We should be talking about Miguel Cabrera's pair of two-run homers that tied him for the AL home run lead and has him near the top RBI spot, as well. Or the brawl that erupted between Gary Sheffield and Fausto Carmona (and Asdrubal Cabrera and Victor Martinez, and somehow... Placido Polanco?) in the seventh inning. Instead...
Once again, the Tigers' bullpen - or more specifically, its complete ineptitude - is the story. And for those who think Jim Leyland does a poor job in handling his relievers, did you see what Lloyd McClendon did tonight?
After taking out Armando Galarraga with two outs in the eighth, McClendon brings in Casey Fossum. He doesn't use Freddy Dolsi to face the right-handed Ben Francisco. (We're not advocating Kyle Farnsworth, of course.) Or maybe even Fernando Rodney. And after Fossum walks Francisco, McClendon leaves him in there to face Shin-Soo Choo, who'd already had two hits (a home run among them). Not Bobby Seay, nor Clay Rapada - either of whom are left-handed specialists.
You knew what was coming. It may have been the most predictable play of the year. (Well, other than Todd Jones serving up that home run to Jermaine Dye back in July.) And it only took two pitches. Long fly ball to right field. Home run. Game tied, but really, game over.
The inevitable became official when McClendon brought in Gary Glover instead of Rodney to face Ryan Garko in the bottom of the ninth. And talk about efficiency: Glover only needed two pitches - one to Garko, and one to Jamey Carroll up next - to give up two singles that brought home the winning run.
How many more games are left to endure on the schedule?