5-1, 1st place, 1.5 games up on CWS
The Tigers pull into the south side of Chicago with a sparkling 5-1 record and series victories against two clubs in the upper echelon of the American League. Many believe Tampa to be the best team in the AL, and the Tigers were one overthrown JV fastball from sweeping them.
Friday afternoon will be the home opener for the White Sox who looked good against a great Texas team in Arlington, and then took both games in a rain shortened series against the Indians earlier this week.
Though Ozzie Guillen is now managing the Marlins from a hotel bar in Little Havana, the White Sox remain largely unchanged from last year’s disappointing third place finish. It will be interesting to see the reception that Adam Dunn gets after what was likely the worst season contract wise in MLB history. Dunn is off to a slow start again this year with only 4 hits and 1 HR this season contributing to a .753 OPS. .753 isn’t terrible for the bigs (slightly below average), but it’s bad for the a 1B and pretty empty since his 4 walks are buoying that average. I wonder how much longer he’ll be the everyday first baseman. I can’t imagine that he gets more than a month.
In controversial Tiger player news, Brandon Inge hopped on a bus in Toledo last night and ended up in Detroit (or somewhere near Detroit). Inge’s short stint in Toledo was disappointing, at best, where he mustered 1 hit in 9 ABs against AAA pitching. Inge shrugged it off, citing that “the timing will come back” and that “drawing walks” is important (he drew 3). But it looks like his Babe Ruth reputation also made the trip to Toledo because Inge “really didn’t get many good pitches to hit. They weren’t throwing me much — which was kind of funny.” Funny indeed.
When asked about Inge’s performance, Phil Nevin responded in coach-speak with an eye on Gene Lamont’s job by failing to offer anything of interest: Toledo manager Phil Nevin gave this assessment of Inge to the Toledo Blade: “He was moving around well, and he’s a great athlete. He was tested on some diving plays, and he looks as if he’s ready to go.” Knowing JL, I expect Inge to be in the lineup on Sunday against Lefty Chris Sale.
Scherzer v. Peavy at 2:10pm eastern. Someone please post the lineups when avail.
Today’s Odd-Numbers-Bat-Righty, Evens-Lefty Lineup:
1. Austin Jackson, CF
2. Brennan Boesch, RF
3. Miguel Cabrera, 3B
4. Prince Fielder, 1B
5. Delmon Young, LF
6. Alex Avila, C
7. Jhonny Peralta, SS
8. Andy Dirks, DH
9. Ryan Raburn, 2B
Cabrera now leads the majors in re-drawn batters boxes. Never have seen that one before. Hopefully it makes Peavy forget what he was doing.
Hey, what happened Coleman? For those not watching the game, I’m lost and need more explanation than “on-field delay” posted in MLB.com Gameday. Thanks!
Cabrera stepped in the box, looked down, called time, and said the batter’s box was drawn too far forward. They came out and measured, and yep, he was right. So the grounds crew came out, raked over it, and they redrew the whole thing, while Cabrera chuckled and fans booed.
Carries the team and finds time to perform ballpark surveying. Just another reason Cabby will be the MVP this year!
Rumor has it that he is in charge of the grounds crew back at Comerica also.
Via Beck Twitter: there is a locker and jersey that says “Inge” in the visitors’ locker room, in case anyone was wondering…
So somebody explain again why Delmon Young is in LF and Dirks is DH…that was positively Raburn-like
Warning: Clown Show in progress
“He gone!! That’s 5 strikeouts for the Jakemeister!” OK, sound going off…
http://www.heavethehawk.com/
A good pitcher’s duel. Tigers need to make something of any break
The Only Tiger from Vicksburg, Mississippi puts the Tigers only one back
Better yet sends Peavy to the showers
Heartbreaking. But gotta give it to their D.
Delmon “Clown Show” Young
The replays were all too fast online. Wasn’t Konerko out of the plate?
Dan and Jim seemed to think that he got in just under the tag.
Hawk and Stone initially said good call by the ump, then after another replay said ooh, they maybe got him.
It’s official, Worth out, Inge in. Villarreal out, Wilk in.
And are we really doomed to carry a Raburn who is a clown show waiting to happen in the field, and useless with a bat until August 1?
Steve Stone, incidentally, called Villarreal’s wild pitch that let the run in. Nice commentary…he was saying while Avila wasd setting up inside it was all fastball, but as soon as he sets up outside it will be breaking stuff, in the dirt, and a run will score…which is exactly what happened. BV’s fastball had all kinds of movement and seemed unhittable…I get that you can only go there so many times though…at any rate, I still think he has potential. And if I were Stone I’d try to find a gig that didn’t involve The Hock.
Inge batting a whopping .111 in Toledo is a significant improvement from Rayburn at .095. Of course Ol Smokey would say that they are due.
He may only be hitting .095, but to be fair, he does have a .130 OBP.
let me see if I have this straight…Dirks who can actually play left…is the DH
Young who can’T play left…plays left
Worth who can actually play second base..goes to the minors and
Inge who has never played second base replaces him…………
business as usual!!!! Clownshow 101
I have a decent knowledge of baseball, yet I cannot say who would be the better LF, Ryan Raburn or Delmon Young. Raburn is capable of much more in the field, and yet it’s hard to imagine DY with the kind of “own-goal” HR that Raburn managed. Regardless, the best left fielders on the roster are probably Dirks, then Kelly, then…Inge.
Inge actually looks good at 2B…Phil Nevin said Inge is a great “athlete,” which is coach speak for “damn me if the guy can’t actually play second, but I’ll eat an olde English D if he bats .200.”
Then again, having seen Phil Nevin play 3rd, perhaps he is easily impressed.
Post of the Day.