As you’ve no doubt noticed, particularly since the Tigers’ season ended in Arlington, the offerings at The Daily Fungo have been sparse – and that’s been by design. Since I launched this blog in March 2006, I’ve never wanted to post something for the sake of keeping up a schedule. In fact, I think the “daily” component of this blog’s name was fraudulent on day two. But over the course of six seasons you still visited the site, left insightful comments and motivated me to keep cranking out the material. Thank you for that.

My goal was to never waste your time – though I’m sure I missed the mark on dozens of occasions; thanks for bearing with me – and to offer a perspective on the Tigers that you might not find elsewhere. I hope I did once in a while.

Thanks, too, to The Daily Fungo contributors: Ian Casselberry, Jim Craddock, Wade Fink, Len Gutman, Doug Hill, John Milton and Nick Shlain. I’m glad you were part of the team.

Finally, I send thanks to Craig Monroe for providing the inspiration for so much of the content in the early days.

Be good, everyone. It’s been a blast.

P.S. I’ll still be writing about the Tigers on Twitter. Follow me @DailyFungo.

Jim Leyland this afternoon explained why we’ll see Max Scherzer and not Justin Verlander should the Tigers need a long-man:

“I don’t think it’s a wise decision. Like I said, those innings he pitched the other night, all the innings he’s piled up this year, all the strikeouts, all the adrenaline, and the fact that he’s throwing 100 miles an hour in the eighth inning [on Monday night], if he comes in this game tonight, there’s no telling what he would be throwing with the way this crowd is going to be and everything. I just don’t think it makes sense.”

Tonight’s game marks the seventh time in the Tigers post-season history they’ve had a series go the maximum number of games. Detroit has compiled a 2-4 record in the previous six series.

• Wins: Game 7 of the 1945 and 1968 World Series
• Losses: Game 7 of the 1909, 1934 and 1940 World Series; Game 5 of the 1972 ALCS

Jerry Crasnick focuses on Doug Fister and Delmon Young in this ESPN.com story. Here’s one scout’s view on Fister:

“The gun doesn’t tell the story on him,” the scout said. “He’s a movement guy with good location, and velocity doesn’t matter that much. He’s so tall [6-foot-8] and he’s straight over the top, so he gets great ‘down’ plane. When he’s down in the zone, it’s like hitting a bowling ball.”

By the by, Fister surrendered five home runs over his final 19 outings of the season dating back to June 14, a stretch of 129 innings pitched. He allowed 0.46 home runs per nine innings this season, lowest in the American League.

On this date in 1945, a goat and its owner make an appearance at Wrigley Field for Game 4 of the World Series between the Tigers and Cubs. The pair is told to leave before the game ends, angering the owner (and presumably the goat). The Cubs lost to the Tigers, 4-1. The Tigers go on to win the Series in seven and the Cubs won’t win another National League championship for the rest of the 20th century. And thus was born the Curse of the Billy Goat.

Young’s two home runs during this ALDS matches a Tigers record. Both Curtis Granderson and Craig Monroe hit two home runs for Detroit during the ALDS in 2006.

That’s all I’ve got. Except for this: Tigers 5 Yankees 2.

Enjoy the game.

With a win, no sure thing with the unpredictable starter, the Tigers would eliminate the Yankees and move on to the American League Championship Series against the Oakland A’s.

Twenty-three-year-old Jeremy Bonderman was the Tigers’ starter that chilly Saturday afternoon and he faced righty Jaret Wright, who’d gone 11-7 witha 4.49 ERA in 30 appearances (27 starts) for New York.

Tigers fans didn’t want to seem overconfident, but compared to the Yankee starters in the series’ first three games (Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina and Randy Johnson) Wright seemed like a notch above batting-practice quality.

That day, the Tigers staked Bonderman to a 3-0, second-inning lead on home runs by Magglio Ordonez and Craig Monroe. They tacked on five more runs by the end of the sixth. (Detroit chased Wright with two outs in the third after he’d surrendered four runs on five hits.) The late Cory
Lidle allowed three runs in his inning-and-a-third of work.

But at the start of the day, all eyes were on Bonderman. Could he handle the big stage, an elimination game against a New York lineup that Jim Leyland dubbed “Murderer’s Row and then Cano” and prevent a trip back to the Bronx for a decisive Game 5?

Could he ever.

All he did was no-hit the Yankees through five before Robinson Cano’s leadoff single in the sixth – after which he retired the next three in order.

Bonderman worked 8-1/3 innings throwing 99 pitches and allowed just five hits and two runs, walked a lone batter and struck out four. Jamie Walker recorded the final two outs of Detroit’s 8-3 win and the Tigers soon headed to Oakland.

Tonight the Tigers are in a eerily similar circumstance. Game 4 of the ALDS is nigh and the club’s hopes of avoiding a trip to New York rest on the almost-23-year-old Rick Porcello (he’ll be 23 on Dec. 27, the same age as Bonderman in 2006.)

That year Bonderman, in his fourth big-league season, finished 14-8 with a 4.08 ERA in a league-leading 34 starts. In 2011, Porcello, in his third season, finished 14-9 with a 4.75 ERA and made 31 starts.

In ’06, Bonderman threw 210 innings. This year, Porcello threw 182. Bonderman fanned 202 that season, Porcello 104 in ’11.

There’s no question that Bonderman and Porcello, despite their similarities at this point in their respective careers, are two different pitchers.
Bonderman relied on a firm fastball and a devastating slider. Of course, he was never able to command a third pitch — an annual Grapefruit League quest for him — and it frustrated at least three pitching coaches and two managers.

Porcello, on the other hand, has a moving fastball, a sinker, a changeup and curveball, making him a more complete pitcher, and one with a bright future.

So, should Tigers fans feel confident in Rick Porcello in a close-out game at Comerica Park against the American League’s finest lineup?

Absolutely. And here’s why.

In 2006, Jeremy Bonderman, like nearly every other player on that club, had no postseason experience. It was a concern that he would crumble under the pressure — particularly given his propensity to have disastrous first innings. But he didn’t.

Two years ago, Jim Leyland handed the ball to Porcello, then just 20 years old, in Game 163 — a one-game playoff to decide the American League
Central Division against the Twins. And he did not disappoint.

Porcello pitched five and 2/3 innings, scattered four hits, walked two and struck out eight. And he yielded just two runs in the most pressure-packed game of the season and many players’ careers.

Two years ago, by giving him the Game 163 start, the Tigers invested heavily in Porcello’s future. I think tonight the Tigers and their fans finally get the payoff from that miserable day in October 2009.

Can Porcello be as good tonight as Bonderman in ’06 or himself on ’09? With A.J. Burnett pitching for the Yankees, he might not need to be. But at least this time around Tigers fans know they have a starter with a more wicked repertoire than Bonderman, a skosh more experience and at least as much mental toughness. Anyone needing proof can re-visit his take down of the Red Sox’ Kevin Youkilis.

Let’s hope history does, in fact, show reruns.

The Leadoff: John Danks mystified a Tigers lineup cut that suddenly looked as if it was cut from the Craig Monroe cloth: see ball, swing. The predictable outcome? A 2-1 loss to the White Sox.

Around the Central: The Indians, who acquired Kosuke Fukudome from the Cubs, were no-hit by the Angels’ Ervin Santana — but scratched across a run — and lost 3-1. The Royals lost 12-5 to the Red Sox and the Twins beat the Rangers, 7-2. Did anyone notice the Indians are now only two games above .500?

Penny’s Bizarro World: Penny has limited lefthanded hitters to a .244 batting average this season. Righthanded hitters are batting .322 with Penny on the mound in 2011.

Today’s Blast from the Past: Here are three former short-time Tigers for your consideration: Francisco Cruceta, Doug Flynn and Mickey Mahler.

Finally, Happy 68th Birthday to basketball hall of famer and former U.S. senator Bill Bradley.

1-2; 4th place, 1.5 GB Royals

Today’s Game

Tigers @ Orioles | 3:05 p.m. ET – Baltimore | On the air: FSD/AM 1270 and 97.1 FM

Pitching Matchup

Rick Porcello (0-0) vs. Jake Arrieta (0-0)

Yesterday’s Results

Tigers 10 – Yankees 7

• W: Max Scherzer (1-0)
• L: Phil Hughes (0-1)
• HR: Miguel Cabrera (2), Brennan Boesch (1)

Tigers History Lesson

Today’s Birthdays

• Cameron Maybin, 24

On this Date in Tigers History

• 2005 – On Opening Day in Detroit, Dmitri Young hit three home runs to lead the Tigers to an 11-2 win over the Royals. Here’s what the starting lineup looked like that day behind starter Jeremy Bonderman:
  1. Omar Infante, 2b
  2. Carlos Guillen, ss
  3. Pudge Rodriguez, c
  4. Magglio Ordonez, rf
  5. Young, dh
  6. Rondell White, lf
  7. Carlos Pena, 1b
  8. Craig Monroe, cf
  9. Brandon Inge, 3b

• Born: Jan. 11, 1974 in Alexandria, La.
• Bats: Left Throws: Right
• Height: 5′ 11″ Weight: 190 lb.
• Acquired: Signed as a free agent by the Tigers Dec. 19, 2002.
• Seasons in Detroit: 1 (97 games in 2003)
• Uniform Number: 24
• Stats: .272 avg., 6 home runs, 37 RBI, .689 OPS

If you keep trying to remove the memory of 2003 only to be reminded by, well, us, we’re about to hurt your effort a bit further. Today we’re looking back on infielder Warren Morris.

He played second base for the ’03 Tigers, hitting .272 in 97 games for that record-setting club. Four seasons earlier Morris finished third in the National League Rookie of the Year Award, hitting .288 with 15 homers, 73 RBI and a .787 OPS for the Pirates.

Three seasons before that, in 1996, Morris hit a ninth-inning College World Series Championship-winning home run against Miami. From Wikipedia:

LSU reached the championship game of the College World Series in 1996, and was trailing Miami 8–7 in the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning. Morris came up to the plate with one runner on base, and hit Miami relief pitcher Robbie Morrison’s first pitch just inches over the right field fence. The walk-off home run won the game for the Tigers 9–8. It was his only home run of the season, and is the only walk-off championship-winning home run in College World Series history.

(Watch it here.)

After being drafted by the Rangers in the fifth round of the ’96 draft, two years later — while still in the minors — he was traded to the Pirates. He played parts of three seasons in Pittsburgh before being released in Spring Training 2002.

Then he had a sip of coffee with the Twins — no hits in four games — before arriving in Detroit for the abysmal 2003 season. With the Tigers’ stunning Spring Training contract-eating of Damion Easley, Morris became Alan Trammell’s starting second baseman.

You’ll have to dig deep to find a remarkable moment from his time with the Tigers but here’s one that might qualify — in relative terms, mind you. After all, we are talking about the ’03 Tigers.

On June 21, with the Tigers trailing the Rockies 9-3 with two out in the ninth at Coors Field, Morris hit a three-run homer off Jose Jimenez that allowed Detroit to lose by only three runs. (In a sign of things to come, the next batter, Craig Monroe, fanned to end the game.)

Morris re-signed with the Tigers for the 2004 season but didn’t see any action with the big club. He signed with the Indians and Brewers organizations in ’05 but after his final game with the Tigers on Sept. 28, 2003, Morris never appeared in another major-league game.

Still, he has to be proud of that clinching homer in the College World Series, right?

By the way, Happy 37th Birthday, Warren.

For the life of me, I can’t remember a Tigers player that enraged me the way Brandon Inge does these days.

Yes, long-time readers of the Fungo remember my constant bellyaching about Craig Monroe but that was on a different level entirely. Monroe, I thought, was the most self-centered player on the Tigers; swing for the fences regardless of the situation, play defense when he felt like it.

Inge, I believe, is a team player. No question. He gives his all in the field and … perhaps at the plate. And we all know he played the second half of 2009 with two useless legs and still managed to play tremendous defense.

A total gamer.

But why then do I see him come to the plate and immediately think, depending on the scenario: pop-up, strikeout or double play? Is it the tattoos? His petulant attitude when the Tigers signed Pudge Rodriguez and traded for Miguel Cabrera? The soul patch?

I think it’s all the above.

What pains me about this is my affinity for the Tigers. I don’t enjoy not liking Tigers players. The White Sox? I relish in despising all 25 on the roster. Sure, every Tigers team has featured a player that drove me looney, but this is unprecedented for me. (Well, in the case of the 2010 Tigers there are two maddening players: Inge and Ryan Raburn.)

Inge is hitting .253 coming into play today but get this: he’s hitting .326 in June — .333 with runners in scoring position after hitting just .182 and .174 with RISP in April and May respectively.

So what are we to make of this? Is Inge’s offensive production on the rise or is he setting us up with a rope-a-dope that will send us into a rage when he strands five runners in a game but makes two game-saving catches? (Speaking of D, he’s committed five errors and is on pace to match — if not surpass — last year’s 20. His fielding percentage is .972.)

No matter what fuels this fire I’ll have to live with it. Chances are Brandon Inge will be back at third base for the Tigers next season.

God help me.

• Despite his 4 for 28 slump during the current home stand (at least through the fifth inning today), Austin Jackson continues to be an early favorite for the American League Rookie of the Year Award. Given Curtis Granderson‘s poor start and injury one would think Yankees fans would like a do over on that trade. Not exactly. Over at It’s About the Money, Stupid, Will breaks it down — and soars over my head on some of it — with a statistical view. The gist:
  

  [Jackson's] batting average on balls in play is an outrageous .459. Regress that to league average (which is what happens when you add enough at bats to his resume), and here’s what happens to his numbers. His batting average falls from .331 to .216, and his OBP falls from .382 to .267.

• Have you seen the website StadiumJourney.com? If not, take a few minutes to check it out. Paul Swaney and a host of others have produced detailed reviews of major league ballparks, NFL stadiums, and NBA and NHL arenas. You can become a member and add your comments to the reviews. Recently they added a review of Comerica Park and give the venue a five out of five in terms of return on fan investment. Take a look.

• If a current Tigers player is approaching Craig Monroe-like status with yours truly it’s Brandon Inge. If the two batters ahead of him walk, you can guarantee Inge will swing at the first pitch and pop out. Or at least it seems that way.

  I looked at his outs so far this season and here’s how it breaks down coming into today: 32 strikeouts, 37 ground outs and 65 flyouts. (Unfortunately, ESPN.com doesn’t carve-out the popouts within fly balls.) Bottom line:

  • 64 percent of Inge’s outs on balls in play are in the air
  • 28 percent are ground outs
  • 24 percent are strikeouts

  I’ll need to dig deeper to see how this aligns with his teammates but at the very least I feel better knowing that Inge is a flyout machine.

• Last week’s Fungo Pulse Check poll was either poorly timed or prescient. The flurry of roster moves made the question practically moot, but we kept it going anyway. The results:
  

  Who will the Tigers send down when Carlos Guillen returns from the DL?

  • Don Kelly (43%, 86 Votes)
  • Ryan Raburn (30%, 60 Votes)
  • Brad Thomas (22%, 43 Votes)
  • Alex Avila (3%, 6 Votes)
  • Brennan Boesch (2%, 4 Votes)

  If you haven’t yet, cast your vote in this week’s poll.

Take heart. There are only 17 more games against the White Sox this season.

1. There are certain teams that I really pull for to turn it around once and for all. Among them, the Pirates and Reds. This afternoon I watched the Reds trump the Cubs at Wrigley and browsed the Web to see what’s going on in Pittsburgh. The first article I see is on The Detroit News site boasting of a Pirates resurgence with the help of Fungo Enemy Number One, former Tigers hack, Craig Monroe. I may need to reevaluate.

2. I’ve always loved watching Mike Scioscia teams. Aggressiveness personified. Not afraid to squeeze at any point in the game. Rubber-armed Scot Shields. This Angels writer, though, disagrees with the take-the-extra-base approach and thinks it’s outdated…by 20 years.

3. The Tigers’ (or is it Mud Hens’?) pickup of Jason Tyner is puzzling. Or maybe not. Perhaps the Hens need some depth. Anyway, today is Tyner’s 32nd birthday. Let’s hope he spends part of it at Tony Packo’s.
   ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2009/04/23/three-for-thursday-c-mo-run-less-tony-packos-edition/feed/ 1 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/04/09/game-8-tigers-1-1-on-wednesdays-in-2008/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/04/09/game-8-tigers-1-1-on-wednesdays-in-2008/#comments Thu, 10 Apr 2008 04:16:37 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/?p=839 The Gist: It took more than a week, but the Tigers left the field with a win on Wednesday night, 7-2 over the Red Sox. Naturally, Todd Jones did his thing to make any level of comfort more than a bit tenuous. Huzzah, Marcus Thames! The man simply delivers when the Tigers need him. Jeremy Bonderman pitched five innings, gave up one earned run and nearly managed to walk a batter in every inning.
   
   The Quote: “With Jones you’re not going to get many clean, 1-2-3 saves.” — NESN analyst and former Red Sox second baseman Jerry Remy.

   The Stat: 5. The number of men left on base by Gary Sheffield on Wednesday. Sheff must be channeling his inner Craig Monroe these days.

   I’m Just Sayin’: This season has been so bizarre that it’s difficult to wrap the brain around it. Beyond the oh-fer start, the pitching has been sub-optimal and the hitting — oh, the hitting! But what in the world is happening when Placido Polanco starts, as Ian Casselberry said this evening, a new streak based on consecutive games with an error?

   It’s been a while since Tigers fans hoped for a 2-7 record, but that’s the sitch tomorrow night.

   ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/04/09/game-8-tigers-1-1-on-wednesdays-in-2008/feed/ 0 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/11/13/two-for-tuesday/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/11/13/two-for-tuesday/#comments Tue, 13 Nov 2007 22:22:56 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/11/13/two-for-tuesday/ A couple of quick hits:
   • Buster Olney reviews the Tigers’ active — and decisive — off season so far.
     

     [W]e’re not even out of the second week of November, and the Tigers already have put together a lineup that will be formidable, and a rotation that has a chance to excel. 

   • We all know Magglio Ordonez is going to finish second to Alex Rodriguez for the A.L. MVP award, but that doesn’t mean he will walk away empty handed this winter. Fans can vote for Ordonez as baseball’s Hitter of the Year in the sixth annual MLB.com This Year in Baseball Awards.

   So Craig Monroe‘s back in the division? Wait until Twins fans get a load of that one-handed-rally-killing swing.

   ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/11/13/two-for-tuesday/feed/ 0 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/10/02/no-tigers-in-the-playoffs-no-monroe-either-2/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/10/02/no-tigers-in-the-playoffs-no-monroe-either-2/#comments Tue, 02 Oct 2007 21:18:32 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/10/02/no-tigers-in-the-playoffs-no-monroe-either-2/ This article explores the Cubs’ playoff roster, at least for the NLDS versus the Diamondbacks, and it appears Craig Monroe‘s on the bubble — at best.I wonder if the .208-hitting Monroe is panning out to be the veteran bat the Cubs counted on. With a home run and 4 RBI in 28 at-bats, I’m thinking not. 
   ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/10/02/no-tigers-in-the-playoffs-no-monroe-either-2/feed/ 0 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/08/24/analyze-this-2/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/08/24/analyze-this-2/#comments Fri, 24 Aug 2007 22:00:34 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/08/24/analyze-this-2/ One of the most enjoyable regular columns on BaseballProspectus.com is Transaction Analysis by Christina Kahrl. The Tigers rarely garner much attention in TA but this week is the exception. When you look at the number of roster moves Detroit has made lately you will a) be astounded, and b) amused by Kahrl’s take on certain moves, including the Craig Monroe trade. In this installment, Monroe gets double coverage (Detroit and, of course, the Cubs).

   First, a morsel of Kahrl’s Tigers assessment:

   [D]id hauling [Cameron Maybin] up really have to involve discarding Monroe? And what’s up with demoting Infante? In each case, my initial readiness to complain turned out to be pointless. Yes, Monroe’s really too good to be discarded this way, especially on a team that could use his bat against lefties, especially when that lineup’s carrying Casey’s carcass in one of its nine slots. 

   Ouch.And now for the Cubs:

   I’m as ready to bang on Monroe for his limitations as the next stathead, but I actually like this well enough for the Cubs. He’s coming over to the weaker league—just ask Jason Kendall if that hasn’t made a difference—plus he’s a guy who can play some center for a club that needs a center fielder. 

   Monroe in center? Ooooh, Lou Piniella won’t much like the looks of that. This edition of TA is a must-read if only for the outstanding Gregg Jefferies reference — and half-hearted comparison to Maybin.

   ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/08/24/analyze-this-2/feed/ 0 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/31/putting-the-%e2%80%9cdead%e2%80%9d-in-trade-deadline/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/31/putting-the-%e2%80%9cdead%e2%80%9d-in-trade-deadline/#comments Wed, 01 Aug 2007 02:25:06 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/31/putting-the-%e2%80%9cdead%e2%80%9d-in-trade-deadline/ Those of us old enough to remember when Pat Gillick was general manager of the Toronto Blue Jays (before moving on to similar roles with the Orioles, Mariners and his current employer, the Phillies), may be thinking of him today when pondering the Tigers approach to the non-waiver trade deadline.In the late 1980s, Gillick earned the nickname “Stand Pat” primarily because he would do just that at the trade deadline and leave Blue Jays’ fans scratching their collective noggins until Opening Night at Maple Leaf Gardens.Now that I’ve had a few hours to ponder the Tigers lack-tivity, I’m surprisingly relieved. What I found throughout the day as I listened to coverage on XM Radio and on ESPN, was that I was more anxious to learn who the Tigers would give up in a trade more so than who they acquired.The Tigers were not giving up Cameron Maybin; No drama there. And, given how fragile the Tigers’ pitching staff has proven to be this season, I couldn’t fathom the Tigers peddling the solid arms currently tending the farms in Toledo, Erie, Oneonta, Comstock Park and Lakeland.I’ll admit I’m a little late to this party.Our man in Connecticut, Peter Fuhrmeister, commented in podcast #24 that he didn’t want to see the Tigers make a move at the deadline. He’s content to ride out this season with what the Tigers have to offer in the bully. John Milton, my brother and I all disagreed with Peter but managed to avoid calling him nuts.After watching the first game of the Angels series, we were stinging from the dismal pitching performance on Friday night. Two games later, you could not convince me that a better, reasonably priced bullpen solution wasn’t out there. Somewhere. (Could the Tigers swallow some pride — and salary — to bring back Jamie Walker?)Today, Peter, as usual, looks to be the wise man.And now that I’ve had time to think about it, I’m willing to accept that a pair of healed, experienced arms are on the way in Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya. If they are back to full strength, the Tigers should be okay. I’m also willing to concede (again) that this team is going through a particularly grueling stretch of baseball right now. A couple of wins, a day off and a healthy back-end of the bullpen should put the Tigers back in business.If not, maybe Dave Dombrowski can phone Gillick and see what arms he’s willing to part with for a package of Jason Grilli, Craig Monroe and Omar Infante.I can almost hear Gillick’s response now: “Well, Jose Mesa‘s available…”Update: Jason Beck tells us what the Tigers had brewing today. Wasn’t much.
   ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/31/putting-the-%e2%80%9cdead%e2%80%9d-in-trade-deadline/feed/ 0 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/23/craig-monroe-misquoted-2/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/23/craig-monroe-misquoted-2/#comments Mon, 23 Jul 2007 08:00:02 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/23/craig-monroe-misquoted-2/

   “I don’t want to talk about me,” he said. “If you have some questions about the team, that’s fine.”

   ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/23/craig-monroe-misquoted-2/feed/ 1 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/19/blogging-a-thursday-matinee-game-2/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/19/blogging-a-thursday-matinee-game-2/#comments Thu, 19 Jul 2007 18:01:56 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/19/blogging-a-thursday-matinee-game-2/ The beauty of being self-employed: watching a Tigers matinee game on my office TV while working away. I don’t do this very often but he are my thoughts updated throughout the game.Jeremy Bonderman clearly has the slider going today.Wow, Timo Perez. As I’ve mentioned before, never in their history have the Tigers had a player named “Perez” on the roster. That streak ended last year when Neifi arrived. Chances are the Tigers are the first team in history to have a Timo and a Neifi on the 40-man.What’s with all the pop ups today?Timo Perez is wearing #19. It reminds me of the unfortunate Roger Cedeno years. Let’s hope Timo, if he’s in position to do so, shows up for the team photo.I’d like to see Mike Rabelo go yard. Today.I don’t think I’ve seen a major league game with as many key injuries as last night’s to Torii Hunter, Michael Cuddyer and Marcus Thames.Speaking of Cuddyer, he certainly doesn’t have quintessential clean-up hitter numbers: AVG .289 | HR 10 | RBI 56. I wonder why Justin Morneau doesn’t hit fourth…Timo looking too much like Craig Monroe.Uh-oh. Down a run. Better start hitting lest they want to face Joe Nathan.Good for Rabelo.Placido Polanco legs out a double. Guess his leg’s okay.Jeez, Sheff. You just cost the boys another run! > Bottom of the 7thHow big does that Sheffield blunder at second look now?Bonderman with his typical Metrodome implosion. Man, that’s getting old. > Top of 8thThey walk Curtis Granderson to face Polanco? Gutsy that Ron Gardenhire….freakin’ Neshek.> Bottom of 8thYou just knew that Morneau was overdue. Way overdue.Wow. Umpires always amaze me with their instant recall of the rule book.How in the world did they get out of that mess? Morneau will have to shoulder the blame for that one. > Top of 9thNo surprise Nathan is in this game. Gardenhire has to got to do whatever he can to prevent a Tigers sweep.Will the Tigers continue with Zach Miner in the bottom half or will they bring in Jose Capellan? Is it just me or is Capellan persona non grata in the Tigers’ bully?Think the Twins are eager to see Magglio Ordonez leave town?Sigh. > Bottom of 9thWhat can you say about that Zach Miner? > Top of 10thWho says the American League can’t play small-ball? Good for Brandon Inge. I think Nathan is the toughest closer out there so it’s about time the Tigers made some noise against him. Now, about that insurance run… Bottom of 10thHere comes that Todd Jones queasiness.Hey, Jones’s ERA is under five. When did that happen?Double pl— … d’oh!Nice and tidy by Todd Jones standards.Now I can eat lunch! 
   ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/07/19/blogging-a-thursday-matinee-game-2/feed/ 0 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/06/28/the-non-sequiturs-matinee-edition/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/06/28/the-non-sequiturs-matinee-edition/#comments Thu, 28 Jun 2007 18:14:25 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/2007/06/28/the-non-sequiturs-matinee-edition/ After reading Doug‘s pithy and spot-on assessment of Todd Jones — heretofore known by me as the Tigers “opener”, not “closer” — I decided not to waste my or your time with a vitriolic post about him. What more is there to say? For me, nuttin’. For Jim Leyland and Dave Dombrowski, lots apparently.According to today’s Detroit News:
   

   “I have no problem with Todd Jones. None,” Leyland said. “He’s done an outstanding job, and he’s a heck of a pitcher.“But he’s such a perfectionist and competes so hard, what I think happens to him on occasion is that he outthinks himself. You try to pitch too carefully, it can backfire on you.”

   Ahem.And this from the GM in the Freep:
   

   “He’s our closer. He’s done a solid job for us. He’s pitched well at times. Other times, he hasn’t. He’s pitched very similarly to the way he did last year. He’s not your dominant-type closer, but we know what Todd is.”

   Insert your own punchline. Or, better yet, don’t:
   

   “It’s not fun to be the butt of everybody’s jokes,” Jones said Wednesday.

   Will Jones be summoned from the ‘pen this afternoon? Yeah, probably. Settle in.How’s that for not writing about Todd Jones? Now, on to the Non-Sequiturs:

   • Peter Pascarelli, the new host of ESPN’s Baseball Today Podcast, is a Tigers believer. He’s been on board for a while now and again this morning said he knows this Tigers have inquired about both Eric Gagne and Akinori Otsuka. Earlier this week he interviewed Leyland about the Tigers’ season so far. Check it out here.
   • One other Pascarelli note, he said that if the Tigers get the bullpen together they could run away with the division.
   • I don’t know about you but yesterday’s rainout was just what the Tigers needed to put the Tuesday nightmare behind them. Let’s see how they respond today. (Rod Allen just said the same thing on the telecast.)
   • Remember in the winter of 2005-06 when Tigers fans were clamoring for Kevin Millwood? Remember, too, the outcry (I might have been the loudest) when the Tigers signed Kenny Rogers instead? So how’d that workout for both teams?
   • Looking to buy the ugliest Detroit Tigers hat ever created? Here it is.
   • I suppose I’m in the minority when it comes to the Tigers first base situation and its lack of pop. I know that the offense is clicking and all that but I’m sorry, one dinger from Sean Casey and six from Marcus Thames is unacceptable. Detroit hasn’t had a full-time power threat at first since the days of Cecil Fielder and Darrell Evans. (Apologies to Tony Clark.) Get Mark Teixeira, if not for this season then at least for the long haul and before the Yankees scoop him up. Here’s what Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal has to say about it:

   Tigers: An obvious possibility, considering that the team ranks 11th in the American League in on-base/slugging percentage at first base. However, Sean Casey’s OPS is over .800 since his horrid April, Marcus Thames helps against lefties and Chris Shelton is performing decently at Class AAA.”Our offense is not a problem,” GM Dave Dombrowski, noting that the Tigers are on pace to set the all-time franchise record for runs scored. “I don’t think we would put resources into position players at this time. Our biggest need is the bullpen.”

   • Question for you: Who gets an All Star Game invitation as a reserve: Gary Sheffield, Curtis Granderson or Carlos Guillen? One, two or all of the above?
   • Another question: If the Tigers do take the plunge and shore up the bullpen via trade(s), who are you willing to give up for relief help? Nate Robertson? Craig Monroe (but of course)? Thames? Shelton? Omar Infante?

   Finally, during the rain delay on Wednesday I had to endure the Monroe spotlight on FSN Detroit. Mike McClary enjoyed Craig Monroe talking about Craig Monroe in the third person. Mike McClary particularly enjoyed the segments of the show in which Monroe was wearing a Texas Rangers uniform.If only it weren’t six-year-old footage.

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