You can't spell "sweep" without "weep."
Judging from these three games against their closest AL Central rival, the Detroit Tigers either aren't interested in finishing this season competitively or they're incapable of putting up a fight. It's almost like this team delights in taking even the slightest expectation for success and crumbling into powder.
They can't let the Indians hop over them for third place, can they? Yes, they can! They'll win at least one game in this series, won't they? No, they won't!
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Justin Verlander's career record against Cleveland is now 4-9 with a 6.58 ERA.
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Might I suggest that the scouting report Detroit has on Kelly Shoppach is completely useless and should be sent through a shredder? How is it that the guys who consistently beat the Tigers are repeatedly allowed to do so? In 37 at-bats vs. Detroit, Shoppach is batting .351 with six home runs and 11 RBIs. He has 17 homers on the season. 1/3 of those have been blasted off Tigers pitching. Obviously, Shoppach deserves a tip of the cap for how well he's performed. But do the Tigers have to make it look so easy for him?
- For the second night in a row, a guy who doesn't hit many - if any - home runs hit a decisive blast for the Indians. Last night, it was Jamey Carroll, who hit his first of the season. Tonight, it was Shin-Soo Choo, who walloped his seventh of the year. These aren't Travis Hafner and Victor Martinez beating the Tigers. (Or Casey Blake, for that matter.)
- And how about the guy who gave up that home run? How's that Gary Glover call-up working out? His ERA with the Tigers is over 7.00, with two home runs allowed in 5 1/3 innings.
- One bright note: Magglio Ordonez appears to have broken his slump, with a 2-for-5 night that included a home run and three RBIs.
If all that's left to play for this season is pride, then how much of that do the Tigers have at this point? Getting swept by the Indians at home and falling 1 1/2 games out of third place isn't exactly a stick-your-chest-out sort of effort.