Bless You Boys: FanPosts

The Anti-Climactic Flamethrower...

2009-11-06T16:21:18Z

Heres my flamethrower and all of it's disappointments on this run. Some of you guys were interested in seeing how it turned out so I post it here for those of you interested. My mistake with this run was forgetting that my propane served to purposes. 2 part video of failure.

Part 1: My propane decides it doesn't want to come out.

Part 2: Propane now works, but the release valve is apparently breaking on me. When I get it all figured out this thing should be <i>much</i> more epic.

Just as a warning, this thing is very dangerous. Just because I play with fire doesn't mean that you have to also. I bear no responsibility for anyone who gets hurt trying to replicate this.

Binge's buddy--Noah Biorkman

2009-11-06T00:49:25Z

I don't know if anyone saw this, so I thought I would share it with you. One of the little boys who signed Brandon's arm during the season seems to be nearing the end. His family celebrated Christmas with him yesterday because they don't think he'll be around long enough to wait for the real thing.

Here's the link to the Facebook page someone in or close to the family made. My roommate's 4th grade class sent him Christmas cards from Texas, and it seems like there are tons of people sending him things. Keep Noah in your thoughts/prayers!

Tigers Top 20 Prospects

2009-10-30T19:55:57Z

[Editor's Note: Promoted from the FanPosts, for some good ol' offseason discussion. We've already had some good comments and conversation on this post, so let's open it up to the front page. -- Ian]

Yeah, I know; everyone is doing this right now. But with a dearth of interesting, baseball-related news right now (at least for those of us still too heart-broken to care about the World Series), I needed something to occupy my time.

Admittedly, I'm not a prospect expert like John Sickels (those of you who pay attention to his site may recognize the format of my list). Therefore, I am sure that I have left some deserving players off the list or made vast over- or under-estimations of others. So what do you think? (And don't forget to take the poll!)

1. Casey Crosby, LHP, Grade B+

Anyone surprised? Didn’t think so. Despite concerns after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Crosby blew hitters away at West Michigan. He had one rough stretch around June/July, but was stellar for the rest of the year. He’s only 21 years old and will almost certainly start next season at Lakeland or Erie. Don’t expect big-league impact until 2011, at the earliest.

2. Jacob Turner, RHP, Grade B+

The Tigers first round pick from 2009 has yet to pitch in professional ball, but from all reports, this kid has a boat-load of potential. Don’t be surprised if he moves to the A-list after next season, but absent any professional data, I think a high B is a good grade for him right now.

3. Scott Sizemore, 2B, Grade B

I went back and forth between B and B+. Sizemore appears to be the heir apparent to Placido Polanco in 2010, depending on how his ankle heals. From all reports, his fielding is roughly average, but his bat should be above average for the position. He shows good on-base skills and has developed some extra-base and home run pop, as well. 2010 prediction: Sizemore finishes no worse than third in the Rookie of the Year vote.

4. Alex Avila, C, Grade B

In 2009, Lord Avila blew away any expectations Tigers fans and prospect watchers had for him. He reminded Tigers fans what it’s like to have a catcher who can actually hit (see Laird, Gerald; Treanor, Matt; and Sardhina, Dane). Expect him and Laird to split time behind the plate as Avila continues to improve his defense. If his defense continues to develop well, we can probably look forward to him as a full-time starter in 2011.

5. Ryan Strieby, 1B, Grade B-

Strieby has improved every year that he’s been in the minors. His AVG, OBP, and SLG have gone up every year despite moving up one level each year. Last season at AA Erie, Strieby posted a .991 OPS, 19 HR, and a .303 AVG before he went down with a wrist injury. Those are monstrous numbers. So why is he only a B-? He’s 24 years old, he has a history of wrist injuries, and he’s blocked at 1B by Miguel Cabrera. If his wrist doesn’t fall off and if he can become a serviceable left fielder, he could give the Tigers’ offense a boost really soon.

6. Andrew Oliver, LHP, Grade B-

He has a good fastball and change, but needs to develop an effective breaking pitch. He might be able to make it as a starter, but will more likely end up in the bullpen. After a rough first outing in the AFL, Oliver has settled down a bit. He's getting plenty of strikeouts, but has walked almost one batter per inning. Small sample size caveats apply, of course.

7. Wilkin Ramirez, OF, Grade C+

He’s got great speed and power, but poor plate discipline. If he can learn to control the strike zone, he could become an impact player. I just don’t see that happening any time soon.

8. Daniel Fields, SS, Grade C+

Word is that this kid has mad skills, but I need to see some professional numbers before I could rate him any higher. I have far more hope for him than I have for Cale Iorg, however.

9. Robbie Weinhardt, RHP, Grade C+

He dominated the Florida State League before he was promoted to AA Erie. At Erie, his strikeout-to-walk ratio declined from 4.0 to 2.0. He’s gotten pounded in the AFL.

10. Cody Satterwhite, RHP, Grade C+

Another good bullpen arm from the 2008 draft. Some concerns about command, but he’s got great stuff and should help the big club by 2011.

11. Scott Green, RHP, Grade C+

Another good bullpen arm from the 2008 draft. He doesn’t get the kind of strikeouts that Weinhardt and Satterwhite have gotten, but he’s still getting almost 1 per inning, and he doesn’t walk as many as they do. However, he’s also pitching at a lower level.

12. Casper Wells, OF, Grade C+

Wells is tearing it up in the AFL for the second straight year. Don’t be surprised if the Tigers give him a chance this year, especially if Guillen remains perpetually injured or Clete stops hitting again. And for an added bonus, he could spell Granderson in center field.

13. Casey Fien, RHP, Grade C+

He’s been great in the minors, but has struggled in his limited time in the majors. I still have hope for him.

14. Cale Iorg, SS, Grade C+

Great defense, can’t hit worth crap. Sound like anyone we know? Best case scenario: he becomes the next Adam Everett.

15. Jeff Larish, 1B, Grade C

Does he even count any more?

16. Adam Wilk, LHP, Grade C

Had an ungodly strikeout-to-walk ratio at West Michigan (16.50), but as Matt Wallace points out, West Michigan tends to make soft-tossing lefties look better than they actually are.

17. Tyler Stohr, RHP, Grade C

The closer for West Michigan had a pretty good year. We’ll see how it goes in 2010.

18. Alfredo Figaro, RHP, Grade C

We saw him for a while in Detroit, but he’s probably nothing more than an occasional spot starter.

19. Wade Gaynor, 3B, Grade C

The 2009 draftee had a very forgettable professional debut in the GCL. Hopefully it works out better for him in 2010.

20. Zach Simons, RHP, Grade C

The best thing about Zach Simons? We got him from Colorado for Jason Grilli, yet he actually has value! Suckers.

Close, but not quite: Dusty Ryan, Luis Marte, Will Rhymes, Brent Dlugach, Brennan Boesch, Michael Bertram, Deik Scram, Kody Kaiser

All things considered, I think the Tigers’ farm system looks much better than it did last year. In fact, I think it’s better than most prospect watchers realize. We don’t have many players that are talked about on the national stage, but our 3-5 guys are all on the cusp of making serious major league contributions. Our top two prospects could both be front-of-the-rotation starters. We have a lot of bullpen depth. We have some high-ceiling talent, and some that will make acceptable role players.

So why do things look better this year, despite Porcello’s and Perry’s graduation to the big club? An infusion of new talent helps (Turner, Oliver, and Fields), but we also saw better-than-expected development among many players already in the system (Crosby, Sizemore, Avila) and continued positive development from others (Strieby, Satterwhite, Weinhardt, Wells). There were also very few complete busts. Cale Iorg has been a disappointment, and Wilkin Ramirez didn’t progress as much as we would have liked, but they are both still in the conversation. Overall, I think the future of the organization looks pretty decent.

Poll

How strong is the Tigers farm system?

The Offseason Twitch Outpost.

2009-10-16T10:31:06Z

Another offseason is upon us and while the playoffs rage on my ire for the Vile Cities Twins has not subsided. I am able to watch a few playoff games despite the heartbreak of game 163. However, soon the playoffs will be over and then the countdown towards Spring Training begins (with the additional fun endeavor of trying not to vomit whilst the bobble headed parrots at ESPN and major sports outlets jockey for positioning to give Brett Favre his complimentry manual stimulation).

So what is there to do? Answer: talk about other things. Personally, I am looking forward to Dragon Age: Origins, starting a new Out of the Park Baseball 10 season (considering trying my hat replaying the 2003 Tiger season), figuring out a few things and eagerly awaiting the Venture Brothers season 4.

Let's not make Ian all crazy from off topic postings in threads and, um, discuss things. Oh, yeah, my name is David - that is easier to be addressed by than a string of numbers (no matter what their actual meaning).

Post Script: I still hate Nick Punto.

Congratulations to Curtis Granderson

2009-10-30T12:40:45Z

I was listening to Mike and Mike this morning and he was named the Marvin Miller Man of the Year in baseball for all of his off the field work. I was trying to feed my kids while they interviewed him so I didn't get to hear everything said but it sounded like a pretty cool honor. It's also just another one of the many reasons you don't trade a guy like Curtis Granderson.

This Year in Baseball Awards-MLB.com

2009-10-28T02:57:44Z

I'm not sure how much you guys are into such things, but in case you're interested, MLB.com has posted the link to its annual This Year in Baseball Awards. There are five categories for which you can vote for Tigers, detailed below.

Hitter of the Year: Miguel Cabrera

Starter of the Year: Justin Verlander

Rookie of the Year: Rick Porcello

Play of the Year: The Curtis Granderson catch in Cleveland

Moment of the Year: Ernie Harwell's thank you speech at Comerica Park

I know most of these guys don't have a chance of winning because they're nominated against players who are either more deserving or more popular. Rick Porcello probably has the best chance of anyone. Even Grandy has to contend with that Dewayne Wise catch in the Mark Buehrle perfect game, which got a whole lot more media attention. But they are better represented than last year, when they were confined to Miguel Cabrera and Armando Galarraga. So if you care to, you can still show them your love (but beware; watching the accompanying video clips made me realize just how much I miss seeing our boys in action). At any rate, I figured I'd give a heads-up.

Television question

2009-10-25T11:51:53Z

I know there are a lot of fans here who don't live in the Tigers standard viewing area so I wanted to ask a question. I recently purchased AT&T U-Verse and added a sports package that included FSD which is the only reason I got it. I have tried watching Red Wing games twice this week and each time the games were blacked out. I'm posting a similiar post on Winging it in Motown but I what I wanted to ask here is whether or not people here have this and if Tiger games get blacked out too?

According to Twitter Scott Sizemore fractured his tibula Thursday

2009-10-24T02:45:10Z

I am not seeing this anywhere else. Just on USAToday as they referenced Twitter. Is this old news and I missed it or the story hasn't been broke yet? This could change things how the Tigers approach the offseason. I bet they offer Polanco arbitration now. I wonder what kind of offers Placido will get in the offseason? There are actually quite a number of decent second basemen in the league. Except for the teams in the AL central, Calaspo is about the only decent one if Polonco leaves.

Your 2009 Detroit Tigers: Carlos Guillen

2009-10-23T00:17:03Z

Carlos Guillen signs a ball while on rehab in Lakeland, Florida (via Lakeland Local)

Carlos Guillen has given us something we haven't had yet this offseason: a distraction from game 163 and a story for everyone to write about and obsess over. Jason Beck wrote for MLB.com about Guillen's issues concerning his position with the Detroit Tigers and just a few days later Jim Leyland responded that if Guillen produces, he'll get his wish. Beck elaborated on the issue in an interview to 1130 AM WDFN in Detroit, saying Guillen had been upset since September.

In light of this potential rift, I thought now would be a good time to look into Guillen's 2009 numbers, reflecting on the type of player he's been in the past and if we can expect an improvement in 2010. Read on for the full review.

	Games	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG
April	20	5	.230	.310	.284
May	4	1	.053	.059	.063
June	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP	DNP
July	7	8	.310	.394	.517
August	26	15	.279	.361	.535
September/October	24	12	.222	.374	.458

2009 Notes

Guillen only played in 81 games in 2009, missing 82 due to his shoulder injury. He hit the 15-day DL on May 5th and missed the next 68 games. Initially, the damage to his shoulder didn't seem too serious; however, 20 days later Guillen still wasn't playing and had his shoulder reexamined.

Guillen started his rehab assignment in Single A-Advanced Lakeland on July 13th and returned to action on July 24th at Comerica in the first game of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. Guillen wasn't batting from the right side of the box out of rehab and in September it was ruled out for the season. A week later Leyland announced that Guillen wouldn't start against lefties at all.

OFFENSE

April

Guillen had a poor start to his season. His 5 RBI this month put him on a horrible pace for the season with runners in scoring position. Four of his RBI came in the first seven games, managing only one RBI after April 13th. His OBP at .310 was uninspiring racking up 13 strikeouts and 5 double plays while walking eight times. His horrible slugging numbers came from just 17 hits, only getting to second base four times this month.

On April 12th against the Texas Rangers at Comerica, the Tigers were down 4-0 headed into the bottom of the 8th. The Rangers brought in C.J. Wilson to hold their lead but the Tigers went to work dismantling that score, quickly scoring two runs in four batters. After a Placido Polanco double and an error by Elvis Andrus allowing Curtis Granderson to reach, Miguel Cabrera was intentionally walked to loaded the bases for Guillen. He hit a 2-2 grounder into left allowing Granderson and Polanco to score, tying the game to set up a Tigers comeback win 6-4.

In a high-scoring affair against the Angels on April 22nd, the Tigers were down 8-6 headed into the top of the 7th and Guillen hit a single into center to load the bases for Gerald Laird. Scott Shields was yanked from the game after walking in a run off Laird, allowing Brandon Inge to single off Jose Arredondo, plating Cabrera and Guillen on a poor throw from Erick Aybar. The Tigers rallied for five runs this inning and, after an Inge solo shot in the 9th, would finish the game in the lead 12-10.

May/June

By the time May rolled around, it was well known that Guillen had been struggling at the plate. Guillen was hitting .200/.267/.244 overall when he was placed on the 15-day DL on May 5th. While the last four games of April had been bad, the four games he played in May were even worse. In 16 at-bats he only had one hit while striking out twice and hitting into one double play. He did plate a run on May 2nd against the Cleveland Indians in Detroit to give the Tigers insurance in the bottom of the 8th for a 9-7 Tigers victory.

When Guillen hit the DL for right shoulder inflammation on May 5th, he wouldn't be back to the Tigers until July 24th. On May 25th Jason Beck wrote a small story quoting Leyland as saying "I don't think he's doing good" while they awaited test results on Guillen's ailing shoulder. On June 5th the results of an MRI confirmed that while Guillen didn't need surgery he would have to undergo an aggressive rehab treatment. He began playing catch in Miami on June 25th to begin his rehab to work his way back to the Tigers.

July

Guillen was back with the Tigers on July 6th taking batting practice. He went down to Lakeland and AAA Toledo starting July 13th and was back with the Tigers on July 24th in time for the doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. Placed in the DH spot to ease the workload on his his shoulder, he hit a respectable .310 in seven games while driving in eight runs. He was getting on base much better than he did in April and displayed a large jump in power by hitting two home runs in just nine hits in July. He did strike out eight times to three walks, posting a 2.66 K/BB ratio that can be explained by the small sample size as his season ratio was 1.49.

On July 24th in the doubleheader against the White Sox, Guillen was 3 for 7 with a home run and an RBI, striking out only once in an impressive first game back after missing 68 games. His true "come back moment" came the next day, also against the White Sox. The game went to extras tied 3-3 and following two singles by Clete Thomas and Cabrera, Guillen capitalized on Thomas' speed to plate him with a walk-off single.

August

Guillen had a fine August, playing solely in the DH slot until August 12th when he substituted at 1B so Cabrera could get some rest. He played 26 games in August and drove in 15 runs, all of which came from August 11th to the 31st. He displayed more of the same from his July return in terms of OBP and slugging; his power was driven by two doubles, a triple and six home runs. He was 24 for 86 this month, posting a respectable .279 for someone coming off such a long hiatus. He regained some of his plate discipline, keeping his strikeouts to just 13 and walking 10 for a ratio of 1.30 which was just under his season-long tally.

As I mentioned above, Guillen batted poorly with runners in scoring position to start off the month as he plated none of them but kept his average up going 9 for 32. He made up for this early lack of RBI on August 15th in a 10-3 shellacking of the Royals at Comerica. He had four RBI in this game, scoring Clete Thomas to open up the scoring for the Tigers in the bottom of the 1st. He followed that up with a two-run shot in the bottom of the fifth to chase Luke Hochevar off the mound as the Tigers took a 6-2 lead. Guillen just wouldn't let up on Royals pitching and drove in Granderson in the bottom of the sixth.

On August 24th when the Tigers visited the Angels in Los Angeles, they were up 3-0 heading to the top of the 6th when the bats roared to life for seven runs. Guillen hit a home run to deep left-center to plate Cabrera and Huff to finalize the Tigers' onslaught putting them up for a 10-0 lead. The Tigers wouldn't score again in the game after Justin Verlander blew up in the bottom of that inning, allowing four Angels runs before being chased by Erick Aybar and the Tigers' bullpen allowed an additional three runs before the game ended for a final of 10-7.

September/October

On September 10th, Guillen said he was no longer working on switch hitting because his shoulder wasn't feeling right when he tried to do it. Just over a week later Leyland said Guillen wouldn't be starting against left-handed pitching as his numbers against them batting from the left side were just .167/.286/.167 in only six at-bats this season.

Guillen slumped down the stretch for the Tigers, going just 16 for 72 in his 24 games during this span. His OBP had a slight uptick, and from September 20th to October 1st, he reached base in nine straight games, going .385/.550/.808. Unfortunately he couldn't keep this production up when the season came down to the wire and in the last four games of the season went a paltry .077 with just a single in 13 at-bats. His slugging fell off compared to August behind four doubles, two triples and just three home runs. He plated 12 runners in this span but only one came in the last four games of the season.

On September 23rd, he had four RBI in a single game for the second time this season, as the Tigers tagged the Indians at Jacobs Field for 11 runs and Guillen went 3 for 4. His first hit of the game did not result in an RBI, as he grounded the ball sharply to first but after a throwing error by Andrew Marte allowed Cabrera to score Guillen was safe at first. He did get the RBI for driving in Cabrera in his next at-bat when he took Justin Masterson yard to give the Tigers a 6-1 lead. Guillen continued the hit parade when he saw Mike Gosling in the top of the fifth for his third plate appearance of the night, drilling a 1-0 pitch to start the inning off to deep left-center. After hitting a double to score Thomas in the top of the sixth and chasing Gosling from the mound, Don Kelly took over for Guillen in left in the bottom half of the inning.

	Games	Innings	Errors	Fielding %	RF/9	UZR/150	Batting Value	Fielding Value
Season	81	322.2	2	.975	2.20	-10.3	-0.5	-3.0

DEFENSE, VALUE AND THOUGHTS

Guillen played in 81 games this season, splitting time evenly between left field and the DH slot. In 41 games in left field, he only committed two errors and had a range factor just above the league average 2.18. However his UZR/150 was abysmal, placing 33rd of 47 major league left fielders in this category and 18th of 23 in the AL (min. 300 innings). Interesting note: if you look at the leaderboard on Fangraphs for left fielders you'll see a familiar name at the top of the UZR/150 chart -- former Tiger Josh Anderson, clocking in at 38.6. However his offensive value comes in close to an average big league left fielder, his .242/.339/.419 line for the season worth 1.2 runs above a replacement. Fangraphs pegs his fiscal value at just $500,000 for the season but this massive devaluation has more to do with missing 68 games.

If we look at Guillen's 2007 season -- the sort of season I expect from Guillen in 2010 -- we see that the Tigers paid slightly above his value. Digging furhter, if we look at Gullien's 2004-2008 numbers, we can see that he's hit .308/.377/.493 in his time in Detroit. At 33, Guillen most likely has a couple seasons left in him of good production. The question is if the Tigers want just average fielding in the left corner with the massive center field at Comerica Park and Granderson typically shading to right. In light of Guillen's media spotlight this week, I believe that he does deserve a chance in left field, albeit a very short one. From Leyland's response to Guillen, I believe he'll be kept on a short leash and if he starts the season off slumping the Tigers may take the opportunity to use Ryan Raburn in left field to see if his bat remains hot.

Please leave your thoughts in the comments! Up next: Bobby Seay. Unless someone else pipes up loudly, that is.

Did you buy ALDS tickets?

2009-10-21T02:56:24Z

I bought tickets to ALDS game three back when we had a nice shot at making it. I don't hold season tickets, and got an email the day after game 163 saying I'd get my money back via the method I paid (debit card, in my case). Haven't seen it yet. Phone calls don't seem to be getting me anywhere, only that the money is "coming". So, I'm wondering, has anyone else seen their money back?

Poll

Have you received your refund for ALDS tickets?

Yes, I've gotten my money back.

1 votes

No, I haven't seen a dime.

27 votes

No, but I am a season ticket holder for 2010 and my credit is there.

0 votes

Other (please explain in the comments)

3 votes

31 votes | Poll has closed

Throw the kiddies into the fire in 2010

2009-10-20T23:15:15Z

I would love to see more of our younger prospects get a chance in the bigs....and they might turn out alright from what we've seen. An outfield quartet of Clete, Clevlen, Raburn and Grandy would be pretty good I think. Make Maggs the DH, put Inge, Santiago/Everett, that one kid to replace Polanco, and Cabrera in the IF, along with Avila backing up Laird at catcher.

Sure this might not be the best hitting group ever assembled--but it's not like we were this year. And this would be much more the NL-style club I think Leyland wants (and for that matter, Dombrowski came up with the Expos and Marlins). The few times Clevlen came up to the bigs he smoked the ball and he has a hell of an arm. We know Clete and Raburn have some potential as well. I know it makes Maggs overpriced at DH, but who cares? He'll probably be overpriced regardless and heres hoping whatever affected him the 1st half the season he figured out permanently (whether it was family or just slowing down, he obviously seemed to adjust by the end).

Trade Guillen for whatever you can get, maybe a reliever or some draft picks, etc. Much as it pains me, see if Rodney wants to come back for a fair price before he gets some ridiculous offer (it seems he was paying attention to Todd all those years--keep it exciting and get the job done in the end). Oh, and send (is he under contract?) Marcus Thames somewhere he might be able to play and win at, he's been a good sport all these years and I would love to see the hammer get 500AB somewhere.

Don't know/care much about the pitching, it's always kind of a crapshoot, but what does everyone else think? Go for youth or try to ride it out with what we have or do some lateral performance changes?

would Lynn Henning quit trying to trade Granderson?

2009-10-20T18:11:09Z

Yet again Lynn Henning has suggested the Tigers "need" to move Granderson to have ANY chance of winning the division next year: "How the Tigers can stay in contention"

• They will trade Curtis Granderson for two players. I cannot shake a personal belief that dealing Granderson is their only way out of heading into 2010 with zero chance to win the division. This is said with the understanding that losing your center fielder and leadoff man is not an ideal way to get better.

Yeah, probably not the best plan...did Grandy snub him for an interview or something?

Your 2009 Detroit Tigers: Magglio Ordoñez

2009-10-17T23:29:20Z

[Editor's Note: Promoted from the FanPosts. John Kmiecik will be doing this throughout the offseason. You can read his work at 2100 Woodward.]

Magglio Ordoñez takes a swing May 29th at Baltimore (via Keith Allison)

Magglio Ordoñez was, at times, the hottest topic debated among Tigers fans this season coming to a head when his 2010 contract option vested on September 15th. As far as I've been able to tell most Tigers fans have come to terms with Ordoñez being a part of the 2010 Tigers; the roar in June about his poor performance and impending option virtually gone by the time it actually vested.

Ordoñez' first half was uncharacteristic of him; his second half became the Ordoñez we all remember from the 2006 ALCS; watching that clip still makes my arm hair stand on end and bring a tear to my eye. Read on for the full review.

	Games	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG
April	21	9	.241	.333	.316
May	23	10	.315	.384	.393
June	20	5	.230	.275	.297
July	17	8	.232	.306	.429
August	22	7	.348	.425	.536
September/October	28	11	.429	.486	.571

2009 Notes

The big story this season for Ordoñez was his first half slump and the 2010 contract option. Kurt Mensching over at Mack Avenue Tigers was one who was impressed with Ordoñez's late increase in offense; the Detroit News' Lynn Henning saw it as a potential disaster. Intertwined with the contract issue was his benching by Leyland and Ordoñez's agent Scott Boras deciding to speak up when his client wouldn't -- causing Boras to backpedal so fast he may have snapped his knees in the process. Leyland didn't much care for Boras' armchair management and a short while later, Ordoñez was back on the field.

Ordoñez played in career game number 1600 on June 24th in a win against the Chicago Cubs at Comerica Park. He cranked left-handed pitching all season, hitting .352/.413/.524 against them. Perhaps most important for passionate Ordoñez fans was his sudden haircut in late June showing the Ordoñez some fans remembered from his Chicago White Sox days.

OFFENSE

April

It's no secret that Ordoñez's season started off poorly. He could only muster a .241 average and an uncharacteristic .650 OPS, 244 points under his career average. His power was virtually absent, with only 19 hits and two home runs; the other 17 hits were singles while he struck out 15 times for his worst mark of the season. He did draw 11 walks during this span to keep his K/BB ratio at 1.36 and not far worse.

From April 9th to 17th, Ordoñez struck out eight times in seven games for his longest streak of the season. Things didn't get better after this stretch as he grounded into a double play for three consecutive games on the 19th, 20th and 22nd. The final game of this brief streak actually went well for Ordoñez, drawing a bases-loaded walk against Scott Shields of the Angels in the top of the 7th to get the Tigers within one run and an eventual 12-10 win. He went 3 for 5 in that game with no strikeouts. His first home run of the season came in the top of the 9th on the 25th against the Royals, to scoring the final run for a 9-1 victory. His second came two days later against C.C. Sabathia of the Yankees in the bottom of the 6th to send the Tigers to a 4-0 lead, winding up with a 4-2 win.

May

The month of May fared better for Ordoñez, hitting better for average at .315 while his OPS enjoyed a 100-point uptick on the back of seven doubles. Absent was the yard power the Tigers have enjoyed from Ordoñez over the years, never getting beyond second for an extra-base hit this month. His hits brought out only one additional RBI in two more games compared to April and his K/BB ratio dropped a bit to 1.20, walking 10 times to striking out 12.

Starting May 5th and extending to June 13th, Ordoñez managed to get on base for 29 straight games covering 111 at-bats. From the 8th to the 30th this month, Ordoñez had a 16 game hitting streak. The highlight of the month came on May 15th at home against the Oakland Athletics as he went 3 for 3 with two RBI, a walk and two runs. In the bottom of the first, a sharp single through the shortstop Orlando Cabrera allowed Clete Thomas to score on the error. Ordoñez came around to score after Inge was hit by a pitch and Ryan Raburn went yard for a grand slam.

June

June was an eventful month for Ordoñez however, it was not in the fashion the Tigers would have liked. His bat fell off once again, hitting just .232 this month and slugging .297. One of his 5 RBI came on June 5th against the Angels, hitting a line drive off Ervin Santana to push in the Tigers' only run in the bottom of the 9th for a 2-1 loss. On June 12th, Rick Porcello's first big league hit and RBI came against Ian Snell and the Pittsburgh Pirates as Ordoñez came around to score on the grounder through the third base side.

Following a 4-3 loss at St. Louis on the 17th, Jim Leyland announced that Ordoñez would be benched "indefinitely". Ordoñez had been homerless since April 25th, only batting in 22 runs in that same span. For the month of June he played in 13 games hitting .250 with a dismal .292 slugging percentage.

Leyland described benching Ordoñez as a tough decision. 32% of readers here at Bless You Boys felt that the Twins series before the All-Star break would be Ordoñez' last in Detroit; commentary in that thread showed that many of us (myself included) thought Ordoñez' days in Detroit were going to be limited at best. Ordoñez even cut his hair in a bid to regain his hitting prowess.

Once Ordoñez returned to play on June 23rd, the immediate benefit of the benching was difficult to see as he only hit .192/.222/.308 in the final seven games in June. Extend that time to the All-Star Break and his numbers still don't improve much, going .204/.250/.347.

July

Ordoñez numbers saw some improvements in July. His average stayed steady, however he was getting on base slightly better than in June and his slugging improved greatly. His extra base production increased nicely, adding five doubles and two home runs to six singles for a 130 point uptick in slugging to .429. This was still not the Ordoñez most fans think about, but it showed an improvement in the power department. His K/BB ratio stayed the same from June at 1.50 while he only grounded into one double play.

On July 4th against the Twins at The Infernal Hellhole, Ordoñez hit a double in the top of the 2nd only to see nothing come of it. At the top of the 7th with one out, Ordoñez capitalized on singles from Thames and Raburn by going yard to left-center to take the lead 3-2. Unfortunately that was all the offense the Tigers could muster that day, stranding only three runners as the Tigers couldn't figure out Liriano-Guerrier-Nathan in a 4-3 loss.

Danny Knobler of CBSSports.com wrote an article on July 21st raising the same questions from June many people had about Ordoñez, showing that even with the power improvement people were still skeptical of Ordoñez coming around again. Knobler's article reads like a pre-obituary; the quotes gathered for the story seem to be expecting Ordoñez to fade into nothing.

You have to wonder if Ordoñez read the Knobler article on that Tuesday before playing the Seattle Mariners. Garrett Olson allowed Polanco to double-RBI and issued walks to both Cabrera and Thames in the top of the first to load the bases. Ordoñez drove a 2-2 pitch to deep left for a grand slam, launching the Tigers to an early 5-1 lead. He drew a walk from Chris Jakubauskas, Olson's replacement, in the bottom of the second and was scored on a Raburn triple to left.

August

To say Ordoñez simply improved in August is an understatement. His offensive numbers screamed north to .348/.425/.536 for a 116/119/107 point improvement from July. He had 24 hits with three doubles, three triples and two home runs to drive his slugging percentage up. His K/BB ratio dipped under 1.00 for the first time this season, striking out 9 times and walking 11 -- once intentional, his first of the season.

On August 5th, Ordoñez opened up the scoring in the bottom of the 5th with a solo home run off of the Orioles' Jeremy Guthrie at Comerica Park on the way to a 4-2 win. Against Brad Penny and the Boston Red Sox on August 10th, Ordoñez tripled down the right field line and scored Cabrera. He went 3 for 3 with a walk on August 19th against the Mariners, unfortunately scoring no runs in the process for a 3-1 Tigers loss. Ordoñez managed a grounder against David Price on August 29th getting Granderson out on a botched double play, reaching second on an error by Jason Bartlett. Later that game he drove in the only Tigers run, singling to center to score Adam Everett.

September/October

The production from Ordoñez in this span is astounding compared to the rest of his season. Even with his August, until this point he was hitting .275/.348/.390 on the season. In this 28 game stretch he only went hitless in six games and increased his numbers enough for a season total of .310/.376/.428. He singled 34 times, doubled seven and homered twice. Errors helped him reach three times while he grounded into the same amount of double plays. From September 15th to October 6th -- when the Tigers only faced AL Central opponents -- Ordoñez hit .400/.438/.583 to help the Tigers push for game 163 as the Twins got white hot, going 15-4 during the same interval.

On September 6th, Ordoñez singled a 1-2 pitch from Russ Springer to load the bases for Brandon Inge in the top of the 9th with the Tigers down 3-1 against the Tampa Bay Rays. While Raburn pinch ran for him, Inge hit a grand slam to sail the Tigers to their final score of 5-3. 20 days later at The Cell in Chicago, Ordoñez' single to right off Tony Peña contributed to the Tigers' top 7th rally to help score four runs for a 12-5 win.

Against the Twins on September 29th, a double off Brian Duensing scored Everett and Polanco to help the Tigers squeak out an important 6-5 win. The next day Ordoñez helped the Tigers win again, with a bases-clearing double in the bottom of the 5th against Carl Pavano -- an acquisition by the Twins solely to confound the Tigers offense. If we're talking about Ordoñez down the stretch, then we can't ignore the dreaded game 163 on October 6th. With the Tigers down 4-3 at the top of the 8th, Ordoñez wasted no time sending the second pitch from Matt Guerrier into the left field seats to tie the game.

	Games	Innings	Errors	Fielding %	RF/9	UZR/150	Batting Value	Fielding Value
Season	104	796.1	2	.987	1.75	-0.5	11.2	-0.3

DEFENSE, VALUE AND THOUGHTS

Ordoñez' fielding percentage was acceptable on the season, besting the league average by 5 points. His 1.75 range factor per 9 ranked 32 out of 34 right fielders (min. 500 innings) in the bigs this season, and last in the AL. This explains what most Tigers fans can remember at some point in the season: a slow drive or popup to right that dropped in for an easy base hit while we're left watching Ordoñez almost wander toward the ball.

Ordoñez is 35 years old, it's expected that he'll start to slow down with age. However if you look at his defensive value numbers, he's only worth -0.3 runs in 2009 indicating he is far more average than he has appeared to have been with our tunnel vision. His offensive value numbers are surprising, according to Fangraphs he's worth 11.2 runs above average. Ordoñez was grossly overpaid compared to what his contract is valued at for his 2009 production; he made $18m when he was worth about $9.2m. This low value is due to his poor April through July, a significant bulk of the season.

I hope Ordoñez' extremely hot August-October continues on next season, up toward his career offense of .312/.371/.513 nearly achieved this season. If he can find and hold into his power once again, he may be able to give the Tigers another season of power production. Ideally he would reproduce his career-best 2007 season; in reality I sincerely doubt he can. I would like to see a season similar to 2008, where he kept his offensive numbers well-balanced throughout that season and hit .317 for 103 RBI with 21 home runs.

Please leave your thoughts in the comments! Up next: Bobby Seay.

Your 2009 Detroit Tigers: Brandon Inge

2009-10-12T16:27:38Z

[Editor's Note: Promoted from the FanPosts. John Kmiecik will be doing this throughout the offseason. You can read his work at 2100 Woodward.]

Brandon Inge during batting practice August 25th via Tigers superfan Allison Hagen

Brandon Inge is, without a doubt, a fan favorite in Detroit. With the organization since 1999 (entering the bigs in 2001) Inge is the longest-serving member of the squad. Inge was one of the most popular Tigers during the "Who's Your Tiger?" marketing campaign run by the Tigers for a few season. He also continuously scored well in FSD's player of the game text message polls no matter what his day at the plate or in the field may have gone.

Off the field Inge is a regular visitor to C.S. Mott Children's Hospital in Ann Arbor, MI where he regularly visits to talk with the kids there. TBS did a story about his efforts, especially how he helped touch the lives of two particular boys. Read on for the full review.

	Games	RBI	BA	OBP	SLG
April	21	18	.319	.447	.667
May	28	15	.235	.297	.412
June	28	19	.287	.376	.532
July	23	7	.182	.292	.312
August	28	9	.184	.234	.316
September/October	33	16	.197	.274	.287

2009 Notes

Inge played in his 1000th career game on April 13th in a 10-6 loss against the Chicago White Sox. Following his strong first half with 21 home runs, he was nominated to the All-Star Game in the Final Vote for the AL. Unfortunately he must have emptied the power tank on his way to the Home Run Derby, where he posted a big fat donut. The discerning Tigers fan probably saw this coming anyway, as he was a solid 4 inches shorter and 20 pounds lighter than any other Derby contestant.

On a Monday night in Anaheim this year, Inge wandered into a tattoo shop and had his son's names boldly added down each of his forearms. The memory that will be burned into Tiger's fans' heads for some years to come will be his phantom HBP in game 163 against the Minnesota Twins, which if called, would have forced in a run to give Detroit the lead at the top of the 12th inning.

OFFENSE

April

Inge started off the season with an absolute smash. After making some adjustments to his batting stance in the off-season, he came out firing and as a result posted his highest average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage of the season. Anyone posting in GameThreads or following the Tigers closely at the time could tell you that Inge was a sigh of relief at the plate considering how his 2008 had gone.

I remember mentioning to my co-workers that he was on pace for 162 home runs as he went yard in the first 3 games of the season. He sported a 1.114 OPS for April, which was just shy of Albert "IBB" Pujols' OPS of 1.132 in the same span. He gained a great deal of plate discipline as his K/BB ratio plummeted to 1.07, just under half his 2008 ratio of 2.18. His biggest game of the month game on April 12th when the Rangers came to town. He led off the inning by hitting a 2-0, no out dinger to deep right. By the time he cycled back to the plate the Tigers had tied the game 4-4 and his sharp ground single to center allowed Cabrera and a pinch-running Anderson to score for the eventual final of 6-4.

May

May was "crash back to Earth" month for Inge. Both his OBP and SLG were 200 points off his April pace, and his batting average dropped over 80 points. This was the Inge that Tigers fans have known for years on offense. In 28 games this month, Inge posted a donut in 11 of them. He struck out a staggering 31 times to only 7 walks, cranking his K/BB ratio to a sky-high 4.42. His May was relatively unremarkable, except against a 13-1 slaughtering of the Royals on May 25th at Kauffman Stadium. Inge was 3 for 6 in that game, plating Ordoñez and Cabrera in the top of the third to open up the scoring on a single to left. He continued in the fifth to load the bases for Clete Thomas and eventually himself came around to score. His third hit was an otherwise unremarkable single to left.

June

June fared a bit better for the beloved 3B, with season-high RBI and an average that gained 50 points over his dismal May. Inge played long ball 6 times in June, helping crank his slugging percentage closer to where his season began. His K/BB ratio came back under control similar to his career numbers, showing some regaining of plate discipline on display early in the season.

On June 7th against the Angels, the Tigers were quickly down 3-0 after the top of the first with Porcello on the mound. In the bottom of that inning, Inge was up with 2 outs and bases loaded. He lined the 0-1 pitch from Saunders to right allowing Polanco and Ordoñez to score, keeping the Tigers in the game for their eventual 9-6 win. In a rare Dontrelle Willis start 2 days later, Inge pulled a solo shot off Mark Buehrle and drew walks in back-to-back plate appearances en route to a 10th inning win.

July

If May was "crash back to Earth" then July has to be "drilling a hole to the center of the Earth" for Inge. Even with the All-Star break shortening his service by 5 games this month, his RBI count was the lowest of the season at just seven, stranding 15 runners in scoring position and another 12 standing at first for his longest RBI-less streak of the season at 13 games. His batting average fell 100 points and an on-base percentage 84 points. Even with these poor numbers, the slugging percentage clearly stands out here -- 3 home runs and 1 double this month led to a 220 point drop in power.

The explanation of this poor performance was the patellar tendinitis Inge had played through all season finally catching up to him. This issue wasn't exactly a state secret among Tigers fans, but hadn't gotten much press until Inge's numbers took this drastic dive. Lynn Henning (please, control your booing and hissing) quoted Leyland as being "worried about Inge…very concerned."

Inge, on the other hand, shrugged off the skipper's concern. Chris Iott quoted Inge saying "if [head athletic trainer Kevin Rand] said, 15 days and you're never going to feel it again, you'll be as good as new, I'd [go on the DL]." However Rand had advised Inge that a short DL stay likely wouldn't help, leading Inge to play through the pain in order to help the team. The result of that decision is questionable with his July numbers being what they were.

Many BYB faithful will remember staying up until 1am Eastern in the early morning of July 4th watching the 16 inning affair at The Infernal Hellhole in Minnesota. Inge didn't do much of anything this game offensively, but he did manage to get hit by a pitch in back-to-back at bats. 2 of his 3 home runs this month came on July 12th at Comerica, in a 10-1 shellacking against the Indians.

August

Inge's injuries certainly continued to plague him in August, mustering only 2 more RBI. His average up only 2 points, his on-base percentage dropped a further 58 points while his slugging climbed 4 points on the back of an extra home run compared to July. His K/BB ratio was the highest this month than the rest of the season, at 6.60 as he struck out 33 times and walked only 5 times (1 intentional, Eric Wedge apparently knew that Dusty Ryan was hitting even worse than Inge).

Perhaps the biggest story with Inge in August was his sudden trip to the tattoo shop, partially visible in the photo above. Allison Hagen has more shots from the Angels game Inge first appeared in with his new ink over on her Flickr page for the game, if you want to get a better look. Leyland was quoted bemoaning Inge's trouble at the plate but noting the jam he was in, "don't know what the hell I'm going to play at third" if he were to try to give Inge some time off.

Even with the bad news going on for over a month with Inge, the shining point of his season came on August 14th against the Royals in Detroit. Zack Greinke had gone 7 innings allowing only 3 hits; Jarod Washburn had gone 8 innings also allowing only 3 hits. In the bottom of the ninth following a Marcus Thames strikeout, Inge pulled the 2-1 delivery from Roman Colon into deep left field for a walk-off victory and the only run in the game. 6 days later when the Mariners came to town, Inge helped drive in the bottom of the 9th rally. He sacrificed to deep center, allowing Guillen to score and on an error allowed Cabrera to reach third. The following at bat, Clete Thomas drove Cabrera in for his second walk-off hit of the year.

September/October

September offered some minor improvement for Inge, hitting better with RISP as his RBI count came close to what he did at the beginning of the year. His average and OBP nudged up while slugging fell off a bit as he only went yard twice. His slugging could have been worse but Inge doubled 5 times this month, after hitting 11 all season prior.

On September 6th, the Tigers visited Tropicana Field and the Tampa Bay Rays. Down 3-1 in the top of the 9th, Inge powered a 2-2 pitch from Russ Springer to deep left field for a grand slam to give the Tigers a 5-3 lead and an eventual win after Brandon Lyon had a 1-2-3 bottom of the 9th. Inge also had a hand in the September 30th win over the Twins and Carl Pavano after a liner to left-center field for a double plated both Cabrera and Ordoñez in the bottom of the second to tie the game 2-2. Santiago's single to center plated both Guillen and Inge, good enough for the eventual 7-2 win.

These 2 games aside, this span wasn't remarkable for Inge. In the month of October Inge only had 2 hits in 19 at-bats. Inge did play an important part in game 163, as his line drive to left plated pinch-runner Don Kelly in the top of the 10th to give the Tigers a 5-4 lead.

	Games	Innings	Errors	Fielding %	RF/9	UZR/150	Batting Value	Fielding Value
Season	161	1387.0	20	.955	2.75	6.6	-7.9	8.5

DEFENSE, VALUE AND THOUGHTS

Inge's most rabid supporters have consistently claimed that his fielding prowess outweighs his offensive shortcomings. In 1387.0 innings of service this season, Inge only committed 20 errors for an error every 69.35 innings good for his lowest rate at 3B since 2004.

Dave Cameron's calculations put Inge's defensive value at 8.5 runs above the league average 3B while his offense falls 7.9 runs short. Only 8 3B in the league had a better fielding value than Inge (min. 100 PA) while 45 did better offensively.

Meanwhile Casey Blake, the 3B for the Dodgers, had a defensive value of 8.4 runs and an offensive value of 13.5 runs. So, could the Tigers do better offensively and keep the defense relatively steady? Absolutely. Blake even cost $1.9m less than Inge did this season. It's too late with Blake, as he's locked up until 2011 (2012 club option) and would demand north of $18m in free agency. Inge's UZR per 150 games for 3B has been steadily falling since his phenomenal 2006 campaign. Only time will tell if the off-season will be kind to Inge's knees, and he can recover some of that range that Inge fans missed this season.

It's difficult to put a quantitative number onto a position that is qualitative by nature; excellent measurements for talent, prowess and field awareness simply don't do a player justice sometimes. However if you're a believer that defense wins divisions you will probably land on the side that Inge is worth what we're paying him for what we're getting out of him.

However, those that believe Inge's failing bat has much to do with the Tigers' woes this season would probably like to see Inge return to his April form or even have him replaced. Kurt from Mack Avenue Tigers opined on this in my initial season review post when this same discussion came up. Kurt argues that Inge's value is placed at $11m for this season, while he only made $6.3m. He gets a bump next year to $6.6m which if you buy into this measure of value means we'll be getting Inge at a steal. I'll admit, after writing this review I sit on the fence. The numbers from 2009 speak for themselves and I have to wonder what his future is beyond his contract that expires at the end of next season.

What do you think? Is Inge worth it at 3B, or should the Tigers pursue a better bat after 2010? Do you believe Inge's season was as bad as the numbers make them out to be? Please leave your comments below about Inge or this review series. Up next: Magglio Ordoñez.

Your 2009 Detroit Tigers: Season in Review

2009-10-10T22:00:14Z

As I stare at the 2009 MLB post-season in utter disbelief, the big question immediately after game 163 for me was what the hell just happened? and it's still in my head. In order to answer that question, I'm doing a season review of the key players for the Tigers. I'm defining "key player" as a fielder that had played in at least 20 games or a pitcher that had logged at least 30 innings. Sorry folks, no full-blown Matt Treanor (hitless as a Tiger) or Chris Lambert (14.85 ERA in 2009) reviews.

The first Tiger up is the huge fan favorite, Brandon Inge. If there's anything you'd like to see covered, please post in the comments and I'll see if I can work it in.

Not to relive Tuesday....but....

2009-10-10T18:15:00Z

Should Polly have had that ball in the 10th?

I've read it many places that Polly should have had that ball in the 10th to turn the game ending double play. The way I saw it, it's a turf grounder that got through. Even if Polly had gotten to the ball, he probably just would have gotten the force at second and the run would have scored anyway.

Doesn't really matter, I guess, but I'm wondering if people saw it the same way I did.

Baseball and instant replay...

2009-10-10T16:31:16Z

it has become glaringly obvious over the past few days that MLB umpiring kinda sucks. In our one game playoff against the Twins a crucial call was missed when Brandon Inge got hit by a pitch. A run would've been forced in if I remember right, a faster guy would've than been at 3rd, and the next batter would've gotten an rbi off a slow chopper. The blown call may have cost us a win. Now all we have is a memory of a really good game.

The failing hasn't stopped there either. They missed another call in the Twins/Yankees game. I'm not entirely familiar with that situation so I won't attempt to describe it nor try to cast judgment. Given my feelings for both teams right now. I think it's best this way.

So now I ask a question to my fellow baseball followers: Should instant replay usage be expanded in baseball?

Personally I'm not really sure. Up to this point in time I've been a purist about the situation and have stood on "No Instant Replay. At all." But given the recent costly situations and my increased viewage of the game (thanks mostly to this blog) I am now reconsidering.

So now we have something here to discuss. Should we expand instant replay and how much should we expand it if at all?

Poll

Should instant replay be expanded in the MLB?

EXPAND IT! I'M TIRED OF BLOWN CALLS!

19 votes

Keep it the same.

3 votes

This new fangled techno mumbo jumbo is ruining the sport. Get rid of it!

4 votes

26 votes | Poll has closed

A few "Thank You's" as the season ends.

2009-10-08T05:43:01Z

As disappointingly as this season came to an end, I can't say that it wasn't fun from start to finish. This team outperformed most expectations, certainly mine. So I suppose some thanks are in order.

Thanks to the All-Star pitchers, JV and Edwin. It was a joy and privilege to watch you do your thing this season. Hopefully, a Cy Young is in order for your efforts, Justin. You deserve it.

Kid Rick, thanks for your efforts. It was a real treat watching you mature from the start of the season to a pitcher who we turned to in the biggest game of the season (in which you did quite well, I might add).

Maggs. Good God, you hit .300. Who would have thought that two months ago. Way to persevere. Thank you for your incredible contributions when this team needed you most. The home run you hit yesterday was the most exciting baseball moment for me, since, well, the last giant playoff HR you hit. Thanks again.

The defense. G$. God forbid anybody try to take a base off of you. Raburn... Same goes for you. Inge. As always, there is nothing better to watch in baseball than watching you field the 3rd base position. A Gold Glove are in order. Tremendously gutsy performance the second half of the season. Grandy. Perhaps not the finest season with the stick, but 30 homers and excellent defense (that last Twins series notwithstanding) deserves some praise. Opie/Razor Ramon. What an improvement over the defensive sieve named Edgar Renteria.

And most importantly, thank you to one Ian Casselberry. I am not eloquent enough to properly thank you for all the work that you have put into this site and establishing a community here. This is a wonderful place to partake in all things Detroit Tigers. Your tremendous work does not go unnoticed, nor unappreciated. Thank you so much for maintaining this site so that fans like myself have a place to follow the team, discuss baseball and (occasionally) vent their frustrations :)

So again, I say thank you, Ian. This would all be much less enjoyable without you.

2009 Memories

2009-10-08T02:28:17Z

Yes, it still hurts right now. I myself still feel a little empty and hollow, like something was taken from me. But this team surpassed the expectations nearly all the so-called "experts" set for them. Let's not forget that. So I set up this post as a way for all of us to look back at this thrill ride that was the 2009 season. You may not be in the mood right now. That's fine. I totally understand. But once time passes, and you're ready, I hope you'll join me in reminiscing.

So, basically, I'd like to ask: What memories will you have of the 2009 season (obviously not including how it ended)? They may be good or bad, something that everyone will immediately recognize or something that you personally found amusing or touching. Perhaps you even remember a particular inside joke or Game Thread here on BYB. This is what I'll remember:

1. Miguel Cabrera's grand slam and Armando Galarraga's gem during the home opener (yes, you guys know I have a soft spot for Galarraga).

2. Justin Verlander finding his form in late April against the Yankees (and my soft spot for Galarraga is NOTHING compared to how I feel about Verlander).

3. The Rodneycoaster.

4. Squirrels and Megan Fox and ice cream and vegetables, oh my!

5. The summer of the JV/EJ 1-2 combo.

6. Justin Verlander's 1-0 gem in Cleveland, including Granderson's amazing catch (This'll probably go down as my favorite game of the season).

7. Brandon Inge's amazing first half, culminating in an All-Star appearance (thanks to those of us who spent hours voting for him).

8. Rick Porcello hitting two RBI singles in a game against the Pirates during Interleague play.

9. Gerald Laird and that gun of an arm that he possesses.

10. August 15th: I only get to go to one game a year, and this happened to be that one game. It was a 10-3 win over the Royals, but because I was there, it'll be a big memory for me. If you're interested in seeing this game from my vantage point, here's my Flickr album (They're nowhere near as good as Alli's photos, though).

And I'll end with one of those photos. It's one of Cabrera, and it's the best photo I got that night. By the way, I seem to have good luck with Miguel Cabrera and home runs. In the two games I've been to since Miggy joined the Tigers, he hit three home runs.

So...what will you remember?

Opening for Tigers in AL-Only Fantasy League

2009-10-08T00:30:03Z

We have three openings in an AL-Only Keeper League. Each year the Hometown Baseball League (HBL) has 7 to 9 teams, and each owner has exclusive rights to the players on one AL team.

At the moment, the fantasy teams corresponding to the White Sox, Tigers and Mariners don't have owners for 2010.

Some quick details: it's a Roto League with 4 categories (hitting categories are OBP and total bases; pitching categories are ERA and WHIP). Team names and logos are pre-assigned (the teams currently open are the Benton Harbor Tiger Sharks, Chicago Lincolns, and Seattle Twilight). You will have exclusive rights to one AL team, and then before the season starts, fill in the rest of your team by a draft in which you can choose players from the un-owned AL teams (like the A's and Blue Jays, for example).

If you are a fan of the White Sox, Tigers, or Mariners, and want to join the league, please e-mail me at atlanticcityaces@yahoo.com. Please only sign-up if you are a fan of those teams - it seems that when a person signs-up for a team they don't love, they don't enjoy it.

Thanks!