Detroit Tigers: 89-64, 1st Place (6.0 ahead of Cleveland). Magic Number: 4
It would be nice if the Tigers could win the division this weekend on their last home stand–hey, it would be nice whenever they win the division. That might be a tough task though with Cleveland playing three games against the Astros, who are butt-sliding their way to a 100+ loss season. Even if the Tigers sweep the White Sox, they will need the Astros to pull out at least one game to score a home celebration.
If they clinch in Minnesota, they will have to ponder how to celebrate, seeing as there is no swimming pool at Target Field. Perhaps Vince could suggest some ideas. I might agree with the grumbling Diamondbacks that a celebration like the Dodgers’ has no place in baseball–if I could only get over the concept of a SWIMMING POOL in the outfield stands.
Anyway, assuming the Tigers do win the division, the current playoff seedings look like this:
- Boston 93 61 —
- Oakland 90 63 2 1/2
- Detroit 89 64 3 1/2
Boston has the toughest remaining schedule of the three:
Boston:
- Toronto (3)
- at Colorado (2)
- at Baltimore (3)
Oakland:
- Minnesota (3)
- at LA Angels (3)
- at Seattle (3)
Detroit:
- Chicago (3)
- at Minnesota (3)
- at Miami (3)
*****
Take 5: Max Scherzer makes one more try to get victory #20 tonight.
Today’s Player of the Pre-game: Prince Fielder. Prince has gotten hot lately, hitting .383 over the last two weeks. Despite the popularity of his nacho-nabbing antics yesterday, Prince finds the nachos a little too insubstantial for his appetite, swipes a hot dog, and does a subsequent Gates Brown slide into 2nd base.
Tonight’s Lineup:
- Jackson, CF
- Hunter, RF
- Cabrera, 3B
- Fielder, 1B
- Martinez, DH
- Dirks, LF
- Infante, 2B
- Avila, C
- Santiago, SS
For a change how about just going out and scoring a bunch of runs this weekend and make it easy against a team that is going nowhere!!!
They listened.
Dirks…you kiddin me!! attaboy!
hey Alex how about keeping this up for another month or so!!
You mean the four strikeouts? I’m sure he will.
So, does Danny Worth get to play today? As the score piles up it looks like the bench will be getting some play time soon.
that AL Wild Card race is very interesting….glad we are not in it!!!
My money is on Haagen Dazs.
with the pressure basically over…we need the Tigs to bang the ball around all weekend like this….although we will take 4 off Sale!!!
Ah yes, Cat’s Pride. That’s a Tiger’s thing, right?
I thought it was kitty litter.
Max run support!!
At the beginning of the season I figured V-Mart would be good for a .280 BA and I would have been very happy with that. At the AS break I thought he would be lucky to hit .250. He is at .302 now. Man, what a 2nd half he has had. Since July 19: .367/.417/.482/.899. Just for comparison, Miggy during the same time: .309/.412/.600/1.012.
I guess AA kinda forgot how good he has been doing and needed a retro night!
the biggest problem with this Alvarez inning is now Mumbles is totally convienced he has to have Coke!!!!!!
With his broken arm and everything. Well there is still Darren Downs. You remember Darren Downs – they recalled him from his off-season vacation about two weeks ago?
Tigers have a huge problem with that bullpen. After Benoit, Smyly, and Veras, what is there? Coke is done, Rondon hasn’t pitched in 18 days and might be done, Downs hasn’t pitched in the majors in a blue moon, and Alburquerque is just wishful thinking. How do you round it out? Alvarez (what happened tonight?), Putkonen (meh), and Bonderman (meh with injuries)?
I suppose Al-Al gets a free pass. He’s been “so good” over his last 4 outings. I don’t think allowing 2 runs on a WP is good, don’t think giving up leadoff walks is good, and don’t think he’s been so good at all.
Does Porcello end up in the bullpen for the postseason? That would at least improve the bullpen.
What is wrong with Putkonen – besides his Game Tracker picture?
Putkonen isn’t bad, really. I haven’t forgotten the Oakland game. I guess he’s in. I just want clean innings from every reliever every time out, and when I don’t get it, I sulk.
This was great. I’m blacked out of the White Sox games on mlb.tv (sole source, no TV nor any desire to watch/listen to any White Sox broadcast under any circumstances) and, because of one terrible DET-CHW game I caught on radio earlier this season (all I remember is an 8-run inning), I stopped trying to listen to the games out of superstitious dread. I tuned in to this one. Glad I did.
Max Scherzer, 20-3. Pretty cool. Maybe not his best game, but about time for win #20. Interesting stat brought up by Dan & Jim, amazing one really: Only 2 pitchers ever – *ever* – have reached their first 1,000 IP with as many as 71 wins and over 1,000 strikeouts: Scherzer and Pedro Martinez.
Sale can beat the Tigers, but he can’t beat the Indians. The Indians can beat Sale, but they can’t beat the Tigers. The Tigers can beat the Indians, but they can’t beat Sale.
It’s a good thing Sale does’t pitch for Cleveland.