Seattle Mariners @ Detroit Tigers GameThread, May 21, 2008 7:05 PM EDT

Game 46: Mariners (18-28) at Tigers (18-27)

by BigAl on May 21, 2008 5:46 PM EDT in News Comment 49 comments

Seattle Mariners @ Detroit Tigers

With all the excitement of Jim Leyland's verbal (and profane) takedown of Jason Grilli's claim of clubhouse disharmony having passed, we can get back to the actual game of baseball. Remember baseball? A game the Tigers once played quite well?

The battle of AL cellar dwellers continues tonight, with game 2 of a series between the Seattle Mariners and the Detroit Tigers.

Taking the mound for the Mariners is the utterly average Jarrod Washburn (2-5, 5.56). The Tigers have been quite successful against Washburn in the past, beating him to the tune of a 4-7 record, with a 4.65 ERA, in 13 career starts. Get your bats locked and loaded, gentlemen.

The Gambler, Kenny Rogers (3-4, 6.65) hopes to extend the Tigers' winning streak, which currently stands at all of 1 game. Rogers is coming off his worst start of the season, possibly his worst as a Tiger, last week's 4 inning, 7 run, 11 hit debacle against the Royals.

With last night's win over the Mariners, the Tigers have passed a milestone. They are now playing .400 (!) ball, and no longer have the worst record in the American League. That distinction belongs to the Mariners. Let's hope the Tigers can put some distance between themselves and the M's, and finally turn this awful season around.

I hope that's not too much to ask, as we all now know the Tigers considered our high expectations to not be "fair." No pressure, guys...

Short hops:

Deadspin: "God we wish every manager were like Jim Leyland." Indeed.

Hat tip to Billfer for pointing out Curtis Granderson's Men's Health feature , "Don't Think, Have Fun," is now online.

A pair of Toledo Mud Hens prospects continue to pummel International League pitching into submission, as Jeff Larish hit his 15th home run, and Michael Holliman his 12th, in a 7-5 loss to Columbus.

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Get your scorecards here!

Seattle

CF Suzuki, Ichiro
3B Beltre, Adrian
2B Lopez, Jose
LF Ibanez, Raul
DH Vidro, Jose
1B Sexson, Richie
RF Balentien, Wladimir
C Burke, Jamie
SS Betancourt, Yuniesky

Detroit

C Rodriguez, Ivan
2B Polanco, Placido
DH Sheffield, Gary
RF Ordonez, Magglio
1B Cabrera, Miguel
3B Guillen, Carlos
LF Thames, Marcus
SS Renteria, Edgar
CF Inge, Brandon

by pfuhrmeister on May 21, 2008 6:29 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Ok boys, decent first inning going, let’s get out and score some runs.

Go Tigers

by Tony K on May 21, 2008 7:14 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

How do we start a .180 Sheffield over Granderson?

Go Tigers

by Tony K on May 21, 2008 7:16 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Cause he can't hit a lefty

by pfuhrmeister on May 21, 2008 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Of course

Sheff can’t hit anything

by pfuhrmeister on May 21, 2008 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

can sheff

reference the .180…

by busta on May 21, 2008 7:19 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

As shown

in Figure A.

by pfuhrmeister on May 21, 2008 7:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Sweet

by pfuhrmeister on May 21, 2008 7:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

Nice pick by Washburn.

by Brian8603 on May 21, 2008 7:42 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

And...

Kenny starts giving it back

by pfuhrmeister on May 21, 2008 7:47 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

OMG! WTF? Sheff getsa hit!

The tide is turning gentlemen!

waynefontes.com sidelionreport.com

by BigAl on May 21, 2008 7:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sheff gets a hit!

And a rally is in full swing

by pfuhrmeister on May 21, 2008 7:55 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

WOW

Thames with the salami.

by pfuhrmeister on May 21, 2008 7:58 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Thames goes yard! Grand Slam!

8-1!

The Mariners’ pitching staff is just what the doctor ordered…

waynefontes.com sidelionreport.com

by BigAl on May 21, 2008 7:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

And just think how much it cost them

to build up that pitching staff

by Brian8603 on May 21, 2008 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

whooo

Getting home from a long day’s work and seeing the Tigers play like this is awesome. This is how it should be!

Mack Avenue Tigers

by MackAveKurt on May 21, 2008 7:59 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

How it was expected to be...

I hope this is how it will be.

waynefontes.com sidelionreport.com

by BigAl on May 21, 2008 8:03 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Seriously

Why haven’t we seen more of Marcus?

by ThaWalrus9 on May 21, 2008 8:02 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

HOLY CRAP

Sheff got a hit?!?

http://www.fromthecopa.blogspot.com/

by rock n rye on May 21, 2008 8:05 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Amazing stat

3rd inning, every batter has a hit (or more)

by pfuhrmeister on May 21, 2008 8:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

So how does everyone feel about the D Train to the pen?

by ThaWalrus9 on May 21, 2008 8:20 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Great Decision

He has yet to regain command, so you have to do it if your Leyland. You have a hot pitcher in Gallaraga, so you have to ride him as long as he’s playing as well as he has been.

by Tigsfan on May 21, 2008 8:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Do you think

he goes back into the rotation if he pitches well, and if so, who gets the boot. Personally I think Rogers, Robertson, and Galarraga all have to pitch well, because if they don’t Willis will (assuming he pitches well) steal their job.

by ThaWalrus9 on May 21, 2008 8:24 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

alot of money

My vote would be to send robertson to the bullpen as he consistently pitches well for 3 or 4 innings then the wheels fall off. And, I don’t expect Willis to stay in the pen for long (barring some turrable (said in Charles Barkley voice) outtings. The man is just getting paid tooooo much to be a reliever. I’d like to see robertson get the boot when the time comes for someone to go down, but until then, get Willis’ control back, ride the hot hand in Gallaraga, then cross that bridge when we come to it. sorry I know I said “we” but I like to pretend I get paid to be a tiger haha

by Tigsfan on May 21, 2008 8:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

agreed

Right now I think Nate is the one to get the boot, although Kenny is making his case for a move to the pen right now, with the bases loaded. However, as good as Galarraga has been, there’s a reason the Tigers were able to get him in trade for Michael Hernandez (who?) and at some point, I think he’ll come back down to earth.

by ThaWalrus9 on May 21, 2008 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Dontrelle to start the 6th?

by ThaWalrus9 on May 21, 2008 8:44 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

not happening

Dontrelle isn’t listed under the availabe pitchers for tonights game according to MLB Gameday

by Tigsfan on May 21, 2008 8:49 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Don’t let them chip this lead away now. We all remember the 7 run first at Minnesota, resulting in a 8-7 loss.

Go Tigers

by Tony K on May 21, 2008 8:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

It was actually 6

but the point still remains

by ThaWalrus9 on May 21, 2008 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

So does Jeff Larish ever get a real shot...

with the major league club or does he end up getting dealt to another organization? Seems like the Tigers already have too many 1B/DH types.

Discuss…

by Brian8603 on May 21, 2008 9:00 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

No

I think the best he can hope for is to be a backup. He certainly isn’t getting much of a shot with Detroit, with Cabrera entrenched for the next 8 years. He’s not an old prospect (he’ll be 25 in Oct) but he’s not all that young either, he’s 6 month older than Cabrera! I think in his prime, he’ll be a lot like Ryan Garko in Cleveland, 20 HR, 80 RBI, 270 avg. I don’t think he gets a shot to do that in Detroit.

by ThaWalrus9 on May 21, 2008 9:10 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

He's blocked. Blocked big time.

Well, 1st base is occupied for the next 8 seasons. Odds are great that Guillen is the future at DH,. and if not him, it’ll be Ordonez. So if Larish can’t play a corner outfield position or 3rd base, there’s no place for him on the roster. . That’s barring an injury or trade, of course.

At this point, there’s just no room for him in the D.

waynefontes.com sidelionreport.com

by BigAl on May 21, 2008 9:11 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I agree...

Everything I hear suggests it’s First Base or Bust for Larish, and that pretty well forecloses any chances he has of being a contributor in Detroit. His bat doesn’t project enough to supplant Guillen and that is really his only chance to squeeze someone out.

Seems like he’s be an attractive, lost-cost option for some second division teams, though.

by Brian8603 on May 21, 2008 9:21 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs