I apologize for using this gag again so soon, but I'm beginning to run out of words to describe how bad the Detroit Tigers' bullpen has been pitching. Plus, I wasn't able to watch the game as closely as I would've liked, which leaves me to post general impressions.
Jason Grilli entered today's game with a 3-1 lead, after Andrew Miller walked Orlando Cabrera to lead off the sixth inning. To suitably illustrate the "relief" that Grilli provided his team, we bring back the Man on Fire.
The Angels scored two runs on three hits in Grilli's two innings. And for argument's sake, let's also count the runner that Miller left on base when Grilli entered the game, since he was brought in to prevent Cabrera from scoring. Oh, and he also walked two batters. Flame on, dude. How the hell does he still have a major league job? There should've been an empty cardboard box in front of his locker after the game.
Up next was Tim Byrdak, who took over after Grilli allowed a single to Vladimir Guerrero to begin the eighth inning. Guerrero was eventually sacrificed over to second, and Byrdak intentionally walked Gary Matthews, Jr. to face the left-handed Garret Anderson. Left-handed reliever facing a left-handed hitter. Here is a picture representing Byrdak's performance.
Byrdak served up a ground-rule double home run to Anderson (which should've been called back as a fan reached over the right field fence, Jeffrey Maier-style), then proceeded to allow another double, notch a strikeout, and allow two more singles. By the time he got through his 2/3 of an inning, the Angels had scored five runs (three earned).
One of those runs scored when Jose Capellan came into the game and teed up a two-run homer to Orlando Cabrera. The field was already totally ablaze, as far as the Tigers were concerned, but Capellan poured another gallon of gasoline onto the fire. And that brings us to our next picture.
In 1/3 of an inning, Capellan gave up one run, allowing the Angels to pad what had already become a fat lead.
So to sum up, the Tigers' relief corps gave up eight runs (six earned) on eight hits in four innings. Throw in three walks and two home runs and you have a total disaster. Oh, hell - let's finish this off with one last picture.
Two days until the trade deadline, Mr. Dombrowski. I think your phone's ringing.
EDIT: I had the Garret Anderson home run wrong. I apologize for that. From where I was sitting (and not hearing), I thought the umpires agreed that it wasn't a home run, since a fan reached over the fence. Not that it would've mattered to the final score, of course.