Tigers Weekly 2008 Season

WEEK 9: 5/30/08 - 6/5/08

Bah, what a road trip out west.  The Tigers limp 
home to Comerica for a long home-stand after 
getting their teeth kicked in by the AL West.  3-6 
was the damage, but it could have easily been a 
7-2 result... if this was a team that knew how to 
win the close games.  Four times on the trip the 
Tigers lost in walk-off fashion; twice in Anaheim 
and twice in Oakland.  We watched painfully as 
the Tigers stranded runner after runner in the 
pressure situations.  The batting average with 
runners in scoring position (RISP), when the heat 
is on the pitcher, is a paltry .264, compared to 
the opponents who hit .292.  Among the worst 
offenders are Curtis Granderson (.240), Miguel 
Cabrera (.218), Pudge Rodriguez (.217), and 
Gary Sheffield (.188).  Looking for a two-out 
RBI?  Look elsewhere, as the Tigers are even 
worse with RISP and two outs (.231) while the 
opponents hit away (.292).  It's just another stat 
in the laundry list of reasons the Tigers have one 
of the worst records in baseball.  I'm still 
confident, though, that this team will wake up.  
Anyone with me?

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Week of 5/30 - 6/5

Record:  2-4  WLWLLL-

Undy-Five-Hundy:  A second losing week in a 
row has the UFH up over ten for the first time 
this season.  Back in the day, ten used to be the 
number when I'd start to get excited, as April and 
May usually set the index around twenty.  Can 
you believe the 2004 squad was seventy-six 
games undy five-hundy?  

Up Next for the Tigers...

June 6-9    Cleveland
June 10-12  Chicago White Sox
June 13-15  Los Angeles 

AL Central Standings...

CWS  33 26 -
MIN  31 29 2.5
CLE  27 33 6.5
DET  24 35 9
KCR  23 37 10.5

Tigers Division...  (CHC, SDP still playing)

CHC  38 22 -
|
SFG  25 35 13
WAS  25 36 13.5
DET  24 35 13.5
SDP  24 37 14.5
KCR  23 37 15

Tigers News and Notes:  The latest whipping boy 
for the Tigers' failures is Francisco Cruceta, who 
was designated for assignment after quickly 
surrendering a game-winning run in a loss to 
Oakland.  As the process goes, the Tigers have 
ten days to trade him, and can then outright him 
to the minors if nobody claims him off waivers.  
Lefty Casey Fossum takes Cruceta's place in the 
bullpen.  Fossum is a veteran who has pitched for 
the Devil Rays, the D-Backs, and the Red Sox.  
After two appearances for the Tigers this season 
he has an ERA of 135.00.  That is not a misprint.  
Also, Carlos Guillen played his first major league 
game in left field on Sunday.  The move is not 
permanent, but allows Guillen to stay in the game 
and have Brandon Inge at third base.  Lastly, the 
Tigers used their first pick in this year's draft was 
pitcher Ryan Perry.  Click below for the scouting 
report and a thirty-second video on the prospect.

Click HERE for article from MLB.com

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Tiger of the Week...
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The numbers are pretty unimpressive this week.  
No Tiger stands out above the crowd.  If I HAD 
to give the award it would come down to either 
Carlos Guillen or Kenny Rogers.  However, we'll 
bestow the honor, this week, on those who have 
brought pride to the city of Detroit... the Red 
Wings!  The Wings won their fourth Stanley Cup 
since 1997 by beating the Pittsburgh Penguins in 
six games.  Let's hope some of that mojo rubs off 
on the Tigers as they battle to get back on the 
map.  There was never a high level of buzz for the 
Wings, it seemed, but they won yet another 
President's Trophy (best regular season record) 
and this year finished the job with a league title.  I 
was fortunate to see the Wings play in Colorado 
back in December, and they looked just as 
impressive then.  Way to go, Red Wings!

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Poll Question...
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Dontrelle Willis returned to the starting rotation 
by pitching four scoreless innings Tuesday night in 
Oakland.  Armando Galarraga relieved the D-
Train, as was the plan.  Willis also walked five 
batters, battling out of some jams to keep the 
game scoreless.  No word, so far, on which one 
will start on Monday.  

What would you like to see done about this 
rotation issue?

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Game Linescores...
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May 30:  Detroit 7 - Seattle 4
Starters:  DET: Robertson 5.2IP
           SEA: Silva 0.2IP
DET  700 000 000  7 14 1
SEA  010 012 000  4  5 0
W: Robertson (3-5)
L: Silva     (3-5)
S: Jones     (8)

May 31:  Detroit 0 - Seattle 5
Starters:  DET: Verlander 7IP
           SEA: Hernandez 7IP
DET  000 000 000  0  2 0
SEA  200 200 01X  5 10 0
W: Hernandez (3-5)
L: Verlander (2-8)

June 1:  Detroit 7 - Seattle 5
Starters:  DET: Bonderman 7IP
           SEA: Batista 5.1IP
DET  101 001 004  7 10 1
SEA  011 010 002  5 15 0
W: Miner (2-3)
L: Putz  (2-3)

June 2:  Detroit 2 - Oakland 3
Starters:  DET: Rogers 7IP
           OAK: Harden 6.2IP
DET  000 002 000  2 5 0
OAK  100 000 101  3 9 0
W: Street  (1-1)
L: Cruceta (0-3)

June 3:  Detroit 4 - Oakland 5    F/11
Starters:  DET: Willis 4IP
           OAK: Eveland 4.1IP
DET  000 030 100 00  4 9 0
OAK  000 030 010 01  5 8 0
W: Gaudin (5-3)
L: Seay   (0-1)

June 4:  Detroit 2Oakland 10
Starters:  DET: Robertson 6.1IP
           OAK: Duchscherer 6.2IP
DET  000 002 000   2  4 2
OAK  000 121 60X  10 14 0
W: Duchscherer (5-4)
L: Robertson   (3-6)

June 5:  no game scheduled...

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Readers Write In...
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Adam "Doc" Goyt

I'm in agreement with replay for foul balls only.  I 
was watching the college softball world series last 
night and watched a horribly blown call in the top 
of the seventh completely change the game in 
favor of one team.  It was disturbing and that's 
the kind of situation where the replay would truly 
make and difference, and there wouldn't be any 
controversy about what would have happened.  
Just my opinion. 

I also have to complain about the first two games 
in the Stanley Cup Finals being on Vs.  Not 
everyone gets VS, especially Red Wings fans 
away from Michigan.  I was bummed.  The first 
game I got to watch of the series was a loss.

Best Wishes,
Adam

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Dana "Orange" Olanoff

Hey Matt,

Long time reader, first time writer.  In response 
to your question about instant replay, I would 
have to say that I am in favor of the replay in 
certain situations.  Being a Mets fan, I have seen 
twice this season Mets hit home runs that were 
ruled something else--once a double and once a 
foul ball.  While neither of these botched calls 
made a difference in game (the Mets won both 
easily), it does make a difference in personal 
stats.  In terms of making the Hall of Fame, 
voters look at all sorts of statistics.  Will one or 
two home runs either way make a difference?  
Who knows?  But for the guy who ends his 
career at 498, it might if he actually had some 
stolen away from him.

In terms of what should be reviewable, I think 
calls such as home runs or fair/foul balls, where 
the ump is not close enough to see clearly, but the 
cameras pick it up are the only plays where this 
should matter.  On close calls at a base, the plate, 
and balls and strikes, there is an umpire right 
there to make the decision.  However, on home 
runs, the ump could be 400 feet away.  How can 
someone expect them to be able to see that?

As for your argument about the time it would 
take to review, I disagree.  When Carlos 
Delgado hit the home run that was ruled a foul 
ball, it took over 5 minutes for the umps to make 
the call, Delgado to run around the bases (the ball 
was originally called fair), Willie Randolph to 
argue it, an assistant coach to argue, get thrown 
out of the game, and for play to continue.  During 
this time, I had watched them replay the hit at 
least 10 times, each time showing the ball clearly 
hit the foul pole and bounce off.  All that is 
needed is a replay ump in the booth to signal 
down and say, home run.  This does not seem 
difficult to me.

In any case, that's how I feel about the issue.  
Here's hoping that both our teams start fairing 
better in the remainder of the season.

Dana

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Nic "Gilby" Gilbert

After tonights walkfest, I though I would send 
you some facts should they not get posted in any 
recaps of the game tonight at Oakland (6/3)

1-31 when scoring less than 5 runs

Edgar Renteria left 10 men on base tonight (7 in 
scoring position)
- 2nd = walked with runners on 1st and 2nd and 
1 out
- 4th = grounded into double play with runners 
on 1st and 2nd and 1 out
- 5th = grounded out with bases loaded and 2 
out
- 7th = grounded into double play with bases 
loaded and 1 out
- 10th = flied out with no one on and 0 out
- 11th = lined out with runners on 2nd and 3rd 
and 2 out

Tigers Pitchers = 10 walks, 2 scored

Oakland Pitchers = 12 walks, 2 scored

On the west coast road trip, the Tigers lost 4 
games on walk off hits/walks

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Toolie's Trashtalk...

I don't have a lot to say this week.  The Tigers 
are, to this point, an extreme disappointment.  It's 
like somebody has their foot on the Tigers' head 
and they refuse to let up.  Both of the other 
seasons are now completed, and the fill focus of 
the Detroit media will fall on baseball.  Now nine 
games behind the White Sox, the boys need to 
find out how to beat that team, as they come to 
town on Tuesday.  

How's the Jeff Larish experiment working out?  
With just nineteen at-bats the Toledo call-up has 
two hits, one run, and two RBIs.  He has yet to 
produce an extra-base hit, and has only walked 
once while striking out six times.  He'd better do 
something to warrant his roster slot, or he'll soon 
be sent back to the Mud Hens.  

As far as Dontrelle goes, we signed him for some 
big bucks.  We need to try and get him to be a 
reliable starter once again.  Whether that means 
sending Galarraga to the bullpen or someone 
else, I don't know.  The worst pitcher in the 
rotation, ERA wise, is Robertson (6.03, oh the 
pain).  El Tigre, however, is the only starter with 
an ERA below 4.  How can we bench this guy 
now?  

In response to Dana's argument for instant replay 
not being a further delay than a normal umpire 
conference, my beef is this.  You can implement 
the procedure for only the most extreme calls, but 
it will then be used for many MANY more plays 
than is necessary.  Any time the manager comes 
out to argue one of those calls they'll have to go 
to replay or the umps will be skewered in the 
media.  And managers arguing with umps in 
entertaining; watching commercials while replay 
ensues is boring.  I would be most happy if replay 
stays out of baseball.  

Here's to hoping that Rodney and Zumaya have 
successful rehab assignments and get back to the 
club ASAP.  They at least would give us some 
hope of reliability at the back end of the bullpen.  
Seay, Miner, and Dolsi just aren't getting the job 
done.  

I'm going to Friday's game with the Tribe, putting 
my 1-1 record on the line.  This gets me back on 
track for a game a month.  Byrd vs. Verlander; 
should be some scoring anyways.  

I'm out.
 





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