Panama 9, Detroit 3
Nationals 2, Tigers 10
Yesterday's game just didn't look good to me (at least reading the box score, which is the best I can do). Porcello looked pretty darn good (1 hit, 0 earned runs, 2 walks, 3 Ks) in 2.0 innings. Kyle Bloom looked good too (1 hit, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 1 K) in 2.0 innings. Perry looked solid with no hits a walk and a strike out). But Lambert got rocked for 6 earned runs in 1.0 inning. Rapada gave up 3 runs (2 earned) in 2.0 innings. So, once again, bad pitching loses ball games.
I have to wonder if Lambert seriously hurt any opportunity he had (if he had one). The same with Rapada. Eddie had them both plugged into Toledo. So perhaps it won't matter. Perry and Porcello continue to impress and Leyland says "They make you stop and look, and at some point they make you stop and think."
BTW: I just have to say a couple of things about Tigers' coverage in the "papers". Last year I always started the day with the Detroit News' coverage, it just seemed better than the Freeps' coverage. But so far this year I think that the Freep is just crushing the News. They have updates, although abreviated, from the games up on their site within minutes of the end of the game. They had analysis of Willis' last start up a couple of innings after he had sit down, long before the game ended. Jon Paul Morosi's blog has been extremely interesting and the live blog he did a while ago was excellent. I don't know how things will work out as the Season starts, but for Spring Training info, the Freep is doing it right.
BTW 2: Jason Beck (MLB.com's beat reporter for the Tigers) is running a Twitter during games now. It's fun to follow and surely beats the "live box" option on MLB.com.
Today's game turned into a blowout. Hopefully Miner reversed some of the damage he did the other day with his 3.0 innings of 2 hits, 2 earned runs, 1 walk, 1 K pitching. It wasn't great, but it worked out. Rodney gave Detroit a 3 up, 3 down inning as well. Larish hit 2 HRs, Thames hit another one and Treanor did too.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Some college ball, some Classic ball...
Florida Southern College 1, Detroit 7
Team Venezuela 5, Detroit 7
On Monday the Tigers played their annual game against FSC. I can remember seriously wondering if the Tigers would be able to beat the college team (remember the early 2000's?). I didn't seriously wonder about Detroit winning this year, but I was curious about how our pitchers would look facing college hitters. (This shouldn't matter right?)
Well Jackson looked pretty good (3 hits, 0 runs in 3.0 innings). Zumaya looked awesome (3 up, 3 down). So that made me feel pretty good. With half of the team off playing on World Baseball Classic teams many of the prospects had a chance to show their stuff against the college pitchers. Many of them took advantage and produced 9 hits and 7 runs. Rhymes and Larish each had a homerun. So, rest easy Tigers' fans- if necessary they could play in the College World Series and have a great shot at winning.
Today they pretty much played themselves. Cabrera, Ordonez, Guillen and Galarraga all played against the Tigers for Team Venezuela. Galarraga gave up 1 run and 2 hits in 3 innings against the his team. Cabrera had 1 hit, Guillen had 2. But it wasn't enough to keep Venezuela on top.
Willis continued to not impress me (although he impressed John Lowe at the finish) with 2 hits, 3 walks and 1 earned run in 3.0 innings (14 batters). Robertson followed with 3 hits, 2 walks, 3 earned runs in 3.0 innings (15 batters) but still picked up the win. Neither of these pitchers impressed much today in their battle for the 5th pitcher's slot on the roster.
On the upside Lyon pitched a 3 up, 3 down inning. Seay came in and did the same thing! Dolsi broke up the perfection, but faced only 4 batters in the 9th to close it out. And these were MLB caliber hitters! That makes me feel a lot better.
Team Venezuela 5, Detroit 7
On Monday the Tigers played their annual game against FSC. I can remember seriously wondering if the Tigers would be able to beat the college team (remember the early 2000's?). I didn't seriously wonder about Detroit winning this year, but I was curious about how our pitchers would look facing college hitters. (This shouldn't matter right?)
Well Jackson looked pretty good (3 hits, 0 runs in 3.0 innings). Zumaya looked awesome (3 up, 3 down). So that made me feel pretty good. With half of the team off playing on World Baseball Classic teams many of the prospects had a chance to show their stuff against the college pitchers. Many of them took advantage and produced 9 hits and 7 runs. Rhymes and Larish each had a homerun. So, rest easy Tigers' fans- if necessary they could play in the College World Series and have a great shot at winning.
Today they pretty much played themselves. Cabrera, Ordonez, Guillen and Galarraga all played against the Tigers for Team Venezuela. Galarraga gave up 1 run and 2 hits in 3 innings against the his team. Cabrera had 1 hit, Guillen had 2. But it wasn't enough to keep Venezuela on top.
Willis continued to not impress me (although he impressed John Lowe at the finish) with 2 hits, 3 walks and 1 earned run in 3.0 innings (14 batters). Robertson followed with 3 hits, 2 walks, 3 earned runs in 3.0 innings (15 batters) but still picked up the win. Neither of these pitchers impressed much today in their battle for the 5th pitcher's slot on the roster.
On the upside Lyon pitched a 3 up, 3 down inning. Seay came in and did the same thing! Dolsi broke up the perfection, but faced only 4 batters in the 9th to close it out. And these were MLB caliber hitters! That makes me feel a lot better.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
You win one, you lose one
Saturday Tigers 7, Mets 2
Sunday Tigers 4, Pirates 6
Saturday Detroit had 3 home runs and good pitching to power over the Mets. Sunday
Sunday Detroit had 1 home run and some really weak pitching to knuckle under to the Pirates 4 to 6.
Saturday Kibler and Darrow were the only Detroit pitchers to give up runs and those runs were spread out between the 1st and 8th innings.
Sunday it was the saga of Zach Miner, who gave up 5 runs (all earned) on 7 (seven!) hits in 2.0 innings pitched. In fact he faced 12 batters and let 5 of them score. I say this with a heavy heart because I would really love to see Zach Miner make it as a starter. But he did worse than Dontrelle today (and I think Dontrelle sucks). So this was disappointing to me, but probably more so to Zach.
On the upside Verlander allowed 1 run on 1 hit and 2 walks in 3 innings pitched. I can live with that right now.
Bonderman was not allowed to pitch even a simulated game on Saturday (after being scratched from starting the spring training game). This is not a good sign for Tigers' fans. I'm pulling for Bondo, I really want to see him pitch and be a major factor for the Tigers this year. (This is a purely sentimental statement).
Yesterday Detroit won based on good pitching and home run power. Today they lost on bad pitching. Let's hope the season has more days like Saturday and fewer like Sunday.
Sunday Tigers 4, Pirates 6
Saturday Detroit had 3 home runs and good pitching to power over the Mets. Sunday
Sunday Detroit had 1 home run and some really weak pitching to knuckle under to the Pirates 4 to 6.
Saturday Kibler and Darrow were the only Detroit pitchers to give up runs and those runs were spread out between the 1st and 8th innings.
Sunday it was the saga of Zach Miner, who gave up 5 runs (all earned) on 7 (seven!) hits in 2.0 innings pitched. In fact he faced 12 batters and let 5 of them score. I say this with a heavy heart because I would really love to see Zach Miner make it as a starter. But he did worse than Dontrelle today (and I think Dontrelle sucks). So this was disappointing to me, but probably more so to Zach.
On the upside Verlander allowed 1 run on 1 hit and 2 walks in 3 innings pitched. I can live with that right now.
Bonderman was not allowed to pitch even a simulated game on Saturday (after being scratched from starting the spring training game). This is not a good sign for Tigers' fans. I'm pulling for Bondo, I really want to see him pitch and be a major factor for the Tigers this year. (This is a purely sentimental statement).
Yesterday Detroit won based on good pitching and home run power. Today they lost on bad pitching. Let's hope the season has more days like Saturday and fewer like Sunday.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)