Do you hear that?
That is the sound of thousands and thousands of people jumping on the Detroit Tigers bandwagon. Why would they be doing that? Well…
Because the Detroit Tigers are going to the WORLD SERIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
With some of the best collective pitching we have ever seen, the Tigers swept (!!!) the Yankees (!!!!!) in the ALCS at home and are advancing to the Big Show. Sure, the national media may be focusing more on the Yankees losing than our boys winning, but it's all good. Because we Tigers Faithful know what our team has done this year. We know how far they have come. Hell, a month ago our boys were 3 games out of the AL Central lead with 15 left to play, and many fans were calling it a season. But our team believed. And we believed. And we got to witness an absolute blowout last night, highlighted by great pitching by Max Scherzer and Phil Coke and booming offense courtesy of four home runs.
Speaking of Phil Coke, how awesome is it to see him step up in such clutch situations? The last three games were closed by him, two of those being two-innings worth of work. When he spiked his glove (which he later referred to as a "she") for the final out, we lost it. Actually, we were losing it from the moment Prince Fielder caught that ball and our boys stormed the field.
We're going to the World Series. The Detroit Tigers are going to the World Series. It doesn't seem real. Sure, the three of us have supported the team all year and never gave up the faith and all that jazz, but we didn't know they could ever win the American League in such a dominant fashion. All year the team has been trying to find their groove, and they found it at just the right time. Cabrera won the Triple Crown. Our starting pitchers, all around the same time, started not just getting good, but getting really good. And our hitters, while not being the most bombastic offense ever, actually started to get clutch hits and rally. It all pieced together at the same time.
And while we're very happy/surprised for Delmon Young, the real MVP has to go to the Fab Four: Fister, Sanchez, Verlander, and Scherzer. Two runs given up? Total? In four games? Against the Yankees?!?!? Granted, whoever the Tigers face in the World Series is going to be a tougher offensively, but still. So. Freaking. Impressive.
We're so, so happy for our boys. We're so happy for Jim Leyland. We're happy for the organization, the fans, and especially the city of Detroit. And the best part?
We ain't done yet.
This isn't 2006 anymore. Our boys don't just want to make it to the World Series: they want it all. As exciting and emotional as this season has been, it can still get better. And we can't wait to see what happens next.
Showing posts with label #Winning. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #Winning. Show all posts
Saturday, October 20, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
ALCS Game 1: Never Say Die
What a game.
How do you even begin with this one? Where do we even start? The story lines in this postseason drama were all over the place. But we will say one thing for starters: we are proud of our boys. So. Goddamn. Proud.
Doug Fister pitched amazing. Terrifyingly, but amazing. Boy got out of not one, not two, but three bases loaded jams in the first six innings. To add more drama/fear in our hearts, he took a hard hit ball of his wrist in the third that looked like it had "Season Over" written all over it. But he is (or at least appears to be) fine. Someone else, however, really is not (more on that later).
After Dougie left in the 6th, our boys in innings 7-8.5 were excellent. Runs were scored with clutch hitting (oh, HEY, Delmon Young!), great defensive plays were made (Juh-honny! A-Jax!) and solid bullpen relief was thrown (Coke! Benoit!). Really, really good baseball put the good guys up 4-0. With Valverde coming in to pitch the 9th, we smiled to ourselves, satisfied. Even HE couldn't mess up twice in a row, right? Even HE could protect a 4-run lead!
Except he didn't.
Our stomachs sank as the Potato, whom we had so trusted in last year's postseason appearances, gave up a two run homer to Ichiro Suzuki. Our jaws dropped as Jim Leyland left Valverde in the game to face Mark Teixeira and Raul Ibanez, two people who have been known to hit a few home runs in their day. And then our hearts broke as Valverde walked Teixeira and subsequently gave up a game-tying home run to Ibanez.
We fumed. We raged. We were devastated. Twitter was in an uproar, with many declaring the game to be lost. Most were, at the very least, calling for the removal of Valverde as closer and speaking out against the horrible managerial choice that Jim Leyland made (and rightfully so). Not many were optimistic about a win.
No one told that to the other 24 Tigers on the playoff roster.
Sure, they looked hella frustrated. JV grimaced furiously, murder in his eyes. Miggy punched a water cooler (and AJax tried to right it). Fister seemed to be in stunned disbelief. But they rallied. They fought. And, through stellar pitching from Octavio Dotel and Drew Smyly and clutch hitting and poor defense from the Yankees, they won.
Talk about grit. Talk about guts. Talk about a team that wants this. If anything, this season has prepared our boys on how to take the tough blows that games can deal out and how to rally. If taking your lumps in the regular season equates to being graceful under pressure in the postseason, then the Tigers narrow win over the White Sox for the Central Crown was so, so worth it. That was one of the best wins of the season for many reasons, but mostly because they did it as a TEAM. One star alone rarely wins the game by himself.
Speaking of stars, the extended game, which initially gave so much joy to the Yankee fans, later caused them immense, horrible pain as the Captain himself went down with a broken ankle. As much as we like to jest and overdramatize here at April in the D, we didn't want to see Jeter go like this. We hope he has a speed recovery.
Winning Game 1 puts our boys in an awesome position. With Verlander pitching Game 3 at home, today's game looks pretty much like do-or-die for the Yankees. As much as we hate them (and as much as we loved Nick Swisher making an ass out of himself in the outfield last night. Hee hee!), we understand that they are a GOOD TEAM. Just because Jeter is gone does not mean they're going to roll over for us.
This series is off to a very dramatic start. It doesn't do wonders for our blood pressure, but this is what the playoffs are all about. Drama. Action.Romance Heartbreak. Victory. All have appeared in the series so far--and we've only seen one game!
Now buckle up kids…it's on to Game 2!!!
How do you even begin with this one? Where do we even start? The story lines in this postseason drama were all over the place. But we will say one thing for starters: we are proud of our boys. So. Goddamn. Proud.
Doug Fister pitched amazing. Terrifyingly, but amazing. Boy got out of not one, not two, but three bases loaded jams in the first six innings. To add more drama/fear in our hearts, he took a hard hit ball of his wrist in the third that looked like it had "Season Over" written all over it. But he is (or at least appears to be) fine. Someone else, however, really is not (more on that later).
After Dougie left in the 6th, our boys in innings 7-8.5 were excellent. Runs were scored with clutch hitting (oh, HEY, Delmon Young!), great defensive plays were made (Juh-honny! A-Jax!) and solid bullpen relief was thrown (Coke! Benoit!). Really, really good baseball put the good guys up 4-0. With Valverde coming in to pitch the 9th, we smiled to ourselves, satisfied. Even HE couldn't mess up twice in a row, right? Even HE could protect a 4-run lead!
Except he didn't.
Our stomachs sank as the Potato, whom we had so trusted in last year's postseason appearances, gave up a two run homer to Ichiro Suzuki. Our jaws dropped as Jim Leyland left Valverde in the game to face Mark Teixeira and Raul Ibanez, two people who have been known to hit a few home runs in their day. And then our hearts broke as Valverde walked Teixeira and subsequently gave up a game-tying home run to Ibanez.
We fumed. We raged. We were devastated. Twitter was in an uproar, with many declaring the game to be lost. Most were, at the very least, calling for the removal of Valverde as closer and speaking out against the horrible managerial choice that Jim Leyland made (and rightfully so). Not many were optimistic about a win.
No one told that to the other 24 Tigers on the playoff roster.
Sure, they looked hella frustrated. JV grimaced furiously, murder in his eyes. Miggy punched a water cooler (and AJax tried to right it). Fister seemed to be in stunned disbelief. But they rallied. They fought. And, through stellar pitching from Octavio Dotel and Drew Smyly and clutch hitting and poor defense from the Yankees, they won.
Talk about grit. Talk about guts. Talk about a team that wants this. If anything, this season has prepared our boys on how to take the tough blows that games can deal out and how to rally. If taking your lumps in the regular season equates to being graceful under pressure in the postseason, then the Tigers narrow win over the White Sox for the Central Crown was so, so worth it. That was one of the best wins of the season for many reasons, but mostly because they did it as a TEAM. One star alone rarely wins the game by himself.
Speaking of stars, the extended game, which initially gave so much joy to the Yankee fans, later caused them immense, horrible pain as the Captain himself went down with a broken ankle. As much as we like to jest and overdramatize here at April in the D, we didn't want to see Jeter go like this. We hope he has a speed recovery.
Winning Game 1 puts our boys in an awesome position. With Verlander pitching Game 3 at home, today's game looks pretty much like do-or-die for the Yankees. As much as we hate them (and as much as we loved Nick Swisher making an ass out of himself in the outfield last night. Hee hee!), we understand that they are a GOOD TEAM. Just because Jeter is gone does not mean they're going to roll over for us.
This series is off to a very dramatic start. It doesn't do wonders for our blood pressure, but this is what the playoffs are all about. Drama. Action.
Now buckle up kids…it's on to Game 2!!!
Friday, October 12, 2012
ALDS Roller Coaster: Games 3, 4, and 5
Well everyone, it wouldn't be the Tigers if it wasn't dramatic, right? At least our boys are consistent in making our hearts stop! What matters now isn't that we lost two games in the middle, but that the Tigers are going to the ALCS to face the hated New York Yankees. Just saying that surprises us a little. A few weeks ago, it didn't look to likely that we'd be here, but now that we're here, we look good.
So, let's talk about the games shall we?
Game 3: Athletics-2 Tigers-0
This was kind of disheartening to watch. No one wants to be shut out in the post-season, especially when it the series win was just dangling there for the taking like a carrot on a stick. It felt especially disheartening for us Tigers fans because we've only been shut out twice this season, which is the lowest shutout rate in the majors. There were a few positives about this game though, despite the fact that we lost.Annabelle Anibal Sanchez looked really good out there. He made a couple of mistakes that cost him early in the game, but the A's are a talented team, and holding them to two runs was a pretty impressive feat. Prince Fielder came very close to scoring for us, but he got robbed by an impressive outfield play by Coco Crisp. Another promising sign was that Juh-honny Peralta got on base THRICE. Is this a sign that dormant Juh-honny is awakening? Probably not, but we hope so!
Game 4: Athletics-4 Tigers-3
Our reaction to game four was to reach for the nearest cyanide packet. To come so close to making it to the ALCS was particularly disheartening, especially considering the impressive efforts of Max Scherzer, Alex Avila, and Avisail Garcia. We were winning 3-0 for Christ's sake! We had the sparkling wine out and ready! But then it all went to hell when Valverde came on the mound. To be fair to Jim Leyland, there really wasn't another choice. Valverde was 19-20 during regular season save opportunities, so who are you going to put on the mound during the division series in a save situation? Your closer? Or Kid F**king Rick who's never pitched in a save situation in his life? Phil Coke and Joaquin Benoit were available too, but we'd be calling for Leyland's head regardless of who pitched that terrible ninth and lost it for us. We don't want to talk about it anymore. It was a dark time for us all.
Game 5: Tigers-6 Athletics-0
This was one of the best games we as Tigers fans have ever had the pleasure to watch. Justin Verlander proved for the 120380523568th time why he is the ace of our pitching staff, pitching a complete game shut out with eleven (count 'em, eleven) strikeouts. JV said after that it was the game he was most proud of as a pitcher, including his no-hitters, and we can see why. Watching those A's swing and miss at his filthy pitches was absolutely joyful. In the third game, our hitting failed us, and in the fourth game our pitching failed us, but Game 5 showed Tigers fans just exactly what can happen when all of the Tigers are on. The A's were a great opponent, but when Justin Verlander pitches like that, nobody stands much of a chance. Our hitting manufactured plenty of runs for Justin to play with, but in the end, all he needed was one. Sorry to play the spoiler, A's, but the Tigers are heading to the ALCS!
So. Tomorrow the Tigers take on the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in what will likely be an epic rematch of last years dramatic ALDS. The Yankees are definitely looking for blood, but for some reason, we're pretty happy here at April in the D that it's the Yankees and not the O's. It'll make reaching the World Series that much sweeter. Perhaps we do have the worst record out of any team that made the post-season, but at this point, the regular season is in the past. What matters now is the tools we have, and the Tigers have threats in excess. Doug, Max, Ani, and Justin each showed just what exactly they can do on the mound, and we have faith that the Tigers offense will come through when it counts.
TO THE ALCS WE GO! (Congrats to those of you who have tickets to the games. Get loud and show everyone just what exactly the D is made of!)
So, let's talk about the games shall we?
Game 3: Athletics-2 Tigers-0
This was kind of disheartening to watch. No one wants to be shut out in the post-season, especially when it the series win was just dangling there for the taking like a carrot on a stick. It felt especially disheartening for us Tigers fans because we've only been shut out twice this season, which is the lowest shutout rate in the majors. There were a few positives about this game though, despite the fact that we lost.
Game 4: Athletics-4 Tigers-3
Our reaction to game four was to reach for the nearest cyanide packet. To come so close to making it to the ALCS was particularly disheartening, especially considering the impressive efforts of Max Scherzer, Alex Avila, and Avisail Garcia. We were winning 3-0 for Christ's sake! We had the sparkling wine out and ready! But then it all went to hell when Valverde came on the mound. To be fair to Jim Leyland, there really wasn't another choice. Valverde was 19-20 during regular season save opportunities, so who are you going to put on the mound during the division series in a save situation? Your closer? Or Kid F**king Rick who's never pitched in a save situation in his life? Phil Coke and Joaquin Benoit were available too, but we'd be calling for Leyland's head regardless of who pitched that terrible ninth and lost it for us. We don't want to talk about it anymore. It was a dark time for us all.
Game 5: Tigers-6 Athletics-0
This was one of the best games we as Tigers fans have ever had the pleasure to watch. Justin Verlander proved for the 120380523568th time why he is the ace of our pitching staff, pitching a complete game shut out with eleven (count 'em, eleven) strikeouts. JV said after that it was the game he was most proud of as a pitcher, including his no-hitters, and we can see why. Watching those A's swing and miss at his filthy pitches was absolutely joyful. In the third game, our hitting failed us, and in the fourth game our pitching failed us, but Game 5 showed Tigers fans just exactly what can happen when all of the Tigers are on. The A's were a great opponent, but when Justin Verlander pitches like that, nobody stands much of a chance. Our hitting manufactured plenty of runs for Justin to play with, but in the end, all he needed was one. Sorry to play the spoiler, A's, but the Tigers are heading to the ALCS!
So. Tomorrow the Tigers take on the Yankees at Yankee Stadium in what will likely be an epic rematch of last years dramatic ALDS. The Yankees are definitely looking for blood, but for some reason, we're pretty happy here at April in the D that it's the Yankees and not the O's. It'll make reaching the World Series that much sweeter. Perhaps we do have the worst record out of any team that made the post-season, but at this point, the regular season is in the past. What matters now is the tools we have, and the Tigers have threats in excess. Doug, Max, Ani, and Justin each showed just what exactly they can do on the mound, and we have faith that the Tigers offense will come through when it counts.
TO THE ALCS WE GO! (Congrats to those of you who have tickets to the games. Get loud and show everyone just what exactly the D is made of!)
Monday, August 6, 2012
Sweep That Dirt Off Yo Shoulder
Wow. Wow. WOW.
There is not much to say that hasn't already been said about yesterday's game. At the very least, it was the best game of the year for our boys. At the very most, it was one of the best comeback wins in the MLB for the entire season and the catalyst that will give the team the final push they need to surge ahead in the division for good.
Can we just talk for a second about the Indians? Sure, they were on a downward spiral anyways, they're no where near as good as the White Sox, and we'd already won the series. Whatever. That win was not only an amazing, 2-out comeback against a good closer, but the Tigers also basically slammed the door shut on the Tribe's playoff hopes in demoralizing, heart-breaking fashion.
Not surprisingly, this ridiculous win reminds us of a game the Tigers won last year, albeit a little differently: our boys came back from seven runs down to hit a walk-off (courtesy of Miguel Cabrera) against the White Sox. Our boys later went on to clobber them the next day and eventually sweep the team basically out of playoff contention. Sound familiar at all? Sure, we still have to deal with the Sox, but we can--and will!--get to them.
This win, and subsequent sweep, was also glorious redemption for the way the Tigers have been playing as of late. Series losses against Toronto and Boston aren't exactly encouraging signs, but the Tigers are playing magnificently at home, which bodes well for the four-gamer against New York.
Now it's time to just geek out over that win--and can we just talk about all the friendship/camaraderie/LOVE that was on display???
First--Miguel Cabrera. Unbelievable. He's not even at full health and he's hitting walk-offs like it's just another day. Well, for him we guess it is just another day. And of course, being the super awesome Super Teammate Miggy Poco that he is, he tries to give Austin Jackson all the credit and make it not about himself. Yes, Miggy, we know that Austin and Omar Infante started the rally and went 4-6 and was incredible, but YOU, good sir, finished that game for us. So clutch. And who could not have cracked a smile over the Best Bromance Ever that was on display immediately after the walk-off? We're talking, of course, about Miggy + Prince Fo Eva. So adorable. So much win!
This team is set to make a run for AL Central Champion. If we keep playing like this, no one is going to stop us.
There is not much to say that hasn't already been said about yesterday's game. At the very least, it was the best game of the year for our boys. At the very most, it was one of the best comeback wins in the MLB for the entire season and the catalyst that will give the team the final push they need to surge ahead in the division for good.
Can we just talk for a second about the Indians? Sure, they were on a downward spiral anyways, they're no where near as good as the White Sox, and we'd already won the series. Whatever. That win was not only an amazing, 2-out comeback against a good closer, but the Tigers also basically slammed the door shut on the Tribe's playoff hopes in demoralizing, heart-breaking fashion.
Not surprisingly, this ridiculous win reminds us of a game the Tigers won last year, albeit a little differently: our boys came back from seven runs down to hit a walk-off (courtesy of Miguel Cabrera) against the White Sox. Our boys later went on to clobber them the next day and eventually sweep the team basically out of playoff contention. Sound familiar at all? Sure, we still have to deal with the Sox, but we can--and will!--get to them.
This win, and subsequent sweep, was also glorious redemption for the way the Tigers have been playing as of late. Series losses against Toronto and Boston aren't exactly encouraging signs, but the Tigers are playing magnificently at home, which bodes well for the four-gamer against New York.
Now it's time to just geek out over that win--and can we just talk about all the friendship/camaraderie/LOVE that was on display???
First--Miguel Cabrera. Unbelievable. He's not even at full health and he's hitting walk-offs like it's just another day. Well, for him we guess it is just another day. And of course, being the super awesome Super Teammate Miggy Poco that he is, he tries to give Austin Jackson all the credit and make it not about himself. Yes, Miggy, we know that Austin and Omar Infante started the rally and went 4-6 and was incredible, but YOU, good sir, finished that game for us. So clutch. And who could not have cracked a smile over the Best Bromance Ever that was on display immediately after the walk-off? We're talking, of course, about Miggy + Prince Fo Eva. So adorable. So much win!
This team is set to make a run for AL Central Champion. If we keep playing like this, no one is going to stop us.
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!
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.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Ball So Hard
You hear that?
You hear that, Cleveland Indians? Hear it, Chicago White Sox? That noise coming closer and closer? Yeah. That's the sound of the Detroit Tigers catching up to you. That's the sound of a change in the Baseball Tide. That is the sound of a team clicking for the first time since opening week.
We've won three series in a row and 6 of the past 9 games. Now it's time for our team to show their talents off to the St. Louis Cardinals--a good team, but certainly one we can beat, especially at home. With Octavio Dotel off the DL and Alex Avila back this weekend, our team is finally, finally, FINALLY coming back in full force.
For the first time since opening week we are optimistic and happy with how our team is playing. Of course, this could mean they will suddenly go on a 10-game slide, but we honestly don't think they will. In that last series against the Rockies, our team looked good, and better yet, dangerous.
We also hear the ever-annoying sound of the bandwagon fans clamoring around, waiting for our Tigers to pounce into first place so they can clamor on board as usual, pretending like they never left. Whatever. We've had confidence in this bunch the entire time.
We're not saying that our boys are about to go on a 20-game winning streak and win the AL Central by August, but we are expecting that THIS is what it will take to finally turn the corner. So kick, back, relax, and watch the show. It's about to be an interesting series.
You hear that, Cleveland Indians? Hear it, Chicago White Sox? That noise coming closer and closer? Yeah. That's the sound of the Detroit Tigers catching up to you. That's the sound of a change in the Baseball Tide. That is the sound of a team clicking for the first time since opening week.
We've won three series in a row and 6 of the past 9 games. Now it's time for our team to show their talents off to the St. Louis Cardinals--a good team, but certainly one we can beat, especially at home. With Octavio Dotel off the DL and Alex Avila back this weekend, our team is finally, finally, FINALLY coming back in full force.
For the first time since opening week we are optimistic and happy with how our team is playing. Of course, this could mean they will suddenly go on a 10-game slide, but we honestly don't think they will. In that last series against the Rockies, our team looked good, and better yet, dangerous.
We also hear the ever-annoying sound of the bandwagon fans clamoring around, waiting for our Tigers to pounce into first place so they can clamor on board as usual, pretending like they never left. Whatever. We've had confidence in this bunch the entire time.
We're not saying that our boys are about to go on a 20-game winning streak and win the AL Central by August, but we are expecting that THIS is what it will take to finally turn the corner. So kick, back, relax, and watch the show. It's about to be an interesting series.
Friday, April 13, 2012
A Recap from Rosie
After facing the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays, our Beloveds are 5-1. Did you predict that?
I think it is safe to say that we have the potential to rock this year. Despite the catastrophic what-the-f***-are-you-doing-Justin blow up that was the 9th inning the second game with the Rays, I'm so proud of our boys. They've really been making the world a better place for us Tiger fans recently.
Have a really hard day at work? It's ok, the Tigers are on TV and they're winning. Have a hard exam at school? It's fine, because the comedy duo that is Rod and Mario will put a smile on your face in two seconds flat. Feeling like crap because your boyfriend broke up with you? It's cool gurl! As we speak there is a stunning shot of JV's perky baseball behind filling your screen. His pitching is pretty wonderful too, I guess. The Tigers have been the cure-all for every evil and there have only been five games. That's right. Let that sink in. We are only five games into the season.
Have a really hard day at work? It's ok, the Tigers are on TV and they're winning. Have a hard exam at school? It's fine, because the comedy duo that is Rod and Mario will put a smile on your face in two seconds flat. Feeling like crap because your boyfriend broke up with you? It's cool gurl! As we speak there is a stunning shot of JV's perky baseball behind filling your screen. His pitching is pretty wonderful too, I guess. The Tigers have been the cure-all for every evil and there have only been five games. That's right. Let that sink in. We are only five games into the season.
Think about what that means, folks. Even though JV hasn't gotten the wins, you just need to look at the stats. Opening day was a two-hitter. It was a shame he couldn't get the W, but his pitches were masterful. Wednesday was the same. He threw 83 pitches and allowed ONE HIT in eight innings. It was sick. It was nasty. It was freaking beautiful. We have a winning horse, and we know it, and everyone else know's it, and he's only just left the gate. Isn't he supposed to have kind of a down month in April as well?
Then there is Porcello. He is not only a gorgeous specimen of man, but he looks like, this year, he'll be a gorgeous specimen of pitcher, too. He allowed 2 runs in his 5 innings. Not too shabby for the first time out. AND SMYLY! Besides some first inning shakiness, he did stellar in his Big League debut. He allowed only one run in his four innings, and the boys showed up to support him. WELL DONE.
Scherzer. Well. This is a happy, lighthearted post, and it's still early, so........well done bullpen! Glad to know you've got what it takes to save our starters when they implode. But in all seriousness, we think Scherzer will right himself, and when Fister comes back, our starting lineup will definitely get those wins they so justly deserve.
Then there is Porcello. He is not only a gorgeous specimen of man, but he looks like, this year, he'll be a gorgeous specimen of pitcher, too. He allowed 2 runs in his 5 innings. Not too shabby for the first time out. AND SMYLY! Besides some first inning shakiness, he did stellar in his Big League debut. He allowed only one run in his four innings, and the boys showed up to support him. WELL DONE.
Scherzer. Well. This is a happy, lighthearted post, and it's still early, so........well done bullpen! Glad to know you've got what it takes to save our starters when they implode. But in all seriousness, we think Scherzer will right himself, and when Fister comes back, our starting lineup will definitely get those wins they so justly deserve.
Our hitters are stellar as well. AJax, Juh-honny, Brennan, Andy: they're ALL HITTING. Good ol' Lloyd is surely sleeping well at night, and he's a saint for what he did with Austin, who's playing out of his mind. Everyone is contributing, and it seems like whenever we get one or two men on we are actually sending them HOME. Our Big Three Hitters, Miggy, Prince, and Avila, seem to be having their own private home run derby that none of the opposing pitchers knew about. It's kind of scary admitting it out loud, and I feel like a need a block of wood, or a tree, or an entire forest to knock on, but our team is looking scary good. It's really nice looking at the leader boards for the AL and seeing a player from the D on every one, if they aren't at the very top. if Our pitchers are pitching (nastily), our hitters are hitting (consistently), and the team chemistry and handshakes are alive and well. We rule.
It is really, really fun being a Tigers fan right now. Do you think we can keep it up all season long? I do. Sure well have our dips and trouble spots and (hopefully minor) injuries, but this shouldn't be too big of a problem.
I think everyone is starting to realize that the Tigers are one of the strongest forces to be reckoned with. Other teams will try to rise to the occasion, but I believe our boys can make them fail. It's time everyone realized that this powerhouse team is here to stay.
Oh, and as always, follow us on twitter at @April_in_the_D !!!!
I think everyone is starting to realize that the Tigers are one of the strongest forces to be reckoned with. Other teams will try to rise to the occasion, but I believe our boys can make them fail. It's time everyone realized that this powerhouse team is here to stay.
Oh, and as always, follow us on twitter at @April_in_the_D !!!!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Dave Dombrowski is a Sly, Sly, Dog...
...and we LOVE it!
In case you have no Twitter, no Facebook, and you haven't checked the Tigers' homepage in a few days, Prince Fielder is coming to Detroit!
This was probably the best kept secret in all of baseball because it surprised literally everyone. According to the idiots at ESPN, Jim Leyland didn't even know about the deal. All of a sudden, Detroit baseball is on the map. The major sports news teams are all abuzz about how amazing we will be in the years to come. We have the pitching, we have the hitting, and now, with Prince, we have the power! Apparently, he will hit behind Cabrera in the lineup, replacing poor, injured Victor, and Miggy and Prince will split first base and DH.
The best and worst part about this deal? The length. The deal is for NINE years, and 214 million dollars. This is excellent because Prince is a career .280 hitter, with an OPS of just under one. He hits with a lot of power, and if he's hitting behind Cabrera in the lineup, then Cabby will get a lot of on bases. Cabby/Prince could be the best one-two punch in the American League, if not all of baseball. The negative to this is that if Prince can't make the adjustment to the Tigers, we're saddled with a very expensive benchwarmer. We think it's an excellent move, however. The tigers get a great DH to replace Victor Martinez, and when Victor comes back, we will most likely have the best hitting lineup in baseball.
Another great thing about Prince Fielder is that he's the son of Cecil Fielder, who played in Detroit for seven years. Prince spent a large part of his childhood in the Detroit, and was certainly at one point in his life a tigers fan. Love of the organization might make his transition here easier. We're expecting more dugout shenanigans and hopefully another large personality on the team.
What does all this mean for Detroit? Only good things. We have an amazing pitching staff inVerlander, Fister, Porcello, Scherzer, Valverde, Coke, and Aburquerque, and we have some of the best hitters in baseball in Cabrera, Peralta, Avila (and least for a catcher), and now Prince. We also have three of the biggest stars in the game: Fielder, Cabrera, and Verlander. This all will put Detroit on the map in terms of both skill and star power, and we might have more exposure on the nation networks. (We can dream, right?)
We have to tip our caps to Dave Dombrowski for orchestrating what was probably a last minute trade in response to Victor's ACL injury. Bravo, Dave, and welcome home, Sweet Prince!
P.S. We screamed for a full 30 seconds when we saw this, no joke. WE HAVE PRINCE FIELDER, SUCKAS!
In case you have no Twitter, no Facebook, and you haven't checked the Tigers' homepage in a few days, Prince Fielder is coming to Detroit!
This was probably the best kept secret in all of baseball because it surprised literally everyone. According to the idiots at ESPN, Jim Leyland didn't even know about the deal. All of a sudden, Detroit baseball is on the map. The major sports news teams are all abuzz about how amazing we will be in the years to come. We have the pitching, we have the hitting, and now, with Prince, we have the power! Apparently, he will hit behind Cabrera in the lineup, replacing poor, injured Victor, and Miggy and Prince will split first base and DH.
The best and worst part about this deal? The length. The deal is for NINE years, and 214 million dollars. This is excellent because Prince is a career .280 hitter, with an OPS of just under one. He hits with a lot of power, and if he's hitting behind Cabrera in the lineup, then Cabby will get a lot of on bases. Cabby/Prince could be the best one-two punch in the American League, if not all of baseball. The negative to this is that if Prince can't make the adjustment to the Tigers, we're saddled with a very expensive benchwarmer. We think it's an excellent move, however. The tigers get a great DH to replace Victor Martinez, and when Victor comes back, we will most likely have the best hitting lineup in baseball.
Another great thing about Prince Fielder is that he's the son of Cecil Fielder, who played in Detroit for seven years. Prince spent a large part of his childhood in the Detroit, and was certainly at one point in his life a tigers fan. Love of the organization might make his transition here easier. We're expecting more dugout shenanigans and hopefully another large personality on the team.
What does all this mean for Detroit? Only good things. We have an amazing pitching staff inVerlander, Fister, Porcello, Scherzer, Valverde, Coke, and Aburquerque, and we have some of the best hitters in baseball in Cabrera, Peralta, Avila (and least for a catcher), and now Prince. We also have three of the biggest stars in the game: Fielder, Cabrera, and Verlander. This all will put Detroit on the map in terms of both skill and star power, and we might have more exposure on the nation networks. (We can dream, right?)
We have to tip our caps to Dave Dombrowski for orchestrating what was probably a last minute trade in response to Victor's ACL injury. Bravo, Dave, and welcome home, Sweet Prince!
P.S. We screamed for a full 30 seconds when we saw this, no joke. WE HAVE PRINCE FIELDER, SUCKAS!
Monday, December 5, 2011
DIBS!
So, a lot of you guys probably know about Bless You Boy's annual DIBS (Detroit Independent Baseball Scribes) Awards, celebrating a plethora of Tigers achievements throughout the season. Well, for some reason, they let the three of us join the fun this year, and we got to weigh in on who won the awards.
(There was also an opportunity for us to create our own categories. We had some ideas, but we didn't think our fellow bloggers--especially the male ones--would appreciate voting on the "Most Stunning Physique" award.)
Without further ado, here are the winners in their respective categories, with additional commentary on who we voted for and why!
Most Valuable Tiger
Winner: Justin Verlander
Our Choice: Justin Verlander
MVP, Cy Young Award Winner, Triple Crown champ--there is no other person who made more of an impact on not only our team, but the whole league. The obvious choice.
Best Rookie
Winner: Al Alburquerque
Our Choice: Al Alburquerque
Since Al Al's only competition was Andy "Run-Forest-Run" Dirks, this was another obvious choice. It should be mentioned that Al was quite the surprise this year, and we look forward towatching him become the next Joel Zumaya seeing him make hitters look like absolute fools next year.
Best Role Player
Winner: Ramon Santiago
Our Choice…Alex Avila (Ramon Santiago)
We make fun of people for acting like idiots, so we should just go ahead and laugh at ourselves right now. We misread the category and voted for Avila, but if we weren't so dumb we would have voted for Ramon. He is very solid defensively at both short and second, and while Some People (Read: Don Kelly) play more positions, that doesn't mean they play all those positions that well.
Best Moment
Winner: Austin Jackson Double-Play
Out Choice: ALDS Game 5 Win
There were so many great, unforgettable moments this season. Jackson's DP. Raburn and Cabrera's home runs to come back from 7 down against the White Sox. Verlander's no-hitter. But in the end, for us at least, there was never a moment where we were more proud of our team than when Valverde struck out A-Rod to beat the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Where everyone and their mother said we would lose. It was truly a team effort, and an exciting game we could watch over and over again.
Team Clown
Winner: Phil Coke
Our Choice: Phil Coke
Obviously there is no one else who could take this title away from insane Phil Coke. This is the man who, when we were at the ALCS, ran over to the tarp-covered field and literally started throwing water in the air (much to the delight of the two of us and the rest of the rain-soaked crowd). We love you Phil. Never change!
Best Hair
Winner: Alex Avila
Our Choice: Alex Avila
We're sure balding men everywhere, when not making fun of his ridiculously fast beard growth, are bemoaning the fact that they can't have as much hair as Avila. It's certainly entertaining for us to literally watch his five-o-clock shadow become noticeably darker by the end of a game!
Tiger's Organization Name of the Year
Winner: Doug Fister
Our Choice: Doug Fister
Ha. Hahahahaha. Poor Dougie. Let him take solace in knowing that he freaking rocks at throwing a baseball and makes millions. That should dull the pain.
Goofiest Moment
Winner: 3-way tie
Our Choice: Don Kelly igniting in flames
Justin Verlander should get a medal for that. Supposedly the real victim was supposed to be poor sweet Bumble Below, but since DK is loveably oblivious, he got hot-footed instead.
Best Victor Martinez
Winner: Senior
Our Choice: BOTH
Aw, come on, we know the answer is Victor Martinez Sr…but who can resist that face?!?! Too cute.
That was fun, kids. Now we go back to "studying for finals"when what we're really doing is obsessively checking Twitter for news on whats happening in the Winter Meetings. College Student
Problems…
(There was also an opportunity for us to create our own categories. We had some ideas, but we didn't think our fellow bloggers--especially the male ones--would appreciate voting on the "Most Stunning Physique" award.)
Without further ado, here are the winners in their respective categories, with additional commentary on who we voted for and why!
Most Valuable Tiger
Winner: Justin Verlander
Our Choice: Justin Verlander
MVP, Cy Young Award Winner, Triple Crown champ--there is no other person who made more of an impact on not only our team, but the whole league. The obvious choice.
Best Rookie
Winner: Al Alburquerque
Our Choice: Al Alburquerque
Since Al Al's only competition was Andy "Run-Forest-Run" Dirks, this was another obvious choice. It should be mentioned that Al was quite the surprise this year, and we look forward to
Best Role Player
Winner: Ramon Santiago
Our Choice…Alex Avila (Ramon Santiago)
We make fun of people for acting like idiots, so we should just go ahead and laugh at ourselves right now. We misread the category and voted for Avila, but if we weren't so dumb we would have voted for Ramon. He is very solid defensively at both short and second, and while Some People (Read: Don Kelly) play more positions, that doesn't mean they play all those positions that well.
Best Moment
Winner: Austin Jackson Double-Play
Out Choice: ALDS Game 5 Win
There were so many great, unforgettable moments this season. Jackson's DP. Raburn and Cabrera's home runs to come back from 7 down against the White Sox. Verlander's no-hitter. But in the end, for us at least, there was never a moment where we were more proud of our team than when Valverde struck out A-Rod to beat the Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Where everyone and their mother said we would lose. It was truly a team effort, and an exciting game we could watch over and over again.
Team Clown
Winner: Phil Coke
Our Choice: Phil Coke
Obviously there is no one else who could take this title away from insane Phil Coke. This is the man who, when we were at the ALCS, ran over to the tarp-covered field and literally started throwing water in the air (much to the delight of the two of us and the rest of the rain-soaked crowd). We love you Phil. Never change!
Best Hair
Winner: Alex Avila
Our Choice: Alex Avila
We're sure balding men everywhere, when not making fun of his ridiculously fast beard growth, are bemoaning the fact that they can't have as much hair as Avila. It's certainly entertaining for us to literally watch his five-o-clock shadow become noticeably darker by the end of a game!
Tiger's Organization Name of the Year
Winner: Doug Fister
Our Choice: Doug Fister
Ha. Hahahahaha. Poor Dougie. Let him take solace in knowing that he freaking rocks at throwing a baseball and makes millions. That should dull the pain.
Goofiest Moment
Winner: 3-way tie
Our Choice: Don Kelly igniting in flames
Justin Verlander should get a medal for that. Supposedly the real victim was supposed to be poor sweet Bumble Below, but since DK is loveably oblivious, he got hot-footed instead.
Best Victor Martinez
Winner: Senior
Our Choice: BOTH
Aw, come on, we know the answer is Victor Martinez Sr…but who can resist that face?!?! Too cute.
That was fun, kids. Now we go back to "studying for finals"
Problems…
Monday, November 21, 2011
The Pride of Detroit
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| Swag. |
24 wins. 250 strikeouts. Cy Young Award. American League MVP.
Just another day for Justin Verlander, right?
Not quite. With his shiny new MVP trophy came the knowledge that JV is the first pitcher to win the award in 19 (!) years. That is pretty amazing, not only for Justin, who must be on cloud nine right now, but also for the Tigers organization and the city of Detroit.
Despite Cleveland writer's best efforts, JV has successfully bucked the trend of Tigers being shafted during awards season. And it's no wonder. With his absolutely dominating season, even ESPN realized there was baseball outside of New York or Boston. So suck on that, Curtis Granderson and Jacoby Ellsbury! Actually, New York fans from what we could tell have been pretty gracious. It's the whiny, still-hurting Sawx fans that are really upset. Not like we care. Not like Justin cares.
Obviously this means a lot to Justin. He himself said that "not even in his wildest dreams" did he think this could happen. We hope Tigers fans everywhere appreciate that not only is he one of the best pitchers that will ever come through the organization, but also that he is one of the most humble and generous. As soon as the award was announced he thanked the city of Detroit, his teammates, and the fans, and also said he was never prouder to "represent Detroit--city of resilience and pride." He then got #DetroitPride trending on Twitter in the United States in ten minutes.
Who else does this? How many athletes do you see these days putting the city and the fans, especially a city as down-on-its-luck as Detroit, before themselves, especially when they and they alone have accomplished so much? Most pros would not do that. In a sports world that has been bombarded lately with scandals and fines and crappy sportsmanship, it is refreshing and heartwarming to see one who, despite all his success, plays with his city and teammates in mind, not himself. It's even better to know that this man is a Tiger, and will be for a while.
It's so important that we fans appreciate his greatness, and never take it for granted. Players like Justin Verlander only come around every so often. Seasons like the one he just had are even rarer.
Congrats, Justin Verlander, 2011 MVP and Cy Young Award winner. You make Detroit proud.
Saturday, October 8, 2011
ALDS Game Five: How Sweet It Is
Game Cinco came off to an easy, relaxed start with back to back homers from DK and Delmon Young on back to back pitches from Nova. We were happy. Thrilled, and we thought to ourselves "wow, i hope the rest of the game goes like this!" It wasn't. Game Five inspired a lot of feelings in us, a lot of them unpleasent.
Nausea, tears, small heart attacks, and a ton of anxiety. We managed to get out of TWO bases loaded situations with only one out, and only ONE RUN scoring. That was incredible, and also hell on the nerves. The last inning, Papa Grande was flawless. It was a thing of beauty. All of that anxiety, nervousness, and ickiness, feelings that prevented the three of us from eating since the night before, all vanished and was replaced with sheer and utter joy. Our shrieks of gaiety could probably have been heard from Mars. And there was something about winning the ALDS against the hated Yankees that made it that much sweeter.
Everyone in their dugout looked so sad, and miserable. We loved it. Everyone at TBS seemed equally depressed, which made it that much more enjoyable. The adrenaline from that game kept us all up into the wee hours of the morning watching ESPN, laughing hysterically as Valverde got continually deluged in bubbly, seeing Little Victor partake in the champagne celebration with his father (who sent Ajax home with an RBI single as the key third run) listening to all the shmucks out there raving about the pure GENIUS of putting Don Kelly in the second slot, and agreeing fervently to accounts of how amazing Delmon Young is. Our boys deserved this so much, and we couldn't be happier for them. Nothing can rain on our parade, at least until tonight when we kick of the ALCS with the Rangers.
Speaking of, Laura and Megan will at Game Four. They'll be in section 138, row 2, so come say hello! Rosie will be stuck in Georgia screaming at the TV during the came and not at all trying to conceal her jealousy. This team definitely has what it takes to make it, and we can't wait. Suck it TBS and the Yankees, Let's Go Tigers!!! BEAT TEXAS.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
ALDS Game Three: We Heart Comerica (And Justin, And Ramon, And Delmon…)
Wow. Wow. Wow.
We didn't know what to do when Papa Grande got that final strikeout on The Captain. Scream? Laugh? Cry? Throw up? All were valid and understandable options, so if you did any of these (especially the last one), do not be ashamed. If you had a heart condition/panic disorder and you were watching this game, we send our condolences, because you are probably in the hospital right about now. But it was worth it. So, so worth it.
Where do we start? With Justin giving up those two early, early runs? With the Little Guys--Ramon Santiago, Brandon Inge, Don Kelly--coming up where our big sluggers fell short? With Justin coming back to completely dominate in the middle of the game? With Delmon Young hitting that go-ahead home-run? With the Big Potato walking two, then striking out Jeter for the final out?
Yeah. It was one of those kinds of games that so much exciting, scary, and thrilling stuff happens it leaves us curled in a little ball on the floor, rocking back and forth. Too much for our hearts to take!
You know what was the best part of that game though? Watching all of those Yankee fly balls that would have been homers in Yankee Stadium land harmlessly in the gloves of Tiger outfielders. Thank god the Tigers play in a REAL ballpark. Our outfield wall isn't 30 feet from home plate, unlike some stadiums we could mention! We know this has been said a lot, but seriously--Cabrera would be hitting 70 homers a year if he played in New York (GOD FORBID).
And we have to say it one more time: screw these goddamn TBS announcers. It's not just them sucking up to the Yankees anymore. It's the way they are insulting our team and then later looking like fools. Example: the three "professional" announcers light into Austin Jackson for not sac bunting. Next thing they know, he draws a walk. They then do the same to Ramon Santiago. What does he do? Oh, nothing, just hits an RBI single. I mean, please. Way to insult our player's poor decisions until after the at-bat. Our brains are bleeding just thinking about these jackasses.
Well! Tomorrow's the big day. Can we clinch it? Can Rick Porcello put on his Dr. Jekyll face and completely have his way with the Yankee lineup? Will we do as much damage off of A.J. Burnett as everyone says we will? I guess we'll find out.
Keep believing, Tiger Faithful. We can do this.
We didn't know what to do when Papa Grande got that final strikeout on The Captain. Scream? Laugh? Cry? Throw up? All were valid and understandable options, so if you did any of these (especially the last one), do not be ashamed. If you had a heart condition/panic disorder and you were watching this game, we send our condolences, because you are probably in the hospital right about now. But it was worth it. So, so worth it.
Where do we start? With Justin giving up those two early, early runs? With the Little Guys--Ramon Santiago, Brandon Inge, Don Kelly--coming up where our big sluggers fell short? With Justin coming back to completely dominate in the middle of the game? With Delmon Young hitting that go-ahead home-run? With the Big Potato walking two, then striking out Jeter for the final out?
Yeah. It was one of those kinds of games that so much exciting, scary, and thrilling stuff happens it leaves us curled in a little ball on the floor, rocking back and forth. Too much for our hearts to take!
You know what was the best part of that game though? Watching all of those Yankee fly balls that would have been homers in Yankee Stadium land harmlessly in the gloves of Tiger outfielders. Thank god the Tigers play in a REAL ballpark. Our outfield wall isn't 30 feet from home plate, unlike some stadiums we could mention! We know this has been said a lot, but seriously--Cabrera would be hitting 70 homers a year if he played in New York (GOD FORBID).
And we have to say it one more time: screw these goddamn TBS announcers. It's not just them sucking up to the Yankees anymore. It's the way they are insulting our team and then later looking like fools. Example: the three "professional" announcers light into Austin Jackson for not sac bunting. Next thing they know, he draws a walk. They then do the same to Ramon Santiago. What does he do? Oh, nothing, just hits an RBI single. I mean, please. Way to insult our player's poor decisions until after the at-bat. Our brains are bleeding just thinking about these jackasses.
Well! Tomorrow's the big day. Can we clinch it? Can Rick Porcello put on his Dr. Jekyll face and completely have his way with the Yankee lineup? Will we do as much damage off of A.J. Burnett as everyone says we will? I guess we'll find out.
Keep believing, Tiger Faithful. We can do this.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
Random Tigers Thoughts From Laura: Postseason Edition
Hello! It's been a while since I've done one of these. I'll try to keep the girlish dithering to a minimum...but, honestly! It'll be kind of hard what with all the amazing, exciting, unbelievable things that have been happening to our boys lately. Bear with me on the randomness, too; who knows what I'll write in my sleep-deprived, Tiger-loving, overexcited and overstressed state!
First off, lets go with something that is unrelated (for now) to our Tigers…
Breaking News: Braves lose to Phillies, blow Wild-Card lead, Cardinals in the Playoffs
Seriously? Can you believe this s%$^ ?
I know many people are excited to see this kind of historic collapse happen (especially to the unbearably cocky, unbelievably overpaid Red Sox), but it makes me have horrifying flashbacks to the dreaded Game 163 and the weeks leading up to it. Thank the Baseball Gods that our 2011 squad is completely different, but it makes me feel sad for the Braves to pull such an epic fail. And as I type, Sawx Nation is crying tears of entitled fury as Jonathan Papelbon blows the save with one out to go. Orioles win! My God! Though I blocked out most of that incredibly disappointing season, even I know that our boys weren't this pathetic.
Ohhhmygawd! Longoria homers! Tampa wins!!! Is this even real life?!!?!?! Can you say Biggest Collapse Ever??????
Ahem. In Other News, It's Time to Take Down the Yankees.
I am now so happy we're not playing those crazy Rays. I mean, holy hell. Besides, I like, if not love, our chances with Verlander andVerlander Pt. II Dougie going in Games 1 & 2 in New York. And sorry, Yanks, besides C.C., none of your pitchers can hold a candle to ours. I'm nervous for these games, but an excited, giggly sort of nervous. Now, if we were playing the Rays, I'd just be a blubbering, anxious mess. But not now. It's time to stick it to these pompous pricks from the Bronx (even you, Curtis!).
Miguel Cabrera. MVP.
Seriously. I mean those words. Not Justin Verlander (sorry dude). Not Jose Bautista. Definitely not Jacoby Ellsbury. Miguel Cabrera, the man who everyone said would succumb to his off-the-field issues. Miguel Cabrera, the guy who every sports writer in the country turned their backs on. Miguel Cabrera, the happiest, most huggable-looking guy in the clubhouse.
Well, guess what bitches? He just won the batting title. After being overshadowed all season by Adrian Gonzales.
That's right. All those jerks who said that Miggy was a failure or a lush or a distraction to the team can all shove it. If you couldn't tell, this particular topic is one I feel very strongly about. Even people who I thought were Tiger Faithful were turning their backs on our superstar. Well, here's the deal: without Cabrera, we wouldn't be going to the playoffs. He is the most feared hitter in baseball for a reason, and he seems to have gotten his off-the-field issues taken care of, not that it even matters. Sorry, haters…
PS-in addition to Miggy winning the batting title, Valverde has the most saves this year and Verlander won the AL Triple Crown. Sick. Just sick.
Oh Ozzie
Well, I'm not gonna go all Brandon Inge, Je T'aime on this one, but I'm actually going to miss this guy! He was always so freaking honest, and I just loved it when he would put his team down after we beat them. That was the best. So colorful, so inappropriate…so typically Chicago. I'm not sure who they're hiring to replace him, but anyone would look like a boring stiff in comparison to Oz. Oh, he will be missed. Good luck in Miami, buddy.
Random Random Ridiculousness
Ok, I know some of you who read this site are educated, serious, learned baseball lovers who, for some reason unbeknownst to me, come to this site to read the ramblings of three collegiate girls. But I also know some who come to this page do it for the fluff pieces! I stumbled upon this website a few months back and it is about as fluffy, ridiculous, and NSFW as a baseball site (or any site) can be. But if you're a girl (or just find baseball players attractive at all!) and you're not one of those stuffy conservative boring types who can't take somemajor inappropriateness, then GO. Go now. You'll see what I mean. Oh, but if any heterosexual guys read this site (unlikely)? I wouldn't click the link. I just wouldn't. You have been warned…
Before I go, a few things. We might be a little late on this, but I thought it would be cool if the three of us got a Twitter account so we could tweet our oft-hysterical reactions to the upcoming playoff games. Should we? Should we not? Who knows, it might be fun…
Oh, and if our boys make the ALCS? You can count on me and Megan being there. If they do actually make it, we'll tell you guys where we're at so if you see us you can say hello!
That's all from my end. Expect some MAJOR coverage as our boys take on those horrible Yanks on Friday and Saturday. And if you're bored, go watch that Evan Longoria walk-off clip again. Come on, you know you want to. It's so heartwarming! God, I love baseball...
First off, lets go with something that is unrelated (for now) to our Tigers…
Breaking News: Braves lose to Phillies, blow Wild-Card lead, Cardinals in the Playoffs
Seriously? Can you believe this s%$^ ?
I know many people are excited to see this kind of historic collapse happen (especially to the unbearably cocky, unbelievably overpaid Red Sox), but it makes me have horrifying flashbacks to the dreaded Game 163 and the weeks leading up to it. Thank the Baseball Gods that our 2011 squad is completely different, but it makes me feel sad for the Braves to pull such an epic fail. And as I type, Sawx Nation is crying tears of entitled fury as Jonathan Papelbon blows the save with one out to go. Orioles win! My God! Though I blocked out most of that incredibly disappointing season, even I know that our boys weren't this pathetic.
Ohhhmygawd! Longoria homers! Tampa wins!!! Is this even real life?!!?!?! Can you say Biggest Collapse Ever??????
Ahem. In Other News, It's Time to Take Down the Yankees.
I am now so happy we're not playing those crazy Rays. I mean, holy hell. Besides, I like, if not love, our chances with Verlander and
Miguel Cabrera. MVP.
Seriously. I mean those words. Not Justin Verlander (sorry dude). Not Jose Bautista. Definitely not Jacoby Ellsbury. Miguel Cabrera, the man who everyone said would succumb to his off-the-field issues. Miguel Cabrera, the guy who every sports writer in the country turned their backs on. Miguel Cabrera, the happiest, most huggable-looking guy in the clubhouse.
Well, guess what bitches? He just won the batting title. After being overshadowed all season by Adrian Gonzales.
That's right. All those jerks who said that Miggy was a failure or a lush or a distraction to the team can all shove it. If you couldn't tell, this particular topic is one I feel very strongly about. Even people who I thought were Tiger Faithful were turning their backs on our superstar. Well, here's the deal: without Cabrera, we wouldn't be going to the playoffs. He is the most feared hitter in baseball for a reason, and he seems to have gotten his off-the-field issues taken care of, not that it even matters. Sorry, haters…
PS-in addition to Miggy winning the batting title, Valverde has the most saves this year and Verlander won the AL Triple Crown. Sick. Just sick.
Oh Ozzie
Well, I'm not gonna go all Brandon Inge, Je T'aime on this one, but I'm actually going to miss this guy! He was always so freaking honest, and I just loved it when he would put his team down after we beat them. That was the best. So colorful, so inappropriate…so typically Chicago. I'm not sure who they're hiring to replace him, but anyone would look like a boring stiff in comparison to Oz. Oh, he will be missed. Good luck in Miami, buddy.
Random Random Ridiculousness
Ok, I know some of you who read this site are educated, serious, learned baseball lovers who, for some reason unbeknownst to me, come to this site to read the ramblings of three collegiate girls. But I also know some who come to this page do it for the fluff pieces! I stumbled upon this website a few months back and it is about as fluffy, ridiculous, and NSFW as a baseball site (or any site) can be. But if you're a girl (or just find baseball players attractive at all!) and you're not one of those stuffy conservative boring types who can't take some
Before I go, a few things. We might be a little late on this, but I thought it would be cool if the three of us got a Twitter account so we could tweet our oft-hysterical reactions to the upcoming playoff games. Should we? Should we not? Who knows, it might be fun…
Oh, and if our boys make the ALCS? You can count on me and Megan being there. If they do actually make it, we'll tell you guys where we're at so if you see us you can say hello!
That's all from my end. Expect some MAJOR coverage as our boys take on those horrible Yanks on Friday and Saturday. And if you're bored, go watch that Evan Longoria walk-off clip again. Come on, you know you want to. It's so heartwarming! God, I love baseball...
Thursday, September 8, 2011
Can't Be Tamed
This is what the Tigers have won since we last posted:
-Destroyed White Sox in the second biggest butt-kicking in the MLB this year
-Won series opener against Indians by way of Doug Fister's 13 (!!!) strikeouts, a career high
-Chased Fausto Carmona out early by putting up 8 combined runs in the 1st and 2nd innings, going on to win 10-1
-Jose Valverde got his 42nd save, tying Todd Jones for most club saves all time
-And, finally, swept and demoralized the Tribe with a come-from-behind victory thanks to Victor Martinez's grand slam (which got him a good slapping around from Justin Verlander!)
Yeah. Not much. Just two sweeps, one home and one away, of our two closest division rivals.
(Also, apparently we CAN win in Cleveland. Maybe because thatwitch girl dancing behind home plate wasn't there? Guess girlfriend's powers can't curse us forever.)
For serious, though--who could have dreamed this would happen? We're not part of the grumble-grumble-pessimist-We-Hate-Leyland-Tigers-Are-Collapsing crowd, but never in our wildest dreams did we think our team would do this. Chicago is closest to us in the AL Central race, at 9 back. Our Magic Number is now 12.
Barring what would be an unbelievable, epic, Met-like collapse, the Tigers are going the playoffs (knock on wood). There. As much as it scared us to actually write that sentence, it is what is going to happen. There is no denying it now. Besides playing the White Sox in Chicago next week, there aren't any more difficult series. The Central belongs to the Tigers.
And you know what we love most about the past six days? Before, we kept hearing that, save for Verlander, this team's pitching staff was average at best. What Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, and Rick Porcello just did was not mediocre. No, if our pitching staff can keep going strong throughout these last few weeks, we will roll into October with a lineup that absolutely no one wants to face.
Oh, and our hitters! We've said it before and we'll say it again: this year, Dave Dombrowski is looking like a straight up genius. Our hitters, led by Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera, have scored 57 runs in the past 6 days. It really doesn't even matter who Leyland puts out there--even with the cringe-inducing lineup today, we still pounded out 8 runs. Our hitters can do no wrong.
Plus, we love the attitude. The Tigers, as Rod has frequently and persistently reminded us, now have lots of Swagger. They come in confident, but not cocky. They've learned that lesson. Jim Leyland, too, is taking the appropriate response to his team's success. Obviously he wasn't going to go "Yep, we got dis ish in the BAG" but it's good to see him constantly say that the Tigers have to keep grinding out the wins and that nothing is guaranteed yet.
Of course, there is always at least one catch, and that is our poor Baby Brennan's thumb. He's out for the year, but at least he can still hang with the team. We actually don't need him, what with Maggs, Delmon, Dirks and Raburn coming up big, but it makes us sad to see his baby face on the bench. Poor thing! He's the one Tiger who can be tamed...
Well, maybe him and Big Brad, the one starter who has underperformed this week. We'll see how he does Friday against the Twins. Hopefully he can move the Tigers closer to their goal of division champs!!
-Destroyed White Sox in the second biggest butt-kicking in the MLB this year
-Won series opener against Indians by way of Doug Fister's 13 (!!!) strikeouts, a career high
-Chased Fausto Carmona out early by putting up 8 combined runs in the 1st and 2nd innings, going on to win 10-1
-Jose Valverde got his 42nd save, tying Todd Jones for most club saves all time
-And, finally, swept and demoralized the Tribe with a come-from-behind victory thanks to Victor Martinez's grand slam (which got him a good slapping around from Justin Verlander!)
Yeah. Not much. Just two sweeps, one home and one away, of our two closest division rivals.
(Also, apparently we CAN win in Cleveland. Maybe because that
For serious, though--who could have dreamed this would happen? We're not part of the grumble-grumble-pessimist-We-Hate-Leyland-Tigers-Are-Collapsing crowd, but never in our wildest dreams did we think our team would do this. Chicago is closest to us in the AL Central race, at 9 back. Our Magic Number is now 12.
Barring what would be an unbelievable, epic, Met-like collapse, the Tigers are going the playoffs (knock on wood). There. As much as it scared us to actually write that sentence, it is what is going to happen. There is no denying it now. Besides playing the White Sox in Chicago next week, there aren't any more difficult series. The Central belongs to the Tigers.
And you know what we love most about the past six days? Before, we kept hearing that, save for Verlander, this team's pitching staff was average at best. What Max Scherzer, Doug Fister, and Rick Porcello just did was not mediocre. No, if our pitching staff can keep going strong throughout these last few weeks, we will roll into October with a lineup that absolutely no one wants to face.
Oh, and our hitters! We've said it before and we'll say it again: this year, Dave Dombrowski is looking like a straight up genius. Our hitters, led by Victor Martinez and Miguel Cabrera, have scored 57 runs in the past 6 days. It really doesn't even matter who Leyland puts out there--even with the cringe-inducing lineup today, we still pounded out 8 runs. Our hitters can do no wrong.
Plus, we love the attitude. The Tigers, as Rod has frequently and persistently reminded us, now have lots of Swagger. They come in confident, but not cocky. They've learned that lesson. Jim Leyland, too, is taking the appropriate response to his team's success. Obviously he wasn't going to go "Yep, we got dis ish in the BAG" but it's good to see him constantly say that the Tigers have to keep grinding out the wins and that nothing is guaranteed yet.
Of course, there is always at least one catch, and that is our poor Baby Brennan's thumb. He's out for the year, but at least he can still hang with the team. We actually don't need him, what with Maggs, Delmon, Dirks and Raburn coming up big, but it makes us sad to see his baby face on the bench. Poor thing! He's the one Tiger who can be tamed...
Well, maybe him and Big Brad, the one starter who has underperformed this week. We'll see how he does Friday against the Twins. Hopefully he can move the Tigers closer to their goal of division champs!!
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Teach Me How To Dougie
 |
| NICE. |
We changed the Look of April in the D a little bit! Like it? Don't like it? Please, let us know! We don't mean to brag, but the three of us love it.
On one hand, we kept reading and hearing whiny Tigers fans bitch about Dougie's record was 3-12. Look, idiots. This guy had the lowest run support in Major League Baseball. In fact, by the time the Tigers had scored him three runs, Doug had received more run support than he had all year. That's how bad the Mariners are.
On the other hand, we kept reading and hearing whiny Tigers fans bitch about how Cleveland got Ubaldo. Listen up, folks. We would have had to give up Jacob Turner, Brennan Boesch, and Rick Porcello/Max Scherzer for friggin' Ubaldo Jimenez. Guess who has a lower ERA than Saint Ubaldo? Doug Fister does. Suck on that, Indians. One good starter can't save you now!!!!
But for the most part, the Tigers fans/blogosphere had been fully supportive of The Trade, and anxious to see how our newbies would do.
So, in leading up to today's game, we were excited and nervous to see how Fister (tee hee! okay, got that out of the way) would perform. It's not like he had much to live up to, seeing as the Tigers haven't won in the 5th starting spot in a zillion years, but it was an important game to win so we could ride the momentum from Carlos "You Just Got Served" Guillen as much as possible.
We're going to be honest: when we first saw Doug take the mound, our reaction wasn't, "Wow, what pitching prowess he has!" It was more along the lines of "Looking gooooooood!"
Sorry. Girls will be girls. And we'll bet all our female readers agree with our reaction.
Needless to say, Doug Fister did not disappoint, in more ways than one. Without striking out or walking anyone, Dougie gave up only two earned runs and pitched through seven. Jose Valverde got his 30th save. Cleveland lost (again). Ubaldo can only save you every five days, suckas. All is well.
Well, for now. But for the time being, this trade looks GOLDEN.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
Justin Brooks Verlander is on the Edge of Glory
The three of us have never felt any love towards the Cleveland Indians. None whatsoever, especially this year, and especially since Laura goes to school in Ohio and is surrounded by Cleveland fair-weather idiots. So to see Justin Verlander almost touch no-hitter greatness for a second time this season against the Indians was a beautiful thing indeed.
Before we get into our huge amounts of Justin-worshiping, we need to share with everyone our level of maturity regarding the Indians. This is a little ditty we wrote a few years back, to the tune of "Frere Jaques":
I hate Cleveland, I hate Cleveland
Cleveland Sucks! Cleveland Sucks!
Indians are assholes, Indians are assholes
Go die now. Go die now.
Grady Sizemore is a douchebag
Tribe must die! Tribe must die!
Indians are assholes, Indians are assholes
Go die now. Go die now.
Good, right?! We're obviously very smart and creative young ladies who channel our Cleveland-hatred effectively. As you can obviously tell, the type of people who would make a song like this obviously are the type of people who love watching Justin Verlander strike the snot out of the Cleveland Indians. So, here are some notes on Justin's amazing game and the team in general.
Obviously, it has been a good few days for our club. And Magglio's back! We feel like whenever people count Maggs out, he comes roaring back to hit comfortably above .300. We shall see, Magglio, we shall see. But for now, let us bask in the glorious glow of Justin Brooks Verlander, and look forward to whipping the Indians again tomorrow.
Before we get into our huge amounts of Justin-worshiping, we need to share with everyone our level of maturity regarding the Indians. This is a little ditty we wrote a few years back, to the tune of "Frere Jaques":
I hate Cleveland, I hate Cleveland
Cleveland Sucks! Cleveland Sucks!
Indians are assholes, Indians are assholes
Go die now. Go die now.
Grady Sizemore is a douchebag
Tribe must die! Tribe must die!
Indians are assholes, Indians are assholes
Go die now. Go die now.
Good, right?! We're obviously very smart and creative young ladies who channel our Cleveland-hatred effectively. As you can obviously tell, the type of people who would make a song like this obviously are the type of people who love watching Justin Verlander strike the snot out of the Cleveland Indians. So, here are some notes on Justin's amazing game and the team in general.
- Nothing, and we mean nothing, gives us more pleasure than to see Grady Sizemore strike out. We don't know why. Maybe it's because
we're sickened seeing someone so smoking hot on the roster of a division rivalhe's overrated. Whatever. So to see Justin strike him out four times practically brought tears to our eyes.
- As good as Justin has been in his career, has he ever really been this good? I mean, even he said that every time he takes a no-no into the third or even the second inning, he thinks he can pull out the no-hitter. And the crazy thing is, everyone else believes he can, too. We are so, so not worthy to be watching such a great being pitch for our team.
- Twelve strikeouts. TWELVE. This man is clearly not human.
- As far as hitting goes, clearly, CLEARLY, the catalyst on this team is Austin Jackson. That has never been more obvious as it has been in the month of June. Austin sucks in April, we suck in April. Austin heats up in May, we heat up in May. You get the picture. Thats a lot of pressure for such a young player, but we have to believe that Austin's hot streak will continue.
- Breaking news: ALEX IS BEATING JOE MAUER IN THE ALL-STAR VOTING. This is amazing. The People have some sense after all! Now-just 700,000 more votes until we catch Russell Martin. Watch your back, Russell.
- Also about Avila-Leyland is thinking about playing him at 3rd base when we go to Colorado on Friday. Though we adore Don "Struggles" Kelly, it would be verrrry interesting to see if Avila can handle the hot corner. It definitely would be a strange sight to see his fuzzy mug at third instead of concealed behind his catching mask.
- Brennan Boesch did not shave his disgusting beard until he finally had an 0-for-5 night against Seattle. Good riddance, we say. First off, it blocked his adorable face. Second, it was a really sad excuse for a beard to begin with. Brian Wilson, he is not.
- The three of us didn't get the chance to watch the game yesterday, but obviously we missed a good one. It was too cool to see Ramon get his first (!) walk-off win, and V-Mart, after his initial exultation as he slid home, looked like he was going to die. Oh, how we laughed.
- Finally, a Moment of Cuteness: Did anyone else see Andy Dirks try to conceal his triumphant grin win he hit his first RBI single? We sure did!!!!
Obviously, it has been a good few days for our club. And Magglio's back! We feel like whenever people count Maggs out, he comes roaring back to hit comfortably above .300. We shall see, Magglio, we shall see. But for now, let us bask in the glorious glow of Justin Brooks Verlander, and look forward to whipping the Indians again tomorrow.
Saturday, June 4, 2011
An Emotionally-Charged, Overdramatic Account of Tigers vs. White Sox, 6/4/11
Where do we even begin with this game? The Tigers score two runs in the first and make Edwin Jackson look like a fool. Then they leave ten men on base, score no runs, and let the hated Chicago White Sox, led by bleached-blond bully AJ Pierzynski, get back in the game. Then, when all seems lost and it looks like the Sox steal the game, magic happens.
First comes "The Catch." Verlander, with two outs and men on first and third, faces AJ. The sight of his mean, brutish face elicited jeers and screams of hate from us. No one wants to see AJ Pierzynski come up with a clutch RBI, especially not Justin Verlander. The 2-1 grounder from AJ looked as if it was doomed to shoot up the middle, but Justin had other plans. With the Tiger-like reflexes instilled in him by the Baseball Gods, Justin, sprawled on his back, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and fired to first to end the inning. His middle name may not be Grace (it's Brooks) but he damn sure got the job done. Afterwards, while walking oh so cooly to the dugout, he flashed a smile of mirth. He knew how good he looked. Our hearts melted.
After that, the tide had changed.
After Justin got out of the jam, it looked like the team knew they had to pull out this win for their ace. First up was Austin "Action" Jackson. Jackson was on a mission all night, and decided to add to his already impressive stats by living up to his nickname and drilling a triple in deep center. The three of us were extremely pleased. Obviously, with a man on third and no outs this was going to be cake.
WRONG.
DK stepped confidently to the plate. After all, all he had to do was hit a simple sac fly or even a well-placed groundout to secure the lead. So, in true DK fashion, he popped out to second base. At least we got some emotion out of him. Dramatically slamming hiswell-oiled bat against the ground, DK stormed off to the dugout where we assume he was greeted with frosty silence from Justin Brooks Verlander. In our home, we were slightly worried, but we knew that with only one out, our boys could get it done.
Especially with Brennan Boesch up next. Baby B, with a 2-run homer already under his belt, swaggered to the plate. We knew out of anyone he could put in a good sac fly, right?
WRONG. AGAIN.
Baby B struck out, and one look at Verlander's dangerous expression indicated that if this run did not score, there would be blood. Then stepped up Miguel Cabrera, who so far had gone 0-for-3. As true Tigers baseball fans, We Believed.
Miguel quickly worked the count to 0-and-2. The three of us, in our den of anxiety, ranged in emotion from tense to hysterical. We knew our boy definitely had the ability to do it. But would he?
THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM.
Miguel launched the most beautiful shot to right field. Yes, you guessed it, a two-run-homer to give the Tigers the lead! Justin exulted, the dugout erupted, Cabrera side-stepped his way to glory. We screamed like lunatics. The resulting celebration included a joyful hug from Verlander, who was grinning ear-to-ear, a high five so forceful it was audible on our television screen from Austin, and the single most badass handshake that we've ever seen from Baby B. It. Was. Amazing.
It was so amazing that we had completely forgotten poor Victor Martinez, who promptly grounded out to third. But no matter. Valverde danced his way to a win and the entire team seemed to be on cloud nine. Not only that, but we moved even closer to the evil and hated Cleveland Indians and produced one of the most memorable games of the season. Did the Tigers play perfectly? Absolutely not. But this is the kind of win that stays in the heart, and swings momentum in our direction. Well done, boys. Well done.
PS-Were we the only ones who saw that crazy, M&M jacket-wearing White Sox fan sitting behind home plate? He was hysterical. His hateful reactions to Adam Dunn alone seeped through the screen and into our living room. And who thinks it's appropriate to wear and M&M jacket to a baseball game?! To anywhere?!?!?! He was a treat. No pun intended.
First comes "The Catch." Verlander, with two outs and men on first and third, faces AJ. The sight of his mean, brutish face elicited jeers and screams of hate from us. No one wants to see AJ Pierzynski come up with a clutch RBI, especially not Justin Verlander. The 2-1 grounder from AJ looked as if it was doomed to shoot up the middle, but Justin had other plans. With the Tiger-like reflexes instilled in him by the Baseball Gods, Justin, sprawled on his back, grabbed the ball with his left hand, and fired to first to end the inning. His middle name may not be Grace (it's Brooks) but he damn sure got the job done. Afterwards, while walking oh so cooly to the dugout, he flashed a smile of mirth. He knew how good he looked. Our hearts melted.
After that, the tide had changed.
After Justin got out of the jam, it looked like the team knew they had to pull out this win for their ace. First up was Austin "Action" Jackson. Jackson was on a mission all night, and decided to add to his already impressive stats by living up to his nickname and drilling a triple in deep center. The three of us were extremely pleased. Obviously, with a man on third and no outs this was going to be cake.
WRONG.
DK stepped confidently to the plate. After all, all he had to do was hit a simple sac fly or even a well-placed groundout to secure the lead. So, in true DK fashion, he popped out to second base. At least we got some emotion out of him. Dramatically slamming his
Especially with Brennan Boesch up next. Baby B, with a 2-run homer already under his belt, swaggered to the plate. We knew out of anyone he could put in a good sac fly, right?
WRONG. AGAIN.
Baby B struck out, and one look at Verlander's dangerous expression indicated that if this run did not score, there would be blood. Then stepped up Miguel Cabrera, who so far had gone 0-for-3. As true Tigers baseball fans, We Believed.
Miguel quickly worked the count to 0-and-2. The three of us, in our den of anxiety, ranged in emotion from tense to hysterical. We knew our boy definitely had the ability to do it. But would he?
THIRD TIME'S THE CHARM.
Miguel launched the most beautiful shot to right field. Yes, you guessed it, a two-run-homer to give the Tigers the lead! Justin exulted, the dugout erupted, Cabrera side-stepped his way to glory. We screamed like lunatics. The resulting celebration included a joyful hug from Verlander, who was grinning ear-to-ear, a high five so forceful it was audible on our television screen from Austin, and the single most badass handshake that we've ever seen from Baby B. It. Was. Amazing.
It was so amazing that we had completely forgotten poor Victor Martinez, who promptly grounded out to third. But no matter. Valverde danced his way to a win and the entire team seemed to be on cloud nine. Not only that, but we moved even closer to the evil and hated Cleveland Indians and produced one of the most memorable games of the season. Did the Tigers play perfectly? Absolutely not. But this is the kind of win that stays in the heart, and swings momentum in our direction. Well done, boys. Well done.
PS-Were we the only ones who saw that crazy, M&M jacket-wearing White Sox fan sitting behind home plate? He was hysterical. His hateful reactions to Adam Dunn alone seeped through the screen and into our living room. And who thinks it's appropriate to wear and M&M jacket to a baseball game?! To anywhere?!?!?! He was a treat. No pun intended.
Friday, May 13, 2011
A Very Plausible Dream...
This post was supposed to be all about the stupid/funny things that Rod and Mario say on a daily basis. Their often silly banter is a constant source of delight for us. However, while we were taking notes, Rod said something so unexpected (and so true!) that this post had to be about it.
Rod said, "I'm not gonna say it too loud, but I'm gonna say it anyway. Avila is hitting like he wants to go to the All-Star Game."
Avila at the All-Star Game? At first this sounds ridiculous, but the more you think about it, the more realistic it seems. Here are three things that you may not know about our precious little Avi, who, after he woke up from his beginning-of-the-season slump, has been hitting and catching like a real champ.
1.) Avi has the second most RBIs and the second most homers on our team, after (you guessed it) Miguel Cabrera. This is an amazing feat considering the slow start he had to the season. Avila only had seven home runs last year. This year, he already has 6. His 23 RBIs are more than Austin Jackson's, Magglio Ordonez's and Scott Sizemore's combined.
2.) Avila leads all AL catchers in slugging percentage, RBIs, home runs, doubles, OPS, and is tied with three others for the most games played. Although his average hasn't quite caught up yet, he is hitting like a beast, and if you look at the last few games we've played, he's been one of the few that has been carrying the tigers offensively. During the time when V-Mart was on the DL, we needed him to step up to the plate and play like a champion. He did.
3.) In case you haven't noticed, Avila has caught some pretty awesome games this year (including the NO-HITTER). Despite some issues early on in the year, his defense has been pristine. And some of the games that he's called have been excellent. One thing that you can say for our pitching is that our starters (with the exception of some hiccups with Cokehead) have been pretty good. Obviously most of this has to do with the pitchers themselves, but let's not forget who has been giving the calls from behind the dish!
All this adds up to one pretty phenomenal catcher, and the realization that a certain amount of nepotism can be a good thing! Where'd he come from? We don't know, but we certainly hope that he's here to stay. So, we beg you Detroit, cast your vote for Avila for starting catcher in the all-star game! It's early May, and much can still go amiss, but wouldn't it be lovely if he went? We haven't been this excited about a catcher since the days of good ol' Pudge.
In other news, we just wrapped up a fantastic road-trip, and the Royals are next on the hit list. Now would be a perfect time to wrack up some more wins to put us in good standing in the central. Also, JV pitches the first game of the series. Anyone else feeling back-to-back no-hitters?
Rod said, "I'm not gonna say it too loud, but I'm gonna say it anyway. Avila is hitting like he wants to go to the All-Star Game."
Avila at the All-Star Game? At first this sounds ridiculous, but the more you think about it, the more realistic it seems. Here are three things that you may not know about our precious little Avi, who, after he woke up from his beginning-of-the-season slump, has been hitting and catching like a real champ.
1.) Avi has the second most RBIs and the second most homers on our team, after (you guessed it) Miguel Cabrera. This is an amazing feat considering the slow start he had to the season. Avila only had seven home runs last year. This year, he already has 6. His 23 RBIs are more than Austin Jackson's, Magglio Ordonez's and Scott Sizemore's combined.
2.) Avila leads all AL catchers in slugging percentage, RBIs, home runs, doubles, OPS, and is tied with three others for the most games played. Although his average hasn't quite caught up yet, he is hitting like a beast, and if you look at the last few games we've played, he's been one of the few that has been carrying the tigers offensively. During the time when V-Mart was on the DL, we needed him to step up to the plate and play like a champion. He did.
3.) In case you haven't noticed, Avila has caught some pretty awesome games this year (including the NO-HITTER). Despite some issues early on in the year, his defense has been pristine. And some of the games that he's called have been excellent. One thing that you can say for our pitching is that our starters (with the exception of some hiccups with Cokehead) have been pretty good. Obviously most of this has to do with the pitchers themselves, but let's not forget who has been giving the calls from behind the dish!
All this adds up to one pretty phenomenal catcher, and the realization that a certain amount of nepotism can be a good thing! Where'd he come from? We don't know, but we certainly hope that he's here to stay. So, we beg you Detroit, cast your vote for Avila for starting catcher in the all-star game! It's early May, and much can still go amiss, but wouldn't it be lovely if he went? We haven't been this excited about a catcher since the days of good ol' Pudge.
In other news, we just wrapped up a fantastic road-trip, and the Royals are next on the hit list. Now would be a perfect time to wrack up some more wins to put us in good standing in the central. Also, JV pitches the first game of the series. Anyone else feeling back-to-back no-hitters?
Saturday, May 7, 2011
The Coolest Cat
Can you believe it? Can you believe he did it again?
Actually, we totally can.
Our boy Justin really must have wanted to remind people that he was the ace of the staff, because today he threw the best game of his life. A no-hitter, a near perfect game, 27 batters. And instead of pulling a Valverde and screaming and acting like a lunatic (like most normal people would do if they pitched a no-no) Justin just gives a half-smile and a badass fist pump while his teammates go bananas.
MLB, take note: Justin Verlander is too cool for a no-hitter. A no-hitter.
As loyal as most Tigers fans are, we don't deserve this guy. No one does. He has bestowed upon our ball club not one but two no-hitters all while being as cool as they come.
My only hope is that he keeps pitching well and gets the one award that's eluded him: the Cy Young. Only the most elite pitchers can pitch two no-no's, and now that Justin is in that category, it's time he gets all the recognition he deserves.
There's not much more to be said; this wasn't like Galarraga's game last year, where spectacular defense and horrific calls overshadowed the actual pitching. JV achieved this feat on his own(with help from Avila, who we foolishly doubted--our bad). Even the most key defensive play was turned by him. This was Justin's game, and this should remind us to thank the Baseball God's that this superstar is on our team.
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