The Tigers blew a big lead Sunday at Minnesota. They did so with arguably their best pitcher, Jeremy Bonderman, on the mound. They did so after beating the Twins, who had been on fire, the previous two nights. Taking two out of three in the series was very good. Yet, it was disappointing to lose the third game the way the Tigers did. Why? Because expectations had been raised. It is turning out that way overall as the Tigers� season winds on. If you asked me a few weeks ago if the Tigers making the playoffs and getting knocked out in the first round would mean a successful season, I would have definitely said, "Yes." Now I am not so sure. It is not like the Tigers are playing at a pace that merely has them in the pennant race. They are 8.5 games up on the second place White Sox in the AL Central. They are 7.5 games ahead of the Red Sox and eight games up on the Yankees. The Mets are seven games behind the Tigers for the best record in baseball. And it is almost August. The Tigers only have 58 games remaining and are going to Tampa Bay for four very winnable games this week. They have only lost 34 games the entire season. They are on pace to win 109 times, which is one more victory than the best Big Red Machine team in Cincinnati during the 1970s, and equaling the 1961 Yankees. The Tigers, if they keep it up, will be one of the top teams in major league history in terms of win total. It is unlikely the Tigers will win 116 games like the 2001 Seattle Mariners. But it is notable how that Mariners� club dominated during the regular season, but has widely been forgotten because of their early exit from the playoffs. Conversely, everybody remembers the 1987 Minnesota Twins that won only 85 regular season games. Why? Because the Twins won the World Series.
Random thoughts
- Brent Clevlen was not having a very good year for Double-A Erie, but was nonetheless called up to the Tigers Sunday. Why? Because he is more talented than the Tigers� other options in the outfield at the higher levels of the minor league. And if Jim Leyland has said it once this season, he has said it 1,000 times. He will take talent over experience every time. It is why Justin Verlander and Joel Zumaya were pushed to the major leagues so quickly.
- A fearless prediction: Bobby Abreu will have little impact during the final two months of the season and the Yankees will not make the playoffs.
- Vance Wilson has been beyond good for the Tigers this season. Ivan Rodriguez, who is going to the Hall of Fame, missed several games recently because of a thumb injury. Yet, the Tigers have not missed a beat with Wilson behind the plate. And those sacrifice bunts Wilson dropped down in Minnesota were the epitome of team play.
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10 Comments:
Hey Caputo!
I love your shtick really. I enjoy you more than most on the radio. I really think you need a full time spot on a sports station...but I do have to call you out here.
You owe some caller an appology, bigtime!
I think it was Saturday, you were having your show. A guy, seemed like a nice older guy, calls and said to have "patience" with him cause he wanted to say a few things...
Anyway, he says he thinks the Tigers should send down Shelton to the Minors...and then, what about getting Sean Casey from the Pirates...that he felt he would be a good fit.
Needless to say, thats when you went off on a rant..talkin how the phone screener had the right to screen calls for crazy tade talk, blah, blah, blah.
1st off, that guy didn't say, trade Shelton for Casey...he said, send down Shelton and get Casey...you made the connection of names of players involved...
Jump to today, now...wow! Shelton just got sent down, and we're getting Casey. That's weird...
Guy that called on Saturday and got reemed out by Pat for being, rediculous...nice call!
Pat, love your stuff. Really think you need a full time show.
But really, remember that show you did on Saturday...that guy that called and said he thinks the Tigers should send down Shelton, and trade for Casey?
Well after that you went off about screenin' for crazy trade talk and how the show was doing so well till that call, and on and on...
That nice older guy, was right on the money. He needs an appology. Not because you were wrong and he was right, but how so over the top you went with your opposition to the trade.
Other than that, I love your stuff.
no I don't think making the playoffs is good enough. You should always aim high. though everything the tigers have done to this point in my opinion is gravy. because I never in a million years expected what they done this soon.
I kind of like the Chris shelton to toledo deal. Just for the fact I think it gives him a big opportunity to really work on his swing and get back here. Sean Casey not a bad move he provides some experience and a good enough bat until Shelton can get back on track. Because I still have hope that he can be a meat of the order type guy.
It was a great opportunity for the tigers to sweep yesterday, but no way can you blame it on shelton. The 8th was a disaster for everybody. What about the fact that when the team scores 3 runs in the first few innings they don't nothing else the rest of the game. It was one game. the tigers are 7 1/2 above everybody. There were goign to lose eventually. Now it is time they take 4 from the devil rays.
What is awesome about the tigers this year. Is that they have so much talent in the minors that they can keep this up for a few years. THough I'd like to see them add another arm mostly for the bull pen. Not saying our staff hasn't been great. Personally, the guy I trust the least is Rodney.
gogetemdetroittigers,
LOL on the starbucks crack. i do like my coffee and i love sports and journalism, so the working part doesn't bother me much. i've even grown to enjoy doing radio, although that took awhile. clevlen is an interesting prospect. He is a good all-around athlete who was an excellent high school football quarterback in texas. he drew division I interest in football. yet, he lacks that one tool that separates him other major leaguers. what he needs to do is develop power if he is going to make it in the major leagues for an extended period.
caputo
J.T.,
that's a good question and one without an obvious answer. you think it would, but alack of experience didn't hurt the white sox last year or the marlins in 2003. also, experience hasn't helped the yankees much in recent years.
caputo
john,
one of the reasons i like this blog is that it provides a format to interact with our readers. so if i picked up that thought from you about the lions, that was good for me, too. it is an interesting question. i think they brought up clevlen because they like his ability and weren't worried about his lack of experience. obviously they knew what they were doing. the kid was anything but scared.
caputo
foo man ju,
I don't remember the call, but it is never my intent to upset anybody. it is to have discussions of sports, which i enjoy and feel is a fun thing. if i offended anybody, i apologize. it was unintentional, believe me. and if i'm eating crow today, so be it. i have opinions. some turn out right. some turn out wrong. i'm just like everybody else in that way.
caputo
maddog52,
the one thing i didn't like about shelton being sent down was that it happened the day after he made that error. that isn't why he was farmed out. it was because he hasn't been hitting. but because it was the day after the error, the perception is there.
caputo
Mr. Caputo I think when your 8 or 10 games ahead at this time of year the teams chasing are good enough to knock each other off and help out the leader if the leader can play 500 ball. It's a good thing i am not a gambler as i would have bet a bundle on the Twins especially the first game. Except or the 8th enning they should have won 3. I watch the games and listen to the play on the radio. Jim Price who I like calls it magic i call it creative magic. I hope all the ground balls the tigs hit keep finding the holes in the infield as they have been. I dislike Minn. teams as i remember Bud Grant beating the Lions in the dieing seconds a few times. Bud had a lot of good players on his teams. Vinny
vinny,
honestly, i was shocked the tigers won friday. that was a great win for them with that pitching matchup in the metrodome. LOL on the lions getting beaten by the vikings back in the day. they had some really good teams, but just couldn't beat the vikings when joe schmidt was coach. it was ridiculous and puzzling.
caputo
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