Flop at Fenway

Subject: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 1:28 am

BOSTON 12, DETROIT 6
Tigers 1-8 after flop at Fenway
BY JOHN LOWE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • April 11, 2008

BOSTON -- The potential inspiration of Roger Maris hovered above the middle of the Tigers' batting order Thursday night. As it did, something else became clearer about the Tigers:

The offense hasn't been their only problem.

When left-hander Nate Robertson let a lead immediately disappear in Boston's fourth inning, the Tigers' total of quality starts stayed at one. That's the fewest of any American League team.

A quality start is one of at least six innings and no more than three earned runs. In none of the last six games has a Tigers starter pitched six innings. For the season, no Tigers starter has gone seven. The only quality start was by Kenny Rogers, who pitched six innings in his first start.

The bullpen allowed eight runs of Thursday night's 12-6 loss. But manager Jim Leyland said, "Everybody has made too much of a fuss about the bullpen. If you get five innings from your starters night after night with 110 pitches, there's not a bullpen in the history of the game that will survive."

The Tigers scored twice in the fourth for a 2-0 lead, then never caught up after Robertson allowed four runs in the fourth. That rally started with two one-out walks.

"We (the starting pitchers) have to go out and set that tone for the game," said Robertson, who hasn't gotten close to a quality start in two outings. "I need to get deeper into games."

The Tigers are 1-8, and besides their win total and their quality-start total, one represents something else unexpected. It's the RBI total for each of their Nos. 3-5 hitters, Gary Sheffield, Magglio Ordoñez and Miguel Cabrera.

They are each starting as Maris did in 1961, when he had one RBI in the Yankees' first 10 games.

In the 11th game, at Tiger Stadium, Maris hit his first homer. Before the season ended, he hit 60 more and broke Babe Ruth's season record.

Any slugger can struggle in the first 10 games, even one who's going to have a historic season.

Ordoñez's first RBI came on a seventh-inning homer Thursday. He said he's starting to feel better at the plate, getting deeper into counts.

Cabrera barely missed a fifth-inning solo homer off Tim Wakefield with a drive high off the centerfield fence. He went slowly into second on the play; it appeared his troublesome left leg was bothering him anew. Leyland said he'd merely caught a spike during the at-bat and that he was fine.

Sheffield said his swing hasn't been affected by the torn tendon in left ring finger. He smacked what could have been a two-run single up the middle to make it a one-run game in the eighth. But shortstop Julio Lugo had him shaded up the middle and turned a rally-aborting double play.

Boston first baseman Sean Casey had three RBIs in his first start against his former team. Casey described why he has happily accepted a part-time role on the defending World Series champions.

"Being in Detroit the last few years, being in the World Series and getting that taste of being on a winning team, that sealed the deal for me," he said.

This year's Tigers continue to wait for that winning feeling, the way Maris waited for his power stroke early in 1961.
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:41 am

Oh boy! I'm glad I went to bed and didn't see the end of this one.

Come on guys - let's get it together!

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 2:45 am

me either!
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:17 am

same here!
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"I'm on a mission. Mark my words: I'll be back, and I'll be able to do what I've been doing." Joel Zumaya

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 3:59 am

not sure what I'll do about tonight!
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:03 am

my cell phone decided it wasn't going to work right and I couldn't get to the web to check the score...which is probably a good thing. The last I knew, the Tigers were up 2-0......I had no clue what the end result was untill I got home from work.
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"I'm glad we're in the other division," Terry Francona, manager of the East-winning Boston Red Sox, told the Associated Press. "That lineup just got scary."

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 4:21 am

wish it could have stayed 2-0!!
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:18 am

Sad thing is, our bats started coming alive, it was our pitching that stunk.

Detroit	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Inge, CF	4	0	1	2	0	1	1	.267
Polanco, 2B	4	0	2	2	1	0	1	.152
Sheffield, DH	3	0	0	0	1	0	3	.190
Ordonez, RF	4	1	1	1	1	0	2	.270
Cabrera, 3B	5	0	1	0	0	3	3	.138
Guillen, 1B	4	0	1	0	1	1	4	.323
Renteria, SS	4	1	0	0	1	3	3	.237
Rodriguez, C	3	2	3	0	1	0	0	.235
Thames, LF	4	2	1	0	1	0	5	.214
Totals	35	6	10	5	7	8	22

Inge had 1 hits and 2 RBIs
Polanco 2 for 4 with 2 RBIs and 1 BB
Sheff walked 1 time, hit by pitch 1 time
Maggs Hit a great home run plus 1 BB
Cabrera just missed his 2nd HR
Guillen had a double, 1 BB, 1 stolen base
Renteria had 1 BB and scored
Pudge went 3 for 3, 1 BB, 1 HBP, scored 2 runs
Thames had 1 hit, 1 BB, and scored 2 runs

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 5:30 am

man what a cold start!
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:12 am

_________________
bow

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:18 am

something has to change! not sure what!
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 7:57 am

Start winning, that's what!

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:11 am

I mean in the clubhouse chemistry. Something is preventing them from working like a team....at least it looks that way....
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There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:41 am

Leland needs to go back to his plan when he first came to Detroit... quit taking themselves so serious, play hard, HAVE FUN. If you watch their faces, the only players I see smiling is D-Train (it's just his nature), Inge, and Rogers.

If they loosen up, and play like kids again, the talent is there to win.

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:49 am

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:51 am

Subject: Re: Flop at Fenway Fri Apr 11, 2008 9:53 am

it is!!
_________________
There are three things in my life which I really love: God, my family, and baseball. The only problem - once baseball season starts, I change the order around a bit. ~Al Gallagher, 1971