12th
April
2007
Bunt singles: April 12 edition
posted in 2007 season, New York Yankees, Seattle Mariners, bunt singles |Tigers news:
- Gary Sheffield will start in right field tonight. (Detroit News)
- This is the flip-side of having two DH/RFs. Unless you’re Marcus Thames, but then you’re suddenly starting at first anyway. Sheff can play the field, and Maggs can flip-flop and get some rest as he will tonight.
- Speaking of Thames, how good did he look at first? Obviously I’m speaking relative. He’s not going to win a gold glove anytime soon. It’s debatable whether he would have scooped that throw from Pudge as Sean Casey did. But it’s mere months since he started learning the position and I thought he played it well enough last night that I feel comfortable when he starts there. Actually, if you want to get right down to it, if Thames can play the position, he’s the type of batter Detroit needs at the corner.
- After the rocky spring for Verlander, we were all a bit nervous. Not because of his innings pitched — that is a seasonlong reason to be nervous, you should probably continue — but fears of a slow start costing him. I don’t have a link, but Lynn Henning was so frightened he wondered about a trip to AAA to start the year. But 13 scoreless innings of five-hit ball later, Verlander is looking pretty good.
- Now if he could only keep his fast ball from getting high. Once he brings that down, he gets even better. And yet he’ll still give up a run.
- More on Craig Monroe: I’ll throw a damp towel. One wonders if his late-inning heroics would be so necessary if he had some early-inning heroics at the plate instead.
- But he is really becoming known for his clutch performances — whether or not you believe clutch exists — in the late innings and that’s always fun to watch.
- Mike Rabelo gets his first major league start tonight. I know Pudge had two days off already thanks to schedule and snow, but I’m surprised it took this long.
- Some stats:
- Thanks to the past two days in Baltimore, the Tigers moved up to fourth in the A.L. in ERA with 3.77. L.A (2.48), Oakland and Boston are ahead. Detroit starting pitches have a 3.28 ERA for third. Oakland leads with an amazing 1.98. The Tigers have had quality starts (3 runs, less than six innings) in five of eight games. (I recall a sixth game the starter came out one out short).
- Verlander (o.00) and Robertson (1.38) are in the top five in ERA in the A.L.
- Thanks to the past two days in Baltimore part 2: Detroit has a .308 OBP for 10th in the A.L. and is below league average in every category but triples.
Curtis Granderson news:
- This one gets its own special mention today.
- Granderson shared his thoughts on Jackie Robinson and his visit to the Negro League Museum in Kansas City.
- He also shared his thoughts on myriad topics on a video Yahoo! interview. He pointed out Kenny Rogers helped Tigers batters as much as pitchers.
- You always have to be impressed by Granderson as a person. A wise ballplayer thinks about life after sports. But Granderson, even with his business education, wants to get a masters degree in education and become a mentor. That’s what I really learned from that interview.
- He’s a guy who knows he can make a positive difference, and he’s going to. I am always impressed by him.
- Oh, and I think he’ll be doing Cold Pizza tomorrow. I heard his name but wasn’t paying close attention, never do, but always turn it on anyway.
Around the majors:
- Felix Hernandez outdueled Dice-K last night, taking a no-hitter into the eighth against a formidable Boston lineup. He crushed Oakland in his first start, 11Ks I think. The kid isn’t THAT good. But he is that good. When he’s not striking them out, he’s getting grounders at a rate of 87.5 percent. He’s turning into the pitcher he was hyped to be last season. (Seattle Times) (U.S.S. Mariner)
- The Yankees rotation had another setback when Mike Mussina hurt his hamstring. Doesn’t look like he’ll go on the DL but he’ll miss his next start. Much-hyped prospect Phillip Hughes may get a shot sooner than expected. (LoHud Yankees Blog)
- The World Series champs are cursed?! (Home Run Derby)
- No, it’s everyone. For us young people, I guess these two weeks are our dead-ball era. (Home Run Derby)