End of Season's Greetings
Porcello leads FSL in ERA
BY JON PAUL MOROSI • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • August 29, 2008
Rick Porcello completed his first professional season Wednesday with an outing that recalled his impressive stint with the Tigers during spring training.
"The Paris of the Midwest"
BY BRIAN McCOLLUM • FREE PRESS POP MUSIC WRITER • August 28, 2008
Kid Rock will be the name next to the title, but there's another star at the heart of the rocker's new video: Detroit.
Cameras rolled Wednesday at the Motown Historical Museum, the final stop in a 2-day shoot that found Rock and a film crew mingling with Detroiters at assorted city landmarks.
The project: "Roll On," the fourth single from Rock's album "Rock and Roll Jesus," which sits at No. 2 on the Billboard chart. The storyline: a sentimental visit through Detroit, with Rock driving a Lincoln Continental convertible to such spots as Tiger Stadium and Lafayette Coney Island.
"You couldn't have scripted some of the stuff we got," he said. "This isn't a tourism video. I really wanted to capture the heart and soul of Detroit, and that's the people. I think it's one of the most beautiful things about the city."
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080828/ENT04/808280388
Back in the Day
OPENING DAY.
April 13, 1976.
$1.50 bleacher seats -- best bargain in Detroit!
Tigers lost to the Brewer 1-0. Jim Slaton hurled a compete game for Milwaukee. Ray Bare started for Detroit. John Hiller relieved in the 7th and got the loss. 48,612 fans witnessed the action. Time of game: 1:57!!!
Opening Day lineup for the Tigers:
Ben Oglivie CF
Dan Meyer 1B
Willie Horton DH
Rusty Staub RF
Alex Johnson LF
Milt May C
Aurelio Rodriguez 3B
Tom Veryzer SS
Gary Sutherland 2B
For the Brewers:
Charlie Moore LF
Don Money 3B
George Scott 1B
Darrell Porter C
Henry Aaron DH
Sixto Lezcano CF
Bill Sharp RF
Robin Yount SS
Pedro Garcia 2B
"You've got to knoow when to hold 'em...."
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080826/SPORTS02/808260384/1050
Thanks for the Memories
Freddy Garcia heads to Toledo
Veteran right-hander Freddy Garcia, signed by the Tigers this month to a minor league deal, has been promoted to Triple-A Toledo and will pitch for the Mud Hens on Wednesday. Garcia pitched in a game Saturday night for the first time since the Tigers signed him. He pitched two scoreless innings for Class A Lakeland.
Rain Check
Leyland for Governor
Bombs Away!
Tigers fall season-high 11 1/2 games out of first
BY JOHN LOWE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • August 21, 2008
ARLINGTON, Texas -- There's an old saying in baseball that things usually get worse before they get better.
Nate Robertson experienced as much Wednesday night.
In the latest and worst in his long series of ineffective starts, Robertson tied a Tigers record by allowing five homers. He twice gave up back-to-back smashes.
He allowed eight runs and left in the fourth inning, and the Tigers lost, 9-1, falling a season-high 11 1/2 games out of first place. Texas right-hander Kevin Millwood threw a complete-game six-hitter.
The only other Tigers pitchers to allow five homers in a game were Don Mossi at Cleveland in 1961 and Jeff Weaver at home against Boston in 1999. All five allowed by Mossi were solos, and he won the game. But Weaver, like Robertson, lost by giving up all five of his homers from the second through fourth innings.
Country Joe and the Fish?
Leyland fine with Bonderman drinking and fishing
By JOHN LOWE • FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER • August 21, 2008
Tigers manager Jim Leyland suggested that right-hander Jeremy Bonderman can't do much conditioning right now because he can't yet throw following his surgery.
"He puts on his bib overalls -- no shoes and socks -- got a straw hat, got a case of beer next to him, got the hat slightly over his eyes with a fishing pole in his hand and taking a nap," Leyland said. "That's what he's been doing ... I'm not being funny. That's what he's doing. He's sitting by a pond with a fishing pole and a case of beer and a straw hat and having a good time, and he should. Why shouldn't he? He can't do anything. He'll be fine. ... He'll be raring to go (in spring training)."
Tigers in Texas
Lee Gets 21 AB's for Korea!!
Sad that NBC covers years of swimming and girls gymnastics, but I haven't even seen a game summary of baseball.
Numero Uno
Pre-Spring Training 2009 begins today
Study: Detroit Tiger fans MLB's second least loyal
Source: Tigers put disgruntled Sheffield on waivers
One day after Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he was "flabbergasted" by Gary Sheffield's complaints about playing time, Sheffield was among several Tigers placed on waivers by the club Tuesday, according to a major league source.
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3532016
Hagerty Gets Lucky Again!
Freddie Garcia Signs With Tigers
Freddy Garcia has agreed to a contract with the Tigers, SI.com has learned. Garcia had been a free agent, and has not pitched since June of 2007 with the Philadelphia Phillies, when shoulder problems limited him to just 11 starts. He went 17-9 with the White Sox in 2006, his last full season in the majors.
Garcia, 33, has a lifetime record of 117-76 with the Mariners, White Sox and Phillies, and has a 6-2 postseason record. He has been sidelined for over a year and had shoulder surgery on a torn labrum, but had recently begun auditioning for teams who might hope to sign him for the stretch drive.
On August 5, Garcia held a showcase for about 15 teams, including the Tigers, Dodgers, Diamondbacks, Rays, Yankees, Mets, Red Sox, Phillies, Twins, White Sox and Brewers. Scouts thought he looked very good but his radar readings in the 84-86 range indicated his arm strength was still coming.
The Tigers, expected to roll to the AL Central title before the season began, have been a disappointment right from the start, and enter play on Tuesday at 58-60, in third place in the AL Central, eight games out of first and 9 1/2 games behind in the wild card race.
Garcia has a reputation as a big-game pitcher, having won the clinching Game 5 of the 2005 ALCS for the White Sox with a complete game victory.
Gary, we hardly knew ye
Dontrelle in Lakeland
Ballotting
Me and Cal
This is me and my buddy Cal. He has played a little baseball in his time.
I have been fortunate enough to join a bunch of guys each year that get together to play pickup baseball. It started with some guys in Dallas and has spread across the country. We play in a different location each year and have a ball.
We have played at:
Wrigley Field
Cal Ripken Stadium in Abeerdeen, MD
The Diamond (with Nolan Ryan and his sons) in Round Rock, TX
Bank One Ballpark (with Randy Johnson) in Phoenix
Edison Field in Anaheim
It is not a fantasy camp. We actually have a draft, uniforms, and we use major league bats and balls, supplied by the rookies. Our players age range from 23 to 82. You pitch to your own team and you can have a runner if necessary. It is a riot. On top of that, we raise monies for great charities. To date and through the years we have raised over $1.5M.
This picture was taken at Cal Ripken's house. He and Billy played and we all had dinner in his backyard. Playing with the Ripken's for 4 days was a riot. At dinner that night, I asked Cal who was the greatest player he ever saw or played against. Without hesitation he said Barry Lamar Bonds and there was not a close second. Cal said that Barry has the greatest eyesight ever and he can read a nickel from 500 feet. Amazing!!! We had a great time.
On October 23 we are headed to San Diego to play with Tony Gwynn at Tony Gywnn Stadium on the campus of San Diego State University where Tony is the coach. If you have not seen Tony lately, he has not missed any meals or sandwiches since he retired. He puts Gates Brown to shame.
Sheffield Don't Let The Door Hit You on the way OUT!!!
When Leyland and Dombrowski read this, you can bet that he will be on his way to Tampa by September 1st if not by the end of the week. Clevlen will make more contact and can play the outfield. We need to see what he ca do as he is out of options next year and it looks like a sure bet that Clete Thomas will be up for good, along with Larrish.
and our wives think we're basball freaks...
Two game winning streak
The eternal optimist in me keeps hoping there is still a chance.
Thankfully they did not need the bull pen today. Is there any worse bull pen in the major leagues? Perhaps we should have kept Pudge and he could have pitched in relief -- at least better than Farnsworth.
Hopefully this blog works -- more later
chuck
No Trespassing
Olympic Tigers?
I can find Mike Hessman (infielder, Toledo) and Blaine Neal (RHP, also Toledo).
Scouting reports?
Wishful thinking
Green Day
D-Train kept a-rollin'
Wait til next year
Hey I-pod fans!
20 minutes or so on the latest news, without that smarmy blonde chick on FOX. (No chicks at all, in fact. Kind of like an old-time press box discussion. I think I smell the cigar smoke.)
"Go get 'em, Tigers!"
Sunday's game 8-3-08
Oh yea, I forgot to mention the wonderful contribution from our new relief pitcher.
Our pitching is killing us!
On the positive side: How about that shot from Cabrera? Rod Allen guessed that ball may have traveled 500 feet if it hadn't impacted on hardware in the dome.
Let's see what happens with Chicago in Chicago.
Put a fork in 'em, they're done!
Instead, the can't beat the team that they could face in the playoffs.
I hate to say it, but it's over.
Joy in Mudville
Way to go Tom!
Tiger photos
I'm not sure how to post photos to this blog, but check out my website if you'd like to see photos of Tiger Stadium, Detroit Tigers spring training, the Lakeland Flying Tigers or the Gulf Coast League Tigers (and Indians).
"Go get 'em, Tigers!"
-- Tom
p.s. Tigers v. Rays sold out tonite at Tropicana Field. Might have something to do w/ a postgame LL Cool J concert.