31st
March
2008
Game 1: Bullpen stumbles
posted in 2008 season, game recaps |Royals 5, Tigers 4 (11 innings)
The Tigers (0-1) got ahead 3-0, but Justin Verlander began to weaken and the bullpen’s inability to stem the bleeding coupled with the batters’ lack of timely hitting gave Detroit a second straight opening day loss.
Quick recap:
- The Tiger got ahead 3-0 after an Edger Rentria RBI drove in Carlos Guillen in the second. In the third, the Tigers could only get one run off Gil Meche when they loaded the bases. Gary Sheffield walked — after falling behind 0-2 — to score Pudge Rodriguez.
- Miguel Cabrera homered to left in the fourth — the first of many — to put the Tigers 3-0.
- Verlander struck out six in 6+ innings, but he allowed a two-run homer to Alx Gordon in the sixth inning, then a pair of hits to open the sevent.
- Jason Grilli allowed the runner at third to score to tie the game. I don’t think you can blame him, it’s pretty unlikely for a team to get out of that jam.
- Aquilino Lopez gave up the go-ahead run, but Carlos Guillen answered with a solo homer to knot the game at 4-4.
- After Brandon Inge made a terrific throw home to get an out in the 11th inning, he had no chance on the next hit to him in the inning, and Joe Buck scored on a Tony Pena Jr. hit. T
- hat was Denny Bautista’s second inning of pitching. He took the loss.
- The Tigers managed to get rookie outfielder Clete Thomas to third after he opened the inning with a double — his first career hit — but they could not advance him.
- Alex Gordon’s diving stop at third base saved the run and gave Kansas the game.
- A couple new Tigers settled into the team’s theme right from their first real day in the uniform. Edgar Renteria struck out three times, Cabrera twice and Jacque Jones twice.
- But DH Gary Sheffield walked four times.
- Guillen went 3-5.
- Ordonez went 2-5.
- The Tigers left 10 baserunners straned.
Analysis
- Opening Day is always fun. But I’m glad we got that overwith. Pomp and circumstance is wonderful, but I’ll be glad when the season settles in.
- I hate to see the team lose on opening day, but it was actually a pretty entertaining game. I’m up and pacing around and into every pitch. Amazing how fast you go from not caring either way for the results on March 29 to pacing on March 31.
- I think you have to give props to Kansas City’s bullpen for allowing just one run and two hits in five innings. The Tigers are going to take advantage of bullpens this year — and probably the Royals’ bullpen several times. But today, those Royals pitchers did great.
- Great to see Clete Thomas contribute right away. Takes pressure off him and hopefully he can keep it up until Curtis Granderson returns.
- Brandon Inge has to learn not to dive on every hit. At third, sure, either you get it or you don’t and the left fielder does. But the left fielder is a long run from a ball that gets past you. But I think he’ll do fine out there and you have to love his arm.
- And Miggy! That’s exciting. We get 8 years of watching him and thinking something great is going to happen every pitch. How fun is that?
I thought the pen did a good job. Grilli let an runner on third with no outs score. How often will that happen – 80% of the time? And then Bautista was scored upon in the 11th. One earned run in 5 innings. Can’t complain about that.
This was one of those games you typically don’t loose. Verlander let 5 men on base over 6 + innings and 4 scored. The Tigers had 16 runners on base and scored 4 runs. You don’t loose too many games like that.
Just a game of missed opportunities yesterday. The Tigers hit the ball well, but just couldn’t seem to get timely 2 out hits with runners in scoring position. Personally, I didn’t like seeing Inge bunt with no outs and Clete Thomas on 2nd in the bottom of the 11th. I can see the logic in bunting him over in that situation (long fly ball scores him), but I just don’t care for that play that much.
Jacque Jones and Renteria both looked a little bit jumpy at the plate. Jones in particularly looked like he was swinging out of his shoes on several occasions. Hopefully they will be able to get settled in at the plate a little bit soon. I imagine it has to be very hard moving to a new team, as you would love to make a great first impression.
I would say the bullpen didn’t do a bad job. Didn’t do a good job. Just sorta did a job. Most days they’ll do enough. Yesterday, had the Tigers got a timely hit or two, they’d have done enough. But I don’t think they deserve accolades either.
Great point about Cabrera. Every time he came up I felt like something great was about to happen. Should be an exciting 8 seasons.
That’s the last time I want to see Inge try a bare handed grab. Doing it at third is quite a bit different.
I’m glad to get OD out of the way also. Every year I say “Not going next year”. Hate the mens room lines. Hate the business crowd leaving after 4 innings. Hate the cold weather and lack of females in heavy clothing. I’ll be back again to OD again next year – hopefully in April.
Some of those hometeam K’s looked awful. AWFUL.
Gotta love the 8:00 ESPN game on Sunday. It’s gonna be like a Monday Night Football game. All the wives home with the kids. Nationally televised. Gonna be crazy down there. Look forward to it – well, maybe not the bathroom lines.
I thought that attempting to bare hand that ball was the only chance that Inge was going to have to make a play at the plate on what turned out to be the game winning run. If he bare hands it and can make the throw great, if he misses it (like he did) there is no harm because it was hit so softly. The runner was off on contact b/c there were 2 outs, there was probably no chance to throw him out if he gloves it. The runner didn’t move up from first, so what’s the harm?
I agree with tbsgc’s take. If he bare hands it, he has a shot. If he doesn’t, it’s not going to go anywhere and the runner isn’t going to be able to advance on that particular hit.
I see your point – in the OD game. It’s a bad habit for him though. He did it again (game 2) today when it bounced off the warning track and up into the wall. There was absolutely no reason for it, he had his back to the plate. He’s got to field the ball and get out of the habit. I like the kid and never thought twice about it when he was playing 3.