Staying up until 3am in the morning to watch the Tigers lose to the A's 4-2 last night was, well, let's just say it wasn't the result I was hoping for. Kenny Rogers pitched a very solid game, albeit for a 5th inning which ended up killing him, (3 runs, capped by Rajai Davis' two run single.) You get the impression that the Tigers are done. Well, I certainly do. I hope not. I'd like to believe that they have more fight in them. That if they looked at the standings and saw that they're 8 1/2 off first place in the Central, that they'd see take it upon themselves personally to try and turn things around. But in a world where $20 million a year contracts are becoming the norm, and guys like Manny Ramirez can practically walk to first base on a grounder, instead of showing the game the respect it deserves and at least running! (hey, I'm not asking for a Michael Johnson sprint down the line, playing 100+ games with very few days off has to give you your aches and pains, but when you're making more money in a day than most make in a year, you'd like to see some effort...)
The Tigers still have a shot. Nothings done yet. A couple of good series and this can get turned around again. But all year long the Tigers seemed to have failed to click. If it's not one thing, it's another. If the starters are doing well, the offense dies. Or Cabrera and Ordonez come alive (like they have recently), then the bullpen blows it. Oh how things were so much different when the Tigers were the underdogs in 2006. If only things had stayed the same. I still don't agree with the Sheffield trade, and (yes I know it's easy to critise with hindsight and all) I was never a fan of the Cabrera/Willis trade at the time.
But things aren't all bleak. Armando Galaraga was probably the steal of the offseason if you're not counting Carlos Quentin of the White Sox. Matt Joyce has shown he can more than hit up here. Cabrera, after an expected adjustment, looks like he's becoming more comfortable. Both in the AL and at first base.
And there's hope on the horizon in the minors too. Take a trip down to Class A Lakeland. Rick Porcello is pitching like he could be the real deal. Duane Below has taken his minor league pitcher of the year status from West Michigan and moved it up a notch. And then there's Wilkin Ramirez at Double A Erie. And Brent Clevlen's having his best minor league season. Ryan Strieby's broken the single season home run record for Lakeland in the Florida State League with 28. And then there's Casey Fien , who's 2.96 ERA in 40 games has propelled the young righty to Toledo. And you've just got to take a look at the fact that 2008 first rounder Ryan Perry is pitching in A Ball at Lakeland, after signing in July. Add in that 11th rounder Brandon Douglas has already had a stint with West Michigan, and things are certainly looking up!
Even if the Tigers don't show any signs of making it, i'll still be watching, especially come 1st September when rosters expand and we might get a quick look at the future of the Tigers, some of which who might be taking on a full time role with the big club come 2009.
As I watched Jake work at Coors field this morning, I got an interesting snippet of info from the FSN Rocky Mountain broadcast crew: In Peavy's last 8 starts, the Padres have scored a total of 20 runs. Now you can perhaps begin to understand why Jake has an even 8-8 record! Jake's 2.68 ERA is currently tied for the NL league lead with fellow NL west compatriot Tim Lincecum of the Giants. When you read inside the numbers even further, it gets even more interesting. Peavy's 1.43 home ERA is tops in all of the majors, yet he's only 4-4 at Petco Park in 2008. The way things go? Yes sir! But Jake didn't have his best control last night at Coors, walking a season high 5, and he has now dropped to 0-2 in 3 starts vs the Rockies. Of course, it's never easy pitching in Denver, as it's well known that the thinner air creates less resistance meaning there's less friction on pitches, resulting in less movement. The thinner air also means that balls travel further, DESPITE the fact that the Rockies fences are further back than you'll find at most parks. Still, Jake managed to turn in 6 solid innings, and he should get another crack at win no 9 back at Petco thursday afternoon vs the Brewers. And if I'm not mistaken, it should be Ben Sheets opposing the reigning NL Cy Young award winner. (I originally thought it could be CC Sabathia, but the Brewers don't have Monday off, whereas the Padres do, so Sabathia is in line to start Wednesday not thursday. Too Bad.) Stay tuned for more Peavy watch as we close down the last two months of the year.
Well it seems I was writing this blog entry late last night, but published it, and then wrote the rest of the article or deleted it or something. Whatever. it doesn't matter. Hey I had a bottle of wine. Forgive me!! But I will post sometime today...stay tuned!
It's August already, somehow. There's only two months left of baseball. The window of opportunity for me to get out and see some games is closing. (and it'll cost me!) So maybe it's about time we started talking about awards. The first i'm gonna tackle is the rookie of the year. And here's where I think they should extend this award. Maybe make a rookie Cy Young award, and a rookie position player award. Cause let's face it, I feel Jair Jurrjens is worthy of recognition, but he'll end up getting beat out by Geovany Soto of the Cubs. And you probably could have put up an argument for Brian Bannister of the Royals in 07. However, it'll probably never happen because if you don't get that many rookie pitchers who have enough innings to qualify, then you're gonna end up giving an award to a guy with a 5.09 ERA because he might happen to be the only guy with enough innings. Still, it was an idea.
So who would I say? Well, Evan Longoria's gonna get alot of votes in the AL. I think Armando Galarraga and his 3.23 ERA is worthy of a look. Hell, if it wasn't for Galarraga, I don't even want to imagine where the Tigers would be right now. But I think I'm gonna go for Longoria. And as much as I'd love to see Jair Jurrjens get the nod, I don't think there's a way you can really deny Soto the award. He was an all star. He's led the Cubs pitching staff to the second lowest ERA in the league. He's got 62 Rbi's while hitting in the .270's. His 17 homers are tops among NL rookies, and second to just Brian McCann's total of 20 for the LEAGUE lead at Catcher.
And there you have it. Longoria and Soto. Plus the fact that they both play for first place teams will more than likely boost them along the way.
I've made a consistent habit of trying to watch ESPN's sunday night baseball every week, and this week's game was a gem. Pitching duel, timely hitting, and a near comeback victory and a closer who hadn't blown a save this year with the bases loaded and two outs with Albert Pujols on deck. Suffice to say I was praying that Joe Mather could find a way to get the run in from 3rd. Not only because Pujols was due up next, and 1) I love Albert Pujols, greatest hitter in the game atm if you ask me and 2) he's on my fantasy team! And anytime I see a guy getting a few consecutive saves together, Lidge now has 31 in a row, and I think of Eric Gagne and his 84 in a row. I know, I know, he's still 53 off, but I'd still like it if he'd blow one at some point. But i think the reality is, Gagne's record is one of those accomplishments that rivals in my mind Cal Ripken jnr's 2,632 consecutive games, or Orel Hershiser's 59 consecutive scoreless innings. I feel that Gagne often gets forgotten. And as I watched Lidge get through the 9th inning sunday night, with that runner on 3rd and a one run lead, you realise just how many ways that runner could have scored with the one out. Let's see: there's a sac fly, a sac bunt, a suicide squeeze, a safety squeeze, a wild pitch, a balk, a passed ball, an error....etc etc. And then you begin to appreciate the importance of a two run lead, and so on. Cause if Lidge had just so happened to have bounced one that got past the catcher, then there goes your save. Just like that. I feel it's about time that closers got a little more recognition!
So I'm watching Jake Peavy spin a gem saturday night (or rather sunday morning) at Petco Park vs the offensively challenged Giants. Peavy's had a great season, a terrific ERA, more than a strikeout per inning pitched, but he's got no run support all year. Same goes for the rest of the Padres starters. And tonight's no different. Peavy's thrown 6 shutout innings. But here's the unfair part. So has Barry Zito. Zito, by all standards, has had an awful year, marred by inconsistency and just getting hammered often. But on this night, he's also thrown 6 shutout innings. The top of the 7th roles around, and Peavy gives up a cheap single to left off the bat of Fred Lewis, who did a good job taking the ball the other way. Lewis then stole second. Bengie Molina then hit a Seeing Eye Single through the right side on a tough pitch from Peavy and Lewis scored. The Padres then couldn't get anything off Zito through 8 innings and Brian Wilson closed the door, and the Giants won 2-0. Peavy's line, 7IP, 5 hits, 1 run, 1 ER, 0BB and 7 K's, lowering his season ERA to 2.59. Now tell me how fair that is? Tell me how fair Peavy's 8-7 record is this year? Or his 1.12 WHIP? Or the fact that he hasn't given up more than 4 runs in one start this year? Or that 14 of his 19 starts have been quality starts? Or how the Padres have scored just 72 runs in his starts? That's an average of about 3.7 runs per game. See how unfair this game is? If Peavy had say, another run on average per start, he might have 11/12 wins by now and might be on his way to another Cy Young. Instead, it's just gonna go down as a great year if you can read between the lines. If you can't and just look at the won/loss then he's just another guy.
I must say, I'm pretty sad to see Tiger stadium get torn down. I'm hopefull that Ernie Harwell and co can save part of it and the field and make it a memorial, or a park, or a little league field.
Something to commemorate it better than what's left of the old classics such as Ebbets field, Crosley field, the Polo Grounds etc. Hell, at least they saved the old centre field wall from Forbes field in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, I never had the experience of visiting the old girl before she closed in 1999. Ironically, I was in Detroit that summer, and I hadn't yet discovered baseball. It was later that summer after we had left Detroit and travelled out to Cape Cod that I discovered baseball. Of course, in my ignorance and little knowledge at the time, I hardly knew the significance of Tiger Stadium and what it meant. I would have loved to turn back the clock and gone. In my successive visits back to Detroit I've driven around the outside of the park, snapped pics of it from the road, and had time to have a small look. And everytime I went it made me realise how big an opportunity I had passed up. But I love Comerica Park. It's a gem. So i'm happy. But i'd have loved to been able to go to Tiger Stadium. I hope some of it gets saved so I can finally fulfill the chance.
As I sat here at my mac at 1am in the morning, watching the Tigers in St Petersburgh, Florida, I wondered what could and what should have been. The offseason hope, Cabrera/Willis, the optimism, the people mouthing world series already, october here we come. And yet, here the Tigers were, a mere two games over .500, and a handful of games out of first place in the AL Central. Nate Robertson's got an ERA over 6. Justin Verlander's under .500. Dontrelle Willis is in A ball. Edgar Renteria's AL struggles continue. And Armando Galarraga leads all Tigers pitchers in wins. And then we flick back to reality for a second. It's the top of the first against the first place Rays. Scott Kazmir's on the mound. When Kazmir's on, he's one of the best lefties in the game. But he couldn't find it in the first. He couldn't keep his front side in long enough, and he kept flying open and missing the zone. He walked Granderson, he walked Guillen, he walked Ordonez. Kazmir put 3 ducks on the pond without one swing of the bat from the Tigers. (minus Polanco popping out). So i'm thinking, wow, bases loaded, one out, against one of the best arms in the game. You don't get many opportunities like this. Here comes Cabrera. The table was set for a big inning, to knock Kazmir out, start off the series the right way. But no. Cabrera pops out, and Sheffield manages to walk to score one run. But that's it. Wasted. Done. And the Rays end up winning the game 5-2. See the pattern here? It just felt like that one inning epitomized the whole season for the Tigers. When it looked like they could put it all together, they blew it. Take the first game of the White sox series a couple weeks back. carrying a lead into the 9th. Here comes Jones. And a two run homer later by Jermaine Dye and we're done. Hell. There's still a ton of baseball left. So we can only hope. Make Farnsworth the closer. And start finding some consistency. Please!
Well, Ivan Rodriguez is done as a Tiger. Amazing though it might sounds, it's somewhat interesting. I guess you could view this as the Dave Dombrowski throwing in the towel. But I don't see it that way. Rodriguez is a free agent after the year. Chances of him coming back? Who knows. But with the relative disaster of a season so far, it's b
etter to get something back than just let him walk. To be honest, I'm pretty happy with this deal. I love Kyle Farnsworth, always have. He's always had a damn good arm. When he was with the Cubs, he just couldn't seem to put it together. You knew it was there somewhere, but he just hadn't figured it all out. And then he came to the Tigers, and boy was that fun to watch. Farnsworth seemed to add the slider, and everything clicked when he was given the closers role. And that dump tackle of Jeremy Affeldt? Priceless.
Yea i'm gonna miss Pudge. I'll miss the intensity, the fire in his eyes, everything. The passion. Pudge was and is one hell of a ballgame. And i don't think we can appreciate fully the impact he had on turning this Detroit team around. The Yankees needed a catcher after Posada went down for the year, and the Tigers badly needed a solid veteran arm for their bullpen. Both teams got what they needed, and let's hope it works for the best! So long Pudge!
