Game 154 Overflow #2

Game 154 Overflow Thread

Game 149 Overflow thread

"I try to stay focused on the next pitch, because it's always the most important pitch we throw," Knapp said. "If we can take care of the pitches we throw, everything else will take care of itself."

And if everything else takes care of itself, there won't be a reason to get nervous, right?

"I'm just trying to stay level, but inside, it beats you up," he said. "Some losses are harder to shake off, but some wins are, too. Like those games we won in Tampa, you get back to the room and your body is buzzing.

"But your mind is always rewinding or running ahead. It's never ending. Anybody following the Tigers has to be going through the same thing, though."

Before Thursday's game, Leyland called Polanco "a treat" and "a dream" to manage and said he is the "consummate professional," praising his focus and consistency.

"He's like an old shoe," Leyland said. "Old shoes are real comfortable."

"This is one of my favorite starts of my career. In the past, I would have fallen apart-- when I struggled in the first, I would never make it out of the fourth. Tonight, I went eight and kept us in the game."

Tonight I am looking forward to just being part of the All-Star Game. Hopefully I can speak with President Obama and set up a meeting with his Secretary of Education.

Seven of the 10 pitches that have generated the highest rate of misses (minimum 150 swings against) are thrown by pitchers under age 30, including Messrs. Greinke, Lincecum and the Tigers’ Edwin Jackson, whose slider ranks seventh with a 41.8% swing-and-miss rate.

Rockies DFA Grilli

According to Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post the Rockies designated pitcher Jason Grilli for assignment to make room for reliever Matt Daley. Grilli has an unusual line so far this year. In 19.1 innings he has 22 strikeouts, but he's allowing over two baserunners per inning.

Francisco Rodriguez on a fellow Venezuelan's hair:

"Q: What do you think your delivery would look like if you had hair like Magglio's?

FR: Oh, man! I'd be real messed up. I don't think I would be able to see. That's really bad pelo (hair) right there. That's what we call it."