The Tigers are their name, squandering is their game in a 4-2 loss
by BigAl on Apr 18, 2010 12:57 AM EDT
in Detroit Tigers News
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PrintThe Tigers' losing streak is at 3 and counting. There was no late inning comeback in a disappointing 4-2 Tigers loss to the Mariners.
The loss came down to some issues very familiar to Tigers fans: A couple of Justin Verlander pitching mistakes, some iffy defense, and the suddenly limping offense squandering scoring opportunities. As a very wise man named Yogi Berra once said, "It's déjà vu all over again."
Verlander pitched just well enough to lose, making the loss all the more frustrating.
He got off to another shaky start, struggling through a 28 pitch 1st inning. Verlander settled down from then on, ending up with a quality start. (7 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 6 K). Unfortunately, there was a fly in his ointment by the name of Ichiro, who caused plenty of havoc with a 3-3 night, including 2 runs scored, against the Tigers' ace.
Verlander's 7th inning was the game in a nutshell, as it only took one bad pitch for the Mariners to take a lead they would not relinquish. Verlander walked Milton Bradley, who immediately stole 2nd. He then scored on a Casey Kotchman double. All this after the Tigers had rallied (I'm using the term loosely) to tie the game in top of the inning.
The Mariners pushed across a big insurance score in the 8th. Chone Figgins created a run on his own. He hit into a force play (the only time the Tigers got Ichiro out all night) off of Phil Coke. In came Joel Zumaya. Figgins had an uncontested steal of 2nd, then scored on a Franklin Gutiérrez ground single to left.
It was all over but the crying. The squandering had already happened.
The extent of the Tigers' offense was Magglio Ordonez hitting a long home run in the 4th inning, and Johnny Damon's pinch hit RBI single in the 7th. Otherwise, the offense was at it's most frustrating, squandering worst.
Squander 1: Austin Jackson and Ryan Raburn struck out to end a 2 on, 1 out threat in the 5th.
Squander 2: Raburn struck out and Ordonez grounded into a force to end a 2 on, 1 out threat in the 7th.
Squander 3: Scott Sizemore grounded into a 5-4-3 nail in the coffin DP to end a 2 on, 1 out threat in the 8th.
What's that I hear all over Detroit?
"Squander, squander, squander!"
I thought so.
This is a game I want to forget about, and just move on to tomorrow. If there is one thing to take from this loss, it's Justin Verlander may be finding his groove. That alone will help keep the Tigers from having long losing streaks...even if tonight makes for their 3rd loss in a row.
We were hoping for a break even road trip. We may have been expecting too much. The Tigers early season come from behind wins may have given us a little false hope, thinking they might be better than we originally thought.
They aren't.
What they are is a .500 team. Their 6-5 record says as much.
The last few losses are understandable, considering the type of team the Tigers are, but doesn't make the losses any less infuriating.
Comment of the Night:
Okie for Michigan put what we're all thinking into words.
3 outs seems like so many when we are on D
and so little when we are batting
That's frustration, and the 2010 Detroit Tigers, personified.
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I dunno...
I’m going with the cliche of ’it’s early’ for the statement that they are clearly a .500 team at 6-5 just like they weren’t a .750 team at 6-2.
As a reminder to all, our fairly strong top three of the rotation have only recorded one win (i think), so any judgement is probably (hopefully) premature.
Exactly
The White Sox are 4-8 right now. I don’t see anyone counting them out yet.
by SabreRoseTiger on Apr 18, 2010 11:13 AM EDT up reply actions
Blech
"[M]aybe he’s hoping we’re distracting each other while he elopes with pie. I’m on to you Kurt."- madpoopz
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
Seriously
this organization is a sinking ship and I have invested more into the team then they deserve … e.g. 13 straight losing seasons by a completely incompetent front office and now a merely incompetent front office (an improvement yes but come on!) that gave us one good playoff run and is headed towards many years of Central division mediocrity behind the Twins and rebuilding Indians. Maybe it’s a different story if I was old enough to really remember the 80’s but I think it’s time to embrace my national team (although patriotism is stupid) and root for the Jays. At least they are headed in the right direction even if their rebuilding process takes a few years.
P.S. this is not about you Miguel Cabrera … I love you man and Gary Sheffield you did everything you could to make this team enjoyable to watch. Oh and if anyone knows anyone in the front office see if you can nudge them about trading Avila to a team who will give him a chance to play or least develop even if he only does end up an above-average player. U suck Gerald Laird!
WWGSS
my god...
Aprils not even over and you’re already jumping ship? See ya in Toronto than.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
remember when
Baltimore started 0-21?
They got their first win on the road and I think some fans met them with cheering at the airport when they got back home.
"While there's life, there's hope." --Cicero
Science nerd and proud of it!
I remember someone was up on a billboard laying there....
…..until they won a game.
by BennieBladesFan on Apr 18, 2010 11:06 AM EDT up reply actions
I was four years old when that happened, so I don't remember it
I have seen the list of games that they lost and it’s really weird because there was no definite cause for the slow start. They lost all manner of games: pitching duels, slugfests, close games, blowouts, you name it. Talk about not getting in sync.
by SabreRoseTiger on Apr 18, 2010 11:12 AM EDT up reply actions
Silver lining
the O’s were in contention for a playoff spot the very next year. I think it took them until the final week to get eliminated.
Sheffield was a terrible move.
I guess baseball must be fine for you, seeing as it only consists of a couple of weeks in April and not a full 6 months.
Dontrelle Willis apologist.
sheffield stunk it up in Detroit
that is all.
Welcome to Detroit, NO sissies allowed
by Detroitchik on Apr 18, 2010 11:57 AM EDT up reply actions
raburn
send raburn down..his defense is atrocious…leaves men on base every at bat…bring up clete thomas when he’s healthy, or ramirez.
This whole stranding runners thing...
I don’t want to mark it down as a defining characteristic unless I know how they fare in that category in comparison to the other teams (after all, it’s all relative, and as the cliche goes, even your best hitter will fail 65-70% of the time). However, I’m not sure how to realistically go about doing that, and the problem is that that one game against Cleveland is gonna skew the results and would almost have to be thrown out as an outlier.
by SabreRoseTiger on Apr 18, 2010 11:08 AM EDT reply actions
the most important thing is getting men on base
I’m not personally as concerned about the total stranded as long as they keep getting them there.
by Kurt Mensching on Apr 18, 2010 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions
Exactly....
……Hits walks whatever it takes.
by BennieBladesFan on Apr 18, 2010 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions
exactly....
you have to get runners on base in order to strand them.
My Music: Some Sorta Giant
My Blog: Strike Three Mechanics
+1
Their batting average with men on base has got to regress to the mean sometime… right? Right?
"[M]aybe he’s hoping we’re distracting each other while he elopes with pie. I’m on to you Kurt."- madpoopz
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Apr 18, 2010 12:36 PM EDT up reply actions
Actually Everett....
…..has been to bad this year…..Hes hitting .261…..that isnt all that bad.
by BennieBladesFan on Apr 18, 2010 1:33 PM EDT up reply actions
At this point I'd rather have Everett in a clutch situation than Laird.
by okie for michigan on Apr 18, 2010 2:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Me as well....
……I just dont get laird…..Hes like the guy in softball that cant hit to RF for some reason…..He pulls everything no matter what he does.
by BennieBladesFan on Apr 18, 2010 2:45 PM EDT up reply actions
we don't want that
the Tigers are already above average in average and OPS with runners in scoring position.
by Kurt Mensching on Apr 18, 2010 3:28 PM EDT up reply actions
I "liked" this loss more than the previous 2
At least they had a starter record an out in the 7th inning for once. If I had to vent my frustration at a single member of the team, it would be G$. I can live with the anemic bat if he’s controlling the running game. This is not happening. And apparently he thinks Maggs has leprosy, because he won’t catch any balls that are thrown by him. Also, Austin Jackson is still too green for my liking. Don’t get me wrong, I think he’s good and will continue to improve. The K’s are going to be a problem though
Positive note: The Mafia continues to perform.
by ChrisDTX on Apr 18, 2010 11:24 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
Speaking of which, I am currently hard at work on a picture for our Venezuelan mafia
I just wish we had six more Venezuelans because it would make what I was basing it on more obvious.
by SabreRoseTiger on Apr 18, 2010 11:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Raburn pathetic
Not moving runners over and then we have AAA boy doing the same in the lineup for some reason. Laird needs to go unless he can find more than minor league skills at fielding and hitting. Why are we paying for minor league talent?
No plate patience and swinging at a bunch of bad pitches for everyone besides Maggs last nite. Pitch around the big Tiger killers and we win…nope keep letting them kill us. Good call Marlboro man.
We need excitement and this team is repeating the letdown level losses before they get the wins. After payroll drops off this year, get some big league hitters and 2 proven starting pitchers with the cash and sign no more than 2 year deals?
Its early, but digging a hole when Minn is starting out well is frustrating. Time to win a few again?
Laird
G$ at least had a situational hitting success when he laid that quality bunt down. I honestly think we need to bunt him every single time he bats with <2 outs and runners on base….even 3rd.
I Watched This Game
It was the first game I saw this year. It was on the MLB cable channel as their Saturday night feature for “30 teams in 30 days”.
They were playing past their bedtime! (At least it was past my normal bedtime.)
I follow the team in 10 game blocks since the math is easier that way.
They were 6-4 for the first ten. That is still good and they get a B from me for that. Most of us would be tickled with 97 wins this year.
They are 0-1 for the second ten. Let’s see how they do.
Delaware Gary
So
Is anyone else slightly encouraged that Verlander may have found his groove? He’s found it for bits and pieces of his first 2 starts, but after last night it looks like he might be rounding into form. This is a positive development.
yeah
he sucked out loud 3 of the first 4 last year. then shut out the Yankees for 8 innings in start #5. I think he’ll be fine
really, both Laird & Rayburn should hit the road sometime in AAA to refine thier skills.Damon is a twinkie same as sheffield both are from NY.What about all the production that Damon should be generating?, thats what tigers was banking on, other dud in the sinking ship…The important thing is scoring runs when men are on base, too many runs has been stranded,same as last years.BONDO. is history well at least I think so,he will never be the same pitcher he once was..Let say, [WINNING is most important which the Tigers don’t have in them for several yeas counting]. The owner of the Tigers that be ILITCH he only consided with the Red Wings who wouldn’t be. Seem to me that way anyway..Wonder how many games ILITCH has gone to, safe to say, he appears at the games very rarely…ummm, something is wrong in denver or simplely don’t care.
by '' spiderman '' on Apr 18, 2010 2:51 PM EDT reply actions
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