Neck surgery likely ends Palmer’s season So next year when we hear the list of reasons the Tigers will be better, and they say “Plus we’ll have Deano healthy, we didn’t have him all last year” take it with a grain of salt.
With Dmitri Young out, the Tiggers are better off with Craig Monroe around to add some balance to a lineup that gets its power from left-handed hitters like Rob Fick, Bobby Higginson, the shockingly hot Randall Simon, and Jacob Cruz. When your right-handed power sources are supposed to be Craig Paquette and a healthy Dean Palmer, you can use whatever you can get. As I’ve mentioned before, however, Monroe can do some real damage against lefties.
Last season at Kansas City, Mike Sweeney charged Tigers right-hander Jeff Weaver, and the Tigers and Royals brawled. Higginson said the sides have “a little grudge match going,” and Tigers manager Luis Pujols said, “We’re playing hardball. If you don’t like it, get out of the way.”
Detroit 9, Kansas City 3 Brandon Inge the DH? At first I thought Pujols was crazy, but then again if you want Brandon to get better you have to keep getting him at-bats. Inge responded going 3-5. Sparks got the complete game which is good. Randall Simon strained his quad in the third which is bad.
Russ says the Tigers need to tank the season and use the contraction of the Expos as a building opportunity.
They need to lose as many games as possible this season. Why? Two words: Vladimir Guerrero! The guy is a superstar. And, when the Expos contract next season, the last place team will get the first pick of players off of the contracted team’s rosters.