RSS
Reasons Why That Might Have Been The Worst Loss Of The Season
You get the feeling sometimes the Tigers are being held together by paste and glue. Particularly their bullpen.
It sure appeared that way as they blew a lead during the late innings in a loss to the Royals Monday.
Bad pitch selection in the eighth by Joel Zumaya, and the ninth by Fernando Rodney, led to the defeat. Don’t know why Zumaya and catcher Gerald Laird felt compelled to select a breaking ball as a first pitch to Willie Bloomquist. - after Zumaya walked the previous hitter. It setup an 1-0 count - and everyone knowing a fastball was coming over the heart of the plate. No shock Bloomquist drilled it into the gap for a two-run triple. Jacobs clearly is struggling. Rodney does throw in the mid-to-high 90s. Why the hanging changeup on a 1-1 pitch? The Tigers had their chances to break the game open in the early innings. Gil Meche was not at his best for the Royals. The Tigers didn’t do it. A second inning double play Adam Everett hit into was especially painful.
If the Tigers are going to win the American League Central, they must clean up against Cleveland and Kansas City - especially at home. You know the Twins and the White Sox are going to do just that. Monday was an opportunity wasted. It was probably the Tigers’ worst loss of the season in terms of impact. The Twins are just 1.5 games behind the Tigers, and the White Sox two games. Huge start for Justin Verlander tonight, especially with the Zack Greinke-Luke French matchup looming Wednesday.
Random Thoughts
- The Maple Leafs did particularly well in free agency, getting defensemen Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin. They also added tough guy Colton Orr. Obviously Brian Burke is trying to shed the Leafs "soft" image.
- Three of the first six calls I took on my radio show last night following the Tigers' loss blamed the defeat on Magglio Ordonez. Tell he hasn’t become a scapegoat in this town.
- Food for thought for those who think Brandon Inge deserves an all star bid over Curtis Granderson. Who is the better player? Granderson by far. Considering they are having comparable seasons, why shouldn’t Granderson get the all star nod ahead of Inge? Look at the numbers. They aren't that much different. Inge is having his best year and Granderson an off year - and they are about equal. Career-wise, it's not even close. And Granderson is at least as good a fielder as Inge.
It sure appeared that way as they blew a lead during the late innings in a loss to the Royals Monday.
Bad pitch selection in the eighth by Joel Zumaya, and the ninth by Fernando Rodney, led to the defeat. Don’t know why Zumaya and catcher Gerald Laird felt compelled to select a breaking ball as a first pitch to Willie Bloomquist. - after Zumaya walked the previous hitter. It setup an 1-0 count - and everyone knowing a fastball was coming over the heart of the plate. No shock Bloomquist drilled it into the gap for a two-run triple. Jacobs clearly is struggling. Rodney does throw in the mid-to-high 90s. Why the hanging changeup on a 1-1 pitch? The Tigers had their chances to break the game open in the early innings. Gil Meche was not at his best for the Royals. The Tigers didn’t do it. A second inning double play Adam Everett hit into was especially painful.
If the Tigers are going to win the American League Central, they must clean up against Cleveland and Kansas City - especially at home. You know the Twins and the White Sox are going to do just that. Monday was an opportunity wasted. It was probably the Tigers’ worst loss of the season in terms of impact. The Twins are just 1.5 games behind the Tigers, and the White Sox two games. Huge start for Justin Verlander tonight, especially with the Zack Greinke-Luke French matchup looming Wednesday.
Random Thoughts
- The Maple Leafs did particularly well in free agency, getting defensemen Mike Komisarek and Francois Beauchemin. They also added tough guy Colton Orr. Obviously Brian Burke is trying to shed the Leafs "soft" image.
- Three of the first six calls I took on my radio show last night following the Tigers' loss blamed the defeat on Magglio Ordonez. Tell he hasn’t become a scapegoat in this town.
- Food for thought for those who think Brandon Inge deserves an all star bid over Curtis Granderson. Who is the better player? Granderson by far. Considering they are having comparable seasons, why shouldn’t Granderson get the all star nod ahead of Inge? Look at the numbers. They aren't that much different. Inge is having his best year and Granderson an off year - and they are about equal. Career-wise, it's not even close. And Granderson is at least as good a fielder as Inge.
posted by Pat Caputo at
7:40 AM
17 Comments
