You have to give the Tigers this much: They are resilient. Just when you think they are headed for serious trouble, they bounce back nicely, which is exactly what they have done the last two nights with victories in Boston. Fenway Park is not an easy place to win. The Red Sox are considerably above .500 at Fenway and below .500 on the road. The two games were a bit strange. Manny Ramirez really helped the Tigers out with a bad baserunning mistake Monday. Tuesday�s game was just all over the place - although I have to admit I would have liked to have seen Ivan Rodriguez try to turn a double play at second base. Pudge should be performing better run production-wise this season, but the more you�re around him, the more you understand why he is such a great player. He is a truly exceptional athlete, who does everything well. The Tigers won the two games primarily because of Nate Robertson and Jeremy Bonderman and the bullpen. Todd Jones has been excellent. Time to give him his due. The Tigers Polanco, though. He is a very underrated player. Did you know he entered this season as one of 18 major league players with a lifetime .300 or better average. In fact, four those hitters were in the Tigers� lineup Tuesday - Polanco, Pudge, Magglio Ordonez and Sean Casey, the latter who had another huge hit (a two-run double) Tuesday.
Random thoughts
- I'�m with the Tigers in Boston. I have been to Fenway Park many times in the past on assignment for The Oakland Press, but not since 1998. Fenway is even better than I remembered it. If you see Fenway, and do not feel the tradition of baseball being played there since 1912, you simply do not like baseball.
If I had an MVP vote this year, right now I�'d be leaning toward the Yankees Derek Jeter. He has held that team together through some very troubling times.
I'�m interested in seeing how Omar Infante responds to playing every day now that Polanco is out of the lineup. Infante has enormous talent, but has lacked consistency when playing as a regular in the past. Will it be different for him this time around?
RSS
11 Comments:
MR. C. POLANCO OUCH! He may have won the game with that catch. I'll miss watching him play second base. Casey looks like a good acquisition eh! A lot of people wanted to see Pudge turn the double play. Never been to Boston but I saw Ted Wiliams play a double header at Tiger Stadium years ago and i think he had 8 hits. I wish he had a normal burial for some reason that story bothers me. Sweep tonite i hope. Vinny
vinny,
we'll see how the tigers do against a left-hander in wells. he is not the pitcher he used to be, but it seems like with casey and young they stack up better lately against lefties than right-handers. i didn't like what happened to ted williams, either. he played before my time, but i would have loved to have seen him play. you can just feel ted williams presence at fenway - and yaz and jimmie foxx and tony c - and so many others. great, great place.
I think Infante will do fine. I was actually bummed when the traded for Polanco because I thought they were giving up on Infante (one of the many times I've been wrong). While expecting him to play at his 2004 level would be unrealistic, I don't think the Tigers will miss a beat.
I just happened to fly in to Boston the night Ted Williams passed and it was obviously a major deal. I was supposed to see Jeff Weaver vs. Pedro Martinez (this was in 2002), but Weaver got traded that night. Got to see some kid named Mike Maroth get knocked around and Pedro shut us down. I missed the memorial for Ted though, they did that the night before.
Pat,
Ah, it appears the magic is back! At the same time, the Tigers biggest obstacle emerges; more so, than the loss of Maroth. Tuesday night's game has to be near the top, as far as key victories of the season; what heart the Tigers are displaying, following their biggest tailspin of the season, and at Fenway, of all places. "Bulldog" Bondo pitched a masterful game, Polanco's incredible catch, the play in the 9th, that Inge and Casey converted for an out, Casey-at-the-bat, with the key hit, Pudge still at 2nd in the 9th, and looking comfortable on a tough pop-up, Jonesie closing the door again... the only thing that would have made the game better, would have been for Ledezma to have retired Ortiz, and preserve the win for Bonderman, when Leyland threw him into the fire, but that will likely have benefits down the road. I kinda feel for Wilfredo; he had to feel like he let Jeremy down, but I'll bet he threw a piece of bubble gum out to Willie Mo. What is going on? It's almost like the Tigers are getting into the Bosox heads. But you are correct, sir... it's mostly the starting pitching that has prevailed in these games.
I have to admit that I was highly critical of Todd Jones when he was going through his bad stretch earlier, but agreed with you that there wasn't any other role that he could play; that Leyland wasn't crazy riding it out with him, and SURPRISE... look what's happened! He was been outstanding, because he's a true professional, as is Sean Casey, Dmitri, Inge, and all the rest, who you have stood behind when things weren't looking so rosy.
It sounds like Polanco may be done for the season... OUCH! What do they do to replace such a productive #2 hitter??? Any chance Dombrowski can find another plum out there, ala Sean Casey, who can clear waivers, to field 2nd base, bat 2nd, and bring the same chemistry? Since I'm dreaming, why not make him a left-hand stick to boot? Good luck! What will Leyland do for now? Probably insert Omar in Polanco's spot, huh? Isn't that a lot of pressure to put on Omar, when everyday play is going to be enough? I'm not real excited about Santiago coming back. Any chance Raburn might be given the chance? Well, I think you might get your wish for a tight race now! I'm not jumping off, and still expect winning the Central, but this is a blow!
So much for dropping Granderson from the leadoff. If you tinker with the lineup, do you move Pudge up to 2, then put Casey in the 3 slot, followed by Mags, Dmitri, Monroe, OR, put Monroe at the 2, and keep everything else pretty much the same? Any way you look at it, their offense has taken a major hit, with Placindo's OBP. Infante has his chance to smooth out his inconsistancy now, and boy, do we ever have to wish him the best!
Fenway Thoughts... I took my son on a baseball tour in 2000. Fenway was the 1st stop, and it reminded me of a small Tiger Stadium, in a way. We sat in the leftfield corner, but moved around; rightfield has to be the strangest field arrangement to experience in baseball.
It's Verlander's turn to step it up tonight, and some thunder in the bats against Wells would calm the loss of Polanco. I hope they're hungry for this one; it would be HUGE!
(sorry for rambling on; it's the excitement)
brian,
they will take a long look at infante, but they are also looking at making a trade. i like infante's tools, but he has to become more consistent if he is going to fill in well for polanco who is like a machine because he is so steady and consistent.
caputo
garold,
leyland was raving about bonderman before tonight's game (wednesday). he really did a pitch a great ball game. This team also beat schilling and beckett back-to-back. that is pretty impressive.
caputo
Pat,
If the Tigers are looking for some insurance at 2nd base, do you think Dombrowski might try to get Craig Counsell from the Diamondbacks? Nothing flashy here, (.278/.344) but he's an good defender at both 2nd & SS, doesn't strike out a lot, and would give some versatility, being a left-hand batter? He's a free agent after this season, and Arizona don't need him, with Stephen Drew waiting in the wings.
What do you think Detroit would give up for him, and if one of the other contenders try to block the deal, would they have to take him on? Do you think a duel-Ramon (Colon & Santiago) offer would pass to Arizona?
Just curious, as to your opinion, on that scenario.
Garold,
Counsell is a real possibility. he is on the d.l. right now with a rib injury, but is due to begin his minor league rehab assignment soon.
caputo
Do you think that Justin Morneau deserves any MVP consideration?
daver,
i agree that comparing infante to polanco is unfair. polanco is a lifetime .300 hitter and very consistent defensively. but infante has more raw talent than polanco. can he finally develop some consistency? his concentration tends to fade in and out for reasons i have never fully understood.
caputo
muhme,
right now, derek jeter would get my vote, but morneau definitely deserves consideration.
caputo
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home