Chad Durbin debuts for Tigers
posted in 2007 season, Baltimore Orioles, around the central |Game 6: Detroit at Baltimore Orioles, 3 p.m., FSN Detroit
RHP Chad Durbin (-,-) vs. RHP Daniel Cabrera (0-1, 3.86)
Chad Durbin pitches in Baltimore. (Photo courtesy The Oriole Post. Thanks!)
Pregame thoughts: Looks like we have a 5 vs. 2 matchup today in the Baltimore home opener, thanks to Jim Leyland shuffling the Tigers rotation to keep Durbin from seeing the Royals twice in a week. Cabrera struck out nine in seven innings in his loss to the Twins. At least it appears to be above 40 degrees for a game.
We can’t learn everything from one start, but it should be really interesting to see what Dubin looks like today. I know I’m not the only Tigers fan who has no clue what to expect of him. He stunk in his first few seasons in the majors, then fell back to AAA. Detroit signed him to a minor league contract to pitch 2006 in Toledo, where found his pitching stroke. Last year, he led the Mudhens to an International League title with an 3.11 ERA, 149 strikeouts and 46 walks in 185 innings. So it looks like he found some control. The Tigers liked him enough to bring him up in September. This Spring, he pitched well enough to make the team out of camp ahead of several pitchers Tigers fans may have more confidence in. So management is sure it sees something.
We want to see the same thing in an MLB game. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Tigers saw something they like when scouting him, gave him some coaching and turned his career around. On the other hand, you can’t trust AAA and spring stats either. So, to say the least, today should be interesting.
Camden Chat has a preview from the O’s perspective.
Oriole Post is going to liveblog it.
Postgame thoughts: Early on, it was a pitcher’s duel. Cabrera kept up his end of the deal. Dubin did not. Detroit scored first, but the Orioles cruised to a 6-2 victory after a four-run third inning.
Kevin Millar started it off with a homer, Corey Patterson had a perfect bunt single and stole second, and then the runs started piling on. The O’s added two more in the fifth. Dubin’s day ended with six earned runs allowed, five strikeouts and one walk (on four balls, but unintentional) after 4-2/3 innings. In relief, Wil Ledezma allowed one of those runs in. I think Durbin had the game just speed up on him and got rattled a bit. Baltimore did drop some hits in that weren’t particularly hard, but they were very well located. We’ll have to see how he looks his next outing.
Detroit’s runs when Sean Casey doubled to drive in Magglio Ordonez in the second inning for two-out RBI. Curtis Granderson hit a triple off the wall off Cabrera for the other run.
Oh, and the unofficial Inge watch? He added two Ks so he’s 0-20 now with eight strikeouts.
Kind of a blech game.
Around the Central: Cleveland’s misery continues: Today’s double header is postponed. The Tribe got snowed (colded?) out for a fourth straight day. They will now have to try to squeeze in two doubleheaders with the Mariners over the course of the season — or even after the season — if the games affect the Central or wildcard standings. That’s a nightmare.
The Chicago Sun-Times reports the Indians may be forced to travel to Anaheim to face the L.A. Angels rather than risk losing more games.
The teams are scheduled to begin a three-game series Tuesday at Jacobs Field, but Major League Baseball was considering switching it to Angels Stadium. Commissioner Bud Selig discussed the possibility Sunday with MLB chief operating officer Bob DuPuy and vice president of scheduling and club relations Katy Feeney.
”There’s been discussion but no decision,” DuPuy said. ”We’re monitoring the weather in Cleveland.”
Update: The series will be played in Milwaukee. (per Let’s Go Tribe).
The Twins picked up their second loss, getting beat 8-2 by the Yankees. Bobby Abreu was 3-for-4 with a homer and 4RBI off Twins pitcher Sidney Ponson. Ponson allowed all 8 runs. (Twinkie Town game post)
Chicago beat Oakland in the A’s home opener, 4-1, behind Jim Thome’s homer and 2 RBI. Jose Contreras allowed one run on four hits for the victory.
So, scoring at home, Detroit’s one game out of first despite looking like utter crap at the plate.
Sphere It
Not a great game to watch yesterday. Durbin looked really good until the bunt single by Patterson (what a great bunt). After Patterson was on, Durbin looked like he got a little bit rattled. He did a great job hitting the corners to that point, but after that his location wasn’t quite as good.
How good did Cabrera look? He was throwing some filth up there last night, with no hint of the control problems he has had in the past. If I were an Oriole fan I would be very excited by what I saw out of him last night.
Inge looks very frustrated up there right now. Hopefully he will get things straightened out soon. People go through slumps all the time, but that has to be a very frustrating way to begin the season.