Twins 11, Tigers 7: Detroit puts a team effort into the loss

What an ugly loss. You can be forgiven for reaching for your panic button. If you're still grabbing it in the morning, well, time to relax, OK? But certainly you may press it or throw it at your television screen (note: do not actually throw anything at your television screen) for all I care.

The Tigers stunk. It was a team effort. I don't get what makes fans tick sometimes, to be honest. They want to blame someone. Well, there are generally about 10-12 position players who make it into a game on any day. You've got the starting pitcher, of course. Most days about three relievers pitch.

If a team loses by a bunch of runs, it's probably the fault of a lot of people, for not getting hits, not getting in runs, not recording outs, etc. If a team loses by a run or two, there were probably multiple moments throughout the game where one hit or one pitch make a difference.

In the case of Wednesday's game, the team gave up 11 runs. That's because Rick Porcello's defense committed four errors. Every single infielder had one. That's just ... bad. That's like those unrealistic nightmare scenarios dreamed up during the offseason come to life. Of course, Porcello couldn't keep the ball in the park all that well, didn't miss bats, and generally wasn't that good. So he definitely contributed to his six runs, even if only two were earned.

And the batters did score seven runs. Unfortunately, after the second inning they scored just one. The fault for that has to be placed on many, just as credit has to be given to the Twins. Meanwhile the Tigers' bullpen sputtered. Duane Below gave up runs. Luke Putkonen gave up a run. Collin Balester gave up runs. Unfortunately, the Tigers can't run out Joaquin Benoit and Phil Coke every game -- especially when Jose Valverde is day-to-day with back pain. So it's not as if there were other options hanging around being wasted.

It's not a one man game. You want to credit or blame one person? Watch golf. Watch singles tennis. Watch the UFC. Watch boxing. Watch track-and-field. Watch swimming. But not the relays.

It's a team game. Detroit's loss was most definitely a team loss Wednesday.

Earlier links:

Austin Jackson is day-to-day
Brayan Villarreal recalled, Danny Worth optioned
Twins 11, Tigers 7: Detroit's bullpen can't keep up with Minnesota's

3 ROARS

Austin Jackson's play before the injury

Miguel Cabrera - 2 hits, double, 2 RBI

Andy Dirks - 3 hits, still on fire

3 HISSES

Rick Porcello

Infield defense

Bullpen

* I could break those categories down further but it's late and I'm grumpy and ready to go to bed. So I won't.

Game 36 Player of the Game

Ryan Raburn barely, for his HR and 4 RBI. He had 50 percent of the vote.