One is Better Than None: Tigers 6, White Sox 4

by Ian Casselberry on Jul 27, 2008 6:45 PM EDT in News Comment 5 comments

6 1/2 games out of first place is better than 8 1/2 out. It's not as catchy a slogan as "Who's Your Tiger?" and probably shouldn't be a slogan at all. But after a weekend in which the Detroit Tigers didn't really accomplish what they hoped (or needed) to do, salvaging one victory is something of a consolation.

Zach Miner threw his second straight quality start, keeping a hot White Sox offense in check until the Tigers' bats swung the bat with authority in the third inning. Curtis Granderson hit a home run to put Detroit ahead to stay, while Miguel Cabrera knocked two hits for the third straight game and drove in two runs. (Cabrera, by the way, has hit safely in his last seven games, batting .375 - 13-for-35 - with 15 RBIs during that span.)

But the real pitching story came in the eighth inning, when Joel Zumaya left after facing two batters. No discomfort was obvious from watching Zumaya or trainer Kevin Rand, but it was later revealed that tightness in the right triceps was the problem that took Zumaya out of the game. (His status is listed as day-to-day.) That brought in the Tigers' new closer, who got the job just before game-time.

Did having to rush in and warm up on the field, rather than in the bullpen, affect Fernando Rodney upon entering the game? We may never know, though being taken out of a routine can be a jarring thing for an athlete. Rodney certainly seemed to be off initially, walking two of the first three batters he faced, followed by giving up a two-run single to Jim Thome.

You could hear all of Tiger Town go "Uh-oh" at that point. It wasn't a save situation, but how was Rodney going to handle this closer thing? Not badly, as it turns out. After giving up those two runs, Rodney escaped further damage by getting a ground ball to end the eighth. And in the ninth, which will be his territory for the time being, Rodney struck out the side. When was the last time Tigers fans saw a pitcher do that to end the game?

Hopefully for the Tigers, this change wasn't made too late to make a difference in their season.

Roll Call

I wasn't sure what kind of turnout we'd get in today's GameThread. It's been a rough weekend, and no one could be blamed for being disheartened and wanting to take a break. But some of us just couldn't stay away. It's in our blood now.

Thanks to ThaWalrus9, MikeMcClary, Zappatista, BigAl, MackAveKurt, HavocRox, Juskimo, rock n rye, gf206, MSU4LIF, dettigionswings'stons, tplants, Wingz, Germantiger, and pfuhrmeister for enjoying the weekend's lone victory and being on the scene when the Rodney news started to make the rounds.

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40 Degree Day

This series was kind of a metaphor for how the season has gone and how i fear it will continue. In addition to the obvious faulters by the pen and the inability to get guys home when they’re in scoring position, the series as a whole had a luke-warm quality to it. They didn’t win enough to really threaten 1st place but they didn’t lose enough so that we could just throw our hands up, trade some guys and maybe give some young’ns a chance. They won just enough where the sitiation isn’t hopeless, but it isn’t promising either. Just enough to practically guarantee a slow painful death for the next two months…Or a miraculous comeback, whichever…

by MacRae on Jul 27, 2008 8:13 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

went to pick up the mrs from the airport

and was following along on the radio. Still pleasantly surprised that Leyland made the switch at closer

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

by rock n rye on Jul 27, 2008 8:22 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

damn good news. jonesy as trade bait? i say just dump him. outright release, he cant help out of the pen in any other way. i hope the roller coaster is closed for the season!

by HavocRox on Jul 27, 2008 10:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

I'm in Limbo....

i’m not happy about this weekend’s series.. but i’m not really bummed out either. We lost one game in the standings, in July… It’s not over by any stretch of the imagination. Granted it was a great opportunity, but hey.. The two losses though i have pin at least somewhat on the offense though. Sure, Jones blew the game on Friday and Verlander came out tossing meatballs Saturday, but there where tons of opportunities to plate more runs in those two games. Frankly, the O didn’t get it done. 12 left on base Friday, 13 on Saturday. Clutch hits win ballgames (just ask Jermaine Dye), and the Tigers just don’t have it… and they better find it if they hope to compete. 150 some DPs grounded into this year? That’s ridiculous. And how much longer is Jimmy going to keep sending Sheffield out there? Sure the guy hit a HR on Saturday.. but his freezing cold bat and hit it to the moon swing costs more runs then it produces. Bases loaded, one out – grounds into double play… tying run on second, one out – pops up. And it’s not like i’m just nit-picking one series.. this guy has been doing this all year long. For God sakes bench him! Joyce / Thames should be swapping duties at DH / LF… they are indeed an upgrade over .218 / 8HR / 26 RBIs. Leyland pulled the plug on Jonsey for not getting it done, now he has to do the same for Sheff. You cannot win with a sub-.220 DH.

Jeff

by cannonad03 on Jul 27, 2008 11:27 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I pretty much walk around with my glass half full tiger glass on…but man o man this weekend hurt a lot…to be 1 strike from taking that opening game and end up losing 2 of 3…Only hope now is we keep it close enough and almost have to sweep them in Chicago next week..but then the problem is the pesky Twins are in front of us too…oh well they just have to go on a big tear and hope the sox and twins frop a few and we just crush some teams and win about 10 straight against the likes of the Indians and Royals..we have stretch against those teams..

by PBURGTIGER on Jul 28, 2008 12:07 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs