Game 149: Tigers (70-78) at Rangers (73-77)
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 6:00 PM EDT
in Detroit Tigers News
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PrintDetroit Tigers at Texas Rangers, Sep 15, 2008 8:05 PM EDT
Dontrelle Willis (0-1, 10.32) vs. 
Brandon McCarthy (1-1, 4.22)
After a crazy weekend of "will they or won't they play" rainouts in Chicago, the schedule hopefully settles back into normalcy tonight in Texas. Also hoping to settle back into something resembling a major league pitcher is Dontrelle Willis, who makes his first start for the Detroit Tigers since early June.
On his ESPN.com blog today, Rob Neyer detailed the plunge Willis' career has taken, from never having pitched in Triple-A when he was in the Marlins' organization to finding himself in Single-A with the Lakeland Flying Tigers in sudden need of resuscitating his career. Detroit desperately needs to find out if Willis is capable of living up to the $29 million contract he was given during the Spring, a deal that currently looks like one of the most bone-headed decisions Dave Dombrowski has ever made.
An encouraging start (along with one more in Kansas City) would have to make the Tigers (and Tigers fans) feel better about next season's starting rotation. But Rangers Ballpark in Arlington is an imposing place to rediscover your pitching touch.
One night after facing John Danks, Detroit now matches up against the pitcher the White Sox traded to Texas for him before the 2007 season. It's one of those coincidences that makes the Tim Kurkjians of the world scrunch up their shoulders, shiver, and smile. That's just the beauty of baseball; you never know what might happen.
After missing most of the season with forearm and elbow inflammation, Brandon McCarthy has started four games for the Rangers. And he pitched two quality starts before getting bombed by the Red Sox in his last outing. McCarthy gave up six runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.
With a loss or a White Sox win tonight, by the way, the Tigers would be officially eliminated from the AL Central race.
Lone Star Ball has your SB Nation opposing view for this three-game series.
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D-TRAIN
Willis starting tonight and Garcia on weds…actually gives me a reason to watch..kind of looking forward to it..
The train wreck photos before the game... ?
Oh, I hope this isn’t a sign of things to come.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 8:01 PM EDT reply actions
Should we have an over-under on D-Train walks?
Or would that be too pessimistic?
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 8:03 PM EDT reply actions
I'll take the over on that
4 walks is my guess.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 8:06 PM EDT up reply actions
Wow
McCarthy already out of the game, due to an apparent blister problem.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 8:12 PM EDT reply actions
Empty seats
I take it most of the Texas fans are more interested in tonight’s Cowboys-Eagles game?
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 8:13 PM EDT reply actions
Walked the leadoff hitter on 4 pitches
Not an ideal start for Dontrelle
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 8:23 PM EDT reply actions
Got out of it
Just gave up that walk in the first
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 8:27 PM EDT reply actions
He just got thru the first inning, walked one guy, no hits, and no runs…on 13 pitches..what would you like him to do?? strike the side out?
Let's see if having a lead makes a difference
Better than being behind, certainly.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 8:38 PM EDT reply actions
No I am not watching...
I am stuck at work for another 15 mins..I am not a baseball junky..I dont know ALL the in’s and outs of the game..but to me anytime a pitcher walks 1 and gets out of the inning on 13 pitches..no hits, no runs? I mean unless he plunked 3 guys on 3 straight pitches and then battled to get out of it on the next 10 pitches??
like I said
he bounced 2 pitches to Inge. He also had at least 3 other balls that were so wide Inge had to lunge to get them. He’s been around the plate more this second inning.
I think it looks a bit worse
Because of Dontrelle’s recent history.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 8:50 PM EDT up reply actions
well, he's gotten some good results so far
two catches made at the wall though, including that one in dead center. I don’t mean to be pessimistic, I’m just looking at the effort rather than the results. Dontrelle has looked Ok at best so far. Better that second inning though, maybe he’s settling in.
He has looked alright
I’m interested to see what happens the second time through the lineup…..
I think that will tell me (us) a lot
I agree
he was a bit scattershot in the first inning, seemed to settle down a bit the second inning. We’ll see how he does going forward.
My concern is the mental aspect
Once he has to start thinking about working batters for the second, third time that will be where he will show improvement or not.
If he starts to get ahead of those hitters with strikes, he will be alright (I think/hope)
I think his overall motion is more controlled
He isn’t as jerky, the leg kick is a bit slower so he is allowing his arm/shoulder to catch up to his body.
And now D-Train has a nice lead to work with
That was a LASER by Sheff to left!
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 9:16 PM EDT reply actions
And now, it's a ballgame
Three-run homer by Travis Metcalf.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 9:28 PM EDT reply actions
nice recovery
probably was unrealistic to expect Dontrelle to give up zero runs. This outing could be going a lot worse, and still has to be considered a not-too-bad start.
C'mon, Dontrelle
At least make it through the 5th…
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 9:39 PM EDT reply actions
everything except the walks
has been pretty good. And even though he walked 5, he didn’t seem to be incredibly wild like he was earlier this year. I think we can’t really grade this game until we see his next outing.
I don't disagree with waiting until the next start
But he still wasn’t getting ahead of batters and throwing(wasting) too many pitches.
He’s had ample time to work on it – Honestly, I expected more.
I agree
but like I said, the strikeouts were good, and he only gave up 2 hits. If he walks 6 guys his next time out, then you can view this game negatively, if he only walks 2 his next time out, you can view this game more positively.
Angry manager in Arlington!
Leyland bolted out of that dugout, man!
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:09 PM EDT reply actions
i think he runs faster than magglio……
i wasn’t paying attention to what happened tho…why is he angry?
A Rangers batter got hit by a pitch. Initially, the call was a ball. The home plate ump said the batter didn’t get hit. Then after Ron Washington came out to argue the call, the ump changed his mind. That set Leyland off.
He must have been jawing from the dugout, and said “the magic words” to the home plate ump.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Oh. My. God.
A grand slam for the Rangers.
Can we now make sure articles like this are never written again?
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:14 PM EDT reply actions
Are you kidding?
Again? REALLY?
WTF.
Can we get that picture from earlier in the game again?
Or can we get the facepalm because I’m about to do it.
On the bright side...
Maybe this convinces the Tigers that Glover should not be in next year’s bullpen.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:20 PM EDT reply actions
What are the odds that this sick perpetual cycle convinces them
to let Chuckie go?
Glover
Hey Ian how did detroit come up with this guy??? someone said that tampa bay was loaded with good young arms
I'm still wondering that myself
Tampa cut him. And for some reason, the Tigers think he’s better than Cruceta, Fien, or anybody else they could’ve called up instead.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:32 PM EDT up reply actions
Signing Glover
That may have been a white flag by the front office, the more I think about it. Instead of using up minor league options and what-not, they burn off this journeyman.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:34 PM EDT up reply actions
here we go
this is just too depressing to watch first the wolverines then the tigers the lions
Man I wish hockey season would start already
Hey TFerg1103 slim to now would be my guess unless its in the off season
Watching Leyland run out of the dugout again...
It’s hilarious how Rafael Belliard just stands there, like it’s normal.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:30 PM EDT reply actions
i guess the hitters don’t want to let the pitchers screw them out of this game. too bad they diddn’t fight like this all season
I'm hoping they fight through and win
Maybe they can continue out the rest of the season – and throw a big middle finger to the bullpen while they are at it
GA-RY, GA-RY, GA-RY
sucks. did that homerun earlier up his trade value enough to get rid of him yet?
the problem is
that Gary has already been on the team with the deep pockets (Yankees) who would be the likeliest candidate to dump him off to.
If he could play point guard....
Isiah might take his salary on with the Knicks. Oops. Isiah got fired. I think that was our last shot.
Evening...
Everything is bigger in Texas. Runs scored. Pitchers used.
Away we go for the last (maybe) two innings!
Anyone else really looking forward to the end of the Gary Glover era?
Hmm...
Would Leyland have had Rapada only pitch to one lefty batter?
McClendon takes Rapada out after he gets Hamilton, bringing in Dolsi.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:41 PM EDT reply actions
So I had a thought today
Does anyone else miss that “April in the D” song?
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:46 PM EDT reply actions
NOT FARNSWORTH
Don’t the Tigers want to win this game?
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:53 PM EDT reply actions
Okay, I have Monday night football on here in Chi, no tiger game...
and I need to ask this question after watching the Pot Roast commerical for the 3,000th time. Haven’t we all seen enough Mike Golic?
Eventually
Mike and Mike will host EVERYTHING.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions
And talk about nothing while doing it...
other than themselves. No bigger marks for their own publicity exist.
Fortunately, the Rangers have a bad bullpen, too
Frank Francisco – ugh.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 11:01 PM EDT reply actions
Willis lacks control when he pitches,
Leyland’s ejected when he bitches
Every night stars bullpen glitches
Pillows, boxes, sore obliques
Left our tigers sore in need
Of a star, a win, a sweep
And made but dreams of september riches
Gary squared and kyle too
Get gone! We’ll be better without you
Now we’re doing all we can do
Anxiously awaiting the end
Hoping next year we can contend
So our kittens can begin to mend
While we cry tears of orange and blue
Two straight nights of poems, Wendy?
The GameThread is like a smoky room, with bass playing in the background.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 11:09 PM EDT up reply actions
watching McNabb play
I’m reminded of my all-time favorite commentator quote from Joe Theismann (regarding McNabb): “He’s just a horse! He’s just a big horse running down the field!”
I cant watch anymore this is to depressing
they need to sit this worthless pile of garbage down for the rest of the season
Farnsworth’s pitching like he wants to play in Japan next year.
by Ian Casselberry on Sep 15, 2008 11:21 PM EDT reply actions
Maybe Bobby Valentine can help him
Because I will kill him if he stays
Can we just shut him down too?
I mean, If Rogers is done, then why not Farnsworth?
And I don’t care about the rest of the bullpen……I don’t. Wear their arms out too
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