The Tigers welcome the resurgent Mets into CoPa today for the first time since the Mets took 2 of 3 at Citi Field last year. After a horrendous 5-13 start, the Mets have been playing pretty well, and may even be buyers at the trade deadline instead of dangling Reyes and Carlos Beltran over drooling front runners.
Journeyman R.A. Dickey throws for the Mets, his 3rd team in 4 years. Dickey was phenomenal in his second year with Mets last year, posting a 2.84 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 175 innings. He’s returned to closer to his career numbers this year, with a 3.76 ERA (remember, it’s the NL), and a 1.32 WHIP. He’s striking out 6.1/9 this year, his best since his first full season with the Rangers in 2003.
Porcello looks to get the Tigers to a season high 8 games over .500 tonight. Porcello has been drilled his last two outings, and is looking to return to his late April and May form which saw him go 6-1 over a 9 game stretch. Let’s hope the heat is not starting to affect his sinker. Game time temperature is expected to be 75.
Now for today’s obligatory Ryan Raburn talk… Joe Posnanski wrote up a piece yesterday on how boring Adam Dunn is to watch, and spent a little time on Dunn’s record setting strike-out rate. Currently, Dunn is striking out in 36.6% of his PAs (it’s gone up since Posnanski did his research) which would be the worst such rate in baseball history. As many swing and misses Raburn and Jackson have put us through, their rates are 27.25% and 32.9%, respectively. So it could be worse. That said, though I couldn’t find anywhere which lists K/PAs, Jackson and Raburn seem to be comfortably in the top 5.
A few other notes of interest:
– Tigers are 2nd in the AL in BA with a .266 mark
– Tigers starters named Brad, Phil, Max and Rick do not have a win since June 7th. Tigers are 7-9 in games when JV doesn’t pitch over that stretch.
Your Ra-Barely Made It Lineup:
1. Austin Jackson, CF
2. Brennan Boesch, LF
3. Magglio Ordonez, RF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Victor Martinez, DH
6. Jhonny Peralta, SS
7. Alex Avila, C
8. Brandon Inge, 3B
9. Ryan Raburn, 2B
K/PA (league rank)
Raburn – 76/236 (6/7)
Jackson – 91/342 (2)
Dunn – 100/279 (1)
Dunn is truly scary. To get pct divide Ks by PA – I don’t have a calculator handy at the moment.
&%$@#
i concur with that analysis
What is it with all the double plays tonight??? Two great opportunities have been wiped out so far.
Make that 3. Might be one of those nights.
Another wasted opportunity… They are killing themselves while Dickey is just serving it to them on a silver platter.
And the hill gets a little bit taller for our offense….
And the wheels have come off the Porcello train….
Agreed. He’s broken. I hear Dontrelle Willis is available.
Yeah, I have no idea what is going on with him as of late, but he has just been horrible.
And the bullpen is back to its old reliable self…
Let’s go D Backs.
Better rely on the D-Backs because it is clear the offense has hung it up for the night.
Does Detroit have any pitchers?
Ever heard of Justin Verlander?
Nah, me neither
Here comes another grand slam
Ouch
Think I’m ready to call this one quits
Schlareth = one man clown show. Hell, he’s a 3 ring circus all to himself (walks, HBP and slams).
Apparently the record for most grand slams in one game by a single team is 2. So, if they leave Schlereth in we might get to witness a historic moment.
It’s just one game friends. Let them get all of their hits today. We’ll take the series.
The Bush is in the game.
You’re Justin is great but on a night like tonight it’s difficult to remember how good the whole team can be.
This has become a scrimage. Not fair to those who paid to see a game. How bush league is that???
Looks in the box score like Dirks came in for Magglio. Is Mags ok?