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

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?