Is the fog lifting?
posted in 2007 season, New York Yankees |Tigers 5, Yankees 4
With the starting pitcher hobbled in the second inning with an unknown shoulder injury, the Tigers bullpen stepped up to give Detroit a much-needed matinee victory over the Yanks.
You only have to look at the winning pitcher to see who made the big difference, as the scorekeeper awarded Bobby Seay the victory for two innings of action, rather than give it to Chad Durbin, who pitched the first three innings following Jair Jurrjens being hurt. It was Seay’s longest performane of the season. The lefty, going against a lefty-heavy Yankees lineup, managed to get out all six New Yorkers he faced, briding the gap from Durbin to the Tigers’ late-inning relief.
Joel Zumaya shut down New York for the next inning — including a strikeout of Alex Rodriguez — and went 1- 2/3, and Todd Jones closed it out with a nice play at first base himself to get an out.
The fog may be lifting on an ugly month-plus of baseball. Certainly, it’s not gone yet. But I like the bullpen is looking better in the past week or so. I like the defense being played, for the most part. I like Thames batting third, especially. And I like that the opponents get a bit easier after New York leaves town Monday.
It’s too early to say for sure what happens, and we should remember these Tigers have roller coastered our emotions a bit lately, but I think we’re seeing a few positive signs. Now, if starting pitching can just get more consistent, I’d be a lot happier.
Hopefully we hear Jurrjens coming out was just a precautionary move and it wasn’t anything major for the young starter. But I really have no clue. The rado guys said nothing looked wrong with his home-run allowing pitch, but it was a fastball in the upper-80s as opposed to the low-mid 90s that Jurrjens normally pitches around. Pudge Rodriguez waved out the trainers and pointed out that it was Jurrjens’ pitching shoulder, and the starter left the game. The only report so far is “shoulder soreness” which tells us little, but of course, they probably don’t know themselves yet.
If he can’t come back, I wouldn’t doubt we see Virgil Vasquez again. I’m not sure if Kenny Rogers is feeling up to starting yet. I highly doubt it.
Update: Jurrjens to the DL. Doesn’t appear serious. Inflammation they’re calling it. Could be back after two weeks.
Update 2: I’ll be the first guest on WTKG’s Sports Extra, so it’s closer to 7:15 on GR’s 1320 AM.
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