Went to Chicago last week to catch a couple Tigers-White Sox games on Tuesday and Wednesday. If no one remembers, Tuesday night was the game where the Tigers gave up a 6-1 lead, then blew a two run lead in the 14th only to lose on a walk-off 3 run homer. Ouch. Funny thing was, the whole game I had no confidence, no hope of a victory. When Rodney was pitching, I was trying to decide the most creative way he could blow it. I think my favorite was hit the lead off man, air mail the pick off attempt so the guy gets to third, then wild pitch in the winning run. 2 pitches and a loss. (Surprisingly, Rodney was very good that night. It wasn't till today when I looked at the box score that I knew he pitched 3 innings. Nice job...that time.) Anyway, it was just the tried and true equation of Zumaya + Renteria = Heartbreaking Loss. It took about 12 hours for me to remember that Renteria had an error in the inning to lead to the loss. But it was still more on Zumaya than on him, in my opinion. You can't squander 2 homers from your light hitting second baseman. Just can't. The instant the ball cleared the fence we were off to the subway. The car was almost empty, just us and some other fans. Unfortunately, the car stayed put till it filled up with gloating Sox fans. We had to endure stuff like one guy saying to another: "Do you just HATE something, even though you've never been there? Like L.A. - I like L.A., but I've never been there. But I hate Detroit." Stupid stuff.
Next night, Leyland tried to pitch Verlander's arm off (130 pitches? Seriously.) in another loss. In between we caught a game at Wrigley. Good times, I'm glad I caught a game there before it becomes "Mark Cuban Presents HDNet Field."
Of course the Tigers won the one game in the Sox series I wasn't at. And took 2 of 3 from the A's for their first series win since sweeping KC (thanks to Rod and Mario for pointing that out today). Brief flashes of hope mixed in with gut wrenching defeats. As my friend Andy said, at least they're still listed on the ESPN screen that shows the AL Central race. Though maintaining their 8 game deficit won't help. If the Rockies can basically go on a month-long winning streak, this team can win 10 of 12 and get back in it, too. But this year isn't about what they CAN do - it's about what they HAVEN'T done all year. And that is win consistently.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Answer: R-O-D-N-E-Y
Question: How do you spell pathetic? Walking in the winning run in the 10th inning - seriously?! I wonder if that will make people forget about Kyle "Our Bullpen Savior" Farnsworth's 2 HR outing. Probably not. Also probably won't matter. Would you rather have had Rodney allow the walk in the 8th and Farnsworth give up two HRs in the 10th? Now, your logical mind might say, "If Rodney just allowed a run in the 8th, the Tigers would have won." And you're right. Therefore, ipso facto, Farnsworth should be your closer. Good day.
I SAID GOOD DAY!
I SAID GOOD DAY!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Just not good enough...
The Tigers lost again. I rationalized to my mom, "But Tampa Bay is a GOOD team - we're supposed to lose to them." The Tigers just aren't good enough this year, and we're going to have to accept that. Sure, they have the talent to pull a Colorado-in-07 run of 20 wins in 22 games or whatever, but they haven't shown that they have it in them yet, so I for one am not holding my breath.
Friday, August 1, 2008
More trade reaction and a brush with fame
Here's the answer: Pudge wanted out. That explains it a little. Disheartening that the only move the Tigers made was initiated by a disgruntled player and not by the front office itself.
Manny to L.A. - interesting to sya the least. As a fantasy baseball player, I immediately thought of the now-crowded Dodger outfield - Manny, Juan Pierre, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, and Andruw Jones. They insist on playing Jones, which is good for history buffs looking to see the worst season ever, but bad for Dodger fans not keen low power, low average, low fielding regulars. Pierre is not great anymore, but they need a leadoff guy till Furcal comes back. Kemp has maybe been their MVP, and Ethier is a great prospect as well. Little surprised they didn't move Ethier to Pittsburgh and kept Laroche - Casey Blake is not the future at 3rd, but I guess Blake DeWitt is, so no loss there. Manny will boost the Dodgers past the Diamondbacks, most likely, and Jason Bay is not much of a drop off for Boston, so good all around. As a side note, whenever I hear someone on SportsCenter say "D-backs" it sounds like "D-bags" to me.
Finally, I went to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum today. I recommend it - lots of history, learned lots of new things I never knew about that era and those guys. One fun fact - there were integrated teams in the 1880s! But then Cap Anson, most popular player at the time, refused to play with or against blacks, so they made a "gentleman's" agreement to stop signing them. For 60 years apparently. Now that dude was a real "d-bag." Anyway, in the gift shop, I'm checking out and this guy asks if someone who works there will take a picture with him and his son. They inform him that cameras are actually not allowed in there. He pauses then says, "That's funny, because I took pictures last time I was here, when I was invited to come." They said he must have had special permission then, and he said yeah, he was given the tour by someone named Bob. I guess this had meaning to them, because they said, yeah, that was it, and kind of begrudgingly started to say someone would take their picture. That's when the guy spoke up and said, "By the way, I'm Ken Williams, GM of the Chicago White Sox. I took my whole team through here last time." The workers perked up and someone hustled to take his picture with his son. What I should have then done was go up to him and either congratulate him on the Griffey trade or ask him if Swisher would still get playing time (I have Swisher on a fantasy team). My friend Andy said I should tell him good move getting Swisher - which it was. A steal. Quentin, too. Anyway, I didn't do any of that, just watched him from across the room (he looks smallish in person, but a big, commanding voice). He was just dressed in jeans with his teenage-to-20s son, just a normal dude. It was probably nice to be incognito for once. Not that he would probably care about some guy saying hi, but I left him alone. I think it's what I'd want someone to do for me if I was famous.
Manny to L.A. - interesting to sya the least. As a fantasy baseball player, I immediately thought of the now-crowded Dodger outfield - Manny, Juan Pierre, Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, and Andruw Jones. They insist on playing Jones, which is good for history buffs looking to see the worst season ever, but bad for Dodger fans not keen low power, low average, low fielding regulars. Pierre is not great anymore, but they need a leadoff guy till Furcal comes back. Kemp has maybe been their MVP, and Ethier is a great prospect as well. Little surprised they didn't move Ethier to Pittsburgh and kept Laroche - Casey Blake is not the future at 3rd, but I guess Blake DeWitt is, so no loss there. Manny will boost the Dodgers past the Diamondbacks, most likely, and Jason Bay is not much of a drop off for Boston, so good all around. As a side note, whenever I hear someone on SportsCenter say "D-backs" it sounds like "D-bags" to me.
Finally, I went to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum today. I recommend it - lots of history, learned lots of new things I never knew about that era and those guys. One fun fact - there were integrated teams in the 1880s! But then Cap Anson, most popular player at the time, refused to play with or against blacks, so they made a "gentleman's" agreement to stop signing them. For 60 years apparently. Now that dude was a real "d-bag." Anyway, in the gift shop, I'm checking out and this guy asks if someone who works there will take a picture with him and his son. They inform him that cameras are actually not allowed in there. He pauses then says, "That's funny, because I took pictures last time I was here, when I was invited to come." They said he must have had special permission then, and he said yeah, he was given the tour by someone named Bob. I guess this had meaning to them, because they said, yeah, that was it, and kind of begrudgingly started to say someone would take their picture. That's when the guy spoke up and said, "By the way, I'm Ken Williams, GM of the Chicago White Sox. I took my whole team through here last time." The workers perked up and someone hustled to take his picture with his son. What I should have then done was go up to him and either congratulate him on the Griffey trade or ask him if Swisher would still get playing time (I have Swisher on a fantasy team). My friend Andy said I should tell him good move getting Swisher - which it was. A steal. Quentin, too. Anyway, I didn't do any of that, just watched him from across the room (he looks smallish in person, but a big, commanding voice). He was just dressed in jeans with his teenage-to-20s son, just a normal dude. It was probably nice to be incognito for once. Not that he would probably care about some guy saying hi, but I left him alone. I think it's what I'd want someone to do for me if I was famous.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Splitting a series = Kissing your sister
Like they say about hockey ties, splitting a series is like kissing your sister. Especially after a hard fought game last night, to come out and lay an egg like that sucks. Battled a little, but Rapada didn't give us a chance. The Indians announcers pointed out that Farnsworth was not available yet and questioned why - good question. I hope he had a good excuse for not jumping right in to help.
No Manny trade, in other non-news. In news-news, Griffey, Jr. to the White Sox. Should make the little Chicago baseball extravaganza Andy and I will be on next week a little more fun.
Update: Kissing your sister is unsatisfying. You do the math.
Update 2: Yes Manny trade. Haven't read about it in depth. Will react tomorrow. Or tonight. I am sure you will be on the edge of your seat(s)...
No Manny trade, in other non-news. In news-news, Griffey, Jr. to the White Sox. Should make the little Chicago baseball extravaganza Andy and I will be on next week a little more fun.
Update: Kissing your sister is unsatisfying. You do the math.
Update 2: Yes Manny trade. Haven't read about it in depth. Will react tomorrow. Or tonight. I am sure you will be on the edge of your seat(s)...
Goodbye Pudge...Hello, Newman - err, Farnsworth
My friend Andy said I should start a blog about the Detroit Tigers, and so I caved. But I also realized that the Tigers "only" play from February (Spring training) to (hopefully) October, so once other sports start up, or if there is anything pertinent happening with other Detroit teams, I will offer up my opinions. Till then, we have the Tigers. Ah, the Tigers...
Last night was a game that had it all - 13 innings, 7 run comeback, blown save, getting out of a bases loaded no-out jam...and I skipped the end. After 11.5 innings, I decided it was time to go to bed, especially since my wife had been in bed for 2 hours already. I turned off MLB.tv (being in Kansas City, that is my only way to watch games), brought in the dog, turned off lights, etc. I checked out GameDay one last time just in case something happened, only to see Fossum already had 2 on, no out. Disgusted, I went to bed. I woke up my wife, despite my stealth, and she got up to brush her teeth. Glutton for punishment that I am, I took that as my chance to go back and see if Fossum had blown it yet. Close - bases loaded, no out, 1-2 count. A couple balls later, and it was down to one pitch. (I can tell you I thought about Jonesy's last (forever?) blown save and how he was one strike away from winning, and how we were one ball away from losing, but I can also tell you I thought the outcomes would be the same.) I figured I should work on an ulcer, so I kept watching GameDay, not even wanting to see it happen live. When Fossum got the strikeout, I still didn't think we'd win, but at least I could go to bed with some hope. I found out in the morning the awesome details - the double play, scoring 2 in the 13th, then Fossum closing them out. Awesome, awesome win. Tremendous to come back and fight through. All this on the day the (at least to the public (read: at least to me)) emotional leader of the Tigers got traded away to the damn Yankees. That deserves its own paragraph.
We've seen Farnsworth on the Tigers before, back when we traded with the Cubs (for Roberto Novoa, Bo Flowers, and Scott Moore - who?) every few months or so, and it was a decent time. We flipped him to the Braves for someone (Roman Colon and Zach Miner - had to look that one up too) later that year. So, we turned Novoa, Flowers, Moore, and Pudge into Colon, Miner, and Farnsworth. Doesn't look even to me, especially in a market where several teams have reportedly wanted a catcher who reportedly was Pudge. The Marlins have a stocked farm system (which the Tigers do not), but who knows who they offered and how much $$ the Tigers would have had to pay of Pudge's salary. I am sure you know that certain players (like A-Rod and Manny) make more than the Marlins pay their entire roster. Pudge makes more than half their total salary - I know he is worth something, but not THAT much. I read somewhere earlier this year that the advantage the Yankees have is that they can absorb salary. Other teams would make you pay some of the player's salary, but NY will pay it. Of course, they won't give you the same level of talent in return, but it is a trade off most teams take. Like the Pirates this year, or Philly a couple years ago with Abreu and Lidle. Will Pudge be missed? Yes. Will his production be replicated with Inge + Sardinha (mostly Inge)? Most likely yes. The BA will suffer, but the power will improve. Will games be lost because Pudge's arm and game calling are gone? Unknown. I have no clue how much that plays into how the game actually unfolds, but thankfully the Tigers have been playing Inge at C much of the year so the pitching staff is used to him by now. It should not be a shock. Hopefully we can build on last night's win and keep it going today (less than 12 hours after the win).
Last night was a game that had it all - 13 innings, 7 run comeback, blown save, getting out of a bases loaded no-out jam...and I skipped the end. After 11.5 innings, I decided it was time to go to bed, especially since my wife had been in bed for 2 hours already. I turned off MLB.tv (being in Kansas City, that is my only way to watch games), brought in the dog, turned off lights, etc. I checked out GameDay one last time just in case something happened, only to see Fossum already had 2 on, no out. Disgusted, I went to bed. I woke up my wife, despite my stealth, and she got up to brush her teeth. Glutton for punishment that I am, I took that as my chance to go back and see if Fossum had blown it yet. Close - bases loaded, no out, 1-2 count. A couple balls later, and it was down to one pitch. (I can tell you I thought about Jonesy's last (forever?) blown save and how he was one strike away from winning, and how we were one ball away from losing, but I can also tell you I thought the outcomes would be the same.) I figured I should work on an ulcer, so I kept watching GameDay, not even wanting to see it happen live. When Fossum got the strikeout, I still didn't think we'd win, but at least I could go to bed with some hope. I found out in the morning the awesome details - the double play, scoring 2 in the 13th, then Fossum closing them out. Awesome, awesome win. Tremendous to come back and fight through. All this on the day the (at least to the public (read: at least to me)) emotional leader of the Tigers got traded away to the damn Yankees. That deserves its own paragraph.
We've seen Farnsworth on the Tigers before, back when we traded with the Cubs (for Roberto Novoa, Bo Flowers, and Scott Moore - who?) every few months or so, and it was a decent time. We flipped him to the Braves for someone (Roman Colon and Zach Miner - had to look that one up too) later that year. So, we turned Novoa, Flowers, Moore, and Pudge into Colon, Miner, and Farnsworth. Doesn't look even to me, especially in a market where several teams have reportedly wanted a catcher who reportedly was Pudge. The Marlins have a stocked farm system (which the Tigers do not), but who knows who they offered and how much $$ the Tigers would have had to pay of Pudge's salary. I am sure you know that certain players (like A-Rod and Manny) make more than the Marlins pay their entire roster. Pudge makes more than half their total salary - I know he is worth something, but not THAT much. I read somewhere earlier this year that the advantage the Yankees have is that they can absorb salary. Other teams would make you pay some of the player's salary, but NY will pay it. Of course, they won't give you the same level of talent in return, but it is a trade off most teams take. Like the Pirates this year, or Philly a couple years ago with Abreu and Lidle. Will Pudge be missed? Yes. Will his production be replicated with Inge + Sardinha (mostly Inge)? Most likely yes. The BA will suffer, but the power will improve. Will games be lost because Pudge's arm and game calling are gone? Unknown. I have no clue how much that plays into how the game actually unfolds, but thankfully the Tigers have been playing Inge at C much of the year so the pitching staff is used to him by now. It should not be a shock. Hopefully we can build on last night's win and keep it going today (less than 12 hours after the win).
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