Home runs help the Tigers get their 2nd win of the season

Detroit Tigers at Baltimore Orioles
Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, Maryland
April 6, 2011
Tigers 7, Orioles 3 BOX

It looks as though the malaise that demonized Justin Verlander during the month of April has been exorcised. He was smooth tonight. In the eight innings that he pitched he gave up only three runs on four hits. He struck out nine. SMOOTH!

Verlander didn’t even allow a hit until a home run from Derek Lee in the fourth inning. SMOOTHER!

Honestly, more than a few of his pitches looked magical tonight. SMOOTHEST!

Victor Martinez, after some adjustments in batting style, hit a home run. Miguel Cabrera and Alex Avila did, too.

Speaking of Avila, he had an absolutely stellar night. He went 3 for 4 with a double.  The home run he hit was his first this season. It came in the fourth inning against Baltimore starter Brad Bergesen. It was a two run blast that put the Tigers up 4-0.

He had five RBI’s.

THE HOME OPENER

Are you keeping an eye on the weather for Friday? If you are going to the game, take an umbrella with you, it looks like you will need it. I watched our local Detroit area weather man, WDIV-TV’s Chuck Gadica (whose forecasts I like) and his radar map showed morning rain, however we might get a break in the afternoon. Possibly enough of a break to play baseball. Keep those fingers crossed!

Don’t forget that you can click on the “Countdown To Opening Day” photo to the right to get the latest weather for Opening Day.

If you can’t make it to the game, you can still catch the televised home opener on Fox Sports – Detroit and also on Fox 2. Game time is at 3:05 p.m. ET.

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Tigers still looking for first win of the season

      Saturday's Results

Detroit Tigers at New York Yankees
 Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York
      Tigers 6, Yankees 10

Once again, we can’t expect them to win every game. Yet two games into the season we are still waiting to see our first Detroit Tigers victory of 2011.

Pack your patience.

Yesterday’s loss to the New York Yankees, 10-6, was a painful game for fans and players alike. The Yankees jumped all over starter Brad Penny, in his Tiger’s debut, early in the game. Penny fell three runs behind in the first inning en route to an early exit. By the time his day was over he had given up eight runs, including a three run homer to Mark Teixeira (his second in as many games) in the 2nd inning.

Penny’s ERA has swelled to 16.62.

Also, Curtis Granderson continued to play a good game against the Tigers. He successfully stole second base in the third. He had such a good jump, Alex Avila, despite a spot-on throw, wasn’t able to get him.

Unfortunately frustrations mounted as the bullpen continued to give up more hits and runs. Brad Thomas, relieving Penny in the fourth, launched a pitch that Russell Martin took deep to add three runs to the games totals. Then in the bottom of the sixth, Alex Rodriguez homered off of Brayan Villarreal.

If there is any good to come from the game, and there is some, the Tigers tried to battle back – although slowly. They ran out of innings.

Austin Jackson put the Tigers on the board with a home run in the third inning. Brennan Boesch, Avila, and Jhonny Peralta singled to kick off the fifth. Victor Martinez contributed with his first home run as a Detroit Tiger. In the ninth Alex Avila scored on an error. They racked up 10 hits and took advantage of some opportunities. By then it was too late.

Magglio Ordonez left the game early with a sore ankle – yes, THAT one. It is doubtful that he will play today’s game, according to Jim Leyland, who said that he didn’t want to take any chances.

So that is the long and short of it.

The Tigers will try to salvage the third game this afternoon. They will send Max Scherzer to the mound. The Yankees will counter with Phil Hughes.

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EXTRAS

Fun Fact: When Justin Verlander pitched in Thursday’s opener against the Yankees, he became the fourth Tigers pitcher since 1920 to start four consecutive opening day games. He has good company, too, Jack Morris, Mickey Lolich, and Hal Newhouser are the other three.
(From ESPN Stats and Info)

Staying healthy will be key for the Tigers in 2011

We are less than a week away from the Detroit Tigers breaking camp and heading up north. I am excited about this team and about the possibility that they will make it to the playoffs this season. I stand with many pundits who believe the 2011 Tigers have the talent to get them there and go all the way to the World Series.

In 2010, the Tigers were riding high atop the Central prior to the All-Star break. A number of injuries were cited as the reason for their second-half slide. This year, the Tigers will begin the season without Joel Zumaya and Carlos Guillen. Both players will be on the disabled list (DL).

The key to making this a successful year will rely heavily upon the health of key players, such as Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez.

Of course, keeping the position players off of the dreaded DL is important. Keeping this pitching staff healthy, too, will be important. Unfortunately, as you know, that isn’t an easy thing to accomplish. Injuries happen. There is no way to prevent many of them from happening. But I am saying that barring any mishaps on the field, or off, this team will go far.

A couple of off-season moves will help to make that happen. The signing of Victor Martinez added punch to a lineup that already boasts such heavy hitters such as Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez. Definitely most fans are expecting to see good things from Austin Jackson — at the plate and in center field. Brandon Inge will be back at third, and Jhonny Peralta will be Tiger’s shortstop. The position of second base was recently filled by Will Ryhmes. You can expect that once Carlos Guillen is healthy enough to return he will take over for Rhymes.

Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Rick Porcello are a group of starters to be reckoned with. Each of them has good stuff. Phil Coke will begin the season in the bullpen, although he is expected to be a part of the rotation. I have been a fan of new Tiger’s pitcher Brad Penny. He has great potential as long as he’s healthy (see, there’s that word again). He can get a lot of wins. Jose Valverde is beginning the year healthy — and happy. Jim Leyland has already made a comment that he will hold Papa Grande to a pitch-count. No more high-pitch-count-marathons for him! The Tigers also added Joaquin Benoit to their bullpen. He will be the setup man for Valverde — which was the role we had hoped to see Joel Zumaya in. No worries, Benoit can do the job.

Certainly, as you can see, this is a Detroit Tigers team to be excited about. I am also excited to share the 2011 season with you.

The season officially starts at 1:05 p.m. ET on March 31 in New York against the Yankees. The game will be televised nationally on ESPN. Then the countdown to the home opener, April 8, 2011, will begin. That game starts at 3:05 p.m. ET., which is a little later than usual, and that is because of the previous night’s game against Baltimore. We want a well-rested team to take the field that Friday afternoon. Don’t we? So, I will take the later start — and hope the weather will be decent — at least a few degrees warmer than the 38 degrees we saw last year on opening day.

Be sure to get downtown early to find a place to park, and mingle with Tiger’s fans at a couple of the downtown bars and restaurants before the game.

Comerica Park gates open at 12:3o.

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