Showdown

I was in Chicago over the weekend and had the pleasure of driving by Cellular One field as the fireworks went off. It was quite a sight. Why fireworks? Because Gordon Beckham just homered off Eddie Bonine in the 6th inning. It was the Sox first hit. The Tigers, who were 0-5 with RISP, had not yet scored. The home run (a 2-run HR) was plenty for the White Sox as the Tigers failed to score the entire game. So much for motivation.

The next day, the Tigers used up all their hitting karma with a 12-run outburst. Most uncharacteristically, they were 11-18 with RISP. Truly unbelievable! Nate Robertson pitched like it was '08 and got knocked out early. Thankfully, Figaro relieved Robertson and exhibited the poise of a big league pitcher. I mentioned two weeks ago that Figaro impressed in his two starts earlier this season. He's coming off an injury, so I doubt he'll start any game the rest of the season. But, he's a solid option for long relief.

Yesterday, the Tiger bats were silenced yet again by a rookie pitcher. Edwin Jackson couldn't maintain a 2-1 lead, and Chicago broke through in the 6th, taking a 4-2 lead. Clutch hits were no problem for the White Sox. They hit 5-9 with RISP. The Tigers? 2-12. Both of those hits were in the 9th inning with Chicago basically conceding 2nd and 3rd base. When the game was on the line, our beloved Tigers were 0-10.

Yes, I'm focusing on the hitting. I believe that's what it'll all come down to this week. The regular season boils down to this 4-game series against Minnesota. I believe the Tiger pitchers, including those in the bullpen, will allow a few runs but keep the game close. It'll be up to the batters to score some runs. Porcello will likely give up 3 or 4, same with Verlander and Bonine. Can Cabrera carry the team? Can somebody besides Polanco or Guillen get a clutch hit? Can Inge break out of his 0-13 (8K) slump? By the way, I predicted he'd finish the season hitting .225. He's at .228 right now. I don't claim to be any guru... his form is just drastically off. He's a shadow of the player from the 1st half.

With all the problems at the plate, the Tigers do remain 2 games ahead of Minnesota. It's unbelievable. If I were a betting man, I'd still go for the Twins who have more firepower, but baseball is a strange sport. Perhaps the glow of Comerica will shine brightly on the home town boys. It starts tonight at 7pm. I'll be watching. Go Tigers!