Game 55: Angels at Tigers
by Ian Casselberry on Jun 7, 2009 12:45 PM EDT
in Detroit Tigers News
Email
PrintLos Angeles Angels at Detroit Tigers, Jun 7, 2009 1:05 PM EDT
Joe Saunders (6-4, 3.77) vs. 
Rick Porcello (6-4, 3.70), 1:05 p.m. EST
With their four-game losing streak broken, the Tigers go for the series win over Anaheim this afternoon. And they'll have a familiar face back to help them with that. Marcus Thames returns to Detroit's lineup after missing almost two months with a strained rib cage. For a team in need some power, he's coming back just at the right time. Your team needs you, Marcus. Bring the thunder.
Maybe we can't expect Thames to swing a big stick right away, but this is his time of year. In the month of June, Thames has a .258/.299/.581 average with 22 homers and 47 RBIs in 248 plate appearances. He also has a good history against today's starting pitcher for LAAnaheim. Last May, Thames hit two home runs off Joe Saunders in Anaheim.
Saunders is also coming off his worst performance of the season, giving up six runs and nine hits over 5.1 innings versus Toronto. He's lost three of his past four starts, allowing 16 runs in his last 24.1 innings. In five career appearances against the Tigers, Saunders has an 0-1 record and 5.28 ERA. However, he's pitched quite well at Comerica Park, posting a 2.63 ERA in two starts.
For the Tigers, Rick Porcello saw his five-game winning streak come to an end in his last start, as the Red Sox tagged him for three runs and eight hits in 4.1 innings. He actually didn't pitch that badly, but when he left pitches up in the zone, Boston hitters crushed them. But maybe Porcello just has a problem against AL East teams, as three of his four losses have come against teams from that division. Say, what division do the Angels play in?
Miguel Cabrera is back in the lineup, which should ease any concerns over who would play first base today. And Jim Leyland didn't waste any time in putting Thames right in the heart of the batting order. Here are today's starters:
338 comments
|
0 recs |
Do you like this story?
Comments
Drew Sharp at the Free Press
got on the “Cut Magglio” bandwagon today I see. That’s a wierd request for a guy who is hitting .350 in the past month. Granted he only has 9rbi, but if the Tigers had been on base more in the past month those numbers would be higher.
What are others thoughts on Maggs and the potential two years on his contract?
I'll try to post something on this tomorrow
But I feel like the Tigers are stuck with Maggs. And they knew it would probably come to this when they signed him to this contract in the first place. And I don’t feel like he’s played so badly that the Tigers have no choice but to release him.
(Plus, as Billfer brings up today, such a move might get the Tigers in trouble with the players’ association.)
by Ian Casselberry on Jun 7, 2009 1:00 PM EDT up reply actions
Those trigger clauses in his contract are scary
There is no way he is worth $18m next season with numbers like he has this year. Tigs are in a tough spot. I’d hate to see Maggs cut because he has been hitting well lately (and all that he’s done in a Tigers uniform).
Can you restructure baseball contracts?
I was reading up on the Glavine situation
and you can’t release a guy because of contract reasons apparently. It has to be business (which to me would include contract reasons). So they’d have to have good cause for releasing Maggs other than the contract… based on what I’m reading about the Glavine situation
Here's the excerpt
Players cannot be released by their teams due to financial reasons, according to the collective-bargaining agreement. Glavine was set to receive a $1 million bonus once he made the major-league roster, another $1.25 million for 30 days on the roster and another $1.25 million for 90 days on the roster.
the Braves can probably make a pretty good argument that Glavine wasn’t helping them win this year, regardless of his contract.
What were they expected to do, keep starting a 5.50 ERA pitcher? keep him in the bullpen?
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 1:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Yeah I don't think he has any shot at winning an agrievance case
I was mainly just trying to point out that first sentence in terms of the Magglio talk
true
I think Maggs has a much better case that he’s still a top contributer
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 1:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Speaking of which.
Ian, what are you doing for the doubleheader this week? One big game thread or one for the afternoon, one for the evening.
I root for the Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings and yes, the Lions.
www.twitter.com/zajareich
Since it's a day-night affair
There will be two GameThreads, one for each game.
by Ian Casselberry on Jun 7, 2009 1:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I like today's batting order
I like Grandy getting more at bats by leading off.
Of course outfield defense suffers a bit with Thomas and Anderson out.
I like Grandy getting more at bats, too
but he does hit quite well at the 5-spot (thus far)… .955 OPS
that was a routine groundout
If Inge wasn’t out of position
by Motown'sFinest on Jun 7, 2009 1:13 PM EDT up reply actions
Apologies for the double posting
I had a draft saved this morning, but for whatever reason, it wasn’t showing up on the dashboard. So I typed it up again and posted it at 12:45. Then the original draft goes up at 1 p.m. Go figure.
Sorry for any confusion there (along with any deleted comments in that other post).
Tigers offense is overdue...
…hopefully this will just be a slugfest with the Tigs coming out on top.
great thing about Rick
like Edwin yesterday, he’ll probably recover. Hopefully he continues to show that poise
He's done nothing to prove otherwise so far.
A big inning for the Tigers will go a long way to giving Rick some confidence.
Chone Figgins?
Porcello has had an interesting (and by that, I mean aggravating) tendency to allow home runs to non-home run hitters this year.
A Polanco HR would be fitting.
Especially considering Chone got one. At least that guy is on my fantasy team!
New drinking game?
Take one every time RudeMood posts this succinct comment. :-)
by Ian Casselberry on Jun 7, 2009 1:32 PM EDT up reply actions
I was just about to make a negative comment...
…about his avg. being in mid-season form (.222), way to shut me up Marcus! Country Strong!
did you she replay
he had forward momentum and the ball when polanco was just rounding third
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't know what it is...
…but I can’t stand Ryan Raburn (as a player, I obviously don’t know the man personally). He just reminds me of the guys that were being called up during the ’04 season.
Statement inning.
It’s big to come back and make the opposing pitcher work, get some runs back and let Rick do his thing.
what was the Comerica Park free giveaway today?
it looks like deer season in green bay with all those orange hats
i'd rather see Ramirez than Raburn
and I’d rather see Raburn than Larish vs this guy on the mound. He’d carve Larish up, no doubt
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Well Id rather see...
….Wilkin as well
by BennieBladesFan on Jun 7, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions
kinda crazy wasn't he?
pitcher using his bare hand to field a ball? probably instinct
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 1:54 PM EDT up reply actions
This has probably been mentioned before this season
But it seems like there have been a lot of plays at home
Rick is going to have to be caerful about keeping the ball down
It’s only starting to heat up and that ball is really flying when they hit it in the air these past two starts
Magglio's response to release tal
Sitting in front of his locker in the Comerica Park clubhouse late Saturday afternoon, Ordonez could only smile and shake his head when he heard the news.
"I’m finished?" he asked incredulously. "I’m released?
"Maybe, every day, when I come to the ballpark, I should wave my arms and say, ‘Here I am.’ "
i think that was the most shocking play of the year
wasn’t it like an 8 pitch at-bat and boom, grand slam haha
still nervous about Cabs
I don’t like him being in there running so gingerly… a pulled hammy becomes torn that much easier obviously
Agreed
Having him around in July and August seems a little more critical than winning a series in June.
I hear ya
you don’t have to be running hard to get one of those suckers to bark loud and bite.
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 2:22 PM EDT up reply actions
according to gameday
it was more outside than te pitch called a ball before it!
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 2:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Oooh, tough call
I’d say Teixeira, unless he’s the Yanks’ top candidate.
by Ian Casselberry on Jun 7, 2009 2:29 PM EDT up reply actions
tigers fans can vote all they want, rod
can’t overcome Red Sox Nation.
At least Youk is deserving of being an All-Star, anyway
I'm going to go out on a limb here
Cabrera may be headed to the DL… they have to make that bad boy’s hamstring right. We can’t have him 70% even though I’ll take a 70% Cabrera over 100% someone else on this team on most days ….
We saw what a liability he can be on defense with that bad hammy, too.
by Ian Casselberry on Jun 7, 2009 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions
at least he'd miss interleague
so it wouldn’t be that big a deal
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Well, I didn't say how many
But there’s a few out there.
by Ian Casselberry on Jun 7, 2009 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Why are they even risking it with Cabrera anyway?
It’s so not worth it, even if we are struggling for runs right now.
http://old-english-d.blogspot.com
Roger Federer won today, he completed the career-slam by finally winning at the French
he’s the best ever
Cleveland
Wow, I barely recognize any of the names in their lineup anymore. Crowe? Valbuena? Gimenez?
Did anyone else see that field guy come out of the angels dugout as Morales was walking in?
What is Jim Leyland doing over there….
Could also be there way of minimizing the use of him
I don’t think they’re going to want to send him back to the minors to make him skip a few starts so pulling him before 100 pitches in some outings might be a nice alternate plan
here is somewhat of an answer to the Ben Sheets question earlier
http://www.jsonline.com/blogs/sports/39165687.html
looks like Sheets was looking to have the Brewers pay for the surgery… Workers Comp style
i meant the strikeout, I was a smidge behind the game action on DVR
http://old-english-d.blogspot.com
I am sort of surprised he is still out there
Hopefully he’ll make a mistake to Maggs (assuming Maggs takes enough pitches for that to happen).
by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 7, 2009 3:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Print it now, save it, memorize it, I don't care
I’m officially saying Halladay will win the Cy Young this year.
Not that I disagree
but is there a reason why?
by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 7, 2009 3:04 PM EDT up reply actions
I can see it
I feel as if he consistently gets 2nd or 3rd place in the voting, besides for the year he won it.
That make's me kind of sick to my stomach
Were facing a guy who has already thrown over 100 pitches, we have Grandy, Polanco and Maggs come up, and less than 10 pitches latter it’s a one-two-three inning! That’s awful.
by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 7, 2009 3:09 PM EDT reply actions
who leaves to make room for bonderman?
by Motown'sFinest on Jun 7, 2009 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions
that would make sense
so willis will be DFA’ed?
by Motown'sFinest on Jun 7, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions
in other MLB action
The White Soxes are losing 4-0. Oh how I hate the White Soxes! The local media here is expecting them to be in first place following next week’s 5 game set. It literally makes me sick. I sometimes wonder if people even realize the Tigers are in first place and haven’t even been playing up to their potential.
by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 7, 2009 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions
yeah, this series has not been his best, I usually love watching him hit
http://old-english-d.blogspot.com
contreras vs. bondo
will be a battle between two players looking to rebound
I believe Clayton Richard is starting that second game tomorrow
If only it was Contreras…
by Ian Casselberry on Jun 7, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions
check it out
http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090607&content_id=5192486&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb
by Motown'sFinest on Jun 7, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions
Hmm
Okay, we have some confusion. It looked like Buehrle was going in that first game. And if it’s his turn, I don’t know why Ozzie wouldn’t start him against the Tigers.
Guess we’ll soon find out.
by Ian Casselberry on Jun 7, 2009 3:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Are you serious!
I knew that Bondo was scheduled to play the night game but are we really going to get Contreras! I am already so excited that I won’t be able to sleep tonight!
by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 7, 2009 3:23 PM EDT up reply actions
I believe he's starting tuesday against willis (?)
good thing for the wings game
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 3:26 PM EDT up reply actions
I'm glad you guys are up on this
I can’t keep up!
by Ian Casselberry on Jun 7, 2009 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions
tuesday would be verlander again i think
by Motown'sFinest on Jun 7, 2009 3:27 PM EDT up reply actions
espn.com
has willis, Verlander wednesay. otherwise he’s only got saturday-sunday-monday for rest
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 3:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Why...
… do these guys insist on walking the leadoff guy every time they play the Angels!? Deathwish?
after the past two weeks
i’d like an uninteresting one again.
let me addend that.
uninteresting because Tigers are winning. Not uninteresting because you’re losing by 10.
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions
Watch the x-mo replay of that "changeup" from zumaya if you have a dvr
its was a knuckleball… no spin whatsoever
Fan-****ing-tastic
Isn’t that just excellent. Unbelievable
All of these pitches
look good on the game updater … what is going on!
by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 7, 2009 3:43 PM EDT reply actions
gameday agrees
two in the srike zone called balls
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 3:46 PM EDT up reply actions
SERIOUSLY
That was 5 pitches in the strike zone!
by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 7, 2009 3:43 PM EDT reply actions
Pondering...
… how many pitches it will take the Angels to retire the side in the bottom half. 7 or 8 maybe?
looks like I got here just in time
I may be a curse. I didnt watch the Tigers or wings yesterday,and look what happens.
Matt Wieters Picked Himself To Be The Best Man At His Wedding. It Was His Only Option.
Come On Grandy
I for 5 sounds really good right about now!
by tigerfaninChicago on Jun 7, 2009 3:52 PM EDT reply actions
"spring training"
cept they’re in arizona of course
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 3:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes! I will also accept
single, double or triple as the correct answer!
by Kurt Mensching on Jun 7, 2009 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions
that was awesome
gene lamont must have said something like “if you don’t hit it, you’re going back down” haha
hope Inge doesn't beat Clete out for the FSN player of the game
inge certainly has a cult of his own going on that thing
http://old-english-d.blogspot.com
Just got home from work
and checked in to see the score. Wow! Glad I DVR’d this one. Still enjoying the afterglow of Mr. Jackson’s gem last night and now Cletus gets a GS? It just doesn’t get much better than the past 2 days.
"It's designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything is new again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops, and leaves you to face the fall alone". A. Bartlett Giamatti
That was
an OUTSTANDING game today…awesome shot by Clete to save the day!!!
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
Tigers steal one.
Was at the game today, and it was one of those wins that probably shouldn’t have been a win, but you’re happy to have it.
Loved them getting 2 back in the 1st instead of rolling over. Although I was wishing they’d sent the runner on Thames’ single. From our seats, it looked like a close play at best, and given that Saunders did not look good there’d be more scoring chances to come. I also felt that getting thrown out at home would be less bad than getting no runs with the bases loaded. Then Inge went and made it moot (which I’m fine with, because he’s on my main roto team).
Loved seeing Porcello settle down and finish the 5th with 81 pitches
Not a big fan of the IBB to Izturis. It’s not like he that much better than Kendrick, and I don’t know if the “benefit” of having a force anywhere is worth the “risk” of not having wiggle room without walking in a run.
I came out of my seat in frustration when they didn’t send Rayburn on Polanco’s fly out. Matthews Jr. doesn’t have a cannon, Napoli had just come into the game, and even if Rayburn is thrown out you have Maggs, Clete and Marcus in the 9th to get (what you hope is) one run. The number of times bluffing from third generates an error that allows you to score or Maggs produces a 2-out RBI vs. ending the inning anyway, IMO, calls for sending Rayburn and “making something happen” that way.
But Kendry Morales made a dumb play and it cost the Angels a run, and left the door open for Clete to hit his rope onto the bullpen roof.
End result is a happy one, the good guys get a W that felt more like the Angels lost the game, but it’s still the 30th win on the year.
Comments For This Post Are Closed
Secondary Sidebar
User Tools
FanPosts
Community blog posts and discussion.
Recommended FanPosts
Recent FanPosts
In Association With
Big League Stew - MLB - Yahoo! Sports
- Photo: Padres fan regrets letting mother capture moment with Trevor Hoffman
- Marlins agree to unretire No. 5 for Logan Morrison, who will honor his father’s favorite player
- Weatherman Derek Holland does Dallas TV
- Ask Alex: Will Julio Teheran or Matt Moore win rookie of the year?
- Ku Klux Klan, umpires and bowling: Why the minor leagues tossed out Jim Evans academy
Certain photos copyright © 2012 by Associated Press or Getty Images. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of Associated Press and Getty Images is strictly prohibited.
