A week of anticipation around the Winter Meetings fizzled out when the Tigers swung only minor moves. Here are some leftovers and tidbits to start your weekend: I just read that the Royals are targeting Anibal Sanchez among other established starters. There’s a slim chance he could end up back with the Tigers but from all accounts it’s paper-thin. Sanchez to the Royals wouldn’t bother me, naturally, as much as the White Sox. That’s my nightmare scenario: the Sox swoop in and sign Sanchez or Zack Greinke. Dave Dombrowski‘s hedging his bets and says he supports Jhonny Peralta at shortstop in 2013. “I know he’s committed to going out and having a good year. He’s already working out hard this wintertime. He’s working out hard…
Some random tidbits to kick-off your weekend: Today’s Game: Brad Penny (7-9, 4.92 ERA) vs. Alfredo Simon (3-5, 4.08 ERA) | 7:05 p.m. – FSD/1270 AM and 97.1 FM Penny has lost each of his last three starts for the Tigers, compiling a 7.94 ERA in the outings. He has suffered the loss in five of his last seven decisions for the club dating back to June 10. Tonight he’s making the second start of his career at Oriole Park at Camden Yards this evening. He didn’t figure in the decision in his previous outing, allowing four runs in 5.1 innings of work Penny’s making his 10th road start of the season tonight against the Orioles. In his first nine starts of the season…
Long-time readers of The Daily Fungo have likely grown weary of my professed love of the Rockies and Coors Field. So I’ll spare them the details and provide new readers with the gist: I attended the Rockies’ first-ever home game at Mile High Stadium against the Expos in April 1993 (thanks to a grueling roadtrip with Fungo contributor Doug Hill). I attended the first-ever game at Coors Field in April 1995 – Rockies versus Mets. And, I was there for the Rockies’ first-ever postseason game in 1995 against the Braves. What’s more, I’ve always considered Coors Field to be my favorite big-league park, though last summer the San Diego’s Petco Park might – might – have caught up to it. With that background, please…
And what do you know? The Tigers are but a game out of first place to start the weekend — the first time we’ve been able to say that since April 1. It’s been a slow-and-steady climb but Detroit has won 22 of the club’s last 33 games dating back to May 3, a .656 .667 winning percentage. The Tigers are behind only the Red Sox (23-11, .676) over that stretch. Let’s enjoy this run (at least until the Tigers face Felix Hernandez on Sunday). In the meantime, enjoy some links with your eggs: Thanks to the Tigers’ surge, there are more believers that this could be, might be the team to beat in the American League Central. The SweetSpot’s Dave Schoenfield uses Brennan Boesch as the…
The Tigers make their first visit of the year to Chicago which typically means nothing but anguish. Not this weekend. Detroit’s recent good fortune against the Sox continues. (Right?) Here’s a terrific piece about Sparky Anderson from someone who knew him in his southern California community for 40 years. Out here in Phoenix, there’s some noise about the Diamondbacks pursuing the Mets’ David Wright. All things being equal — and Brandon Inge’s mono notwithstanding — I’d sure rather see him in Detroit. What about you? The Tigers’ all-time record against the White Sox heading into play tonight is 1,012-996-1. Why does it seem as if half those losses have come since 2004? Two tidbits about tonight’s starter Andy Oliver: 1. He was selected to…
