Granderson homer off Coke is game winner for Yankees
As Curtis Granderson could tell you, things go better with Phil Coke. Or something. Forgive me, you know how I dislike this writing recaps thing. The regular season is scheduled to go 162 games. Each game doesn't even count as 1% of the season. So searching for trends is a bit pointless.
So this year I'm going to try a different format. And hey, with this one you can even play along in the comments section. So this might be better for all of us.
Key stat: The top three in the Tigers' batting order went 1-for-11 with four strikeouts and no walks. The middle of the batting order can't drive home what was never on base to begin with.
Key play: Granderson broke the 3-3 tie with a home run off Phil Coke in the seventh.
Key thoughts:
-- Allison had an excellent poppy seed bagel during the first inning. She told me to inform you guys of that.
-- The Tigers were 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. This was nearly the key stat.
-- Alex Avila had a game we can only hope he forgets quickly. Three ugly strikeouts, five left on base, and three wild pitches that he didn't manage to snag.
-- Nice to see Jhonny Peralta get an RBI. He didn't have one the entire exhibition season. In fact, two of the three runs were driven in by the bottom third of the order. So that was good to see.
-- Justin Verlander may have an ERA of 4.50 after today's game, but if he pitches as well as he did today most times he takes the mound, that'll come down quick. Room for improvement? He didn't manage to put batters away too fast and went to a full count too many times. But let's remember: that's just what the Yankees do. So I'm not going to read into it, other than to note he has a history of needing more pitches than he should.
-- Brandon Inge's short-hopped throw to Miguel Cabrera was a costly error that led to a run, and it also led FSD analyst Rod Allen to note Cabrera was exhibiting pain in his right hand after the ball bounced off it.
-- The day off after opening day is the longest day of the year.
Your thoughts?
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Comments
Home teams should win home openers.
But not when playing against the Tigers!!
Glad the season has started.
Delaware Gary
I know it's only opening day, but....
Leyland’s an idiot. Why start Avila? Didn’t we just pay $50+ million for a switch hitting catcher?!? But noooooo, let’s use Martinez as a DH and start our left-handed hitting kid catcher against frigging CC Sabathia, one of the best southpaws in the game. Idiot. He’s a brown-toothed, Marlboro-stinking breathed idiot.
Said with affection, of course.
I was for the Alexander trade when it happened, and I'd do 'er again!
by 77bestrookieclassever on Mar 31, 2011 6:05 PM EDT up reply actions
Dog
Is that a cattle dog in the picture?
Tiger tweets @ www.twitter.com/explenture
An impatient optimist not a patient pessimist
This didn't take long
I know it’s only opening day, but….
No buts. It’s Opening Day. There’s no reason to overreact to any decisions, especially one that involves starting the guy that the organization is expecting (for now) to be a mainstay behind the plate for the next 5-10 years. And unless you expected to go 162-0 this year, there’s no reason to be calling anyone an idiot. Go to MLive or the Freep if you want to do that.
by Rob Rogacki on Mar 31, 2011 8:51 PM EDT up reply actions 5 recs
Thank you
"Aside from the stuff I haven’t been diagnosed for yet, I don’t have a problem."- Phil Coke
Contributor, Bless You Boys
by David Tokarz on Mar 31, 2011 10:09 PM EDT up reply actions
Apologize for the "idiot" call...
…you’re right, it was classless and uncalled for. I tend to type stream-of-consiousnessly. Won’t happen again.
But I will stand by my point. Martinez should have been behind the plate, Maggs the DH, Casper in right.
But I will stand by my point. Martinez should have been behind the plate, Maggs the DH, Casper in right.
And that’s perfectly acceptable. I actually agree that Avila probably should have sat. I was just disagreeing with how you presented it. No harm done though.
I like the format
Something a little different.
Random thoughts- I liked Inge’s approach at the plate.
Agree with Jhonny getting his RBI after going RIBless in Lakeland
Concern about the team defense looms
Reports of the Yankers demise has been greatly exaggerated
They may have a weak back end of the rotation, but the lineup and bullpen are stacked
I don't care what the Chinese say, 2011 is the Year of the Tiger!
but the question is, will that be enough to get past the Rays pitching and Red Sox awesome-at-everything-ness
by Kurt Mensching on Mar 31, 2011 5:58 PM EDT up reply actions
I picked Boston to win the WS, but...
I think the Yanks at least match up with Boston’s lineup, and outhit the Rays
I think the Yanks have a stronger bullpen than Boston and definitely the Rays (who could easily have done a better job of replacing the entire pen that they lost)
Boston has an AJ issue with Josh Beckett that is almost an identical problem, and Dice K is no stud lately, either. On paper, rotation is still the huge advantage to Boston, though. The Rays rotation is very strong, and finally, the Yanks figure to make a move once a few clubs fall out of contention. I’d almost bet on Jesus Montero being traded in a deal for a starting pitcher, an expensive one, around the break.
I don't care what the Chinese say, 2011 is the Year of the Tiger!
I may have been guilty of underestimating NY
As you say, that lineup is nasty. Solid defense too.
I don’t know if I’m sold on the middle of their rotation though. This is a big year for Hughes and Burnett both – even with the success Hughes had last year, I could see those guys going either way.
On twitter @BisonMessink
Yep...the rotation is the question
I’m sure we’d be humming a different tune about the Yanks if we caught their #3,4,5 instead of 1,2,3. Of course, we will probably make Freddie Garcia look like an ace this year.
The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981
Fredie
Always kills us. At least he isn’t in our division.
On twitter @BisonMessink
by BisonMessink on Apr 1, 2011 11:24 AM EDT up reply actions
Coke?
Kind of questionable to pitch coke in that key situation. He’s a starter this year why not let another reliever get that situation?
Tiger tweets @ www.twitter.com/explenture
An impatient optimist not a patient pessimist
Such as???
Realistically, the choices were Coke, Schlereth, and Perry. I’d have gone with Coke, especially with a big string of lefties coming up.
I don't care what the Chinese say, 2011 is the Year of the Tiger!
It has in the past.
I’d have gone with Coke too, but then again, who wouldn’t want Coke?
I was for the Alexander trade when it happened, and I'd do 'er again!
by 77bestrookieclassever on Mar 31, 2011 6:50 PM EDT up reply actions
COKE ? and others etc.
Game one..burn the game plan as far as Coke being a starter. I guess because of off days he isn’t needed as a starter yet ? Martinez and Avila..I sense a disparity here. Avila ever hit against Sabbathia..Raburn look good today..Tigers need to learn to use the Yankee home advantage i.e..the short right field porch and shorter with wind blowing out.Both Cabrera and Raburn hit center field blasts, which hung up in wind. Good game to build on.
that's exactly it
It was announced before the season started that Coke would start the season in the bullpen because the team didn’t need a fifth starter for a while, and Coke is more used to bullpen work than Brad Penny is. Already discussed days ago.
Random Ramblings from a Somewhat Scattered Mind
"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." --Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)
Why hello good friend.
I’m not particularly fond of the “Coke in the bullpen” mess. I just think after coming into the spring with the mentality of being a starter, that it may or may not have screwed with his head starting out in the bullpen.
Wasn’t too happy with the 3 mishandles by Avila… but given the cold temps and first game of the season, it’s forgivable for now.
… and Dammit Granderson, why did you have to be yourself today?
I agree.
You’re a starter, you have the mindset of a starter. Throw one in the bullpen, that’s gonna screw ’em up.
by frisbeepilot on Apr 1, 2011 12:29 AM EDT up reply actions
howdy :)
But if it was going to be him or Penny, he’s the least bad option in the opinion of the manager and coaches. I’d have just kept him as a starter, too, but no one asked me.
Random Ramblings from a Somewhat Scattered Mind
"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." --Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)
Keep him as a starter....
….and let him not play at all for a week and a half? That makes sense.
Putting him in the pen so he at least gets some game action makes more sense. He’ll be in the rotation on the second or third go around.
Dancing Datsyuk Decidedly Dazzles Dainty Defensemen
Kinda been touched upon, but...
1. Avila and Rhymes shouldn’t be starting against the toughest lefty in the AL. I don’t care if it’s opening day. Casper in right, Maggs at DH, V-Mart catching, and Little Ramon at second give you a better chance at winning today.
2. Schlereth is the guy supposed to get lefties out this year. Why use Coke in that situation against Granderson when it’s not going to be his job later on and Stink Jr gives you a better shot at a K?
1 down, 161 to go. Already angry. Sigh…
1. Agreed completely, Why is Casper up here and why did we sign Vmart to catch against lefties if they aren’t playing against lefties?
2. Gotta disagree somewhat. Why not Coke? We didn’t need a K, it was the start of the inning, and when do you use Coke to keep him sharp if not then, when it doesn’t matter?
I was for the Alexander trade when it happened, and I'd do 'er again!
by 77bestrookieclassever on Mar 31, 2011 7:56 PM EDT up reply actions
My bad, I wasn’t very clear with what I was going for with #2. We didn’t NEED a K there, but Grandy’s a high strikeout guy. Schlereth’s a power K guy and I like his odds in the matchup with Grandy over Coke’s, especially when Coke’s prep all spring has been to be a starter.
And there will be plenty of time to get Coke some innings against this Yankees offense, sad to say. I just didn’t like that situation.
Whatever…it’s just one game…right?
100% agree
Daniel was in no pressure situation. Would have been good situation with high strikeout guy Grandy Vs. Power arm.
Rhymes hit .350 against lefties last year
Granted, it was a small sample size, but from what I’ve heard he’s an effective hitter against lefties (i.e. his splits aren’t too bad). I can’t find any split minor league stats on Baseball Reference though.
Santiago is 7-24 (.292) lifetime vs. CC. That’s a decent amount of at bats. I liked his chances better than Will’s. In fact, other than Carlos Guillen’s .295 lifetime avg vs Sabathia and Cabrera’s amazing .538 avg, Ramon has the next highest career CC avg on the team.
/not counting Boesch being 2/6…ha.
I have no answer for that
But I don’t fault Leyland for starting Rhymes on Opening Day.
by Rob Rogacki on Mar 31, 2011 10:29 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't fault him for starting
Rhymes OR Avila on opening day, but I do for starting both against CC, a very tough lefty. There was a lot of questioning going on here last year every time Everett and G$ started against a righty because we were giving up at least two outs each time through the lineup. Its the same thing here. One of them should have sat, feelings be damned.
Overall, it was a very good game and very positive. Manufacturing runs, what will they think of next?!
I was for the Alexander trade when it happened, and I'd do 'er again!
by 77bestrookieclassever on Mar 31, 2011 10:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Hold the phone
Just got a chance to watch the replay. Why is everyone bagging on Rhymes? He was nearly 2-for-4: one of his ABs was the liner robbed by Granderson in the first inning, and the time he got on base was a sac bunt flubbed by the Yanks that could have just as easily been scored as a hit. Magglio’s 0-fer behind Rhymes was just as much a reason for the loss as Will’s more productive 0-for-3.
And he got an AB stolen from him
That checked swing was no where near being a strike.
Rhymes was good today…I think he’ll do his job as a #2 hitter.
The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981
That too
I forgot about that one. Tough day for Rhymes, but he was much more promising than the box score suggests.
The check swing plus Granderson's diving catch
Will is gonna be okay.
I don't care what the Chinese say, 2011 is the Year of the Tiger!
Not really bagging on Will,
starting one or the other was OK, but as Erin said, CC is pretty good, and Avila will get over not starting opening day if he is starting 70% of the games or better (vs RHP). I don’t like the reasoning if that is it. Vmart was signed to catch vs LHP and DH against RHP. If Avila is going to catch 140 games or so then the problem from my perspective is solved as far as that decision goes, we are going for defense at the most important defensive position and that is fine.
I was for the Alexander trade when it happened, and I'd do 'er again!
by 77bestrookieclassever on Apr 1, 2011 4:25 PM EDT up reply actions
Lester is the toughest lefty in the AL.
Just sayin’…
by ChrisDTX on Mar 31, 2011 8:59 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Okay, top two
"Aside from the stuff I haven’t been diagnosed for yet, I don’t have a problem."- Phil Coke
Contributor, Bless You Boys
by David Tokarz on Mar 31, 2011 10:11 PM EDT up reply actions
I think those are fair points
That being said, rewarding Avila with the opening day start might confirm his status as the starting catcher. Maybe it’s a role thing- you start everyone out where they would normally be and you move from there.
"Aside from the stuff I haven’t been diagnosed for yet, I don’t have a problem."- Phil Coke
Contributor, Bless You Boys
by David Tokarz on Mar 31, 2011 10:12 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
How do the Yankees have Soriano and Mariano?
Holy cr*p seriously, why does no one think their bullpen is amazing.
ummm... people do?
if theyre leading after 7 they’ll win pretty much every time
Founder, President and CEO of the Ryan Raburn Fan Club
If Avila's performance today was a sign of things to come...
I’ll tell ya what… I don’t think JL will wait too long to make the following changes to the lineup:
-Vmart in at C
-Raburn at RF/LF
-Boesch at LF/RF
-Mags at DH
Founder, President and CEO of the Ryan Raburn Fan Club
You DON'T want V-Mart behind the dish.
Ever. Avila will be fine.
by ChrisDTX on Mar 31, 2011 8:52 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
i dunno man...
Avila wasn’t very solid behind the dish either. Plus Boesch’s bat in the lineup over his is a HUGE upgrade
Founder, President and CEO of the Ryan Raburn Fan Club
Avila looked brutal today
He will have better days but he wouldn’t have his job if it weren’t for his old man.
His first 2 strikeouts today he looked really overmatched. If he were on any other team he’d be in AAA figuring out how to hit good pitching. I’m still rooting for him though. He seems like a good guy.
by mickey_brignall on Mar 31, 2011 9:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Really?
He had one bad day. One! Didn’t he also have the highest OBP on the Tigers in Lakeland?
Actually, I know that. Yes. Yes he did.
"Aside from the stuff I haven’t been diagnosed for yet, I don’t have a problem."- Phil Coke
Contributor, Bless You Boys
by David Tokarz on Mar 31, 2011 10:14 PM EDT up reply actions
And it's not like he was facing pushover pitching today
Last time I checked, Sabathia and Rivera were pretty good.
Doña of the fractured Venezuelan Mafia
Haunted by the ghosts of Tigers past
by SabreRoseTiger on Mar 31, 2011 10:18 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
Yeah, they're all right
"Aside from the stuff I haven’t been diagnosed for yet, I don’t have a problem."- Phil Coke
Contributor, Bless You Boys
Like Avila's, right?
I was for the Alexander trade when it happened, and I'd do 'er again!
by 77bestrookieclassever on Apr 1, 2011 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions
it's one game
Even the best hitters have 0-4, 3K days. One game only.
Random Ramblings from a Somewhat Scattered Mind
"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." --Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)
True
Maybe nerves a little bit also…opening day, Yankee Stadium…blah, blah, blah. Hope things go better though.
The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981
He's our 9th hitter.
Bad days happen. Look at Pujols.
What i want to know is if
there was cream cheese on Alli’s bagel, was it toasted? did it have jam… or was it just plain. Also was it accompanied by tea, juice or coffee?
Your 2k11 Detroit Tigers "AL Central Division Contenders" So get over it.
Could have had butter, too.
And what about milk, soda, or an energy drink?
I was for the Alexander trade when it happened, and I'd do 'er again!
by 77bestrookieclassever on Mar 31, 2011 8:39 PM EDT up reply actions
I don't know, but I had some awesome pizza during the game
I want everyone to know that, too :-)
Doña of the fractured Venezuelan Mafia
Haunted by the ghosts of Tigers past
by SabreRoseTiger on Mar 31, 2011 8:45 PM EDT up reply actions
This is the kind of analysis I want on this site
Relax on the game, people. This information is much more important, especially with an off day tomorrow.
This being one of the few games I won't actually watch
I have little to add. JV struggled with the strike zone (something like 65 strikes in 114 pitches or something). Productive outs are the new market inefficiency (2 sac flies). Other than that I got nothin’. Good season debut for Schlereth…
by ChrisDTX on Mar 31, 2011 8:50 PM EDT via mobile reply actions
JV struggled with the strike zone
More like, the umpire struggled with the strike zone.
Yes
It was very inconsistent.
Drink, and Drink, and Drink, and Drink, and Drink, and Drink, and Fight!
by Brand New Hero on Apr 1, 2011 12:15 AM EDT up reply actions
If MLB At Bat is accurate at all
I was questioning the Umpire Unions vision plan. Seems like maybe they need an upgrade.
Dancing Datsyuk Decidedly Dazzles Dainty Defensemen
Again, there is 99.38% of the season to go
If you got a failure on a quiz, but it was only 0.6% of your grade, I hope no one would freak out over it. Shrug, work to do better the next time, and stop fretting over it.
Random Ramblings from a Somewhat Scattered Mind
"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." --Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)
This is only my second Opening Day as a BYBer, and we won last year, so I have no idea if this is the typical reaction to losing on Opening Day
I do know that at the time I joined BYB (late April 2009), people were going after Verlander the way they’re going after Avila right now.
Doña of the fractured Venezuelan Mafia
Haunted by the ghosts of Tigers past
by SabreRoseTiger on Mar 31, 2011 9:18 PM EDT up reply actions
I think there is a vocal minority
Who go after anyone who is struggling. It just makes way more sense to see how a little bit of the season plays out – like, say, at least one home game, for example.
Random Ramblings from a Somewhat Scattered Mind
"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." --Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)
but it's 100% of the games played so far
not excusing the negativity, just offering an explanation
Rooting for Tiger stripes, not pinstripes
by JerseyTigerFan on Mar 31, 2011 10:59 PM EDT up reply actions
We might as well just quit the season now
Seriously people, relax. It’s one game, on the road, against one of the top 5 teams in baseball. I think the fact that Verlander went 6 innings and only gave up 3 runs (as compared to his usual April suck-itude) is much more important than the fact that Coke gave up runs out of the bullpen, when he’s just going to be starting all season anyway.
And also
After the game Verlander said that because of the cold he had little feel for his breaking pitches anyway – yet they looked like THAT?!? Most pitchers would LOVE to throw breaking pitches like that when they were doing well, let alone lacking feel for them.
(Mario Impemba tweet)
Random Ramblings from a Somewhat Scattered Mind
"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." --Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)
I kinda thought that might be the case
He will win the Cy Young, I think.
by ChrisDTX on Mar 31, 2011 9:07 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
I think so
the only thing that’s stopped him has been miserable Aprils. The rest of the season would definitely put him in the conversation.
Random Ramblings from a Somewhat Scattered Mind
"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." --Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)
i was describing the action to my dad
as he was on a trip and not watching. i told him even on a day when not at his absolute best, jv is ridiculous. i thought he was much better than cc today, his stuff is just better than most everyone else’s. like i saw (heard? read?) someone else say, he wins most games with stuff like that, and he wasn’t at his best. let me agree with the cy young talk.
by atlantatiger on Mar 31, 2011 11:19 PM EDT up reply actions
Agreed.
His fastball was accurate, and his off-speed stuff was just nasty. I think he’ll get 20 wins this year.
Drink, and Drink, and Drink, and Drink, and Drink, and Drink, and Fight!
by Brand New Hero on Apr 1, 2011 12:19 AM EDT up reply actions
If Avila and Rhymes are going to start for this team
They’re going to have to learn to hit tough pitchers like Sabathia sooner or later.
Rhymes was fine today
One AB robbed on a bad check-swing call. One decent liner caught by a great CF. One productive bunt that could have been a single.
The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981
Also, maybe I am a pessimist
But we normally do poorly in April on the road, and playing in the Bronx is always a tough order anyway, so if we’re going to lose April road games (I know, March 31st), might as well be to the Yankees and not the Royals.
I just want to note that if the season comes down to having Rhymes and Avila in the lineup on Opening Day, we've got bigger problems.
Doña of the fractured Venezuelan Mafia
Haunted by the ghosts of Tigers past
by SabreRoseTiger on Mar 31, 2011 11:11 PM EDT reply actions
this
All this freaking out over an Opening Day lineup is silly.
by Kurt Mensching on Apr 1, 2011 6:23 AM EDT up reply actions
Wasn't This Game On ESPN?
Nuff said as to what the outcome was going to be
Plus, that umpire.
Geez, what a strike zone.
by frisbeepilot on Apr 1, 2011 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions
What's most amusing to me
were the people in the game thread who talking about the good ol’ days of Laird.
by okie for michigan on Apr 1, 2011 12:39 AM EDT reply actions
hee hee
That was funny. I mentioned it to one of my twitter friends I’m trying to convince to join up (he thinks he might be a little too caps-locky for BYB, but that’s when he’s really annoyed or sarcastic) and his only response?
“Sigh”
Random Ramblings from a Somewhat Scattered Mind
"It is a mistake to try to look too far ahead. The chain of destiny can only be grasped one link at a time." --Sir Winston Churchill (1874 – 1965)
well we lost.
but it’s the first game of 162 and we looked pretty good. It was fun chatting with you guys. I’m definitely gonna make game threads more of a habit again this season.
Coke
As you boys will soon come to learn, there’s good coke, and there’s bad coke. That’s what you get with Phil… He’ll be lights out one night and look as unhittable as any left to toss the ball, and you’ll have nights when you bring him in to face a couple key lefties and the first guy rips one into the second deck. Listen, I’m just psyched to have baseball back. Verlander is a beast and pitched well enough to win. Inge was your offensive star of the day. The top of your order let you down, but give a little credit to CC, who threw a solid game as well. At the end of the season, there’s no reason why both our teams shouldn’t be playing meaningful games in October. Certainly glad we got the first one, but good luck to one of the other ancient, classic AL franchises.
wait...
a non annoying Yankee fan?
And all jest aside, it’s the first game of the season. Nobody should be freaking out for any reason at all. Like you said, we should all just glad that baseball is back and that the first game was pretty good.
HI all
I don’t think any of you will remember me but I joined up here a little midway through last season. I’m practically done with the NHL this year (Avs suck…) so I’ll be here to watch the time go by til October.
Sucks we lost, hate those Yanks…
Go Tigers!
Living in the D, but It's All About The A.
I remember you
Just because I thought it was weird that someone would be an Avalanche fan and want anything to do with a Detroit team…or vise versa. Unless things have changes pretty drastically since I last lived in Detroit the Wings and Avalanche used to have one of the most intense rivalries in sports.
I’m from Detroit, but found the Avs by myself and inherited all other fandom by geography (big Pistons, UM football, seasonal Tigers/Lions fan)
Living in the D, but It's All About The A.
by Avalanche318 on Apr 4, 2011 12:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Have to say...
I will not watch the Tigers on ESPN when they are playing an East Coast team. They were all over the Yanks’ nuts!
It took me 11 years to learn not to freak out over the 1st game a long season
The only really bad thing I took from this game is it looks like Victor is gonna be catching alot more than we thought, I know it’s only one game but Avila did not look good. I know it’s one game but those were 3 bad stirke outs. I still hope the best for him though, want him to be our long term soultion…
I mean Catchers aren't really depended on that much for hitting
It’s all about defense
My thoughts may be a little biased. Sorry.
True
If his defense had been good, he wouldn’t be getting nearly as much flack.
The other sports are just sports. Baseball is a love. ~Bryant Gumbel, 1981

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