson, however, is done. Money or no money, get him gone. Farnsworth, as we all know, is a mop-up pitcher. That’s fine, just don’t use him when we’re in a close game.

    Get Bonine back up here to replace Robertson in the rotation. Let Robertson work on being another 1-2 atbat lefty out of the bullpen. Pray Porcello is ready in March ’09 instead of July of ’09.

    Imagine, DD looked at Robertson/Rogers/Minor at the trade deadline and said to himself “We’re standing pat, our staff will get us to the playoffs.”

  536. Where is Chief Monday the games been over for 12+ hours? I want to hear his comical/optimistic opinions. They actually make me feel a little better. But only in the way that smashing someones hopes and dreams does.

  537. “Sean C. thanks.”

    You’re not alone, Ron. Meet me and Mike R under his railroad trestle at 0400 hours tomorrow morning. The People’s Revolution shall be heard from! Soon the floors of Czar Illitch’s palace will run red, and the newly liberated Comrade Miguel will carry about a new Skull-On-A-Stick-Friend named Jimmuh.

  538. I’m going to the game on Thursday, anyone else?

    Billfer, it probably wouldn’t be cold, but I could FedEx you a beer.

  539. It appears to me that the 2008 Tigers’ finest hour (so far*) was June 7 – July 30, when they went 31-16. I’ll be posting some individual stats for this period.

    CURTIS GRANDERSON

    47 GAMES, .362/.433/.541 = .974 OPS, 4 HR 18 RBI 39 R, 21 BB in 185 AB

    * Just for you optimism junkies out there.

  540. JUSTIN VERLANDER JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    9 GAMES, 59 IP, 1.13 WHIP, 52 K, 20 BB, .606 OPS AGAINST

  541. TODD JONES JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    22 GAMES, 20 IP, 1.75 WHIP, 5 K, 5 BB, .864 OPS AGAINST

  542. PLACIDO POLANCO JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    44 GAMES, .340/.360/.436 = .796 OPS, 2 HR 21 RBI 30 R

  543. KENNY ROGERS JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    10 GAMES, 66 IP, 1.40 WHIP, 20 K, 17 BB, .790 OPS AGAINST

  544. FREDDY DOLSI JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    19 GAMES, 21 IP, 1.50 WHIP, 7 K, 9 BB, .726 OPS AGAINST

  545. CARLOS GUILLEN JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    42 GAMES, .268/.370/.414 = .784 OPS, 4 HR 23 RBI 33 R, 25 BB in 157 AB

  546. ARMANDO GALARRAGA JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    10 GAMES, 60 IP, 1.25 WHIP, 43 K, 16 BB, .705 OPS AGAINST

  547. BOBBY SEAY JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    16 GAMES, 17 IP, 1.21 WHIP, 20 K, 8 BB, .699 OPS AGAINST

  548. MAGGLIO ORDONEZ JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    32 GAMES, .333/.362/.500 = .862 OPS, 5 HR 24 RBI 15 R

  549. NATE ROBERTSON JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    10 GAMES, 56 IP, 1.68 WHIP, 33 K, 17 BB, .898 OPS AGAINST

  550. CASEY FOSSUM JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    13 GAMES, 19 IP, 1.47 WHIP, 14 K, 8 BB, .726 OPS AGAINST

  551. MIGUEL CABRERA JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    46 GAMES, .326/.359/.567 = .926 OPS, 11 HR 45 RBI 26 R

    The guy was a machine. Holy-moley.

  552. FERNANDO RODNEY JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    17 GAMES, 18 IP, 1.53 WHIP, 18 K, 13 BB, .732 OPS AGAINST

  553. GARY SHEFFIELD JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    28 GAMES, .248/.308/.431 = .739 OPS, 5 HR 17 RBI 10 R, 23 K/9 BB in 109 AB)

  554. JOEL ZUMAYA JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    16 GAMES, 19 IP, 1.81 WHIP, 18 K, 17 BB, .755 OPS AGAINST

  555. MARCUS THAMES JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    38 GAMES, .260/.315/.649 = ..964 OPS, 15 HR 27 RBI 24 R, 48 K in 131 AB

  556. MATT JOYCE JUNE 7 – JULY 30

    25 GAMES, .342/.405/.711 = 1.116 OPS, 5 HR 15 RBI 16 R, 19 K in 76 AB

  557. Pingback: Detroit Tigers Weblog 2008 Year in Review

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