Ok, ok. We know we haven't written anything in a while, and we're sorry, but we have our reasons. One was that we were on a (much needed) vacation in Michigan, of all places. And what did we do during that restful week?
Well, we went to Tigers games. Two very good ones, in which we watched Justin Verlander and Rick Porcello completely handle the Chicago White Sox. This was after a 3 of 4 game winning series against the Angels, and obviously our boys went on to sweep the dreaded Sox and reclaim 1st place. The Tigers looked absolutely unstoppable.
But not for long.
Then we went to Cleveland. Ah, Cleveland, the place and the team that have given the Tigers so much trouble. Can we just ask: why??? Cleveland has fallen back to earth after a surprisingly decent first half to the season, but yet our boys still struggle. Only taking 1 of 3 from the Tribe is not acceptable, especially since the games we lost were both in our grasp (we basically had it won in Verlander's case on Thursday). And then of course we also struggled against Toronto on Friday, dropping the first game there.
So what's up? Obviously it would be hard to expect our team, as good as they are, to sweep every series. And we still expect them to win the division--being 1.5 games behind Chicago isn't insurmountable at all. But we are expecting more, and we rightfully should. We have been given a taste of what these guys are capable of, and now we expect--and deserve--nothing less than their best.
So while our boys are almost back to the glory that we were promised, they still have a little ways to go yet. And that's ok--we'll wait around for them. And to all you bandwagon phony fans out there, who are suddenly diehard just because our boys are winning now? We know who you are. And all you naysayers who are still out there? Just watch. This division WILL be ours. There are still just a few more kinks our boys need to work out.
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Monday, July 16, 2012
Group Effort
What an interesting series in Baltimore! Blowout wins, Good-Starting-Pitching-And-Timely-Hitting wins, and the dreaded Almost win. We took 2 of 3 from Baltimore (should have been 3 of 3, but whatever) and we looked damn good doing it too.
Let's talk about Doug Fister for a moment. Poor, sweet Dougie, who's been shaky due to injury all year long, is going to get his swagger back in the second half. We just know it. He looked sharp and in command on Friday, buoyed by ample run support (hell-o, Miguel Cabrera Moonshot!) and dazzling defensive plays (suck it, Berry Haters!). Friday was good.
Then comes Saturday. After a not-so-sharp outing by Max Scherzer (but good enough to keep us in the game) the Tigers mounted an out-of-nowhere comeback to tie the Orioles in the bottom of the 9th. However, after blowing the save TWICE (thanks Valverde and Benoit!), we didn't escape with the win, which meant we came back only to extend the game two hours and lose anyway. Well, you know what we have to say to that? WHAT. EVER. Our boys showed more fight in that game then they had in the majority of games in the first half of the season. While we were frustrated with the outcome for sure, it wasn't a bad loss in the slightest.
And then Sunday, we rebounded. Justin "The Second Coming" Verlander shook off those awful, nasty Kate Upton rumors (not like he needed to shake them off, really--the whole thing is just bullshit) and threw 8 innings of 3-hit ball. Yes, two of those hits came from his arch-nemesis, Jim Thome, but it was a beautiful outing all the same. Clutch homers from Austin Jackson and Miggy (yep, that's number 20, folks) and some nice manufactured runs helped solidify the W, and our boys cruised home three games above .500.
And now we will be tested. The good-maybe-even-very-good Angels are coming into town tomorrow, and while we won't be facing Jered Weaver this time around, no one has forgotten last year. And of course after that we play the division leading Chicago White Sox, our hated rivals. It's going to be an exciting (if stressful) week of baseball. Bring on the drama!
Let's talk about Doug Fister for a moment. Poor, sweet Dougie, who's been shaky due to injury all year long, is going to get his swagger back in the second half. We just know it. He looked sharp and in command on Friday, buoyed by ample run support (hell-o, Miguel Cabrera Moonshot!) and dazzling defensive plays (suck it, Berry Haters!). Friday was good.
Then comes Saturday. After a not-so-sharp outing by Max Scherzer (but good enough to keep us in the game) the Tigers mounted an out-of-nowhere comeback to tie the Orioles in the bottom of the 9th. However, after blowing the save TWICE (thanks Valverde and Benoit!), we didn't escape with the win, which meant we came back only to extend the game two hours and lose anyway. Well, you know what we have to say to that? WHAT. EVER. Our boys showed more fight in that game then they had in the majority of games in the first half of the season. While we were frustrated with the outcome for sure, it wasn't a bad loss in the slightest.
And then Sunday, we rebounded. Justin "The Second Coming" Verlander shook off those awful, nasty Kate Upton rumors (not like he needed to shake them off, really--the whole thing is just bullshit) and threw 8 innings of 3-hit ball. Yes, two of those hits came from his arch-nemesis, Jim Thome, but it was a beautiful outing all the same. Clutch homers from Austin Jackson and Miggy (yep, that's number 20, folks) and some nice manufactured runs helped solidify the W, and our boys cruised home three games above .500.
And now we will be tested. The good-maybe-even-very-good Angels are coming into town tomorrow, and while we won't be facing Jered Weaver this time around, no one has forgotten last year. And of course after that we play the division leading Chicago White Sox, our hated rivals. It's going to be an exciting (if stressful) week of baseball. Bring on the drama!
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Hey Now, You're An All Star
Well, that All Star game was…interesting, to say the least. Prince Fielder kicked ass and took names at the Home Run Derby. After a shaky first round in which we weren't sure he'd even make it through, he went on to blast 11 homers in the second round and 12 in the final, beating Jose Bautista and winning all. Plus, how cute was it to see his AH-dorable little sons running into his arms for a Fielder Family Group Hug at the end? Absolutely precious. As for Miguel Cabrera, he didn't do too much--although we did get our first look at his super cute son too! What is it with this team and adorable kids?!?!?
And then we get to our third All Star, Justin Verlander. Justin, Justin, Justin. Where do we even begin with you? First of all, we think his excuse for his performance in the All Star Game--where he was shelled for four hits, two walks, and six runs--was a mostly good one. He didn't want to go into Emo-Serial-Killer Mode before this mostly "fun" event, and this makes sense to us. Let the man enjoy the game. However, he should have known not to get overly excited and light up the radar at 101 so early in the game. He should know that this rarely works in his favor when he is properly mentally prepared. Silly Verlander!
And that's all that's in the news about Justin Verlander this week that pertains to baseball, right? There's nothing else of note to comment on. Now, moving on…
…Oh, wait. We're missing something here. Ohhhhh. You wanted us to say something about the Verlander/Kate Upton rumors that have been a-swirlin'? Well, first of all, we don't think there's anything to this. At all. We think they're just friends. Not like it matters at all, but we think it'd be pretty fucking sleazy to ditch your high school sweetheart for some 19-year-old swimsuit model. That's just our opinion. Not that it has any relevance to baseball. At all. So we'll just stop there!
If he IS dating her, though, we'll just go ahead and blame every bad pitch he ever throws ever again on her. Kay? Kay.
Moving on. This upcoming series starting tomorrow against Baltimore may not seem like a huge deal, but it is. As many have pointed out, we are only a game off our pace from last season (44-42 this year as compared to 45-41 last year). We all know how that turned out. If we can win or tie the next two series against Baltimore and Los Angeles, then we are in prime position to get close to or overtake Chicago when we play them next weekend. It's time for our boys to make their move.
…And speaking of, all THREE of us will be at two games that series! We will be at the park on July 20th & 21st, so if you see us there, tweet us or be sure to say hi!
And then we get to our third All Star, Justin Verlander. Justin, Justin, Justin. Where do we even begin with you? First of all, we think his excuse for his performance in the All Star Game--where he was shelled for four hits, two walks, and six runs--was a mostly good one. He didn't want to go into Emo-Serial-Killer Mode before this mostly "fun" event, and this makes sense to us. Let the man enjoy the game. However, he should have known not to get overly excited and light up the radar at 101 so early in the game. He should know that this rarely works in his favor when he is properly mentally prepared. Silly Verlander!
And that's all that's in the news about Justin Verlander this week that pertains to baseball, right? There's nothing else of note to comment on. Now, moving on…
…Oh, wait. We're missing something here. Ohhhhh. You wanted us to say something about the Verlander/Kate Upton rumors that have been a-swirlin'? Well, first of all, we don't think there's anything to this. At all. We think they're just friends. Not like it matters at all, but we think it'd be pretty fucking sleazy to ditch your high school sweetheart for some 19-year-old swimsuit model. That's just our opinion. Not that it has any relevance to baseball. At all. So we'll just stop there!
Moving on. This upcoming series starting tomorrow against Baltimore may not seem like a huge deal, but it is. As many have pointed out, we are only a game off our pace from last season (44-42 this year as compared to 45-41 last year). We all know how that turned out. If we can win or tie the next two series against Baltimore and Los Angeles, then we are in prime position to get close to or overtake Chicago when we play them next weekend. It's time for our boys to make their move.
…And speaking of, all THREE of us will be at two games that series! We will be at the park on July 20th & 21st, so if you see us there, tweet us or be sure to say hi!
Monday, July 9, 2012
That's More Like It
It's about damn time.
This past week has really seen our boys go from the middle-of-the-road level of play they have been exhibiting all year to the kind of play of which we know they're all capable.
Five straight wins, including for games in a row with homers from Delmon Young, a man who has freaking struggled this year. He has, in fact, struggled so hard that he was named Jayson Stark's Least Valuable Player of the first half. Yikes. Although now we can totally imagine Delmon seeing what Stark wrote and getting the wake-up call he so desperately needed, and thank goodness for that. If Delmon can continue his hot hitting after the All Star break, then Tigers fans are in for a treat!
Speaking of All-Stars, a belated congrats to Prince Fielder, Miguel Cabrera, and the American League starting pitcher, Justin "God" Verlander! All three of these fine players were justly and unsurprisingly elected to the team, and while we believe all three should be starting, two out of three ain't bad. Prince is also competing in his fourth Home Run Derby tonight, and we will of course be watching and rooting for our boy. Go Prince go (and puh-lease let your cute little sons be there to root you on)!!!!
Though we are very proud of these three, we do think that our boy Austin Jackson was snubbed. He has been, in our minds, the most valuable player of the first have for the Tigers, and had he not been injured for a few weeks, he might not have been denied. At least Ron Washington could have given him the courtesy of being on the Final Vote roster, but whatever. Ajax hasn't let it get him down, so we're just gonna let it slide.
We're more excited to see what comes after the break, though. We finished on such an unexpected high note, and now it seems like this team is finally rolling. But they're are obviously a lot of questions that need to be answered if our team is going to win anything.
Will Ryan Raburn continue his campaign of suck? Will Doug Fister overcome his injuries/shakiness to have a good second half like last year? Will Max Scherzer continue his always-solid/sometimes-great year? Will Quintin Berry slow down after his hot rookie campaign? Will Brennan Boeschget his shit together actually pick up his sluggish pace, or will the return of Andy Dirks doom him to Triple A?
All valid questions, we think. But this is an exciting time. Our boys are at a crossroads. They can either take the momentum they have and use it to claim what is rightfully theirs (the AL Central) or they can scuffle and underachieve like they used to. That is up to them.
This past week has really seen our boys go from the middle-of-the-road level of play they have been exhibiting all year to the kind of play of which we know they're all capable.
Five straight wins, including for games in a row with homers from Delmon Young, a man who has freaking struggled this year. He has, in fact, struggled so hard that he was named Jayson Stark's Least Valuable Player of the first half. Yikes. Although now we can totally imagine Delmon seeing what Stark wrote and getting the wake-up call he so desperately needed, and thank goodness for that. If Delmon can continue his hot hitting after the All Star break, then Tigers fans are in for a treat!
Speaking of All-Stars, a belated congrats to Prince Fielder, Miguel Cabrera, and the American League starting pitcher, Justin "God" Verlander! All three of these fine players were justly and unsurprisingly elected to the team, and while we believe all three should be starting, two out of three ain't bad. Prince is also competing in his fourth Home Run Derby tonight, and we will of course be watching and rooting for our boy. Go Prince go (and puh-lease let your cute little sons be there to root you on)!!!!
Though we are very proud of these three, we do think that our boy Austin Jackson was snubbed. He has been, in our minds, the most valuable player of the first have for the Tigers, and had he not been injured for a few weeks, he might not have been denied. At least Ron Washington could have given him the courtesy of being on the Final Vote roster, but whatever. Ajax hasn't let it get him down, so we're just gonna let it slide.
We're more excited to see what comes after the break, though. We finished on such an unexpected high note, and now it seems like this team is finally rolling. But they're are obviously a lot of questions that need to be answered if our team is going to win anything.
Will Ryan Raburn continue his campaign of suck? Will Doug Fister overcome his injuries/shakiness to have a good second half like last year? Will Max Scherzer continue his always-solid/sometimes-great year? Will Quintin Berry slow down after his hot rookie campaign? Will Brennan Boesch
All valid questions, we think. But this is an exciting time. Our boys are at a crossroads. They can either take the momentum they have and use it to claim what is rightfully theirs (the AL Central) or they can scuffle and underachieve like they used to. That is up to them.
Sunday, July 1, 2012
The Race to .500
Mediocrity. Nothing that anyone really wants to say they strive for. And yet, that's what our boys are doing: and we can actually say we're kind of excited about it.
We can actually, finally say this: our team is looking better. We're not there yet, but by George we're getting there. True, it seems like every time we take two steps forward we also takes two steps back, and we're not anywhere near our full potential, but we look better.
Sure, taking 1-of-3 from both Pittsburg and Texas wasn't ideal, but after winning four consecutive series we can allow for a little wiggle room. Look at the shit we're pulling against Tampa! One day after The Verlander "struggled", Rick Porcello out-duels David Freaking Price and throws one of the best games of his career and gave up only 4 hits.
As far as position players go, Austin Jackson is looking more and more like an All-Star every day as he distances himself further and further from Austin Jackson, Strikeout King from last season. Miguel Cabrera is an absolute boss, which is nothing new, but he is only furthering his boss-status with his latest efforts. Prince Fielder is his super-slugging compatriot, the Robin to Miguel's Batman, and the two of them are only just beginning to fully click.
So maybe a race to mediocrity isn't exactly something to be proud of. And even though this whole season has taken a series of unexpected twists and turns, we expect our boys to emerge from the upcoming all-star break refreshed, hungry, and ready to take back what is ours: the Division.
We can actually, finally say this: our team is looking better. We're not there yet, but by George we're getting there. True, it seems like every time we take two steps forward we also takes two steps back, and we're not anywhere near our full potential, but we look better.
Sure, taking 1-of-3 from both Pittsburg and Texas wasn't ideal, but after winning four consecutive series we can allow for a little wiggle room. Look at the shit we're pulling against Tampa! One day after The Verlander "struggled", Rick Porcello out-duels David Freaking Price and throws one of the best games of his career and gave up only 4 hits.
As far as position players go, Austin Jackson is looking more and more like an All-Star every day as he distances himself further and further from Austin Jackson, Strikeout King from last season. Miguel Cabrera is an absolute boss, which is nothing new, but he is only furthering his boss-status with his latest efforts. Prince Fielder is his super-slugging compatriot, the Robin to Miguel's Batman, and the two of them are only just beginning to fully click.
So maybe a race to mediocrity isn't exactly something to be proud of. And even though this whole season has taken a series of unexpected twists and turns, we expect our boys to emerge from the upcoming all-star break refreshed, hungry, and ready to take back what is ours: the Division.
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