Tigers Weekly 2007 Season

Week 2: 4/18/07 - 4/24/07

The Tigers have not been dull to watch this season. 
It seems that every game is decided by a run or two,
and extra-inning contests have been a dime-a-dozen. 
This week the ball didn't bounce their way too often,
and it resulted in a 2-4 record.  The bullpen is of
prime concern.  With the loss of Jamie Walker and
Fernando Rodney being himself lost, there hasn't been
much stability in the late innings.  Todd Jones has
blown his last two save opportunities, and Joel Zumaya
has looked human in his last two appearances.  Defense
has also been letting the team down of late (nine
errors in these six games).  Still, the feeling is
that the ship just needs to be righted.  There are
some positive signs.  The offensive output was pretty
good, though the Tigers endured stretches in
back-to-back games against Chicago where they had 15
or more batters go down in order... and in both those
games they had a great first inning!  Very confusing. 
If I had to choose bewteen good or exciting, I'd take
good.  But I'm certainly happy to be watching a
mediocre Tigers team that's exciting as opposed to a
dull one that is also terrible.  The tough AL Central
should ensure that no team gets too hot for too long. 
This could be one of the best divisional races in a
while.

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Week of 4/18 - 4/24

Record:  2-4  L-LLWWL

Up Next for the Tigers...

April 25-26       @ Chicago White Sox
April 27-29         Minnesota
April 30 - May 2    Baltimore

AL Central Standings...

CLE  10  7 -
CWS  11  8 - 
DET  11  9 0.5
MIN  11  9 0.5
KCR   6 14 5.5

Tigers News and Notes:  Jose Mesa was put on the
15-day DL and called up Aquilino Lopez.  Lopez was put
right into the fire, seeing action in two games
against Chicago.  For Mesa, it seems to me like one of
those "this guy is terrible, so let's hide him on the
DL" things.  Let's hope he improves when he returns. 
His contributions have, so far, been less than
satisfactory.

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Tiger of the Week...
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On a team that can't seem to hit the broad side of a barn, Tiger of the Week Placido Polanco is hitting everything. Much like the ALCS last year, Polanco has been a very tough out. Though he isn't much of a threat to hit that three-run homer, he is the guy you want to see (especially now) with runners in scoring position. Today he even drew a walk. You know Polanco's in the zone when he takes a walk (he drew 17 in 495 plate appearances last season). With Ugueth Urbina languishing in a Venezuelan prison, Tiger fans can crack a smile knowing that we were, for once, on the right side of a lopsided deal. With Dave Dombrowski in town, gone are the days of Luis Gonzalez for Karim Garcia and "The Future" for Juan Gonzalez.

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Fallen Tiger Fan...
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One of the fallen at Virginia Tech was apparently a
big Tigers fan.  Several readers have written in to
suggest/ask that the following links and announcements
be included in this week's issue.

From detroittigers.com

The family of Brian Bluhm, the former Detroit area
resident and lifelong Tigers fan who was a victim of
the Virginia Tech shootings, has set up a memorial
fund for him. Contributions can be sent to the Brian
Bluhm VT Civil Engineering Fellowship Fund, c/o
Marathon Bank, 4095 Valley Pike, Winchester, VA 22601.

Links (courtesy of "General" Lee Cole):

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?name=
granderson_curtis&lpos=spotlight&lid=tab6pos2

http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=
20070418&content_id=1916093&vkey=news_det&fext=.jsp
&c_id=det

The tragedy was a terrible thing.  We should all be
extra thankful that instances like those are the
exception in America and not the norm.  That is not
the case everywhere.  The families of the lost should
be in all of our prayers.

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Percival Returns the Favor...
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This tidbit provided by Nic "Gilby" Gilbert.  

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http://www.mlive.com/tigers/stories/index.ssf?/base/
sports-2/1175555405252820.xml&coll=1

Its about how Troy Percival bought a suite at Comerica
for $120,000 with his championship money even though
he will never use it.  Instead he lets any of the
Tigers wives use it each game.  What a guy! HEHEHE

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The Fine Print...
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Ever wonder how much the Tigers are getting paid, or
anyone else in MLB for that matter?  I've always been
a little irked that the major sports websites don't
provide this information somewhere, but a quick Google
search this week pointed me in the right direction. 
If you're interested in that sort of stuff, check out

http://mlbcontracts.blogspot.com/

This site has the contract info for all major league
teams; both the forty-man roster and also some minor
leaguers.  Included are technicalities such as
no-trade clauses, perfomance incentives, deferred
payments, and club options.  It's really quite
interesting, but watch out.  After scrolling through
the superstar contracts I actually felt a little sorry
that Curtis Granderson and Joel Zumaya were ONLY
making $410,000 per year.  Poor guys!

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Poll Question...
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As I listen to Alabama's "Cheap Seats" I wonder what
songs would be on the Ultimate Baseball Soundtrack. 
What songs do you think belong?  These can be songs
written about baseball or songs that are commonly
heard at the ball park.  What are the songs that you
would put on your Ultimate Soundtrack?  Let's limit
yourselves to 10 songs (one for each inning, plus an
extra frame).  I'll submit my list next week.

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Game Linescores...
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April 18:  Kansas City 4 - Detroit 3   F/10
Starters:  KCR: Meche 8IP - DET: Bonderman 7IP
KCR  000 000 102 1  4 6 1
DET  000 003 000 0  3 8 0
W: Soria (1-0)
L: Rodney (1-3)

April 19:  no game scheduled...

April 20:  Chicago White Sox 5 - Detroit 4
Starters:  CWS: Danks 4.2IP - DET: Durbin 5IP
CWS  001 102 100  5 7 0
DET  001 030 000  4 8 0
W: Masset (1-0)
L: Grilli (0-1)
S: Jenks  (5)

April 21:  Chicago White Sox 7 - Detroit 5  F/10
Starters:  CWS: Contreras 7IP - DET: Robertson 6.1IP
CWS  000 310 010 2  7 10 0
DET  400 001 000 0  5  6 3
W: Aardsma (2-0)
L: Rodney  (1-4)
S: Jenks   (6)

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Gilby Sees a Ball Game...

Game Temp: 75+ degrees

Bought tickets the night before for seats along the
third baseline.  It seems that with the Wings and
Pistons both playing at home later in the day, fans
had better things to do.  Attendance was almost
40,000, but there were noticable holes in the
expensive seats.  After arriving at the ballpark for
the first time this season and settling into our
seats, I noticed a few cosmetic changes that are 100%
for the better.  First, the out of town scoreboard is
now a video board instead of just scores.  I felt that
it was a major improvement, as it brought graphics and
other cool things during down times.  Secondly, under
the upper deck luxury boxes and the pitch count board
are new matrix wraparound video displays similar to
those installed the past couple seasons at The Palace
and The Joe.  It brought a new element to the ballpark
and livened up the scene.

A nice matchup between Robertson and Contreras faced
us this afternoon.  The Tigers started off with a BANG
with a double, single, hit by pitch, flyout, and then
the 3rd grand slam of the young three week season by
Guillen.  It landed about 8 rows up in the right field
stands.  It was quickly 4-0.  But as in most games
this year, this lead would not hold up.  A perfect
game through 3 was about to come crashing down.  The
Sox got three in the 4th thanks to a couple walks and
an untimely Inge error.  Sox added another in the 5th
to tie it on yet another error, this time by
Robertson.  At this point, 16 straight Tigers had gone
up and down in order.  

However, things started to look up for once when
Magglio hit one to the bricks in left to give the
Tigers a 5-4 lead going into the eighth with Zumaya on
the mound.  This had makings of an easy win.  But this
is the Tigers and the 2007 bullpen we are talking
about here.  A wild pitch and a walk mixed with a
single tied the game in the eighth with the blown save
going to Zumaya.  An uneventful ninth meant extra
innings.  It is worth a note that after the Tigers
failed to score in the 9th, over HALF the crowd got up
and left.  When they announced Fernando "I can't get
an out" Rodney was coming in, it seemed the remaining
half started walking about.  It seems that Tigers "I
jumped on the bandwagon only when it was cool" fans do
not go to games for the pure enjoyment of the full
game of baseball.

At this point I had been enjoying the standing section
behind homeplate.  Joe and I decided to go catch the
10th in the good seats.  We sit down in front of this
guy who thought he was one of those "sweet dudes" who
was trying to mack on this chick he had brought with
him.  He had those "cool people" little glasses on, a
gold chain, and a nice platinum watch on.  Pissed that
we had sat in front of them, he said in his sweet dude
low voice, "Hey you guys supposed to be sitting in
those seats."  My buddy Joe turned to him and replied,
"NOPE!"  It was a classic, shut the hell up and just
watch the game.  Later, the guy was trying to impress
this new lady with the classic line, "my ex-gf used to
work at the hotel where the players stay and I met
them once."  Who the hell talks about their ex when
trying to pick someone up?  Classic, "I think I am
sweet, but clearly am not" kind of guy.

Well back to the top of the 10th, double up the middle
by Konerko, double up the middle by Dye, lineout, E6
by Guillen, Sac fly, and groundout later the Tigers
trailed 7-5.  Rodney clearly was not looking right.  I
think at one point he had 12 balls and 5 strikes.  And
most of the 5 strikes were the hits.  He just couldnt
find the strike zone.  Three quick outs by Bobby Jenks
and the Tigers bullpen had blown yet another win for
the Tigers.

The things I took out of this game:
1) The bullpen just isn't connecting on its pitches
2) The swings are just ugly (although I like the
number of walks this year and the patience displayed)
3) Rodney needs to be shot
4) My God! Can someone field a ball!
5) The Tigers have 7 guys batting under .200 and three
starters under .130...OUCH!
6) Sheffield is trying too hard...plain and
simple...you can see it in his swings
7) Damn the sun is hot on Saturday afternoon...I am
toast.
8) Pudge caught in his 1,950 game tying him for 4th
place on MLB's all-time games caught list...That is a
long time to be catching on your knees.

Gilby 0-1 on the year

...At least dashing donut won the donut race for me

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April 22:  Chicago White Sox 5 - Detroit 6  F/12
Starters:  CWS: Garland 8IP - DET: Verlander 7IP
CWS  010 020 020 000  5 10 0
DET  300 000 002 001  6 10 1
W: Grilli (1-1)
L: Masset (1-1)

April 23:  Detroit 9 - Anaheim 5
Starters:  DET: Maroth 4.2IP - ANA: Weaver 1.2IP
DET  250 100 001  9 12 2
LAA  021 001 001  5  9 1
W: Grilli (2-1)
L: Weaver (0-2)

April 24:  Detroit 8 - Anaheim 9  F/10
Starters:  DET: Bonderman 6IP - ANA: Escobar 5.2IP
DET  000 103 112 0  8 11 3
ANA  421 000 001 1  9 13 2
W: Moseley (2-0)
L: Jones   (0-1)

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Readers Write In...
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Tim "Dawg" Daggett

biggest villian in baseball,
 
Either Lance Armstrong or the L.A. Lakers.

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Toolie's Trashtalk...

There are a ton of home-run milestones quickly
approaching.  A-Rod is in god-mode, Sosa is looking at
getting to 600, Frank Thomas, Manny, A-Rod, and Jim
Thome are closing in on 500, and then there's that
Bonds guy.   Fifteen to go to catch Aaron.  It looks
like this is the year.  If you love home runs, then
2007 appears to be your year.  

Here's how the Tigers boned me on Tuesday.  Not only
did they come back from being down 7-0 to take the
lead in the 9th and then lose, they killed me
fantasy-wise.  (Skip if you care nothing about fantasy
baseball).  On my CBSSportsline team are Kelvim
Escobar, Franky Rodriguez, and Todd Jones.  Escobar
started this game and was staked to the 7-0 lead. 
"The Tigers are toast, but at least I'm getting a good
performance out of my pitcher."  Then he gives up a
few and gets pulled.  "At least I'll still get a win."
Tigers keep coming back, making it close.  "OK, so
K-Rod will get me a save as well.  Sweet."  K-Rod
blows the save, and the Tigers lead 8-7.  "OK, that
blew, but Jonesy will get me the save."  Nope. 
"Tigers take the lead in extras and Jones gets a win?"
Nope.  Jones back out in the 10th to pick up the
loss.  Plus my opponents (head-to-head league) had
Guillen, Ordonez, and Gary Matthews Jr., all of which
had good days.  So the Tigers lost and my fantasy
players stunk.  The double-whammy.  It was like Clark
Griswold playing blackjack.  

Daggett, I totally have no clue what you're talking
about.  My biggest villain in the majors is probably
A.J. Pierzynski.  I can't stand that guy.  There's
nobody I'd like to see lose than him.  Though totally
unjustified, I was loving it when Cubs' catcher
Michael Barrett slugged A.J. (last year I think). 
He's taken the place of Mo Vaughn as my "most hated"
player.  

Here are some website updates:  Gilbo is working at
getting the older issues uploaded.  I have sent him
all the issues from 2003-2004, so those will be up
shortly.  2003 should be great for laughs.  Also,
there is now a link on the site to TicketCity.com. 
You can check that site out, if you like, by clicking
the link at our site, www.tigersweekly.com.  I think
we get some kind of kickback for each click and also
for any tickets sold via a click through our website. 
I can just hear the Washington's rolling in now!  

Special thanks to Sue Watson and her son Paul for
hooking me up with a Tigers magnet schedule!  This
year's version has a shot of the field before Game One
of the World Series with the gigantic American flag
unfurled on the field.  The schedule looks great in my
office, and now I won't miss games on the radio when
I'm working hard.  And a note of irony, I picked up a
wallet schedule this week and Kenny Rogers was on the
front.  Jinx!

OK, I'm tired as all get-out.  It's been a long week
and it's only Tuesday.  Two games at Chicago and then
some more home cookin'.  I'll be catching my first
game this Saturday against the Twinkies.  I made sure
to get tickets on Sunday, as the Chicago series was
packed.  I hope to see a similar crowd this weekend.  

I'm out.
 





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Play Ball!

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