Opening Day! Game 1: Royals at Tigers
by Ian Casselberry
on Mar 31, 2008 12:30 PM EDT
in News
Kansas City @ Detroit
Gil Meche (0-0, 0.00) vs. 
Justin Verlander (0-0, 0.00)
The waiting is over, Tigers Town. This afternoon, we finally get to open the early Christmas present we received back in early December when the Tigers made it clear to everyone that Detroit would be a baseball superpower for years to come.
No more wondering how good this team will be. Today, we begin to find out. Opening Day is always a celebration in Detroit, but this 2008 opener brings a different level of anticipation and expectation with it.
In three starts against the Tigers last year, Gil Meche went 1-1 with a 3.27 ERA, giving up 19 hits in 22 innings and posting 15 strikeouts. The Royals also have something of a Tiger killer in designated hitter Billy Butler, who hit .383/.420/.638 against Detroit pitching, with two home runs and 11 RBIs in 50 plate appearances. Kansas City figures to be a formidable opponent throughout the season, and could play a big role in determining who wins the AL Central.
For the Tigers, Justin Verlander gets the Opening Day start as the confirmed ace of the starting rotation and one of the best young pitchers in baseball. In five starts against Kansas City last season, Verlander went 3-0 with a 3.23 ERA, striking out 26 Royals in 30 2/3 innings.
How about playing some real live games that counts in the standings, Detroit? It looks like the weather wants to see some matinee baseball, as well.
Royals Review has your SB Nation opposing view for this three-game series.
0 recs |
73
comments
Email
PrintComments
Starting Lineups
KANSAS CITY
CF D. DeJesus
2B M. Grudzielanek
3B A. Gordon
RF J. Guillen
DH B. Butler
LF M. Teahen
1B R. Gload
C J. Buck
SS T. Pena, Jr.
DETROIT
SS E. Renteria
2B P. Polanco
DH G. Sheffield
RF M. Ordonez
3B M. Cabrera
1B C. Guillen
C I. Rodriguez
LF J. Jones
CF B. Inge
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 12:51 PM EDT 0 recs
i figure the tigers need to win
at least 12 games against the royals this year to take the division
maybe more
no pressure, right
by royalsreview on Mar 31, 2008 1:04 PM EDT 0 recs
The new first basemen
Guillen looked like a first time first baseman, standing right in the baseline as Grudzielanek was charging at him. Remember the footwork, Carlos.
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 1:13 PM EDT 0 recs
How'd you like that strike zone?
Bit of a generous outside corner for Verlander against Alex Gordon?
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 1:19 PM EDT 0 recs
that woulda been a great debut for Cabs
Nice enough start for the Tigers.
I like the new SBNation digs for gameday.
by MackAveKurt on Mar 31, 2008 1:27 PM EDT 0 recs
watching on FSN
(O's fan living in Michigan)
Did anyone else find it peculiar that Rod said during Cabrera's first Tiger AB, "He's never really played in front of a crowd like this."
How about the World Series, ROD?
by SC on Mar 31, 2008 1:45 PM EDT 0 recs
I thought the same thing
And it's not Cabrera wouldn't have played in front of crowds like that on the road.
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 1:59 PM EDT 0 recs
Gunned down!
Jose Guillen might attack you if you look at him the wrong way, but the dude has a gun for an arm.
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 2:00 PM EDT 0 recs
Sheff!
Is there another hitter in the Tigers lineup that works a walk, after falling behind 0-2?
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 2:26 PM EDT 0 recs
Probably not
Some don't work a walk when getting ahead 3-0.
by MackAveKurt on
Mar 31, 2008 2:27 PM EDT
up
0 recs
There aren't many in baseball, period. His eye is absurd. Who else takes that pitch? That was a hell of a pitch.
by SC on
Mar 31, 2008 2:27 PM EDT
up
0 recs
A close call for Meche
The Tigers could've gotten more than one run out of that situation. Meche did a good job there, all things considered.
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 2:30 PM EDT 0 recs
I have to get my baseball watching eyes back
Every fly ball off a Tiger's bat looks like a home run still.
by MackAveKurt on Mar 31, 2008 2:30 PM EDT 0 recs
That looked like a huge swing
Until the camera switched to the outfield
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 2:33 PM EDT 0 recs
WELCOME TO DETROIT
May that be the first of many, many home runs for Miguel Cabrera as a Detroit Tiger!
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 2:38 PM EDT 0 recs
And mine!
Who writes our material?
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 2:39 PM EDT 0 recs
Book of Cliches 101
It' still spring training for commenters.
by MackAveKurt on Mar 31, 2008 2:40 PM EDT 0 recs
Are they starting to tee off?
Two straight long fly balls off Meche.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 2:41 PM EDT 0 recs
Then Jacque Jones killed it
He hasn't looked too good today.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 2:41 PM EDT 0 recs
Ka-Pow
Gordon teed off on that. Of course, Verlander served it up right down the middle.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 2:50 PM EDT 0 recs
Cabrera
Hey guys,
I'm an O's fan just visiting. I own Miggy on my fantasy team and I seem to have missed Leyland's justification for putting him 5th in the lineup. Why not 3rd or 4th? The last couple innings seem to have proved my point. Can anyone help?
Thanks!
by silverstadium on Mar 31, 2008 2:55 PM EDT 0 recs
I believe the answer is
"Sheffield" and "Ordonez."
But seriously, Leyland thought about switching Sheff and Cabrera around but didn't go that way. Sheff looks at more pitches and draws walks is probably the reasoning.
by MackAveKurt on
Mar 31, 2008 2:59 PM EDT
up
0 recs
Kurt steals my lines again :-)
First of all, thanks for stopping by to chime in. We have plenty of room.
I think Leyland's reasoning was that Cabrera would get a bunch of RBI opportunities with Sheffield and Ordonez getting on base in front of him.
Plus, Sheff is better at making pitchers work and taking some walks at the #3 spot in the lineup.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 2:59 PM EDT 0 recs
uh oh...
let's hope Grilli thinks this is a road game
by rock n rye on Mar 31, 2008 3:01 PM EDT 0 recs
We'll find out right away
I think this could actually be an ideal debut for the bullpen. (I hope I don't eat those words in a couple of batters.)
Nothing would settle all the angst down like having the relievers come in and do exactly what they're supposed to do, in progression.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 3:02 PM EDT 0 recs
oh, shut the hell up, ian
I should've kept that thought to myself.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 3:12 PM EDT 0 recs
Sheff and Maggs b4 Cabs
Yeah, I can see that reasoning...if the stats backed it up. Cabrera's OBP is better than Sheff's the last two seasons since Sheff is in his decline and Cabs is still getting better. Ordonez had a better OBP last year, but I hope we all recognize that was an outlier and he'll be regressing to his career norms this year. And Cabs is hitting for better power than both of them.
So why place your best hitter (for both power and for OBP) 5th in the order, missing out on ABs over the course of the season? If you want another big bat in front of him, at least move him up to 4th.
by silverstadium on Mar 31, 2008 3:17 PM EDT 0 recs
i can see it now
Tomorrow's Freep will have a Drew Sharp column about the "bullpen woes"
by rock n rye on Mar 31, 2008 3:18 PM EDT 0 recs
Batting order doesn't matter (that much)
Hey, I'd like to see Cabrera third myself, but running PECOTA projections through David Pinto's lineup analyzer showed it really didn't matter where Sheffield and Cabrera batted. Here's the numbers it came up with:
http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2008/02/one-lineup-question-answered/
by MackAveKurt on Mar 31, 2008 3:26 PM EDT 0 recs
Yeah
I know lineups really don't make much difference. That's a good post. Note that it doesn't try putting Cabs in the cleanup spot, though.
by silverstadium on
Mar 31, 2008 3:37 PM EDT
up
0 recs
Yikes
Bullpen better keep this lead where it's at right now.
http://www.prideofdetroit.com
by Sean Yuille on Mar 31, 2008 3:29 PM EDT 0 recs
Clearly
The Tigers should've signed Brett Tomko for their bullpen.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 3:34 PM EDT 0 recs
And...
We see Inge's first mistake in centerfield. Can't fault a guy's effort, but he shouldn't have dived for that ball.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 3:34 PM EDT 0 recs
I was thinking the same thing
He'll learn.
Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog
by Sean Yuille on
Mar 31, 2008 3:36 PM EDT
up
0 recs
I was afraid
Inge's desire to try to make the impossible play would pop up like that.
by MackAveKurt on Mar 31, 2008 3:35 PM EDT 0 recs
CARLOS!!!!!!!!!!
Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog
by Sean Yuille on Mar 31, 2008 3:38 PM EDT 0 recs
The interesting math for the year
Your bullepen > Our bullpen
Our lineup > Your lineup.
So who wins?
by MackAveKurt on Mar 31, 2008 3:39 PM EDT 0 recs
Sheff walks again
Is that 4 now?
Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog
by Sean Yuille on Mar 31, 2008 4:00 PM EDT 0 recs
sure is
the first two came with an 0-2 against him
by rock n rye on
Mar 31, 2008 4:02 PM EDT
up
0 recs
And Maggs is out on a popup
To extras we go
Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog
by Sean Yuille on Mar 31, 2008 4:01 PM EDT 0 recs
Go Denny!
if he comes in in the 7th, is Guillen's HR the winning run?
by rock n rye on Mar 31, 2008 4:13 PM EDT 0 recs
Clete
wow. That leap catch of his. did his heart or our hearts jump more?
by MackAveKurt on Mar 31, 2008 4:16 PM EDT 0 recs
What a throw by Inge!
Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog
by Sean Yuille on Mar 31, 2008 4:25 PM EDT 0 recs
Couldn't get 'em on that one
Looks like it'll be up to the offense.
Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog
by Sean Yuille on Mar 31, 2008 4:29 PM EDT 0 recs
Had to step out for a bit
Did I miss anything? :-)
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 4:35 PM EDT 0 recs
Inge threw a guy out at home
But KC scored a run right after on a hit that landed right in front of Inge.
Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog
by Sean Yuille on Mar 31, 2008 4:39 PM EDT 0 recs
Clete opens the inning with a double
Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog
by Sean Yuille on Mar 31, 2008 4:40 PM EDT 0 recs
He really cleated that one out!
Thank you, I'll be here all week!
Go rookie!
by MackAveKurt on Mar 31, 2008 4:40 PM EDT 0 recs
Clete is going to be a hero
Detroit's going to love this kid.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 4:40 PM EDT 0 recs
Already in postseason form
They have to give you a microphone, Kurt.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 4:41 PM EDT 0 recs
A sacrifice?
I suppose it's better than if Inge had struck out. But Clete was already on second.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 4:42 PM EDT 0 recs
Figures
That sure turned out to be a crappy game.
Check out Pride of Detroit, SB Nation's Lions blog
by Sean Yuille on Mar 31, 2008 4:45 PM EDT 0 recs
Blurgh
Hell of a play by Gordon there.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 4:46 PM EDT 0 recs
They played shorthanded
Not going to win them all with Curtis Granderson out. ;-)
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on
Mar 31, 2008 4:48 PM EDT
up
0 recs
Much appreciation
Thanks, you guys, for chiming in on the Game Thread. If the rest of the season goes like this (the thread, not the game result), we could have a lot of fun here.
www.blessyouboys.com
by Ian Casselberry on Mar 31, 2008 4:47 PM EDT 0 recs
looks like a fun season
Due to MLB.TV's way lower price over Extra Innings, I'll be at the computer (and here) mostly every game
by rock n rye on
Mar 31, 2008 5:05 PM EDT
up
0 recs
New FanPost