Placido Tremendo! Tigers 6, Yankees 2
I feel like tonight's recap could almost be a recap of last night's. Two previously injured and slumping batters continued their resurgence. And a struggling starting pitcher threw the sort of game that should hush any questions and doubts.
Not that this game played out in exactly the same way. For one thing, Jeremy Bonderman pitched deeper into the game than Kenny Rogers did last night, giving the bullpen a break on a night when they were one reliever short (thanks to the Jason Grilli trade). And he did it throwing 10 fewer pitches than he did in 4 2/3 innings last week.
But ¿quien es mas macho? Bondo or Placido Polanco? Could the Tigers really lose a game in which a guy not known for his power hit two home runs? And in a ballpark whose dimensions make it tougher for right-handed hitters to reach the seats? Had I not watched the game, I'm not sure I would've believed the box score. Along came Polly, jacking two pitches over the left field fence. Do we think this guy's slump is over? Polanco's hit 6-for-10 against Yankees pitching the last two nights.
Others Who Get to Roar:
- Is Clay Rapada the team's new designated left-handed reliever? Taking over for Bonderman at the end of the eighth inning, Rapada retired all four hitters he faced, all of them batting lefty. And he even ended the game with authority, striking out Melky Cabrera.
- Marcus Thames just hasn't played this much this season, totaling 33 at-bats coming into tonight's game. But he tends to make it count when he's in the lineup, and his two-run homer in the fifth gave the Tigers a lead they kept the rest of the night. Thames' two home runs this season have been hit in Fenway Park and Yankee Stadium, respectively.
- There's been a lot of talk about how comfortable Miguel Cabrera looks at first base, and he made three nice picks in the dirt tonight, saving throws by Rapada and Carlos Guillen to get outs.
- That Curtis Granderson (one walk, one double) sure is good, ain't he?
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Guillen
I don’t think enough can be said about him. The Tig’s have thrown him from SS, to 3B, via 1B and all he is done is exactly what we have come to expect; swing the stick for average and power, field ‘ok’, and intangables. He threw down a perfect bunt last night. He may be my man crush, especially with that Terminator brace on his leg! He has been an anchor.
by Zappatista on May 1, 2008 8:18 AM EDT 0 recs
Cabrera
Yeah, Miguel looks pretty good over there at first base. However, he sure looks slow doesn’t he? Rod and Mario mentioned that he may still have a minor leg injury, but he is just painfully slow. He’ll get doubled up a ton this year if he can’t get down the line a little quicker.
Check out www.spotstarters.com for more news on the Detroit Tigers.
by spotstarters on May 1, 2008 10:06 AM EDT 0 recs
Thames
I know they are already short on LH bats, but if Jones doesn’t snap out of his funk I would like to see Thames get more of his ABs. Now that the lineup is getting healthy Leyland is having to make the tough decisions we envisioned back in March.
by tbliggins on May 1, 2008 11:55 AM EDT 0 recs
An easy decision...
...should be to play Grandy every day. He brings too much to the table to sit him against lefties.
by russkiejedi on
May 1, 2008 4:54 PM EDT
up
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