So Max Scherzer got hammered. Yet the Tigers came back and won. An epic day it was. This is what the Tigers must do if they have any shot at winning the division.
The Tigers put up 5 runs on Scott Baker, and got to their bullpen for 6 more. Final 11-6 Detroit.
Come on Kitties win tomorrow and gain some ground in the Central.
Bondo gets the start tonight looking to build off of his last outing. He needs to go at least 6 innings tonight to allow the bullpen to rest a little bit. In his last outing against the Angels he gave up 3 runs to the first five batters. Then he settled down and only allowed one infield hit over the next 19 batters.
So what does Bondo have to do to find success in the league? A couple of bullets and maybe we can find the answer.
So our Tigers have really struggled with their starting pitching. This is one area I really thought would be a strength for this team coming into 2010. It hasn’t really worked out that way. Verlander is 1-1 with a 6.95 ERA. Porcello is 1-2 with a 7.91 ERA. Willis and Bonderman haven’t been much better. I realize that its early in the year, but the Tigers need to do something.
Well DB, what do they do you might ask? I have a couple of ideas. First off Joel Zumaya has been lights out. This guy, after all of the injuries and set backs has a 2-0 record, with 13 K’s 0 BB’s in 12 innings of work. There was talk a couple of years ago about making Zumaya a starter. I think now may be the time to do this.
What do the Tigers have to lose(I know a big part of their pen). This team must keep pace with the red hot Minnesota Twins. Maybe just maybe Zumaya is primed for a starters roll.
The other option at this point is to call up Armando Galarraga. Through 4 starts this young season, Galarraga is 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA. Opposing batters are hitting just .180 against him. With the way that some of the Tigers starting pitching has been struggling, He is a viable option at some point in this season.
Jeremy Bonderman overcame a rough first inning and the Tigers stormed back in the 9th to give them a 4-3 victory.
Bondo looked really good, after the first inning. I was very pleased with what I saw. We know that Bondo is probably never going to be the hard thrower that he was. Yet last night his two seamer had lots of movement on it and he was able to throw the breaking ball for strikes. This is what we need out of Bonderman.
Cabby you are the MAN!!
After the pain and trauma we’ve endured the last two seasons watching Dontrelle Willis pitch, he goes out pitches lights out and loses. Our offense sucks. 9 hits today and no runs scored. 9 fucking hits and nothing to show for it.
I am now officially in the fire Lloyd McClendon camp. I’m not saying all of the hitting woes are his fault, but something has to be done to pull these guys heads out of their asses. There is big league talent on this team who hit like little leaguers.
Anyways enough with the rant……I’ll see you tomorrow after Porcello shuts the Angels down.
| DOTW | Tigers | Angels |
| Monday | Dontrelle Willis (0-0 4.91 ERA 5BB 7K) | Joel Pinero (1-1 2.77 ERA 3 BB 9 K) |
| Tuesday | Rick Porcello (1-0 4.09 ERA 2 BB 5 K) | Scott Kazmir (0-1 13.50 ERA 3BB 2 K) |
| Wednesday | Jeremy Bonderman (1-1 9.00ERA 6 BB 9 K) | Jered Weaver (2-0 2.84 ERA 3 BB 21 K) |
| Thursday | Justin Verlander (0-1 6.88 ERA 5 BB 15 K) | Joe Saunders (1-2 4.26 ERA 4 BB 8 K) |
The Tigers invade Los Angeles looking to take down the perennial AL West powerhouse Angels. I’m going to be honest. I feel this is a series that could make or break this season. I know we’re not even a month into the year yet, however this is the best team we have faced and we need our bats to come alive if we have any hope of winning the Central.
That being said, this Angels team is loaded. Yes I know that their record is only 6-7, and yes I know that they have scored less runs than the Tigers have. But this team has so much pitching depth, I fully expect them to easily win the West(yet again).
Our Starters haven’t been good over the course of the last week and a half. My hope in this series is that our pitching is good enough to keep the Angels Struggling and our offense can come from some where. Our pitching and bats both need to improve in a major way if we are going to make any kind of run this year.
So I’ve got to apologize to my readers for my absence. I’ve had a very busy week which capped off with a trip to Ann Arbor for the University of Michigan Spring Game. You can read all about my trip here.
The Tigers kicked off a very tough early season west coast swing. After losing two of three to Kansas City the Big Cats rolled into Seattle where they promptly lost the first two games of the series. Thankfully I missed most of both of these games, although I did see a little bit of Verlander’s performance and he looked pretty good.
Today I arrived home in enough time to turn on FSD-HD and watch Max Scherzer and the Tigers beat the Mariners 4-2. Scherzer looked impressive, going 6 innings, striking out 4 while only walking 1. This was a good outing for the young righty.
The Tigers scoring started with Miguel Cabrera’s 3 run homer in the top of the 3rd. That was all until Austin Jackson singled home a run in the top of the 8th.
Tigers offense continues to suck. They have been outscored 61-58 this year. They continue to strand way to many runners, I’m not quite ready to call for Lloyd McClendon’s head just yet….but its coming. These guys just can’t seem to hit when there is runners in scoring position.
The bullpen continues to be very good, which they have to be with the starter not going especially deep into games. I’m still hoping for .500 on this road trip, but if they continue to hit like they have it will be more like .250.
I’ll be back tomorrow with a preview of LA.
