The Score: Twins 8 – Tigers 3

The Gist: Wasted opportunities. Sure, the usual ones — stranded runners, untimely hitting — but also new and exciting storylines. Like, four errors by the Twins, a bizarrely mediocre Joe Nathan and…oh, what’s the difference? Nate Robertson pitched well enough to not lose but not much better. Home plate umpire Angel Hernandez overreacted again, issued warnings, ejected Jim Leyland, Jeremy Bonderman and Gerald Laird, watched benches clear. You know, the usual playoff atmosphere.

The Quote: “Really, what is there to say?” — Yours truly.

The Stat: 0 – As in 0 for 5 for Ramon Santiago on the day, suggesting that perhaps Leyland chose the wrong day to give Placido Polanco a breather. Santiago was 0 for 2 with runners in scoring position, including a bases-loaded chance in the fourth when he popped out to the catcher. The catcher.

Magic/Tragic Number: 2 – Still two.

Up Next: White Sox @ Tigers

Edwin Jackson (13-8, 3.36 ERA) vs. Jake Peavy (8-6, 3.75; 2-0 with the Sox)

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The Score: Tigers 12 – White Sox 5

The Gist: The Tigers swatted 20 hits — four from Miguel Cabrera, and three each from Curtis Granderson and, of course, Placido Polanco — scoring 12 runs after being down 5-0 in the fourth. Cabrera also had a homer and four RBI, giving him 100 for the year.

The View: For a while it looked like two pitchers falling into old (and opposing) habits: Freddy Garcia looked like the front-line starter he was from 2001-05 and Nate Robertson, well, looked like more like ‘08 Nate: a bullpen mop-up guy. Ultimately, both guys cratered but Nate just left earlier in the game. Thankfully.

*The Quote: from Jim Leyland.

The Quote II: “And I’m going to make it clear. It’s a bunch of [expletive] out there watching football games like a piece of [expletive] with no pride the way they play the [expletive] game, and that’s embarrassing. If you don’t have pride to play this game and you don’t care about it, get another job because I know I’m going to be all over the stinking place when I talk about this.” — Ozzie Guillen, showing all class once again.

The Stat: 5 — The number of double plays turned by the Tigers.

Magic Number: 7

Up Next: Tigers @ White Sox

Edwin Jackson (13-7, 3.25 ERA) vs. Daniel Hudson (0-1. 3.38)

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ESPN highlights available here.

The Score: Tigers 6 – Twins 2

The Gist: The Tigers showed the doubters among us (including yours truly) that they can win when it counts. Fungo Favorite Nate Robertson was outstanding over five innings of work, striking out six.

The Quote: “I guess we’ll have to take two out of three and now go on a long road trip.” – Twins Manager Ron Gardenhire

The Stat: 6 – The number of hits by Placido Polanco on Saturday and Sunday.

The Stat II: 83-113 – The Tigers’ all-time record at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome.

Up Next: Tigers @ Indians, Tuesday Night

Edwin Jackson (12-7, 3.37) vs LHP Aaron Laffey (7-6, 4.09)

1. Happy Birthday, Nate. Today’s starter is 32. Other notable Tigers birthdays today: Luis Gonzalez (42) and Steve Boros (73). (It’s also the birthday of my little boy!)

2. Catching up on Tigers Playoff Odds from Baseball Prospectus: We’re now looking at 68.86481 percent for a playoff spot. Inching up.

3. Here’s a piece I enjoyed. Titled “What The World Needs Now is Rob Deer”, Clayton Trutor at American Polymath.com explains why the good old-fashioned slugger needs a comeback. Here’s a hilarious nugget:
   

   In 1992, Deer put together the most outlandish home run to RBI ratio ever: 32 home runs, 64 runs batted in. Even on a bad team, like the ’92 Tigers, this shouldn’t be possible.

   He might not have Deer’s bulk, but perhaps Marcus Thames is this generation’s all-or-nothing guy?

• The Tigers have done reasonably well out of the shoot in the second half recently. Here’s how the club has fared in the first 10 games after the All-Star Game in:
  • 2008: 6-4
  • 2007: 6-4
  • 2006: 7-3

  Two out of three in New York would be outstanding.

• Yesterday Rob Neyer suggested that the Giants cut loose southpaw Barry Zito. If the Giants can swallow Zito’s remaining $90 million or whatever it is, how can the Tigers not absorb their two problem lefties, Mssrs. Robertson and Willis? I’m wondering what would happen if the Tigers traded their lefties for Zito. Crazy-talk to be sure, but you wonder if Zito would get some kind of “new environment” boost coming back to the A.L. (Did I mention that it’s 115° here?)

• I’ll be darned if I can find the link to Ken Rosenthal’s article a week or so ago that noted — deep in the story — that the Tigers might be a landing spot for the Royals’ Mark Teahen. I’d love to see him patrolling left or right fields for the Tigers, wouldn’t you? I just don’t see a intra-divisional trade working out.

• Today marks the birthday in 1889 of Guy “King Tut” Tutwiler who played alongside Ty Cobb in 1911 and 1913, his only two major league seasons, according to Baseball-Reference.com. The infielder/outfielder hit .203 in just 86 career plate appearances for the Tigers. He would’ve been a spry 120 today.

Have a great weekend and enjoy the baseball.

• Despite MLB’s efforts, I realized that I still hadn’t cast my All-Star ballot. Voting ends tomorrow night, so vote late and often.

• As we watch Magglio Ordonez’s swing atrophy, I’m thinking that he might personify the 2008 Tigers team. That is, we all kept thinking that this game or this series would be the one that got Detroit on the path to its rightful place in the postseason. And we waited and waited… Now it’s Maybe this at bat will get Maggs going…. Alas, it ain’t looking good.

• Speaking of Ordonez, in the recent Fungo Pulse Check poll, only one voter out of 36 would choose to release him over Dontrelle Willis (53 percent) or Nate Robertson (44 percent). Tigers fans sure love their Magglio. [Take our latest poll -->]

• My fandom for (of?) Nate Robertson is well documented here. Over the past two seasons I think I’ve been tainted by Ian’s anti-Nate sentiment and find myself — at best — Nate Neutral. But, ever the quasi-optimist, I’m wondering if this week’s elbow surgery could inject some zip into the left wing. What do you think?

• Speaking of being a fan boy, last week I was out of town and without my MLB Extra Innings package — thus, no Tigers games on TV. I have to say, the Tigers blogosphere can make a guy feel right at home. BlessYouBoys.com and MackAvenueTigers.com alone made it so I didn’t miss a beat.

Finally, on this date in 1915 right-hander Cletus Elwood “Boots” Poffenberger was born in Williamsport, Md. Ol’ Boots pitched two of his three big-league seasons, 1937 and ‘38, for the Tigers posting a 16-12 record and a 4.75 ERA. He died in 1999 in Williamsport, Va. A search of Google Maps doesn’t bring up a Williamsport, Va., but it does show Williamsport, Md., where he was born, which is across the Potomac River from West Virginia — but there’s no Williamsport, W. Va.

If you’re still reading at this point, bless you.

• It’s a shame that I read the USA Today only when I’m traveling, as I am today. There’s usually one or two outstanding pieces in each edition and this morning proved it: a feature on the Tigers by Bob Nightengale.

• Juan Rincon, a victim of a roster numbers game last month — we’re looking at you, Nate Robertson, has been recalled by the Rockies from Triple-A Colorado Springs. Embrace the humidor, Senor. (Oh, and now that the Rox have run off a late-2007-like streak recently, do we all feel a tad better about them taking two of three from the Tigers? Didn’t think so.)

• He might not chuck it as hard as Ryan Perry, but it’s close enough and I, for one, am glad Freddy Dolsi’s back.

• Did you happen to catch this nastygram from Ken Rosenthal about the Tigers benching Magglio Ordonez? The zingers about Gary Sheffield are amusing but I don’t think anyone in the Tigers front office regrets the decision to cut him loose. And for what it’s worth, I hope that Ordonez finds his stroke soon and that he doesn’t wind up on the Red Sox, poking homers over The Green Monster at Fenway.

• Speaking of hitters, here are the results of our most recent Fungo Pulse Check poll. The question: Which of These Sluggers Should the Tigers Go After?
  • Matt Holliday: 35% (12 votes)
  • Brad Hawpe: 32% (11 votes)
  • Adam Dunn: 29% (10 votes)
  • Jeff Francouer: 3% (1 vote)
  • Carlos Lee: bupkis

  Be sure to vote in our new poll, available in the sidebar –>

• Finally, I didn’t weigh in on the Jim Leyland extension when it happened: I believe it came a few weeks too late, but I’m delighted that he re-upped. I don’t want to see the Tigers become the Verizon Wireless of Major League Baseball, with a new manager every two years or so. (If anyone should’ve been shown the door as a result of this clunky roster, it should’ve been [should be?] Dave Dombrowski.)

Have a great week.

• There’s no place to put him, unfortunately, but I wish the Tigers could right and old wrong and bring back the now-available Frank Catalanotto.

• In case you were wondering, with the Opening Day roster set, the Tigers have assigned official uniform numbers to: Ryan Perry, 74; Rick Porcello, 48; Juan Rincon, 59; and Josh Anderson, 13.

• Speaking of Rincon, talk about a guy who flew under the radar all spring. I’ve got a feeling he could be the most important reliever leading up to late innings.

• And while we’re talking numbers, my post-Sheff release commentary the other day had a misleading headline. I intended to go off on his wearing of Alan Trammell’s number 3 but got, as you saw, sidetracked. I was never happy about him wearing Tram’s number and I think the Tigers need to be more protective of stars’ numbers.

  No one should be able to wear #3 again, or Lou Whitaker’s #1, Jack Morris’s #47, or (sorry, Josh Anderson), Lance Parrish’s #13. Years ago I read somewhere that clubhouse guy Jim Schmakel is very protective of those 1984 stars’ numbers. I think they should make it a policy, plain and simple. What do you think?

Finally, it wouldn’t be Opening Day — or the baseball season for that matter — without more doggerel from the guys at Bardball.com. Chances are you’ve never seen baseball predictions in haiku, so you’re in for a treat.

Go State.

Excuse me? Um, Nate? Do you think the Tigers are happy to have a $7 million long reliever in the pen?

I honestly don’t believe Nate believes things should be handed to him. Still, you have to wonder why — particularly throughout this Spring Training when the Tigers were starving for pitchers — Nate didn’t go Jack Donaghy, act like a lion and take what’s his.

You aren’t one of the Tigers top-five starters, Nate. And right now, you’re probably not even among the top-five relievers. I’m sure Clay Rapada would happily trade places with you in Toronto.

Nevertheless, we want to continue our series of player profiles today with The Nater for two reasons — actually three, I just thought of a third: First, he made more starts last season than either Miner or Willis. Second, I already had the profile written. Last, we’ll do our friend and avowed Nater Hater, Ian Casselberry, a favor and get it out of the way.

Nate Robertson #29

• Height: 6′ 2″ | Weight: 225
• 2008 Stats: 7-11, 6.35 ERA

The Tigers had no shortage of pitching frustrations in 2008 and one could argue that the most perplexing of all was Robertson. Once considered a core member of the rotation, the lefthander’s performance in ’08 raised questions about whether he could physically and mentally take his game to a higher level. In fact, Robertson’s season was so off-kilter that he found himself in the bullpen after a 5-8, 5.26 ERA first half.

Things improved little after the All Star Break and the 31-year-old enters 2009 as a major question mark. However, if any Tigers pitcher is likely to adopt the mantra of new pitching coach Rick Knapp – throw first-pitch strikes – it’s Robertson, who had above-league-average success in this area in ’08. (Nearly 60 percent of his initial offerings were strikes.)

A reversal of fortune for the Tigers in 2009 will be tied closely to Robertson’s ability to rediscover his command – especially his slider – and log quality starts. The club hopes an off-season exercise regimen designed to improve his flexibility will help him in the short and long term. Barring a Spring Training meltdown, expect him to return to the rotation in 2009 and to stay out of the bullpen.

So, here I am working on a — gasp! — PC trying to get some stuff done. (There’s more on my Windows Vista experience here.) I offer this not as a self-handicapping thing, but as a legit reason. Honest.

On with the Fungoes:

• There’s been much to talk about in recent weeks and it centers on an infuriating lack of activity by the Tigers. Kerry Wood? Gone — to the Indians. Carl Pavano? Gone…to the Indians. Jason Giambi? Gone. Brian Fuentes? John Smoltz? Trevor Hoffman? Gone. Gone. Gone. What’s worse is that these guys, for the most part, were considered low-cost, low-risk investments for the teams they joined. Are the Tigers suddenly so cash poor/talent rich that they can’t take a flyer on the likes of Giambi — a solid lefty bat — or Pavano who could actually be an upgrade over Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis? I would love to know what the master plan is down on Witherell.

• The Padres pick Virgil Vasquez off waivers today from the Red Sox. Let’s hope Double-V gets some appearances in San Diego who will definitely need help when Jake Peavy gets dealt.

• There’s nothing like some distance from the past baseball season to provide some perspective on how good or bad a player was. Two examples in each category from the 2008 Tigers:
  • The Good: Magglio Ordonez – .317, 21 HR, 103 RBI for the season but he hit .330 in the second half.
  • The Bad: Gary Sheffield – .225, 19 HR, 57 RBI. He hit a meager .217 in the first half and .232 in the second. Yeah, I know, he wasn’t completely healthy but still, if it weren’t for his 500th homer chase, Sheff would’ve been persona non grata at Comerica Park in 2008.

• Perhaps you heard that former Tigers pitcher Dave Roberts passed away today at 64. He was acquired by the Tigers on Dec. 6, 1975 when the Astros traded him along with Jim Crawford and Milt May to Detroit for Leon Roberts, Terry Humphrey, Gene Pentz, and Mark Lemongello. Roberts appeared in 48 games for the Tigers in 1976 and ‘77 — all of them starts. In 1976, he posted a record of 16-17 and a 4.00 ERA with 18 complete games. The following year he made 22 starts for the Tigers going 4-10, 5.15, before his contract was purchased by the Cubs on July 30. According to the MLB.com story, Roberts died from lung cancer.
  

  Roberts’ death came after a struggle with lung cancer that had developed from exposure to asbestos — a mineral with toxic fibers — earlier in his life, according to a report by the Associated Press. He had worked as a boilermaker years ago, which likely exposed him to the toxic substance.

  How things have changed. You certainly don’t hear of any journeyman lefty relievers working as boilermakers in the off season anymore just to make ends meet. Today Roberts would be making $4 million a year.

Finally, Happy Birthday today to Freddy Dolsi, 26; Ivan DeJesus – what? You didn’t know he played for the Tigers? He did: 1988 – and Phil Mankowski, both 56.

Whether it was Dontrelle Willis‘ sudden inability to throw strikes or Justin Verlander’s season of wild inconsistency or merely the bullpen’s tendency to do just about everything wrong, the pitching was Public Enemy No. 1 at Comerica Park and 13 other American League parks (not to mention parks across the N.L. West).

One final look at the Tigers pitching woes:

• Team ERA: 4.91 — 12th in A.L.; 27th in MLB
• Strikeouts: 991 — 11th / 25th
• Walks: 644 — 13th / 27th
• Blown Saves: 26

Oh, what the hay, let’s take a quick look at how the rotation fared:

• Verlander: 11-17, 4.84 ERA, one (and the Tigers’ only) complete game
• Armando Galarraga: 13-7, 3.73
• Kenny Rogers: 9-13, 5.70
• Nate Robertson: 7-11, 6.35
• Jeremy Bonderman: 3-4, 4.29
• Willis: 0-2, 9.38

Yep. Ugly.

But thankfully the 2008 season — and soon this list — is over and done with.

While the Mets, Mariners and Indians were swingin’ a 12-player trade (with J.J. Putz as the centerpiece) the Tigers were not zeroing in on a closer, instead they were dealing for a starting pitcher.

The 25-year-old Jackson won a career-high 14 games in 2008 at the back end of the rotation during Tampa Bay’s breakout season. He posted a 4.42 ERA to go with his 14-11 record, pitching 183 1/3 innings, allowing 199 hits and 77 walks while striking out 108. Jackson’s arrival adds some more certainty to a rotation that faced major question marks at the back end. Justin Verlander and Armando Galarraga are the only certainties from last year, while Jeremy Bonderman is expected to be back to full strength after missing the second half of last season following shoulder surgery.

Ian offers some hefty analysis of the deal here.

Lynn Henning suggests that this deal could be a signal that the Tigers’ are concerned with Jeremy Bonderman’s progress. That or the Tigers are hedging their bets against another poor season by Nate Robertson and Dontrelle Willis.

Or both. What do you make of this trade?

If you’re looking for a positive outlook to end your week, look elsewhere. Here’s a taste:

Aside from a younger, more athletic band of glove men, the Tigers need about a half-dozen new pitchers. Verlander and Galarraga figure to anchor a rotation that’s woefully shorthanded, with lefties Dontrelle Willis, Kenny Rogers and Nate Robertson turning into pumpkins and Jeremy Bonderman now more of a perennial injury risk than a future frontline starter. The bullpen is no better, with Todd Jones retired, Joel Zumaya and Fernando Rodney fighting to regain their lost command, and journeyman Aquilino Lopez the best of the 2008 bunch.

Now that hurts.

That sent me to the growing list of free agent pitchers. Two names that I like for different reasons — and again, I’m talking fifth-starter here: Jon Garland and Carl Pavano. Certainly Detroit would have different negotiating tactics with these two guys, but why not take a shot at one of them?

I know you’re thinking I’m insane with the Pavano thing but hear me out explain. Assuming that he’s healthy, why not offer the guy a low-ball contract loaded with incentives for number of starts, innings pitched, days not on the DL (not unlike they did with Pudge Rodriguez’s early years), etc.?

The guy (4-2, 5.77, seven starts in ‘08) has a history with Dave Dombrowski and maybe he wants to right the wrong of not signing with the Tigers before the 2005 season. I’m just saying.

As for Garland (14-8, 4.90, 32 starts in ‘08), I think the guy could give the back-end of the rotation a boost. And, more deliciously, he could face his old club, the White Sox, five times a year and make Ozzie Guillen’s brain turn crispy. That in itself is worth signing Garland.

Discuss.

• So this is what we’re left with: rooting for former Tigers still playing in the ALCS and NLCS. The Phillies’ Matt Stairs and Chad Durbin, the Rays’ Carlos Pena, and the Red Sox’s Sean Casey are a Tigers fan’s only connection to playoff baseball.

  Was I the only one who thought Stairs’ bomb on Monday night at Dodger Stadium was a carbon copy of the one he hit at Comerica Park on the last day of the 2006 season? Fortunately for Stairs and his teammates they had Brad Lidge to hold a lead. (By the way, when in the postgame interview Fox’s Ken Rosenthal mentioned Stairs being 40, it was the first time I’ve reacted by thinking: Hey, watch it. I’m 40!)

  I honestly don’t know what to say about Pena. For him, I’m glad he’s found his groove. For the Tigers, well, let’s put it this way: Imagine the roster issues the Tigers would’ve dealt with this year if they had Pena in the mix. Oy vey. But good for Carlos, his fellow Rays and their dozens of fans. I’m enjoying every deliciously exposed chink in Red Sox Nation’s armor. If you want to read what Pena’s thinking about these days, read his playoff blog on MLB.com.

  As for Durbin and Casey, the Tigers could’ve used both of them this past season but for different reasons. Durbin would’ve spared us the Eddie Bonine Experience while Casey’s personality might have been a soothing influence on a prickly clubhouse.

  Bygones.

• Wow, Leo Mazzone doesn’t make the Tigers’ short list of pitching coach candidates? Tell me this is some sort of smokescreen. Or joke. Or inexcusable oversight. How can Mazzone not be at the top of the list? Sure, Rick Peterson is a good choice and a solid Plan B. But Mazzone seems to be a no brainer. What do you think?

• I keep thinking that Nate Robertson will end up out here in the desert next season with catcher Miguel Montero heading to Detroit. I’ve been beating the Montero Drum all season to Ian at BlessYouBoy.com — so much so that Ian has reportedly started coding an eyes-rolling emoticon for Google Talk instant messaging. Better late than early, a week or so back the Free Press’s Jon Paul Morosi got on board the Montero Express.

• Congrats to Eric Howell of Clawson who correctly answered our Name That Tiger Quiz. The correct answers: Chuck Scrivener, Eric Munson and Steve Foucault. Eric received a copy of George Cantor’s Tigers book, The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

• Sean Heyboer, an Orlando-based Tigers fan, launched a new Tigers blog recently, titled Trumbull and Michigan. Check it out when you get a chance.
  ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/10/15/wednesday-walewanders-lcs-edition/feed/ 1 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/09/29/catching-up-on-a-week-of-news/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/09/29/catching-up-on-a-week-of-news/#comments Mon, 29 Sep 2008 20:44:51 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/?p=1429 Every time I sat down to write about a bit of Tigers news in the past five days, another shoe would drop and I’d think “I’ll write about both of those items.” Then another and another, etc.

  So, as I wait out this Tigers/White Sox rain delay from bright, sunny Phoenix, it’s time to weigh in on:

  • Todd Jones’s Retirement. The decades-old joke in Detroit is that the most popular person in the city is the Lions’ backup QB and/or the Red Wings’ backup netminder. I think we can now add the Tigers’ setup man to that punch line. Detroit is unusually cruel to its closers. Less than a year after Willie Hernandez won the 1984 Cy Young and MVP awards, he started getting booed and it’s never stopped. Mike Henneman did too, but to a much smaller degree. The Tigers were so unwatchable during Todd Jones’s first tour of duty in Detroit, that often he was the only bright spot. Come to think of it, he was a welcome sight then because it mean the Tigers were in line for a rare win.

    But what was it about Jones in his second stint as a Tiger? What made it so infuriating? Sure, he got 93 saves in just under three seasons but his ERA was always around four and … ah, what’s the use? Jones is a good guy and I’m sure he’ll be missed by his teammates. I guess. For me, though, I’ll never be able to forgive him for not being Joe Nathan.

  • Inge Returns to Third. This move makes the Tigers’ infield defense significantly better next season. With the range he covers, Inge is essentially a third baseman and a half. So even if they decide to bring back Edgar Renteria, Inge makes the left side if not a plus than definitely not a minus. Now, about that average…
  • Guillen to Left. As I wrote here, I think it’s more likely that we see Carlos Guillen back at short than in left field. Why? If they put Guillen in left and a light-hitting guy at short, the Tigers lose the potential production of Matt Joyce. And, if you put Guillen in the cavern that is Comerica Park’s left field, what are the odds on him pulling a hamstring before May 1? Not good.
  • Chuck Hernandez Firing. I know that Doug and others have been calling for Hernandez to lose his job as a result of the pitching staff’s tank job. I’ll be the first to admit that I’m a wuss when it comes to firing coaches or managers. The rhetorical question I always ponder is: How much impact does a coach have — or can a coach expect to have — at this level? Was Hernandez, the genius of 2006, suddenly a lousy coach? I don’t think so. He was nothing more than a vessel caught in the perfect storm of Jeremy Bonderman’s injury, Dontrelle Willis’s loss of … everything, Kenny Rogers‘ age, Justin Verlander’s growing pains, and Nate Robertson’s wrought-iron physiology.

    I suppose the decision was also based on the bullpen’s lackluster year. Where do you start there? In fact, I think Hernandez should get a raise for having to deal with Fernando Rodney, Joel Zumaya, Aquilino Lopez and the rest. According to an article in the Free Press, Jim Leyland wants to go with a pitching coach and bullpen coach from the within the organization. I’m sure Joe Coleman, A. J. Sager and Ray Burris are good coaches, but if the Tigers want to show their serious, go after rockin’ Leo Mazzone or Rick Peterson.

  • Jeff Jones’s Firing. I remember when Lloyd McClendon was named the Tigers’ bullpen coach for 2006. My reaction was “What does he know about a bullpen?” The answer, it would seem, was nuttin’. And if you read into this comment from Leyland, that’s precisely what the skipper wanted:
    

    “It was a weird situation, and I won’t say for sure, but I doubt that I’m going to have a pitching coach as my bullpen coach. It’s worked very well in some places, but I think it makes people uncomfortable from time to time.”

    Hmm. I would’ve thought being a pitching coach would help in guiding the bullpen. But now that I think about it, it probably makes about as much sense as having two hitting coaches – one for day games, one for night. Well, maybe not that example but perhaps there was some yin-and-yang between Hernandez’s approach and that of Jones which made Bobby Seay incapable of retiring a left-handed hitter?

  • Sheff’s 500th Homer. The most entertaining parts of the weekend series against the Rays was watching Gary Sheffield’s family — including Uncle Dwight Gooden — stand up and wave homemade signs for every at bat. My favorite: “Gramma Says 500″. I sure hope Sheff gets number 500 today in Chicago. There’s been no player in my years of following the Tigers on which I’ve turned 180° like Gary Sheffield. (By the by, I loved Leyland slotting Sheff in the two spot in the order on Sunday.)

  Finally, I relied heavily on DirecTV’s Extra Bases Game Mix channel over the weekend to track the playoff races. It’s one screen with eight games shown at once. I kept going back to the Mets and Marlins game, hoping to see the Mets force a playoff with the Brewers. That didn’t happen, of course, but what I did see was Cameron Maybin catch the final out at Shea Stadium.

  ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/09/29/catching-up-on-a-week-of-news/feed/ 1 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/09/24/sweet-mercy/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/09/24/sweet-mercy/#comments Thu, 25 Sep 2008 04:51:12 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/?p=1402 As the Tigers’ losses mount here at the end of the string, I’m startled at the amount of energy I spend fretting about this lost season.

  Swept by the Royals? Again!?

  Those words are enough to send me into a frothy rage.

  On Wednesday night it was the dreadful Nate Robertson’s turn to lie down for the Royals. My preseason pick to be “my Tiger” — go ahead, laugh — was pelted by KC and surrendered eight runs, seven earned, and seven hits in 4.2 innings. With any luck, we’ve seen the last of Nate this season.

  Placido Polanco went yard for the seventh time this year which is usually a certain indication that the Tigers lost. Detroit has won only three games in which Polanco has homered.

  Oh, well. Four more games (if we’re lucky) and we can shift our focus to the Red Wings.

  ]]> http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/09/24/sweet-mercy/feed/ 0 http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/08/24/game-130-robertson-brilliant-in-relief/ http://www.dailyfungo.com/2008/08/24/game-130-robertson-brilliant-in-relief/#comments Sun, 24 Aug 2008 23:59:12 +0000 Mike McClary http://www.dailyfungo.com/?p=1290

  The Score: Royals 7 – Tigers 3

  The Gist: The Tigers got off to a fast start but the Royals decided not to lose their eighth straight on Sunday and scored seven unanswered runs off Tigers starter Kenny Rogers. Recently banished Nate Robertson pitched two-thirds of scoreless, hitless relief (huzzah!). Placido Polanco had three hits and two RBI and took a five-point edge over Magglio Ordonez for the team batting lead.

  The Quote: “What should have been a good game for us turned into a not-so good game.” – Jim Leyland

  The Stat: 8. The number of games under .500 that Rogers, Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman and Robertson find themselves. In contrast, Armando Galarraga is eight games over. Ugliness.

  Up Next: Indians @ Tigers:

  • Monday: Armando Galarraga (12-4, 3.17) vs. Zach Jackson (0-0, 5.17)
  • Tuesday: Chris Lambert (0-0, -.–) vs. Cliff Lee (18-2, 2.43)
  • Wednesday: Justin Verlander (10-13, 4.42) vs. Fausto Carmona (6-5, 4.40)
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