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Quick thoughts: Much ado about nothing

Unlike their fans, the Tigers shrugged off Wednesday's tough loss like they shrugged off today's cold and rain in a 11-1 victory over the Blue Jays.

By Al Beaton
Leon Halip

I have to give the Tigers a ton of credit. They performed marvelously in rotten weather conditions. Even better, they bounced back from a very tough loss on Wednesday to blow out the Blue Jays 11-1 this afternoon.

Which one again proves one game does not a season make. The Tigers are also far, far, far more resilient than we ever give them credit for being. We too often treat a marathon-like baseball season like a much shorter football season. In the NFL, one loss can be HUGE. In MLB, one loss is just, well, one loss of what will be many.

We fans massively overreact to every bad loss. Wednesday was no exception. Even I'm guilty of reading far too much into late inning blowups.

Yesterday's dramatics really was much ado about nothing in the big scheme of a long season. Especially when the drama comes in game eight of 162.

We all need to keep that in mind.

Read More: Doug Fister dominates Game thread

BULLETS:

First pitch temp was 35 freaking degrees.

It was absolutely ridiculous they attempted to play something resembling baseball at Comerica Park this afternoon. To be honest, that's what I thought at 1:08 PM. By the time 4 PM rolled around, I was thrilled they got the game in.

Theme of the day: Manufacturing!

This is the first time in Miguel Cabrera's career he has both tripled and stolen a base in the same game.

Small sample size theater:

Last night on BYB Podcast 72 -

Me: "John Lowe of the Freep says the AL Central is improved."
Kurt: "Small sample size!"

Today over IM:

Kurt: " Is it me or are the 2013 Jays the 2008 Tigers? Lots of hype, lots of potential, awful defense."
Me: "Small sample size!"
Kurt: "Kurt-ing me back at me!"

Rod Allen quote of the day: On Austin Jackson - "He's straight gettin' off these days."

More on Rod Allen, who was on fire despite the bitter cold:

Too excited, actually.

Josh Johnson has had a rude introduction to the powerful American League, allowing ten runs in 11 1/3 innings, posting an 11.05 ERA.

Not a good day at the plate for Andy Dirks. He made the final out in three different innings, leaving six on base in the process, including the bases loaded in the 4th. He would be the only starter to not have a base hit.

After Dirks failed to knock in a run in the 4th, the Tigers were hitting. 083 (1-12) with the bases loaded. Jackson also came up snake eyes in the 5th, the average dropping to .075. The only Tigers to come through in a bases loaded situation to that point of the season was Jhonny Peralta. Hat tip to jbeshay in the game thread for unearthing this stat nugget.

The Tigers' BA with the bases loaded finally rose to .142 (2-14) in the 5th when Torii Hunter drove in a pair of runs with a single.

Omar Infante's fluky 5th inning bunt single extended his hitting streak to eight games.

Torii Hunter had another amazing game (2-4, 2 R, 3 RBI). He has been completely embraced by the Tigers fan base, including our own Brian Sakowski.

Once the Tigers hit double digit runs, BYB contibutor and noted internet humorist Matt Sussman tweeted what we ALL were thinking:

From the "Baseball is a funny game" department: The Jays turned a uber-rare 6-4-5-4 double play in the 6th.

The only way the Jays could contain Hunter was to plunk him, hit by a Steve Delabar pitch in the 7th. Hunter was replaced by Donnie Baseball, not so much because he was hurt, but due to the fact the Tigers were up ten runs. There was possibly another reason. Because Don Kelly.

Jim Leyland emptied the bench late, Matt Tuiasosopo and Ramon Santiago making cameo infield appearances in the 9th. The only position player to not play was backup catcher Brayan Pena.

THREE ROARS:

Doug Fister: Best start by a rotation member this season - 8 IP, 8 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K, 107 pitches.

AusTorii JacksHunter: Stop him? Hell, no. The Jays could only hope to contain him - 5-9, 5 R, 4 RBI, reached base six times.

Prince Fielder: Four RBI give the Tigers' cleanup man 14 on the season. Fielder is also hitting a mere .355. He's become more than a power hitter. Fielder has blossomed into a great hitter.

TWO HISSES:

Mother Nature: The game was played in weather more fit for football.

Andy Dirks: A hitless afternoon drops The Neck's average to .136. To his credit, Dirks did have the defensive play of the game.

GAME EIGHT PLAYER OF THE GAME:

In a game we would all rather forget, five inning Rick Porcello took the honors with 45% of the vote.

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