2009 Season, Game Post

Game 2009.144: Royals at Tigers

92 Comments

PREGAME: Tigers fans a couple weeks ago looked at the schedule and though, “dude we’re playing the Royals at home, that’s like a sweep,” and the dudes probably would have been thinking the Tigers would win. But then the Tigers lost. And Jarrod Washburn struggled in his last start. And Robinson Tejeda was bringing serious stuff in his last start and suddenly things don’t look so bright and shiny. At least not in this match-up.

Maybe the Tigers can learn from their last time out against the Royals though. Like maybe the hitters should try a different game plan against Tejeda and maybe Washburn should try a different game plan against the Royals. (oddly enough Washburn didn’t allow a homer in that game, just lots and lots of baserunners). It is noteworthy that Washburn has allowed homers in every game he’s pitched as a Tiger – except when facing the Royals.

Your, “Drinks are on Maggs, the boy is vesting tonight” lineup:

  1. Granderson, CF
  2. Guillen, LF
  3. Ordonez, RF
  4. Cabrera, 1B
  5. Huff, DH
  6. Avila, C
  7. Inge, 3B
  8. Santiago, 2B
  9. Everett, SS

Kansas City vs. Detroit – September 15, 2009 | MLB.com: Gameday

POSTGAME: Washburn is toast. Tejeda is good. Maggs is rich(er). Boras is a clown. At least nobody got hurt.

92 thoughts on “Game 2009.144: Royals at Tigers”

  1. It is kind of crazy how many different lineups we have used over the last month or so about the only thing for sure everyday is Miguel is hitting cleanup. Would be really nice to do well in this series and put another game between us and the Minn/ChicWS before our big road trip.

  5. This is a Lefty Lineup, so one can’t tell–any updates on Raburn’s knee (I’m gonna have to start calling him Baby Inge again if he’s gonna be playing with bad knees…)?

  6. When a player has a vesting contract like this, and reaches the requisite number of at bats, they really should call time for a very brief ceremony where they put an actual vest on him that he wears over his jersey the rest of the game.

    They already use St. Patrick’s Day-Paper-Hat-Green for the Masters and 1978-Mercury -Marquis-Yellow for the NFL Hall of Fame, so I’m thinking maybe Crossing-Guard-Orange would be the thing…

  12. I’m blaming Billfer for not updating the Anthem singer record. To paraphrase Bull Durham, you don’t “mess” with a winning streak.

    1. I interviewed a national anthem singer. I’ve gone wall to wall national anthem around this place lately. I’ve gotta put the blame on Washburn.

      1. OK 50-50%

        I will say Washburn seems to have the skin of a 12 year old. You could see him collapse after Mags misplayed that double.

  13. Hmmm, Avila may not have any holes in his swing but there may be one in his catcher’s mitt, he should have some one take a look at that for him

    1. I’m blaming you. You didn’t specify.

      Actually Washburn is cleverly helping the team to keep utilizing their comeback powers while they got them cranked up

      1. Crap, my bad fellas 🙂

        You know, maybe Ordonez already started buying drinks for Washburn before the game & that is the real problem 😉

  19. Hard to figure what’s more infuriating, the wind-blown double to Willie freaking Bloomquist or a four-pitch walk to GIDP machine Miguel Olivo. Oh right, the homer by Callaspo.

    Are the Royals in this team’s head?

    1. At least we can thank Avila for the passed ball, he saved us from the indignity of a Callaspo grand slam…

  20. Okay, I’ll admit it – I thought the Washburn trade would be a plus when it took place. I might have even said so here.

    Right now, I don’t care if I ever see him pitch in a Tigers uniform again. This has worked out about as well as when we picked up Farnsworthless a second time around.

  22. OK, so any time now we can DL Washburn.
    Is there any doubt now that Porcello is our 3rd playoff starter?

    1. You are right. Washburn can hardly walk, let alone pitch. Either pump his knee so full of cortisone that he cannot feel below his hips and becomes serviceable or put him on the DL.
      The question is whether the Tigers can call up another pitcher. Obviously that pitcher could not be on the playoff roster, but they could hopefully make a few starts. Is there anyone who could do that with the minor league season is over? Or could the Tigers make a Matt Stairs like pick-up and bring in somebody to start a few times?

  23. What the crap is Guillen swining at? Seriously? Is this how we are going to end the season, losing six straight to the Royals?

  27. It’s gonna be tough to make up 4 runs against Cy Tejada.

    Oh well, at least we have the Vest Ceremony to look forward to…

  28. What really depresses me, the Tigers are in a pennant race, meanwhile they’re in life-or-death struggles against teams (Oakland, Toronto, KC, etc.) that were dead a long time ago and the players are just trying to pad their stats so they get a contract next year.

    …and the only way for this night to get better?

    Zach Miner!

    Ugh.

  29. I just looked at the probable pitchers for the rest of this series and can’t help but have a bad feeling about it…

    1. Yeah but we’re making him throw tons of pitches, so he’ll have to leave in the 7th with a no-hitter going.

      Ha ha! How demoralizing!

      1. That has sadly been my train of thought too many times this year. On the bright side, we did just get a hit, and one from Curtis. They need to get to Tejada this inning before its too late.

  31. There is some satisfaction in the thought that Washburn should have a very hard time convincing any contender thay might consider signing him that he can be trusted to pitch in a pennant race. I hear the Pirates and Nationals are looking for mediocre lefthanded starters.

  33. Santiago should’ve tagged on that one and hoped Betancourt would flub the throw, that seems to be our best play

  35. I rarely call a game over in the fourth inning but this one is done. Just changed the channel. Have a good night, folks.

  38. This calls for the perfect cheer. U-G-L-Y you don’t got no alibi, you’re UGLY, you’re UGLY.

    That’s what this game is looking like – UGLY with a big Ugh.

  39. To add insult to injury today they announced the Opening Day schedule for next season. We open on the road…at Kansas City. Whee!

  42. So, if Miner is only capable of pitching 2 innings now, who is going to take Washburn’s place in the rotation?

  43. Maybe in tomorrow’s Detroit News Lynn Henning will do an article about Assburn’s stocking dropping tremendously in one month…

  44. 85 wins takes the AL Central. And that’s with the Twins going 13-5. There’s no way the Tigers don’t get to 85.

    1. Thanks for the info. Right now that doesn’t quite help us choke down this game, but it’s a start 🙂 Honestly, if it wasn’t the friggin’ Royals I wouldn’t be all too upset. I just can’t stand losing so many games to a perennial Division bottom feeder.

  45. Obviously the Mariners knew a lot more than we did. Now I see why the USS Mariner was so pumped about the deal. I don’t think French is all that, Washburn was worth the risk. Didn’t go our way, but props to DD for taking a stab. The Huff move already won us 1 game. We’ll win the Central even with his terrible pitching, just gonna need the kid if we expect to go any further than that.

    (Don’t forget that Twinkies are sans Morneau for the year)

        1. Hmm, well, considering his OPS+ is 59, then yeah, he might have a negative WARP since he’s been here. I’m not sure if anyone calculates that in-season. Though I wasn’t against that move when it was made.

  46. and that’s the official end of the game…disgusting to see so many men left on base each and every game.

  47. Well I have said it before that I understand why the Washburn move was made and I was fine with what he gave up to take a chance to really improve our staff. But it sure has not worked out as Washburn has been a train wreck. I don’t even think you can pitch him any more as he has been that bad. As for Huff he has not been great either but it is not look like he replaced somebody that was doing any better.

    Also what is Alfredo Figaro’s status is he healthy enough to pitch or did he finish the year on the DL?

  49. Here’s something fun – currently there are 3 highlight videos on the iPhone At-Bat application:

    “Callaspo’s three-run shot” (pretty legit)

    “DeJesus’ three-run shot” (nice)

    “Guillen’s RB single”

    Which one doesn’t belong with the others?

  50. Tigers currently only +9 runs for the entire season meaning they are one blowout short of achieving the pretty awesome feat of making the playoffs with a negative run differential. Seriously, that would be sort of awesome.

    1. Their X W-L is gonna go to 72-72, which generally leaves 2 explanations for being 10 games over. Incredible luck, or incredible managing.

      1. Yeah, I thought they would go 76-86 this year, the numbers suggest 82-80, and yet they will go 86-76 and win the division. Go figure. (Or more to the point, don’t figure).

      2. A 3rd explanation: the imbalance in home vs road record, even with the high number of walk off wins.

        The X W-L is based on Runs Scored vs Runs Allowed; in home victories you have 8 innings of run scoring and 9 innings of run allowing, except in the case of 9th (or extra) inning walk off wins–but even then your scoring is cut short when that rally-killing-winning-run scores and ends the game.

        This also excuses somewhat the Tigers low ranking in some of the quantitative offensive categories. Their home record is actually costing them several plate appearances per game.

        I’m not sure why it took me so long to realize this…

        1. OK, that actually checks out. I calculated the X W-L for our home games: 55.12%, or 40 – 32 (we are 47 – 25). We are actually slightly worse in road games than we should be 30 – 42 (vs 33 – 39).

          This works for any team with an unusually good home record. Yankees? 93 – 53, X W-L 86 – 60. Great managing? More likely it’s that 51 – 23 home record.

    2. Playoffs? We are a KC and Metro-dome sweeps away from being out of 1st Place. I have little concern about the playoffs, I’m just hoping for a few wins in the next couple games.

  54. Was it just me, or did I notice Illitch’s arm reaching around to strangle DD in the team pic today?

  55. The firm of Washburn, Willis, Robertson, and Bonderman is billing 40 million dollars this year.

    (Yes, I know the Tigers are only paying a fraction of Washburn’s).

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