See, this is why last night's loss really hurts.  Besides the obvious part of it - losing a game - the Tigers just can't afford to cough up a win when it's there for the taking.  Because there will be games like tonight's, when your ace just doesn't have it working and you're never really in the game.

After pitching well in his last seven starts, Justin Verlander was probably due for a bad outing.  Especially facing the White Sox, against whom he had a 2-6 record and 5.45 ERA.  Verlander's streak of allowing two runs or less ended dramatically in the third inning on back-to-back homers by Carlos Quentin and Jermaine Dye.  The Tigers played catch-up valiantly, but just couldn't recover from that initial onslaught.

And how do we feel about Bobby Seay's outing tonight?  Does he get kudos for pitching three innings of shutout ball and keeping Detroit in the ballgame?  Or should he be knocked for crumpling in the pressure situation he was brought in to diffuse?  The two runs allowed were charged to Verlander, and Seay was brought into a difficult two-on, no-out situation, but he couldn't get the big out.  When was the last time he did?

Seven-and-a-half games behind the White Sox?  And left to try and salvage a win to keep the damage to a minimum?  Not entirely a lost weekend, but definitely a fumbled one.

Roll Call

These are the people who were willing to have their hearts broken and come back with hope the next night.  A shaky internet connection kept me from joining them through most of the game.  Or was my modem trying to spare me the pain?

Thanks to explosivo2k2, MikeMcClary, BigAl, wepri31, MackAveKurt, Oost, rock n rye, Zappatista, dettigionswings'stons, Wingz, ahtrap, rook34, densogirl, and ThaWalrus9 for trying to pick themselves up again after falling.

Ladies and gentleman, the contrarian Detroit Tigers.

The team that never seems to come back once it falls behind overcame a 2-0 deficit.  A bullpen that never seems to put out fires bailed out the starting pitcher, allowing just one run in a bases-loaded, one-out situation.  The starting pitcher who usually gives up four runs allowed only three.  The left field position that never seems to provide any production got two hits, drove in a run and, perhaps most excitingly, threw out a baserunner at home plate.  The closer known for his walrus-like mustache took the mound without facial hair.  And the Tigers defeated the division rival that so frequently seems to beat them. 

Scoring five runs was going to be a key to victory, as Nate Robertson was sure to give up four.  Detroit did one better, and put six on the board.  Jose Contreras came into tonight's game throwing as well as any starting pitcher in the American League, but the Tigers knocked him around, notching 13 hits in his six innings.  And maybe the biggest one of those hits was from Miguel Cabrera, whose bat could lead a turnaround if it starts hitting consistently.

Freddy Dolsi continued to look as if he could be the set-up man Detroit's been looking for all season, giving up just one run with the bases loaded and one out in the seventh inning.  And in the eighth, with the White Sox threatening after Dolsi balked Carlos Quentin to second base, Brent Clevlen made a play that the Tigers haven't seen from a left fielder all season.  After gloving Jim Thome's single, Clevlen gunned a throw to home plate that beat Quentin and prevented the Sox from cutting into the lead.

Baseball can be so much more fun to watch when your team makes the plays.  I'm still trying to process how I feel about the now mustache-less Todd Jones, however.  The guy looked almost unrecognizable.  Kind of like the team wearing the Olde English D tonight.

Roll Call

I've been slacking with this in the recaps ever since returning from Malaysia, for which I apologize.  The GameThread started out slowly, but just as the Tigers came roaring back, so did the comments.  Once again, a tip of the cap to those who showed up.

Thanks to pfuhrmeister, PBURGTIGER, rock n rye, cannonad03, busta, ThaWalrus9, Tony K, Juskimo, and Grant E. for chiming in on what turned out to be a fun game.

(Image from "Heart of the City" © 2006 Mark Tatulli)

You don't really want to read a recap of that game, do you?  Because I sure as hell don't feel like writing it.

Just two pitches in, it became clear what kind of night it was going to be for the Tigers when Nick Swisher blasted a Justin Verlander pitch down the right field line.  And even though Detroit came back to tie the game, it was all downhill from there.  The White Sox blew the game open in the sixth after Carlos Guillen (future Gold Glove first baseman, according to Joe Morgan) dropped the ball at first base (and again on Carlos Quentin's three-run triple in the ninth), but the tone was set from the very beginning.  Right away, the Tigers had to play catch up, just as they have throughout these first six games of the season.

Oh, and they hit into five double plays.  Nothing like helping Mark Buehrle - the type of soft-tossing lefty the Tigers pounded last year - look like a pitching magician.  And if not for a couple of Joe Crede errors, he might have thrown a shutout.

This team definitely need an off-day and a road trip right now.  Get away from the booing fans and home crowd expectations.  Huddle up together, without the comforts of home and family.  Have the routine shaken up, and maybe it'll make these guys a little mean and cranky. 

Is that wishful thinking?  Probably, but after that kind of nationally televised humiliation, there's not much else to work with.