Mighty Polly at the Bat: Tigers 4, Rays 3
by Ian Casselberry on Aug 30, 2009 4:15 PM EDT
in Detroit Tigers News
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PrintJust like that, it can change.
For 7.2 innings, this was a lazy Sunday rerun for the Tigers and their fans. Another day of letting a pitcher cruise through seven innings without making him work. Another decent pitching performance wasted by pop-gun run support. Here we go again.
That is, until Tampa took Jeff Niemann out of the game after allowing a double to Clete Thomas to lead off the eighth. (Niemann had only thrown 96 pitches by that point.)
Grant Balfour got his first two batters out, but apparently wanted nothing to do with Curtis Granderson, walking him on five pitches. He then fell behind Placido Polanco 2-0, before teeing a third fastball up in the strike zone. Polanco jumped on the pitch, and got just enough punch on it to send it over the left field fence. (Okay, the wind might have helped a bit.)
And just like that, what looked like a lethargic snoozefest became a heist job. The Tigers flat out stole one from the Rays today. They got the pitching from Justin Verlander (three runs and six hits over eight innings), they just needed a big hit to go along with it. Finally, Polanco got one that was just big enough. Yet another magic act at home.
Roar:
Thomas had a 3-for-3 day at the plate, but it's that third one - the leadoff double in the eighth - that mattered the most. The Cult of Clete will celebrate tonight.
Whimper:
Did Miguel Cabrera start to hear that MVP talk? The Tigers won two games this weekend in spite of him, as he went hitless. 0-for-11, to be exact.
Comment of the Day:
I TOLD YOU THEY'D BE ASKIN FOR TROUBLE!
I love Rod Allen.
by simscity
And your runner-up. Just like that, it goes from pouting to singing.
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Oh, noes!!!!
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 30, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions
just because
Don’t be a bunch of Communists. You know you think penguins are adorable. :P
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
I am so NOT a commie
I’ve got at least three plush Opuses in my apartment…he’s my all time fave cartoon character
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
not you
But some seemed upset with the penguin proliferation. Penguins are adorable awesomeness with feathers.
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
I have to tell you
I think the penguins are perfect. I saw a pregame live and they asked some of the guys what movies did they really like or what movie made them cry and Polly said his favorite movie was “Happy Feet” so since he got the win today, I think the penguins are fitting
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
Yay for penguins!
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 30, 2009 4:26 PM EDT up reply actions
you're making me hungry
annoyed at the being at work thing, and now my belly is starting to rumble…dunno how much more of this I can take…
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given that I got here after noon...
Having issues with the logging in from home thing, bad timing for that with a deadline coming up this week…just gotta get some stuff done, or set up prior to tomorrow and Tuesday.
I guess technically I don’t HAVE to be here, this will just make Monday all that much less unpleasant
and don’t mind me, I’m just whining out loud…if I’d gotten up early like I should have, I’d be out of here already :)
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
still a bummer to be at work on a Sunday
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
I gotta go to the store for a few minutes...
…but when I get home, it’s time for mom’s baked chicken.
And I may even treat myself to Cold Stone in celebration.
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 30, 2009 4:28 PM EDT up reply actions
Soon.
I’ll be having a turkey burger with red onion, dried red peppers, spinach leaves, and provolone.
by StringTheory on Aug 30, 2009 4:29 PM EDT up reply actions
welcome back!
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
lawnmauer double play!
2 out, Mauer and a .368 BA against Grilli….I was almost expecting a Twins lead after that at bat, and instead, a double play!
How exactly did Span get doubled off 2nd base? Was it an amazing, unexpected catch or something?
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
since I won't be able to join in the game thread from work tomorrow
Here is a cute rally penguin for tomorrow’s game.
Cute emperor penguin chick wants a Tiger home run or three – or at least a win.
Are you listening, Brandon Inge? :D
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
I like this penguin
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 30, 2009 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions
NO SQUANDERING!
bases loaded, none down, Nathan making like he’s pitching for the Tigers in the 06 world series
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
Nathan looks like he's riding the rodneycoaster to the save
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
I especially like the "Joe Nathan pitching for Joe Nathan" part
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
Elvis has just left the building, what's Julio Borbon got?
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
Chris Davis or David Murphy. So not really.
by StringTheory on Aug 30, 2009 5:13 PM EDT up reply actions
dang, MN wins
oh well, we’re still leading the division by a good chunk. honestly, i didn’t expect the white sox to fail so miserably on the east coast. i know boston and the yankees are tough, but they got demolished out there.
I Like Pie
Waste of an opportunity to go up 5.5
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
So, uh, we're rooting for the White Sox to take 2 of 3 from the Twins?
This is going to be difficult.
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
I LOVE THESE GUYS!!!!!
POLLY FTW!!! Our seats were right there…behind the Detroit bullpen. was a great feeling when the ball fell into it…
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
An old rally tactic returns
Via Jason Beck’s Twitter:
Verlander: “Nate [Robertson] pulled out Gum Time again today. Hadn’t seen that since 2006.”
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
We pulled a Nate today too
We have done that several times this year. Today me and my friend plopped a big ol’ hand full of BLC in our mouths just before Polly went to the plate. She laughed at me and I said c’mon it really works and she chewed and laughed, at first. But She’s a believer now. GO Nate!!
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
I've been doing it since 07
Just ordered a couple 12 packs off Amazon today (with Bioshock 2). I should be set for the stretch run. :D
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Aug 30, 2009 7:40 PM EDT up reply actions
IMO
He can. A high BABIP in 2008 led to his suckitude then, and I’m guessing he felt the effects of his injury as well. BP had an article about how his stuff fell off in mid 2008- I wonder if the masses in his arm could have been the reason.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Aug 30, 2009 9:13 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't follow sabermetrics in the slightest
This may be oversimplified, but IMO, once a player has had success, the only two things that can prevent him from having success again are age or major injury. Nate’s had success before. He’s not that old, and the elbow injury wasn’t that severe. Therefore, I see no reason why he can’t be successful again. It’s a matter of execution.
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 30, 2009 9:38 PM EDT up reply actions
I was
pleasantly surprised by Nate yesterday. He did a good job out there.
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
For the most part
A player can get unlucky over a long period of time (see Javier Vasquez or Jeremy Bonderman, who have peripheral stats that say they should be pitching significantly better), but that’s pretty spot on. I mean, a player can fall off a cliff, but his numbers should say something. In Nate’s case, he had that BABIP and a declining K:BB ratio. But the K:BB ratio wasn’t horrible by any means, and that he was still getting strikeouts (118 to be specific) leads me to think his stuff didn’t deteriorate entirely.
Long story short, he was horribly unlucky in 2008, and possibly impacted by injuries in the same timeframe. That unlucky streak was one of the reasons I was okay with bringing Robertson in as a fifth starter this year.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Aug 30, 2009 9:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Magic Number 29
If the Tiger go one game over 17-16 .500 the rest of the way…..19 home 14 away
The Twins will have to play 21-11 .656 to tie. 16 home 16 away
The Sox will have to go 22-9 .710 to tie. 16 home 15 away
Like I said yesterday this thing is over.
Pack your golf clubs Twins and Soxs!!!
Isn't over until it's over
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Aug 31, 2009 1:06 AM EDT up reply actions
That is assuming no injuries.
All it would take is one or two key injuries (and I’m not mentioning who scares me the most because I don’t want to give the universe any bad ideas), and the Tigers would drop like a falling rock.
Nothing is over yet.
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
I will certainly not count out our boys
Until I see it written in black and white – “Season Over For Detroit”. I am not counting on that, though
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
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