TT: Ugly, Ugly, Ugly

Yankees 11, Tigers 0

11-9, 1st in AL Central (1.0 GU on CHI/KC)

(Photo courtesy of Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press)

Edwin Jackson started the game hot. Went six innings, giving up only four hits. THEN:

• Ryan Perry came in. He sucked.
• Nate Robertson came in. He sucked.
• Brandon Lyon came in. He too sucked.

The bullpen SUCKED to the tune of 10 runs in one inning.

Game over.

Probable starters for 4/29:

• Tigers – Rick Porcello (1-2, 4.50 ERA, 11 SO)
• Yankees – Joba Chamberlain (0-0, 3.94 ERA, 11 SO)

TT: Welcome Back!

Tigers 4, Yankees 2

11-8, 1st in AL Central (1.0 GU on KC)

(Photos courtesy of Julian H. Gonzalez/Detroit Free Press)

• It took awhile, but someone finally tracked down the real Justin Verlander and did away with the imposter that we had seen of late. Verlander went seven scoreless innings, allowing seven hits, but striking out nine en route to his first win of the season.
• Also from the “WB” category, Magglio Ordonez’s bat decided to show up again, as Ordonez popped his second home run in three games. Granted, this one BARELY got over the wall, but nobody said it had to be pretty. On the flip side, Ryan Raburn still looks like a wreck in left field, badly misplaying a ball last night and just generally looking confused. he also went 0-3, bringing his batting average to a whopping .000 on the year. Yet for some reason Jeff Larish got sent down yesterday to clear room for Clay Rapada. Go figure.
• I love pictures like the one below. Why? We are 19 games into the season, yet I look at Bobby Seay after he struck out Matsui last night, and I get pumped. It’s great to see intensity this early in the season. Let’s keep it up.

Probable starters for 4/28:

• Tigers – Edwin Jackson (1-1, 2.77 ERA, 17 SO)
• Yankees – Phil Hughes (0-0, –.—ERA, 0 SO)

Prepare Thyself: April 27 – May 3

I chose to open with Bono because I’m currently listening to “Beautiful Day” and found the song extra inspiring this week. In fact, it is just downright fitting.

Why? Well…

• The Red Wings put the SWEEP on the Blue Jackets, and did it in an amazing fashion. Yes, the series was pretty much over heading into game 4, but watching Franzen score with under a minute to go and twist the knife even deeper into those Columbus fans was an awesome feeling. (This statement written entirely as a Michigan “I hate the Buckeyes” fan.)
• The Tigers completed a nine game road trip with a 5-4 record and sole possession of first place in the AL Central.
• The Pistons got routed and bounced out of the playoffs, which means that the exercise in futility that was Michael Curry’s first season is now over. No longer do I have to bite my tongue and try and write coherent thoughts and statements about the team and their fearless leader. I can now unleash my lexicon in a verbal assault on the eyes and ears of any who will listen. And believe me, the storm is coming. It also means I don’t have to pretend like I watched the ghastly performances of DEEETROIT BAAAASKETBALL each and every night. Thank God.
• But most of all, it’s a beautiful day because I AM HEADED TO DETROIT ON THURSDAY! Oh I cannot wait. A weekend in the Motor City for baseball, gambling, adult beverages and (hopefully) a Wings game sounds like the perfect remedy for my stressed out mind. For anyone interested in hanging out, drop me a line (christopher DOT j DOT hollis @ gmail DOT com) or hit me up on twitter (@chollis). Looking forward to hearing from everyone.

Numbers? Numbers

• Red Wings: 2-0
• Tigers: 3-3
• Pistons: 0-3
• Michigan Baseball: 2-3

Grand total: 7-9

Team of the Week

Red Wings. See: “Torturing Columbus fans/city” comment above. And they swept them. No contest.

Without further ado, the matchups for the week:

Red Wings

• TBD
• **I’m keeping my fingers crossed for Game 1 to take place on Thursday or Saturday night, as I can definitely make one of those since they don’t interfere with Tigers baseball. C’mon hockey gods!

Tigers

• Monday, April 27 vs. New York Yankees – 7:05 PM (FS Detroit)
• Tuesday, April 28 vs. New York Yankees – 7:05 PM (FS Detroit)
• Wednesday, April 29 vs. New York Yankees – 7:05 PM (FS Detroit)
• Friday, May 1 vs. Cleveland – 7:05 PM (FS Detroit)
• Saturday, May 2 vs. Cleveland – 3:40 PM (FOX)
• Sunday, May 3 vs. Cleveland – 1:05 PM (FSN Detroit)

Michigan Baseball

• Friday, May 1 at Ohio State – 7:00 PM
• Saturday, May 2 at Ohio State – 1:00 PM
• Sunday, May 3 at Ohio State –  1:00 PM

Game of the Week

Tigers: Friday, May 1 vs. Cleveland – 7:05 PM (FS Detroit)

Look, it’s early in the season, so this game can’t have alot of significance as it pertains to the standings, but I don’t care. It’s my first trip to the COPA in a long time. I’m pumped. Deal with it.

Administrative Stuff: I will be taking the computer with me and will be blogging at random points throughout the trip. Have a question? Ask. I’m also hoping to meet up with a bunch of the local folks on twitter, so look for me to be updating regularly.

And since I have a five hour flight, I have plenty of time to get some new posts put together. So rather than pounding out a disjointed column late at night, some of the upcoming ones might actually make some sense. Might.

TT: Blast Off for First!

Sat: Tigers 9, Royals 1

Sun: Tigers 3, Royals 2

10-8, 1st in AL Central (1.0 GU on CHI/KC)

(Photo courtesy of Charlie Riedel/AP)

• After losing on Friday, the Tiggers bounced back to take the series from the Royals and put their claim on first place in the AL Central. On Saturday, Brandon Inge and Gerald Laird led the charge, going five for seven at the dish. Inge would tag in Josh Anderson on Sunday, going a combined 4 for 6, with his seventh home run of the season, tying him for second most in the majors.
• How about a big “Welcome Back!” for both Joel Zumaya and Magglio Ordonez. Zoom-Zoom made his return to the Tigers’ bullpen on Saturday, and was called on for an inning of relief work during the 9-1 win. Despite giving up two hits, Zumaya got through the inning unscathed, and it had to feel good for him to get back on the big league mound and face some big league hitters. Not to be outdone, Ordonez must have found his bat hiding somewhere in those curly locks, as he finally got around to hitting one over the fence on Saturday. While his “extra-base” woes are far from solved, it sure was nice to Ordonez turn and drive one deep.
• Zach Miner looked shaky again during his start on Saturday, but was able to pull it together and go five innings while giving up only one run on three hits. I’m still not sold on Miner as a long term solution in the rotation, but as long as the Tigers give him run support and strong efforts from the bullpen, he should be ok. Armando Gallaraga bounced back nicely from his last effort, going six strong innings, issuing only one run on three hits, while striking out seven.  He continues to dominate the Royals, giving up only four runs in his last three starts against the club from KC.

Probable starters for 4/27:

• Tigers – Justin Verlander (0-2, 9.00 ERA, 25 SO)
• Yankees – CC Sabathia (1-1, 4.81 ERA, 12 SO)

**For the love of god Verlander, let’s win a game, eh? Those 25 strikeouts mean diddly poo until you get a “1” in that W column. Why not tonight?

Red Wings Injury Update

**Also up at Winging It In Motown

While San Jose and Anaheim continue to grind it out against each other, the Red Wings have gained some much needed time to rest up and get ready for the second round. However, there are still many lingering injury questions for the Wings, so here’s your up-to-the-minute update on the health of Hockeytown’s finest:

• If you watched Game 4 on FS Detroit on Thursday, you might have been surprised to hear Ken Daniels and Mickey Redmond explore the idea that Wings netminder Chris Osgood could potentially be suffering from a leg/groin injury. That would help explain the five goals Osgood gave up in Game 4, but at this point, any injury talk is all speculation.
• Marian Hossa made it through the first round without re-aggravating the groin injury that nagged him throughout the end of the regular season, logging four points (2 G, 2 A) and a +2 rating along the way.
• Dan Cleary, an early question mark for this series with a lower body injury, showed up in a big way, contributing five points (2 G, 3 A) and a team best +6 rating.
• It’s still a waiting game when it comes to the status of Kris Draper. The forward has missed the last six games, regular season and playoffs, with an upper-body injury. The official word is that his status will be re-evaluated and updated next week. However, I’ve talked with sources close to the situation, and it appears as if Draper is ready to play and is just waiting to be cleared by the team. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him suit up during the second round.
• Finally, even though Mike Babcock hasn’t come out and said it, it’s probably time to come to terms with the fact that Andreas Lilja won’t be returning any time this year. The defenseman is still struggling to recover from the effects of his concussion, and it doesn’t sound like his progress is going the way he or the team would like it to. Even if Lilja is finally able to get over the headaches, don’t expect to see him on the ice anytime this postseason, as he hasn’t been able to practice since the concussion and will definitely require some time to get back in shape.

TT: Greinked

Royals 6, Tigers 1

8-8, t-2nd in AL Central (1.0 GB of KC)

(Photo courtesy of Charlie Riedel/AP)

• Zach Greinke is ridiculous. Seriously. A complete game win in just over two hours with only three hits given up? Fugeddaaboutit.
• On the other side of the coin is Rick Porcello. Rookie Rick looked pretty solid, only giving up four hits in six innings of work. The problem: two were home runs. Porcello has been pretty solid to begin this season, but he continues to make “slap” hitters like Alberto Callaspo look like sluggers, which has to be a bit nerve-wracking.
• Gerald Laird had two of the Tigers three hits last night. Ugh.

Probable starters for 4/25:

• Tigers – Zach Miner (1-1, 8.10 ERA, 6 SO)
• Royals – Kyle Davies (1-0, 2.89 ERA, 21 SO)

TT: Shook Up

Angels 10, Tigers 5

8-7, 1st in AL Central (Tied w/ CHI, KC)

• Maybe it was the pair of earthquakes that shook the Anaheim area tonight, but Edwin Jackson sure didn’t look like the starter we have seen throughout the early parts of the season. Jackson looked good in the early innings, but got touched up for six runs (three earned) on eight hits in the middle frames. Reliever Eddie Bonine fared no better, giving up four runs on five hits in just 1.2 innings.
• Brandon Inge homered again tonight, bringing his total to six this season. It’s good to see Inge producing with the bat, but the team is still inconsistent when it comes to hitting. Magglio Ordonez still does not have an extra base hit this year, and there are some grumblings that maybe he should get moved up or down in the lineup in favor of Curtis Granderson moving down.
• This one is especially frustrating, as both Kansas City and Chicago lost today and a Tigers win would have put them squarely on top of the AL Central. Yes, it’s early, but for a team that finished last in the division last year, it would be a great early boost to sit alone on top of the division, especially after a trip out West. The Tigers will have a chance to distance themselves from KC, as they start a three game series against the Royals tomorrow. It won’t be easy though, as they open against the red hot Zach Greinke, who is currently on a 34 inning scoreless streak.

Probable starters for 4/24:

• Tigers – Rick Porcello (1-1, 3.75 ERA, 7 SO)
• Royals – Zack Greinke (3-0, 0.00 ERA, 26 SO)

TT: Wild West Shootout

Tigers 12, Angels 10

8-6, 1st in AL Central (Tied w/CHI)

(Photo courtesy of Hector Mata/AP)

• Well then. Talk about an interesting game. A hugely back and forth affair saw the Tigers finally emerge with a five run seventh to claim an insurmountable* lead and get a win over the Los Angeles Orange County Angels of Greater Anaheim and Parts of Other Smaller Regional Cities. How bizarre was this one? Juan Rincon got the “W” for the Tigers with a “one run on two hits, two walks AND a wild pitch” performance. Yea.
• While the pitching was atrocious on both sides of field, the Tigers got the pop back in the bats with an 18 hit performance, which included homers from both Curtis Granderson and Brandon Inge. Props also to Adam Everett, who somehow wound up going 3 for 4 last night even though none of his hits could have cleared the fence on a softball field.
• Dear Fernando Rodney of last night: Please give us back the Fernando Rodney that is not you. Watching you do everything in your power to give away the win is not good for my heart. Seriously, there is nothing wrong with coming in and not giving up runs. I promise. So if you can just drop off the preferred ‘Nando at the clubhouse door tonight, it would be appreciated. Thanks.

*When “Oh $**T Fernando Rodney” takes the mound, no lead is insurmountable.

Probable starters for 4/23:

• Tigers – Edwin Jackson (1-0, 2.14 ERA, 13 SO)
• Angels – Matt Palmer (0-0, –.—ERA)

TT: Late Letdown

**This was “scheduled” to post earlier today. As you can tell, it didn’t. Ugh.

Angels 4, Tigers 3

7-6, 3rd in AL Central (0.5 GB)

(Photo Courtesy of Danny Moloshok/AP)

• Just when you thought the bullpen was getting it figured out, another late letdown rears its ugly head. This time it was Brandon Lyon giving up a double to Gary Matthews, Jr. to score the go-ahead run. Honestly, I can’t say I am that surprised. While watching the Tigers here in Seattle last weekend (especially Sunday), the bullpen continued to make it interesting and put quality starts at risk. There is still work to be done, but you have to hope that outings like this serve as a teaching tool for some of the younger guys coming in late in the game. Otherwise, there isn’t alot to be happy about.
• Speaking of quality starts, Armando Gallaraga did not have one tonight. After getting up to 75 pitches in the third inning, it was nothing short of a miracle that Gallaraga made it to the fifth. After two sparkling starts to open the season, let’s hope that this was just an anomaly.
• And to tie it all together, let’s hope Curtis Granderson’s two homer performance tonight WASN’T an anomaly. Nice to see the spark plug get it going, but this team is still built to win games when scoring some runs. When the lineup is hitting, the boys are winning.

Probable starters for 4/22:

• Tigers – Justin Verlander (0-2, 7.88 ERA, 20 SO)
• Angels – Joe Saunders (2-1, 2.18 ERA, 7 SO)

Prepare Thyself: April 20 – April 26

As promised, I have finally pried myself away from the real world, and am back here to provide the analysis, chatter and generally incorrect speculation that you so desire. Yes, I missed you too.

Down to business. Even though I DID miss a week of wins and losses, I don’t really feel like breaking it all out for two weeks. Therefore, here’s what went down last week:

• Red Wings: 2-0
• Tigers: 3-2
• Pistons: 0-3
• Michigan Baseball: 2-3

Grand total: 7-8

• The Red Wings opened up the playoffs with many critics and fans wondering which team would show up.  After dropping three straight to end the regular season, the Wings kicked off the playoffs in style, dropping Columbus 4-1 and 4-0, respectively.
• The Tigers followed up a sweep of the Rangers with a split against the White Sox (with one rainout) and then started a West coast trip by taking 2 of 3 from the Mariners (wooo!). 
• The Pistons also limped into the playoffs…and kept limping, getting routed by the Cavs in game 1 of the Eastern playoffs.
• Michigan baseball keeps on underachieving, losing a pair to MSU and losing another against Eastern Michigan. They did, however, get a road win against MSU to end the week.

Team of the Week

It’s gotta be the Red Wings. After really struggling at the end of the regular season and perhaps even being “bored” (if you believe Chris Osgood), the boys powered into the playoffs by winning two at home in very convincing fashion. This team constantly promised that they would be ready for the playoffs, and so far, they haven’t disappointed.

Honorable Mention: I have to give a shout out and some serious props to the Tigers too. They came out West and took two of three from one of the AL’s top early teams, and in the process provided me with two days of entertainment at Safeco Field. I have to admit, I am REALLY pumped up for baseball this year, and getting to see the boys this weekend just reinforced that excitement. I can’t wait to get to Detroit in two weeks for the weekend series against Cleveland. Thanks boys.

Without further ado, the matchups for the week:

Red Wings

• Tuesday, April 21 at Columbus (Game 3) – 7:00 PM (FSN Detroit)
• Thursday, April 23 at Columbus (Game 4) – 7:00 PM (FSN Detroit)
• Saturday, April 25 vs. Columbus (Game 5 – If Needed) 7:00 PM (Versus)

Tigers

• Tuesday, April 21 at LAA of Anaheim – 10:05 PM (FSN Detroit)
• Wednesday, April 22 at LAA of Anaheim – 10:05 PM (FSN Detroit)
• Thursday, April 23 at LAA of Anaheim – 10:05 PM (FSN Detroit)
• Friday, April 24 at Kansas City – 8:10 PM (FS Plus)
• Saturday April 25 at Kansas City – 7:10 PM (FSN Detroit)
• Sunday, April 26 at Kansas City – 2:10 PM (FSN Detroit)

Pistons

• Tuesday, April 21 at Cleveland (Game 2) – 8:00 PM (TNT)
• Friday, April 24 vs. Cleveland (Game 3) – 7:00 PM (ESPN)
• Sunday, April 26 vs. Cleveland (Game 4) – 3:30 PM (ABC)

Michigan Baseball

• Tuesday, April 21 vs. Notre Dame – 7:05 PM
• Wednesday, April 22 at Notre Dame – 6:05 PM
• Friday, April 24 vs. Indiana- 6:35 PM
• Saturday, April 25 vs. Indiana – 1:05 PM
• Sunday, April 26 vs. Indiana -  1:05 PM

Game of the Week

Red Wings: Thursday, April 23 at Columbus (Game 4) – 7:00 PM (FSN Detroit)

It’s a huge game no matter how it shakes out. A win on Tuesday, and we can sweep the Jackets. If we lose on Tuesday and then win on Thursday, we head home with a chance to clinch. If we lose on Tuesday and again on Thursday, it’s a best-of-three series and I’m probably crying myself to sleep. No matter what, it’s a big game.