A Horse

It's been a tough sports week - three straight losses to Boston (including that dreadful ejection/suspension of Porcello), a heartbreaking loss to Mexico in Azteca, and the Lions are now once again dominating sports-talk radio.

Even though three days have passed, that Porcello suspension still doesn't sit well with me. There was something non-sporting about the whole ordeal. When all was said-and-done, the Tigers' best hitter, Cabrera, missed two games and Porcello missed one. His replacement was a career minor-leaguer. The BoSox lost Youkilis, but his replacement hit three home runs in the series. Since Boston instigated the fight -- first by hitting Cabrera in Game 1 and then Tazawa hitting Cabrera again in Game 2 - it seems hardly fair for the league to not recognize that. Ultimately, the move cost the Tigers only one game, but that may come back to haunt them down the line.

No doubt, Verlander was as irritated about the ordeal as me entering yesterday's game. The "horse" (as Leyland likes to call him) opened the game with massive heat. He normally starts the first with 94-95mph fastballs, but yesterday he hit 98-99 out of the gate. Boston still managed a few hits. With runners at the corners with one out, Verlander escaped the threat with two straight Ks. That set the tone. The Tigers ace went 8 innings against one of the best hitting teams in the league, allowing just four hits. Rodney pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for his 24th save. It was, in essence, a virtuoso pitching performance by the Tigers, and a much needed consolation in the Boston series.

The Tigers' bats, meanwhile, remained quiet. Only Ryan Raburn provided any punch. Against the mediocre Clay Buchholz (4.45 ERA, just up from AAA), the Tigers managed just five hits - one a solo HR by Raburn. Raburn also got the only hit with a runner-in-scoring-position, knocking in Cabrera with an infield single.

So, it's back to Comerica to face the Royals this weekend. The 1-3 road trip could've been much, much worse, but neither Chicago or Minnesota gained any ground!

The series against Boston was rather telling. The Tigers are far from matching the elite franchises in the East. The fact that Boston can lose Youkilis and replace him with a 4-time All-star illustrates their extensive depth. Their relievers put the Tigers bullpen to shame. Would Zach Miner, the Tigers one semi-reliable long reliever, even make the Bosox roster? (Miner, by the way, achieved the rare distinction of losing two games in one series.) Yet, the best players on the Tigers match the Sox. Cabrera (when not getting hit) could match anything the Red Sox could trot out, and Verlander equaled Beckett's heroics from the night before. If the Tigers could avoid exposing their weak spots (bullpen, clutch hitting), they could actually put up a fight.