The Mayor, the Gambler, Guitar-Hero Wrist, and PFP: The One and Only 2007 Tigers Thread

Tigers' Jones ejected for throwing at Drew
Todd Jones - R - DET - Mar. 10 - 3:18 pm et

Todd Jones was ejected from Saturday's game in the fifth inning after throwing behind J.D. Drew.
It was apparently the second time in the at-bat that Jones tried to hit Drew. It was in retaliation for Josh Beckett hitting Gary Sheffield in the shoulder and Magglio Ordonez in the helmet with a breaking ball earlier in the game. Manager Jim Leyland also got into the action and benches cleared, though no blows were exchanged. Mar. 10 - 3:18 pm et

"I don't have a nickname, so I like it," Miller said. "Most people look at the bracelet and think it supports cancer or says Nike or go Tar Heels. No. It says Dr. Destroy."

Tigers getting some payback tonight!

Andrew Miller's first start:

6 IP, 4 H, O R, 3 BB, 2 K

The first three hitters of today's lineup:

http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_434158.jpghttp://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_120413.jpghttp://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_122111.jpg

Oh (whoops) and guess which one knocked in a run.

MURDERERS' ROW AND CASEY BLOWS: first in runs, first in hits, first in doubles, second in home runs, first in extra base hits, first in batting average, first in slugging percentage, first in OBP.

Magglio (who says it all comes down to having more experience*):

.361 AVG (2nd)
.441 OBP (2nd)
.710 SLG (1st)
1.151 OPS (1st)
12 HR (3rd)
45 RBI (1st)
23 2B (1st)
42 R (1st)

* Rather than, say, health.

Or the fact that he hits between Sheffield and Guillen.

Is there a line-up in mlb with a tougher 3 & 4 right now?

I'd take Boston's 2-3 over Detroit's 3-4.

Q: Does Fernando Rodney really do a dead-on Kermit the Frog impression? Does anyone do a funny impersonation of Leyland?
--Harold (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.)

CG: I've never heard of the Kermit the Frog impression, and I have yet to see anyone really try to impersonate Leyland. I think guys are still kind of afraid of what reaction they might get out of him. Leyland still has that fear factor.

Can someone who follows this team tell me why Granderson gets so many days off?

vs. Left : .069/.100/.207/.307
vs. Right : 319/.385/.632/1.017

Ah.

I don't like seeing Granderson sit, but I like Granderson looking foolish even less, and I do like seeing Omar Infante (who is hitting .327 in spot duty) play.

The bonus clauses in the contract of Joe Table (16 appearances, 12+ ERA):

$100,000 for WS MVP
$100,000 for winning Cy Young; $100,000 placing 2nd; $50,000 for placing 3rd
$75,000 for All Star
$50,000 for Rolaids award; $50,000 for placing 2nd through 5th
$50,000 for LCS MVP

Goodbye, Joe Table.

CLEVELAND -- Sean Casey was among the later of the Tigers to leave the visiting clubhouse at Jacobs Field on Saturday night, so he decided to walk the handful of blocks to the team hotel. He found himself wandering through what some called the biggest sports night in this city in 40 years.

"Horns honking. High-fives everywhere. It was mayhem," Casey said Sunday morning. "It was unbelievable. There were people on top of their cars. Nothing crazy like anybody being idiots, but it was nuts. Everybody was high-fiving everybody. I just started high-fiving people. When in Rome, do what the Romans do."

http://dugout.progressiveboink.com/archive/b87.html

Kiss_The_Sheff: also, never cancel something inside a radical with something outside of it, or else I will beat your wonda bread ass

I hope some 'controlled' Latino pitcher drills his ass

http://community.foxsports.com/blogs/Dudski/2007/06/05/What_Sheffield_Got_Right

People comparing Sheffield's comments to John Rocker or Don Imus are deeply weird.

Well, they're not the SAME, but he seems to be saying that most black American players are as obnoxious and stupid as he is.

ha haha

Drew Sharp:

Sheffield isn't completely wrong. Life remains one humongous grey
area, but nobody wants to hear that. We're too obsessed with our red-
and blue-state mentality of creating false absolutes that conveniently
paint us on either side of an argument.

More Latino kids play baseball in Central and South America than black
kids in the United States because they have fewer options, often times
sadly existing in depressing urban squalor.

Black kids here have more choices. That's why the NBA and NFL have an
advantage in attracting the extraordinary young black athlete in the
United States more so Major League Baseball.

Yet there's truth to Sheffield's comments in regards to teams exacting
more control over Latino players than black players. Non-American
players are excluded from the entry draft, so it's possible for a team
to sign 20 Latino players for the same cost as a guaranteed signing
bonus for one player selected high in the first round of the entry
draft.

That gives major league executives tremendous power over those
players. Those teenaged Latino players bust their butts when they
sign, relentlessly pushing themselves. And they're more receptive to
doing whatever is asked of them out of fear that if they don't,
they're possibly banished back to their third-world living conditions.

Isn't using fear a measure of control?

It most certainly is.

Sheffield was right in another regard -- a free-thinking black man
still rattles the social, economic and political establishment today,
same as he did more than 40 years ago during the height of the civil
rights movement.

It's amusing listening to the early fallout and the predictable cries of a double standard. What if a white player was perceived as smearing an entire race with such broad strokes? Would he not face official sanction from Major League Baseball or at least face pressure to apologize or clarify what he meant?

It's occasions like this that should remind everyone that there never has been such a thing as equal treatment. There's never been such a thing as equal access. Try as you will, you can't legislate equity.

Different people draw different reactions, meet different standards and face different consequences.

That's just the way it is.

It's never a problem until those differences suddenly conflict with an individual's point of view. And that breeds the attitude of merely telling people what they want to hear rather than what they should know.

Sheffield is the exception. Disagree with him if you choose, but embrace his willingness to tell it like he sees it.

A bunch of other people:

ARLINGTON, Texas -- Detroit Tigers outfielder Gary Sheffield insists he meant "nothing derogatory" toward Latin players when he said recently that Major League Baseball found it easier to "control them" than black players.

However, teammate Carlos Guillen said he was happy Sheffield said what he said.

"I'm happy he said it," Guillen told The Detroit Free Press on Tuesday. "I'm glad somebody spoke up."

Sheffield said he was surprised his comments, which appear in the current issue of GQ magazine, created such a stir. The outspoken slugger said he merely answered a question about why there were so many Latin players in baseball as opposed to blacks.

"I said this a long time ago, this is a baseball issue. If they want to change it, they can change it," Sheffield said before Detroit's game Tuesday night at Texas.

"When you see a black face on TV and they start talking, English comes out. That's what I said. I ain't taking a shot at them or nothing. I'm just telling it like it is," he said.

Guillen told The Free Press that Sheffield's words in the GQ article rang true with his own experience as a young Latin player trying to break into the big leagues.

"In my first year, in rookie league, I hurt my elbow and I played DH," he told the newspaper. "In my first at-bat, I hit a double, and I missed first base. I was out, and they screamed at me."

Hill: Money talks

The decline of African-Americans in baseball has nothing to do with issues of control, as Gary Sheffield said, and everything to do with wallets, writes Page 2's Jemele Hill. Story
• Pearlman: Dangerous moron

"I didn't know what to say. If I had said anything, they would have sent me home. I was afraid to talk.

"That happens to every Latin player. They are afraid to talk."

Last season, only 8.4 percent of Major League Baseball players were black, the lowest level in at least two decades, according to an annual report by the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sports. The report showed that 29.4 percent of players last season were Latino.

Sheffield's comments Tuesday were similar to those he made to the magazine, when he expressed his long-held belief.

"What I called is that you're going to see more black faces, but there ain't no English going to be coming out. ... [It's about] being able to tell [Latin players] what to do -- being able to control them," he told the magazine. "Where I'm from, you can't control us."

In expanding on his comment about control, Sheffield said Tuesday, "They have more to lose than we do. You can send them back across the island. You can't send us back. We're already here.

"So there are a lot of factors involved you look at. I'm not saying you can tell them what to do and it'll be 'yes sir' and 'no sir.' I'm just saying from a grand scheme of things," he said.

Sheffield, the nephew of former major league pitcher Dwight Gooden, said the large number of Latin players "is a big accomplishment."

But Sheffield chastised baseball for doing more to recruit players from outside the United States than in the inner cities.

"The subject was players of my race and what we deal with and why they don't look in the inner cities for that same talent that they do in other places," he said. "[Latin players] have a backing, a support when they come off the island, and black players don't. As far as authority figures, we're only going to respond to people who care about us. That's what I meant by it."

While acknowledging that it's "a complex question" on how to deal with the situation, Sheffield would like for baseball to do more to find minority players in the United States.

"When you see Major League Baseball putting academies in other countries, obviously that throws up a red flag. You wonder why they ain't going up in our neighborhood," he said. "Bottom line, what I see, I talk about. ... I see it over and over. if anybody can show me I'm wrong, then show me."

Sheffield said he hasn't gotten any negative response from teammates or other players and doesn't expect any. He said he has gotten along with Latin and white players throughout his 22 seasons in pro baseball.

Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez, who is from Puerto Rico, told reporters to "just leave the poor guy alone" when asked for a reaction to Sheffield's comments.

Rodriguez then approached Sheffield, and the two shared a couple of laughs. Sheffield referred to "Pudge" as his friend.

Detroit manager Jim Leyland characterized Sheffield as a "total professional" who is popular with his teammates and is never a problem.

"I love Gary Sheffield. We have a great relationship. I don't agree with everything he says," Leyland said. "If you have different views on something and then you expose those views, you're going to be exposed in some controversy, that's just the way this is. I'm not going to tell my players what to say and what not to say. They're grown men."

White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen didn't want to comment directly on Sheffield's remarks, but told The New York Daily News in Tuesday's editions his own theory on why there are more Latin players in the game now than African-Americans.

"I guarantee that Latin American people play more baseball than any people, because that's all we have," Guillen told the newspaper. "You have more people playing baseball in Venezuela or the Dominican than anywhere, so there are going to be more players from there."

Guillen also told the newspaper that he believes there are more Latin players in baseball than African-Americans because players from Central and South American and the Caribbean can sign as free agents while American players have to go through the draft.

"It's not that they can control us; maybe when we come to this country, we're hungry," Guillen told the newspaper. "We're trying to survive. Those guys sign for $500,000 or $1 million and they're made. We have a couple of dollars. You can sign one African-American player for the price of 30 Latin players. Look at how many Latin players have won Cy Youngs or MVP awards the last couple of years, how many Latin players have been in the All-Star Game; it's quantity and quality."

"Well, they're not the SAME, but he seems to be saying that most black American players are as obnoxious and stupid as he is."

I don't think that's what he's saying at all.

Joel Zumaya was mauled and eaten today by a pack of wolves. He was delicious.

Also, what the fuck?

Tigers draft Colin Kaline, Wade Lamont, Richard Zumaya and Matt Robertson
Posted by Danny Knobler June 08, 2007 18:20PM

DETROIT -- The Tigers drafted another Kaline today. And another Lamont. And another Zumaya.

And another Robertson.

They took Colin Kaline, Al Kaline's grandson, in the 25th round. Four rounds later, they drafted Wade Lamont, the son of third base coach Gene Lamont. Then they took Joel Zumaya's brother Richard in the 42nd round, and Nate Robertson's brother Matt in the 43rd.

Colin Kaline, a second baseman at Birmingham Groves High School, probably won't sign with the Tigers this year. Al Kaline said that Colin is headed to Florida Southern College.

Wade Lamont is a first baseman from Flagler College in Florida, and he probably will sign. Richard Zumaya and Matt Robertson are both high school seniors.

Man the amount of white birds @ Comerica today is ridiculous!

55 combined hits in those two games -- almost surprising that none of them were injured or killed.

getting interesting in Motown right now..

The Winfield spectre took a weekend off

lol @ gulls

WOW

AWESOME Hitchcock + Baseball - it don't get any better than that.

YEAH MOTHERFUCKERS

Jones in a Raiders tanktop delivers shaving cream pie to VORPlander.

AWESOME Hitchcock + Baseball

Sterling?

anyone else momentarily miss 'shaving' there?

Jones in a Raiders tanktop is as graphic as any form of cream pie.

Verlander owes Perez.

I don't believe Guillen would've made that play.

Verlander owes Perez.

I take that back. I just remembered Neifi's salary.

http://us.news2.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070613/capt.d6bf250ada2049d683e9f2d1d90bf9b7.comerica_park_seagulls_baseball_dts117.jpg

A seagull catches a moth at Comerica Park during the Detroit Tigers baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday, June 12, 2007, in Detroit.

2nd: C Monroe struck out swinging (runner on 1st)
4th: C Monroe struck out swinging (runners on 1st and 2nd)
6th: C Monroe struck out swinging
7th: C Monroe struck out swinging (runner on 3rd)
9th: C Monroe struck out swinging (runners on 2nd and 3rd)

Within the last week, C Monroe has grown a Sheffield-like goatee and adopted a Sheffield-like bat waggle. Neither change has done much for him.

oh man mattbot u always have the best posts on ilbb imo

OH OH OH by the way, Rodriguez, Polanco, and Thames were available to hit during this one-run game today. Leyland likely felt Monroe was "due."

Within the last week, C Monroe has grown a Sheffield-like goatee and adopted a Sheffield-like bat waggle.

C Monroe rid himself of these things during the weekend series.

C Monroe addresses the haters:

"Check the season over the long haul and see how many runs Craig saves. See how many plays Craig makes and how much of an asset Craig is on defense. Then we'll start talking about the other stuff."

Starters: 6-2
Relievers: 6-8

-- Andy K, Saturday, April 28, 2007 5:06 AM (1 month ago) Bookmark Link

Starters: 32-16
Relievers: 9-13

A reliable source says the Tigers have traded Wil Ledezma to the Braves for Macay McBride. Lefty reliever for lefty reliever. OK.

IE, not the left-handed pitcher the Tigers really need to trade.

Oh, McBride has options. Ledezma does not.

Hopefully the Braves will give him a shot as a starter.

Danny Knobler:

Now, as for the moves still to come, it's pretty simple. Seven of the pitchers currently on the roster aren't likely to be going anywhere (Verlander, Bonderman, Jones, Rodney, De La Cruz, Seay and Byrdak). Three pitchers have to be added from the DL within the next week to 10 days (Rogers on Friday, Miner early next week, Robertson possibly late next week). That leaves two spots for five guys (Miller, Durbin, Maroth, McBride and Grilli).

Expect the Tigers to try to trade Maroth, Grilli and even possibly Durbin. It's unlikely they'll deal all three, but they can send Miller and/or McBride to the minors. Durbin, Maroth and Grilli can't be optioned out.

McBride will meet the Tigers Friday in Atlanta. They'd prefer to keep him in the big leauges, at least through the weekend. Presumably, they'd like to get a look at him before deciding whether to send him down.

So he'll face his former team first.

Will the Tigers score 1000 runs this year? Probably not. Right now, though, they are on pace to score 1002 -- compared to, say, the Yankees, who are on pace to score 905.

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/65x90/3974.jpg
6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 5 K
@ ATL

He looked great, and was lucky to go against the most anemic team in baseball tonight.

WTF Rock.

Ordonez went 1-for-3, dropping his June avg. from .500 to .493. With runners on first and third, he is .727/1.455/2.122 (11 ABs).

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=2912166

The surgical procedure that fixed the knee was so radical, several of Ordonez's Tigers teammates didn't even know it existed. Second baseman Placido Polanco, who confused Austria with Australia, yelled from across the room: "Magglio you really went down there to have that surgery? They probably put a kangaroo ligament in your knee."

Rock, Lee: You are both forgetting the White Sox.

"Leee," I mean (says the fan of Kleeer and Freeez).

Leyland just spotted playing some mean air guitar (on "Country Music Night") in the dugout.

Suddenly the Tigers aren't playing so well.

As Todd Jones approaches the nuclear winter of his career, more Granderson mancrushing:

Granderson has 10 homers, 14 triples, 22 doubles, nine stolen bases. Two players have hit 20 in each category since 1911: Frank Schulte and Willie Mays. Also, he has yet to be caught stealing or hit into a double play (he has over 70 plate appearances in force situations).

That ain't bad - I thought CG was the double play king!

so Magglio has one HR since May 23 and no XBH in a week.

I thought CG was the double play king!

WRONG!

so Magglio has one HR since May 23 and no XBH in a week.

RIGHT!

Always with the yelling:

KENNY ROGERS' SCORELESS INNING STREAK ENDED AT 34 2/3 AFTER ALLOWING A RUN IN THE SIXTH INNING. (STREAK INCLUDES POSTSEASON)

Guillen: 11-game RBI streak, 14-game hitting streak.

Ordonez: 14-game hitting streak.

Jones: One-game non-blown-save streak.

Intentional Walks

Guerrero, LAA 20
Hafner, CLE 12
Casey, DET 8
Morneau, MIN 7
Ramirez, BOS 7
Suzuki, SEA 7
Swisher, OAK 7
Teixeira, TEX 7
Thome, CHW 7

The person who tends to hit behind Casey is NOT Neifi Perez.

Omar Infante?

I wish. Hint:

2nd: C Monroe struck out swinging (runner on 1st)
4th: C Monroe struck out swinging (runners on 1st and 2nd)
6th: C Monroe struck out swinging
7th: C Monroe struck out swinging (runner on 3rd)
9th: C Monroe struck out swinging (runners on 2nd and 3rd)

Casey's OPS is now over .050 higher than Monroe's.

Actually I should say Monroe's OPS is now .050 lower than Casey's.

TRADED: Chris Cody (Tigers A) for Jose Capellan (Brewers)

Uhhh, hmmm.

Cody, an eighth-round pick in last year's First-Year Player Draft, went 5-6 with a 1.89 ERA in 15 starts for Class A West Michigan this year, earning him a Midwest League All-Star selection. The 23-year-old struck out 95 batters compared to just 16 walks.

Zumaya's return likely Septemberish you flexors.

What does someone have to do to start in place of a deeply slumping outfielder -- put two into the upper deck of RFK, or hit home runs against a divsion rival in consecutive games, or maybe even win one of those games with a home run?

Oh, wait....

Albom thinks up 'C.C., C-ya,' uses it three times

NEIFI PEREZ SUSPENDED

The Office of the Commissioner of Baseball announced today that infielder Neifi Perez of the Detroit Tigers has been suspended 25 games, effective immediately, for testing positive for a banned Stimulant in violation of Major League Baseball's Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program.

WAY TO TAKE ONE FOR THE TEAM!!!

Ryan Raburn has been called up from Toledo.

This deserves its own thread.

CASEY IS INTENTIONALLY WALKED YET AGAIN (TO LOAD THE BASES) BUT FOR SOME REASON IT IS DONE WITH MARCUS THAMES ON-DECK (INSTEAD OF CRAIG MONROE) WHO HAD IN HIS PREVIOUS AT-BAT HIT A 418' SAC FLY TO DEAD CENTER AND SO IN THIS AT BAT HE GRAND SLAMMED

Marcus Thames will probably sit tomorrow.

Q: Could you come up with a one-word description for the rest of the guys in the regular starting lineup (Pudge, Casey, Polly, Guillen, Inge, Monroe, Maggs, Sheff), whether it's a description of their playing style or personality or whatever? --Paul (Bay City, Mich.)

Pudge: Consistent
Casey: Nice
Polly: Hitter
Guillen: Underrated
Inge: Everything
Monroe: Finisher
Maggs: Valuable
Sheff: Tough

Well played, Curtis.

FUCK HE SINGLED

Win or loss, that was some good baseball.

BBTN: "For you youngsters at home, don't let the first hitter on base!"

FOR YOU YOUNGSTERS AT HOME DON'T GIVE UP RUNS DON'T LOSE THE GAME DO THROW STRIKES DO KEEP IT DOWN DON'T POP UP DON'T SWING AT BALLS DO CATCH THE BALL ETC

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2007/07/08/O3h9NBoE.jpg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qqb3cC9Iouo

I am so happy they are the fuck out of Detroit.

(they = Mormons)

BTW, I'm still irked about Tito pinch-hitting for JD Drew with a gimpy Youk w/ the bases loaded in the top of the 12th / 13th. Let the healthy dude swing the bat, if only because Wily Mo Pena isn't any sort of defensive replacement.

Consider this when filling out your '07-reliant '08 All-Star ballot.

haha, what a jury-rigged set of criteria. Old trick.

He is currently leading the league in extra base hits, and he still has a legitimate chance at 20 2B/20 3B/20 HR/20 SB, which has happened once since 1911.

Anyway, the year has been jinxed since GWB thinks the Tigers will go all the way.

So from now on I will be focusing on trivial statistics like games without hitting into double plays, consecutive stolen bases, and extra base hits.

Ravech: Play the role of analyst on "Baseball Tonight." Who is in the World Series?

Bush: I think Detroit will be in the World Series. I think they'll nose out Boston. ... They've got the flame-thrower Zumala back.

Ravech: Zumaya.

Bush: Zumaya -- Zumala, Zumaya. I think they'll be pretty tough.

W/ that sort of spot-on analysis, he'd fit right in on the BBTN set.

Ravvy, yer doin a heckuva job

"I feel their bullpen will improve when they get the brown one back."

Oh, wait, wasn't that his dad?

I think any pitcher whose last name starts with Z is assumed to be dominant, with the exception of those players whose first name also starts with V.

They hv the best record in the majors now.

The Tigers' most recent series: Minnesota, Cleveland, Boston, Seattle, Minnesota.

I think Boston's been a .500 team since June 1st; they'll be pushovers.

With Thames now on the 15-day DL, we could see the return of Chr*s Sh*lt*n (last seen hitting SEVENTH for Toledo), but the open spot will more likely go to either Mike Hessman (27 HR, 86 RBI, .915 OPS) or the one and only Timo Perez (33 2B [!!!], .855 OPS).

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Tigers have put Marcus Thames on the disabled list, because of his left hamstring injury, and Timo Perez has been summoned from Triple-A Toledo to replace him.

Perez is in the lineup today against the Twins.

TIMO!

yet another 1-run win.

http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v77/43/69/12408600/n12408600_37648442_5376.jpg

At least he appears to be "back."

That resembles a bingo card as much as the Jump to Conclusion Mat offers actual conclusions.

Craig Monroe sudoku...all directions add up to a .220 avg.

Miller has K'd Thome twice on a total of six pitches.

Ugly ugly game.

Joe Sheehan: eat depth.

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/65x90/0000.gif
R. Raburn (DET)
4-5, 2 HR,
7 RBI, 3 R
@ CHW
Final

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/65x90/0000.gif
M. Hessmann (DET)
1-4, HR,
RBI SAC
@CHW
Final

http://assets.espn.go.com/i/mlb/profiles/players/65x90/7895.jpg
M. Rabelo (DET)
3-5
@CHW
Final

R. Raburn (DET)
2-4,
RBI, SB
@CHW
Final

M. Rabelo (DET)
3-4
@CHW
Final

Yeah, Sheehan's claim that the Tigers would fall apart and THE YANKEES would take their spot seemed a little wishtastic (tho if the Yankees keep playing the D-Rays & Royals, who knows).

Thames, Infante, Rabelo, N. Perez, Raburn, Hessmann, T. Perez (the entirety of the Tigers' '07 backup position players): 483 AB, 17 HR, 73 RBI, .259. Crude measurements, yes, but evidently not indicative of a black hole.

The Yankees' Mientkiewicz, Cairo, Phillips, Phelps, Nieves, Thompson, Duncan, Basak: 503 AB, 11 HR, 72 RBI, .247.

CF VORP (ehem)

Curtis Granderson - 44.8
Ichiro Suzuki - 43.7
Aaron Rowand - 39.0
Grady Sizemore - 37.2
Hunter Pence - 29.8

Curtis Granderson arguably the deserving #2 in the MVP race, or am I overrating him?

Navin Field Lego-style

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1144/957820386_1652133402.jpg?v=0

Detroit's Neifi Perez suspended for 80 games after 3rd positive test for stimulant

August 3, 2007

DETROIT (AP) -- Tigers infielder Neifi Perez was suspended for 80 games Friday after testing positive for a third time for a banned stimulant.

Perez was suspended for 25 games on July 6 when he tested positive for a second time. Under baseball's labor contract, a player who tests positive for the first time is sent for counseling.

Perez has been the only player suspended by baseball for stimulants since baseball banned them before the 2006 season.

RED BULL, Neifi.

For now, Granderson is in Top 5 or 7 for MVP, I agree. My top 3 wd be A-Rod, Ordonez, Posada (possibly reversing the latter two).

I'd take Ichiro over Posada or Ordonez but that's a tale for the MVP thread.

<i>Curtis Granderson arguably the deserving #2 in the MVP race, or am I overrating him?</i>

Can he really be a legit MVP if they don't start him against lefties?

Detroit's Neifi Perez suspended for 80 games after 3rd positive test for stimulant

Fuck this guy. I am trading him off of my team in MLB2K6 as soon as I get home.

Can he really be a legit MVP if they don't start him against lefties?

Fair point. He is usually in by the sixth inning, though. (He has played in 106 of 107 games.)

My top 3 wd be A-Rod, Ordonez, Posada (possibly reversing the latter two).

Ditto, with the exception of the possible 2-3 reversal.

http://www.spreadshirt.com/shop.php?op=article&article_id=2125329

http://cache.spreadshirt.com/users/75000/74970/products/74970_2347802_1_huge.jpg

Oh Neifi.

A lot of people talking about Ne!f!'s stupidity, but not much talk about the possibility of addiction.

Basically a .500 team since Ne!f!'s 25-game suspension, and getting worse all the time.

Nate Robertson throws 7.2 innings, gives up two runs, strands one. Leaves with 6-2 score.

Jason Grilli enters, gives up four hits, including game-tying grand slam. Leaves game to loud chorus of boos.

Tim Byrdak enters, gets one out.

Tigers score three runs in the bottom of the inning.

Tim Byrdak gets win.

Jason Grilli still on the Tigers.

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a234/potthole123/Grilli.jpg

Jeremy Bonderman just completely fell apart. Wow.

so that did actually happen?!

This is referring to his THREE CONSECUTIVE Weaverian starts, right -- not just today?

Oh weird something bizarre was going on with Yahoo! It said Bonderman gave up 20 hits and 6 walks, instead of 10 hits and 3 walks. Still not a good day for Jeremy.

Obviously he hasn't been pitching well lately, but 20 hits is a whole new bread of suck.

I should have suspected something was wrong when I noticed that Iwamura was 4 for 10 haha.

ESPN the website was having issues, too. I wouldn't be surprised if it was a frustrated Tiger fan hacker.

However this actually true event has been running through my head for the past 20 or so hours.

D Navarro homered to left, B Zobrist scored.

so it didn't happen!

funny how sometimes all the sports sites will go haywire together.

"bread of suck" heh.

Yeah I think they are all working off the same feed for the most part.

zumaya was assigned to triple-a toledo for rehab yesterday

http://d.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/p/ap/20070815/capt.70a5fdf8327244378bbd82cd5d010bf4.tigers_indians_baseball_ohtd113.jpg

Grilli/stupidity-related

Cameron Maybin has been called up.

Tigers call up Maybin to join team in New York
August 17, 2007

By JON PAUL MOROSI
FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER

A little over one week ago, the Tigers promoted top prospect Cameron Maybin to Double-A Erie. At the time, club president/general manager Dave Dombrowski said Maybin would not be a candidate for a September call-up.

But that was before Maybin crushed pitching at Double-A, to the tune of a .400 average and four home runs in six games.

Now, the club has decided to call Maybin up to the big leagues. An announcement is expected today, although it’s not clear what the roster move will be.

Maybin, 20, has already arrived in New York, and will be uniform at Yankee Stadium tonight.

“It’s the stage that he wants to start on,” said Bob Baratta, one of his representatives. “It doesn’t get any bigger than that.

“He’s not starting at Tropicana Field. He’s starting at Yankee Stadium.”

Maybin, a brilliant centerfielder, has batted .316 with 14 home runs and 53 RBIs this year, during stops at Erie, Class A Lakeland, and a rehabilitation assignment in the Gulf Coast League.

Haha, take that Tropicana!

Craig Monroe DFA'd (hello, Milwaukee?). Banner day.

Also, Infante to Toledo, Santiago to Detroit. Don't like to see Infante go back down but the Tigers really need some solid occasional defense at SS.

http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_457727.jpg

Cold lampin'

Maggs' BK Hot Zone hot in all nine squares.

Anyway, Maybin just followed first major league hit with a HR to dead center -- both hits off Clemens.

That HR was a monster (400 some odd feet!), but I couldn't help but think that perhaps if it hadn't been sunny and/or Cabrera got a better jump that it might have been snatched.

"Curtis" Maybin, in Tim McCarver's view.

the kid still has braces!

"I feel like I'm getting pitched like Babe Ruth right now,'' Inge said. "The pitches they're throwing me, Ted Williams would have a hard time hitting.''

LOLLOLLOLLOLLOLLOL, etc.

Talk like that will get you taken out of the lineup.

Sheffield: oldest 20/20 player (not HBP/SAC).

Tigers beat Indians 2-1, four hits between the two teams, over in 1:59.

...and Raburn starting at 3rd.

That's My Leyland!

Well, it was/is very temporary. Besides:

Inge in July: .232/.267/.313

Inge in August: .200/.237/.291

Raburn since being called up: .341/.359/.557

Or maybe Inge is being pitched like Ruth as Raburn is being pitched like Oyler.

Sheffield may need surgery on his shoulder.

He has said before that he will retire if he does need surgery.

Dear Tigers:

Please try fielding the fucking ball cleanly, you series-losing hosers.

Yrs,
Sparky.

Four-hour rain-delay drunks and the Yankees are in town. Fantastic combination.

Actually Clemens probably threatened to take someone's head off if he'd have to cancel his snorkeling trip tomorrow.

Dear Magglio:

Keep that shit up.

Yrs,
Doyle.

Dear Magglio:

Next time you're up, watch out for the 0-2 fastball in your ear.

Love,
Cameron

OMG IT'S A LIVE BLOG

Anyway, prior to the game starting, the NY feed (on my9) returned from commercial break before Kay & Leiter knew it was on. So I had the pleasure of hearing Leiter clear his throat and/or prep his vocal cords for some singing, as well as Kay wondering if Andrew Miller should've eaten more than a salad prior to gametime.

"If I throw seven balls well outside of the zone to Pudge, I can still get him out."

That's pitching.

The qualitative difference between Leiter talking about pitching & Leiter talking about other aspects of the game is astonishing.

Who are the Detroit announcers?

Mario Impemba and The Ghost of Dan Petry (subbing for Rod Allen).

Impemba served as the radio and fill-in television play-by-play voice of the Anaheim Angels for seven seasons (1995-2001) before joining the FSN Detroit broadcast team in 2002. Mario is teamed up with commentator Rod Allen on Tiger telecasts. He also does not appreciate a good piece of salmon, nor does he care for yellow cotton candy.

Pudge: five walks this year, all pre-All Star break.

He likes pink cotton candy, yeah.

Allen is known to viewers for a variety of idiosyncrasies that liven up his announcing style. For example, he has a very distinctive high-pitched laugh that emerges at exciting moments during games. He also has a group of words and phrases that he uses often, e.g., "special," "nasty," "filthy," "partner," (pronounced "pahdnuh") "stellar," "he buggy-whipped that one", "that's a big league pitch," "elevated", "steady diet," "country strong," "he can play" and "without question." A common type of phrase that he would use during a game might be, "Mario, Bondo's got the filthy stuff today, pahdnuh," "he's serving him a steady diet of filthy breaking balls," or "Baseball is a humbling game pahdnuh." He will also often use his partner's name twice in the same sentence for emphasis. For example, "Mario, I think that Big Red just needs to get some of that fresh air of Tropicana Field, Mario." Another example would be "Mario did you work out today, Mario?" Other favorite phrases include statements such as, "Get down with your bad self," after a home run is hit. Rod also like to refer to fastball as "a piece of cheese". He has been known to refer to Jeremy Bonderman's slider as "Mr. Snappy", Justin Verlander's fastball as "High Octane Cheese" and to Craig Monroe RIP ;_; as "Baby Boy." When Joel Zumaya is on the mound, Allen may use commentary such as "it's just not fair" or "best arm in baseball." His playful commentary has led to the creation of the "Rod Allen Drinking Game", a tongue-in-cheek phenomenon among Tigers fans.

2-out homers are balls.

"Absolutely."

Miller has thrown 331 pitches through three innings.

2-out homers are especially balls when the homer pitch is high & away.

xp - he should ice his arm.

Ha - I didn't realize Rajah hit Maybin the AB following his dead-center HR.

Maybin's about to get his second Clemens HBP.

TRIPLES BALLPARK

Granderson's gonna get intimate with some high cheese pretty soon, too.

Why does Jetes not throw the ball @ 3B? & why does Jetes point glove in an accusatory manner towards 3B as Granderson slides in?

90% of the broadcasters in MLB would call the triple-groundout combo "small ball".

Who is the youngest player to hit a HR off Roger Clemens?

C Maybin
S Sosa
T Fryman

I'm guessing Skinny Sosa.

Have the Tigers announcers done the HOW OLD IS ROGER CLEMENS LOL thing yet? The Yankees dynamic duo just did theirs.

Andrew Miller made his 1st start against the Yankees late last year. Who was the 1st batter he faced?

ROGER CLEMENS RECORDED 13 WINS BEFORE CAMERON MAYBIN WAS BORN

Are they sharing a teleprompter?

Tho the Yankee team, being true pros, mentioned Clemens' losses & ERA.

The appearance was in relief (they all were last year). Hmmm...

Start, appearance ... whatevs.

oh god they're warming up GRILLLLLLLLLLI

FUCK HE WALKED

Craig Wilson?

C Maybin it is (20 yrs, 136 days).

oooh I have the answer! Melky!

Why is the asshole upstairs from me banging around?

5.67 ERA for the Tigers post-ASB?

This visit to the mound reminds me of the last time Kei Igawa started. He was pitching like shit (shocka), and Guidry came out to talk to him. Guidry's talk = Guidry saying very slowly & loudly "KEEP THE BALL DOWN" 3 or 4 times, and adding some hand motions, too. I think Igawa gave up a double to the next hitter.

Starters are above seven, I think.

Ooh Roger gets a Guidry visit in the middle of a rookie's at-bat.

That's two beanballs Clemens owes Maybin now.

GUESS WHAT

Oh no it's another triple

Note to Al Leiter: when a runner is busting his ass around the bases, that's not called "getting on his high horse."

Mario Impemba and The Ghost of Dan Petry (subbing for Rod Allen).

-- Andy K, Saturday, August 25, 2007 3:48 AM (57 minutes ago) Bookmark Link

Is that the first ILM-guilt Bermanism?

It doesn't count if you dealt and smelt.

Andy K: would YOU bring I-Rod back for $13 million next year?

Back to the Yankees? I don't know.

Here comes Byrdkrap

And out comes krap.

I predict a Shelly Duncan home run.

Wow - the H3 gets 20 MPG! That's hot.

Jason Grilli: An Excitable Boy

A shout-out to his MySpace haters.

Joba is quite good.

I can't wait until that chunky turd gets creamed.

NB: I'm slightly biased.

For the Yankees, the role of Ivan Rodriguez will be played by Johnny Damon.

http://mlb.mlb.com/images/2005/07/17/jW7cUAFv.jpg

TIGERS 6TH: Guillen was hit by a pitch; the second pitch hit
Guillen's helmet; Guillen yelled at Hernandez and the two
charged each other; both benches and bullpens cleared; no
punches were thrown and it appeared to be over when Farnsworth
charged Affeldt and threw him to the ground; KC ejections:
Runelvys Hernandez, Emil Brown, Alberto Castillo, Mgr Buddy
Bell; Detroit ejections: Carlos Guillen, Jeremy Bonderman, Kyle
Farnsworth; COSTA REPLACED BROWN (PLAYING LF); LONG CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); NUNEZ REPLACED HERNANDEZ (PITCHING);
HOOPER RAN FOR GUILLEN; Shelton grounded into a double play
(shortstop to second to first) [Hooper out at second]; Ordonez
grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB. Royals
4, Tigers 0.

argh linebreaks

I predict a DP.

Yes, a DP w/ 2 outs.

Yes, a home run.

http://cmsimg.detnews.com/apps/pbcsi.dll/bilde?Site=C3&Date=20070825&Category=SPORTS0104&ArtNo=708250321&Ref=V2&Profile=1004Q=100&MaxW=500

I wasn't even awake for the START of that.

I really should go back to sleep.

Sheff to retroactive 15-day DL. Hello, again, Timo Perez.

This team is a mess.

Maybe not a complete mess.

sean casey hit a triple?

Well, it is a triples park.

Timo is hitting third to-nite. I cannot wait.

Runner on first. T Perez grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop.
Runner on first. T Perez popped out to shortstop.
Runners on first and third. T Perez grounded into fielder's choice to pitcher.
Runners on first and second. T Perez struck out swinging.

Tigers have two runs on 13 hits through seven.

Healthy Raburn, Thames, Maybin: still sitting on bench.

Oh, Raburn is now in for Granderson.

No runners on base. T Perez doubled.

(An ideal number three hitter.)

In tonight's lineup: T Perez.

Not in tonight's lineup: R Rayburn, C Maybin.

I mean "Raburn."

The T stands for "T!MO."

So much for Granderson's 20 2B/20 3B/20 HR/20 SB/0 GIDP season.

And of course Granderson's GIDP occurred away from Comerica, an anti-DP ballpark.

And of course T!MO Perez is hitting third and DH'ing today.

August 31, 2007
Rogers throws sim game

Kenny Rogers just finished his three-inning, 52-pitch simulated game Friday afternoon. He didn't look particularly happy at times, and he had a handful of breaking balls in the dirt, but he wasn't hit all that hard. The fact that the sound system at McAfee Coliseum was blaring music the whole time probably didn't make him all that happy. You wouldn't be, either, if your shot to get back into the rotation hinged on how you pitched to Abba's Dancing Queen or a remake of Instant Karma.

We'll see what the verdict is from the manager later today. At the moment, he's hitting BP off of Van Slyke.

Posted on August 31, 2007 at 05:52 PM | Permalink

Cameron Maybin schooled by a scrappy NL veteran on how to handle a rocket to the wall off the bat of a 39-year-old DH'ing ex-catcher (when a game is on the line): take your time getting to the ball, triple (or almost quadruple) clutch your throw to second.

Thanks, T!MO.

LOL

COL

Omar Infante

as the DH

batting 3rd

DO NOT FUCKING WANT LEYLAND YOU OLD FUCK

Does keeping everyone in the lineup comfortable in their wittle slot mean so much that it's OK to throw away ABs between Polanco & Ordonez every stupid game?

Going into the game, Infante was something like 15 for 35 off Garland. It made more sense than hitting Timo there, which OBVIOUSLY is not saying much.

It's a crazy idea possibly but Ordonez and Guillen MIGHT be able to handle hitting third and fourth (OOH ADJUSTMENTS I DUNNO IT HAS BEEN ALMOST A FULL CALENDAR YEAR SINCE THEY HAVE DONE THAT) behind Granderson-Polanco, rather than Granderson-Polanco-someone mediocre POSSIBLY FEELING THE PRESSURE TO DO GARY SHEFFIELD'S JOB. (Case in point: Thames, who was ineffective as the number three hitter, hit fifth on Sunday and went 3-for-4 with two doubles.)

OR it might be wise sometime to hit Raburn leadoff and slot XBH specialist Granderson third. You'd think Raburn's ability to draw walks as a pinch hitter in two consecutive games might send off some kind of signal to Leyland, but no.

Oh Christ - they pinch hit for Omar WITH TIM0!

Media watchdog Todd Jones:

This is my one attempt to help you through the Detroit media. All these people who sit there and cast opinions and try to shape your sports mind in our fair city. Most times, you can't make hide nor hair of who knows what, who knows who, who has got a hot tip, or who is just filling space.

As fans, you are at a tremendous disadvantage. You don't have a choice. You want to know what is going on with the Pistons, Lions, Red Wings and Tigers. So who do we look to? We look to our papers.

The Free Press and the Detroit News are in the city. It's important to have two papers in one city as kind of a check-and-balance system. Each paper is just as good as the other, so it's a personal choice.

Clearly, the main media guy in the city is Mitch Albom. Hey, you got to respect him. Like him or not, he has Oprah on speed dial, and you know she picks up, so you can't mess with him. Mitch is a columnist; he's paid to form opinions. Other columnists are Bob Wojnowski (News), Drew Sharp (Free Press), Terry Foster (News), Pat Caputo (Oakland Press), Rob Parker (News) and Michael Rosenberg (Free Press). These guys chime in on social commentary, but they don't get specific in one sport. They give you the broad overview as to what's going in Detroit sports, but they are paid to pull on our emotional strings and get us thinking. So as a rule of thumb, you take what they have to say with a grain of salt.

You get the baseball story from the beat writers, starting off with the guy I respect the most, the Free Press' John Lowe. The beat writers are Tom Gage and Lynn Henning (News), Danny Knobler (Booth Newspapers), Jim Hawkins (Oakland Press) and Jon Paul Morosi (Free Press). There are more, but these guys are the main ones. All of these guys are members of the BBWAA (Baseball Writers' Association of America). Reporters have to show up for at least 81 games to be considered a baseball guy.

The beat writer's job is just to report on the game. They sometimes get a bad rap as having to be homers because they have to be with the team on most days, and they won't write some controversial stuff just to stir the pot because it's not their job. And if they ever want players to talk to them and help them do their job, they sometimes turn their heads and don't print controversial stuff although they see it all because they are around the team all the time.

The one section of people who you need to stay away from, in my opinion, is the talk-show guys. The radio talk-show guys have ruined the credibility of the other guys in the media. They, for the most part, are the troublemakers in town. They whip all the fans into a frenzy by design every day. These guys, who wore blue socks in gym class, criticize the players and try to get fans to take the bait. But remember, they have a job to do; they have to fill four or five hours a day. How do you do that?

By saying that Todd Jones sucks and Joel Zumaya should be closing. Or whatever the topic of the day is. Case in point is the Fire Matt Millen crusade these dum-dums continue to pursue.

Here's a tip: If the Lions fired Matt Millen, it would validate the guys who want him fired, so in a reverse way, they are creating job security. A good rule of thumb is listen to them as entertainment, but they would not know baseball if they worked at Cooperstown as a guide.

Always remember, it's easier to sit back on a Monday and say what we or the Lions or the Pistons did wrong than to have to make the decision at the moment of the contest. That way, these guys who wore blue socks in gym class are never wrong and can look like geniuses. Meanwhile, we're on the field making tough decisions based on the info we have at the time, and we live with it.

The plan of attack for fans is to read the baseball men. Start with your summary of the game from the beat writers. Read all articles from the game and take with a grain of salt what the columnists have to say. Or better yet, watch the game and form your own opinions.

Start with USA Today. There is no hometown emotional influence, just the facts. Then get XM Radio and turn the shock jocks off; make your life less stressful. Remember, they speak after the fact. I've never been wrong when I look back.

The media are a necessary evil of life. They judge and form opinions, and sometimes I just wish they would not forget that fact. They have a platform, and the way some of these guys choose to use it just too bad.

These guys, who wore blue socks in gym class

TIM KIRK-JEM:

“We knew that Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson had the potential for statistical greatness when, in 2005, his second big league season, he went 5-for-5, didn't score a run and didn't drive in a run in a 5-3 loss to the Angels. That gave him a classic 5-0-5-0 box-score line that hadn't happened in six years.”

T!MO! (!!!!!!!)

rallying in the 9th vs Jenks!

da MAYOR ties it!!!

PO-LAN-CO

1-3, 2-1, 3-2 -- weirdass series to have with the White Sox.

Yesterday's game: 17 Tiger baserunners, six Tiger SBs, two runs.

What a fucking bizarre season.

T!MO is 16-for-38.

More pitchers performing horribly through pain, hurrah.

"Oh, yeah, I guess my elbow has been hurting whenever I throw a baseball and stuff. Since, like, July maybe?"

Bonderman before the AS break:

6.2 IP/G, 9 H/9, 8.3 K/9, 2.0 BB/9, .247 AVG, 9-1 W-L, 3.48 ERA

Bonderman after the AS break:

5.2 IP/G, 12 H/9, 6.2 K/9, 3.2 BB/9, .323 AVG, 2-8 W-L, 7.38 ERA

10 out of 10

Goodness gracious, not much Tuesday afternoon momentum.

0 out of 10

Granderson weighs in on Kanye vs. 50 Cent (vs. Chesney):

http://myespn.go.com/conversation/story?id=3015882

http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2007/09/jurrjens_continues_to_impress.html

More evidence that the Tigers still could have trouble attracting free agents: Detroit was named as least favorite road city by 13 percent of major-league players, tying Milwaukee for the top spot in a Sports Illustrated poll.

13% of MLB: eat a proverbial bag of dicks.

That's why you nab a Cameron Maybin and Rick Porcello when you can! Fuck giving folks a choice later on!

Jake (San Diego): Best chance of happening this year: Tigers catching the Yankees, Tigers catching the Indians, or Jessica Alba calling me up to ask me out?

Keith Law: (1:51 PM ET ) Make sure your phone is working.

T!MO Perez, human-shaped rake. 1.058 OPS in 20 games.

http://www.barking-moonbat.com/images/uploads/dead.jpg

Uh, Timo Watch?

.415/.455/.573

He has as many doubles this year (in 82 AB) as he had in 2001 (in 239 AB).

Leyland sez Guillen will be the regular first baseman next year.

``I know they'll bring in a good (shortstop),'' Guillen said. ``I know it's going to be a good one. I don't know who it's going to be, but I know it's going to be a good one.''

IE not Jack Wilson.

Or any other Pirate.

Eddings, umpire: JACKASS

So who wants Casey, seismic leg lifts, tireless jaws and all?

Polanco gets 200th hit, plays full errorless season; Granderson ends with .300 avg; Guillen knocks in 100th (plus) run; Rabelo gets first HR; Ordonez gets batting title. Not a bad final game.

So who wants Pudge? Mets?

no, we needs YOUNGER.

Leyland thru '09:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3045922

smart move there.

no, we needs YOUNGER.

Almost ten walks, almost .300 OBP... what more could you want?

Are you being sarcastic? I can't tell. I think it is pretty good move.

woops xpost. Yeah dumping I-Rod is probably a good move at this point.

CHICAGO -- Sean Casey arrived at U.S. Cellular Field on Sunday morning to find an unexpected treasure waiting for him.

White Sox slugger Jim Thome, who mentored Casey as a young player with the Cleveland Indians, had sent an autographed photo of his 500th home run to the visiting clubhouse.

The inscription: "To Sean: No one will ever be like you. What an example you have sent to the game! Jim Thome."

awwww

'SUP
I CALLED IT: ILB'S TEAM OF BEISBOL EXPERTS BRINGS YOU ITS 2009 PREDICTATRON THREAD

what;s Perpetua's VORP?