Bronx Baseball Bubbly

The Tigers did the unthinkable. They somehow beat a strong Yankees team in a deciding Game 5 at Yankee stadium. This was no New York City mugging. This was a sly pick-pocket, worthy of the Artful Dodger on his best day.

Don Kelly and Delmon Young got things going early with back-to-back bombs. That was a good sign for the Tiger faithful. With the way Nova owned the Tiger lineup in Game 1, it was a relief to get some knocks on him. At the time, though, the first two Tiger runs were seen only as the first of many. The Tiger bats would need to keep pounding away if they had any chance to beat the Yankees, right? Prior to the game, I felt the magic number was 6. The Yankees would likely score 4 runs off the Tigers' starter, Doug Fister, and then get 1 more off the 'pen. So, if the Tigers managed 6 runs, they had a great shot to win.

Well, they didn't come close to 6. They managed just half of that. And still won. Thanks to some clutch, gut-wrenching pitching by Fister, Scherzer, Benoit, and Papa Grande.

Fister pitched in stress all night. With the series on the line in a setting as raucous and intimidating as Yankee Stadium, that's no surprise. The Yanks went 1-2-3 in the first inning. Then didn't go 1-2-3 again until the fateful bottom of the 9th. The Yankee bats continued their mastery of the strikezone. They simply did not swing at balls. Their patience was something to behold. They forced the Tigers to throw a whopping 173 total pitches. But the Tiger arms did just enough.

Fister lasted 5 innings, giving up one run on a monster HR by Cano. The 5 innings may not seem like a strong start, but, for a kid earning the league minimum facing off against the $196 million Yankees, Fister's 92 pitch gem impresses me as much as a regular season no-no. Scherzer, the hero of Game 2, entered in relief and continued his unlikely good fortune against the Yankee lineup. Scherzer left after registering just 4 outs, but it's fair to say he pitched a whale of a game. That's how tight every at-bat, nay, every pitch was in this tense affair.

Benoit relieved Scherzer in the 7th after Scherzer notched 1 out and then ceded a swinging bunt single to Jeter. And it was another roll of the dice by Leyland, hoping Benoit could last the 7th and 8th. Benoit immediately gave up a single to Granderson, and then a swinging bunt knubber by Cano. The bases were loaded with one out. I had a dreadful feeling the Tigers' season would be decided by two swinging bunts! The ultimate irony against such a powerful offense as the Yankees. But fortune smiled on the Tigers last night. Benoit struck out Alex Rodriguez. Then walked Texeira (giving the Yanks their 2nd and last run of the night) and then struck out Nick Swisher.

Benoit's job didn't get much easier in the 8th. The Tiger bats fell silent after the 5th inning, and it looked like tack-on runs were unlikely to say the least, Benoit had to make that one-run lead hold. Benoit quickly got the first two outs. Then gave up a single to the pesky Brett Gardner (batting .412 for the series). The next batter, Derek Jeter, took Benoit's first pitch and sent it deep into right field. Don Kelly raced back to the warning track. He turned around, just a foot or two from the wall. As the ball floated onward, Kelly inched backward. He said, "I could feel the fans breathing." It was an agonizing few seconds. Kelly stopped inching backward, and the ball fell calmly into the soft-bound stitching of his mitt.

New York fans threw their arms up in despair. How much closer can they get?! They left the bases loaded against Fister. Then again against Benoit. Then a warning track tease by Jeter!

After such dramatics, it was a massive come-down to see Mariano Rivera need just five pitches to register all 3 outs in the top of the 9th. Clearly, the Tigers had no choice but to let Valverde decide their fate. Could he save their butts for the 51st time in a row?

This was indeed the 2011 Detroit Tigers. Never easy to watch.

Papa Grande did not disappoint. He left his theatrics in Detroit this time. Curtis Granderson worked a full count, but eventually flied out. Then came Cano. He surprised everyone by swinging at the first pitch, which sawed off his bat. The ball flew toward Austin Jackson. Jackson had a little difficulty judging the trajectory then calmly caught the curving liner near his hip. 2 outs. With Alex Rodriguez looming.

A-Rod flubbed his chance in the 7th inning with the bases loaded. Now was his shot at redemption. Standing in his way was a beer-belly (that would make Homer Simpson proud) and a wicked split-finger fastball. Papa Grande did not waste time. Strike, strike, ball, and then the glorious strike three.

Valverde celebrated, but it wasn't his usual dance-reel highlight. It was a shout and jump of pure elation. The moment provided all the theatrics necessary.

In the locker-room, with champagne pouring down his head, Valverde looked penitent. He clearly regretted his prediction after Game 2 that the series was "over." He talked no trash and radiated no boastful confidence. He was relieved and thankful that his pitches made their way over the plate.

Now the Tigers move on, to face perhaps an even stronger team. It's tough to match the Yankee bats, but the Rangers certainly come close. JoKo thinks the Rangers are stronger. That's possible. The Rangers do boast a much stronger pitching staff than the Yankees. Despite pitching in a hitter-friendly park, the Rangers have a team ERA of 3.79. The Tigers? At Comerica? 4.04.

How good are the Rangers' starters? Well, they didn't even use their rookie starter Alexi Ogando, who absolutely dominated the Tigers during the regular season. The Rangers have arms to spare.

But this is the playoffs. As the Tigers proved in Game 5, anything is possible.

B**** Slap

Granderson makes us pay

First off, let me apologize for my absence.
I intended nofrownmotown to be a daily or near-daily dose of Detroit-centric sports commentary. Lately, though, my available time to write diminished. I wrote every other day, then twice a week, then nothing. It's a pattern that I hope to reverse. At what point, I'm not sure. But nofrownmotown will return. That, I promise.

On to the Tigers.
Man, that was ugly. In the first inning of Game 4, I commented to Mrs. Nofrownmotown about how smart the Yankees are. With Jackson on third and two outs, AJ Burnett quickly fell behind Cabrera 2-0. At that point, the Yankees opted to intentionally walk the big man. Most times this season, teams opted to pitch to Cabrera only to regret it later. The Yanks felt no shame in the intentional walk. And, thanks to a stellar catch by Granderson, they escaped the inning with no runs allowed. That would be the theme of the night... at least early on -- great play by Granderson kills Tigers. Whether it's an acrobatic catch or a 2-run clutch double, Granderson simply punished Tiger fans. It's brutal to watch. He was everyone's favorite Tiger. The fans didn't want him traded. And now Curtis is rubbing salt in the wound.

At work yesterday, I overheard a co-worker say, "I guess we're gonna play Texas" after the Rangers took down Tampa Bay. It was at that point, I knew the Tigers would lose. A casual comment like that reverberates loudly in the karmic sporting world. Why jinx it like that? Because the media has piled on AJ Burnett like he's Dontrelle Willis? This is not a perfect Tiger team. They have holes. Man for man, the Yankees are superior. It's really not much of a comparison. Should it be any surprise the Yankees won the game off Kid Rick? Not really. We just all really hoped the Tigers would clinch at home. It would be a feel good story in what has been an incredible autumn season in Detroit.

So now the Tigers head back to New York. Fister matches up against the rook Nova -- the same dude who dominated Tiger bats in Game 1. It doesn't look good. The Tigers must not only beat Nova but also the frenetic Yankee fans, the ageless Derek Jeter, and the superhuman Curtis Granderson. It's a tall order. Still, I contend the Tigers have a chance. They've surprised us all season long. Just when we'd write them off, they'd pull off something special. Is it probable? No. Is it possible? You bet.

Some things need to go their way, of course. The Tiger lineup simply can't afford those wasted at-bats by Wilson Betemit and Alex Avila. Both players look simply lost. I can't believe I'm writing it, but Inge should start at third. I guess Leyland knew what he was doing all along. Inge has been vastly superior to Betemit in this series. With Avila, there's no other option. He must start at catcher. But he's a smart enough player to understand he's got to improve. If he's not seeing the ball well, at least force the pitcher to throw strikes. Maybe he can foul off a couple to ramp up the pitch count. He just can hack away at the first pitch. I'd also bring Maggs back in. The Tigers need to bring their top bats to the table. That includes Magglio. My lineup:

CF Jackson
RF Magglio
LF Delmon
1B Cabrera
DH Martinez
SS Peralta
C Avila
SS Santiago
3B Inge

It's possible Leyland swaps out Raburn for Santiago, but otherwise I think that's what we'll see Thursday. They need to jump on Nova early. Don't let him find a rhythm. And pray that Fister finds some magic.

Something's Gotta Give, Right?

Well, the Lions are now 2 and 0 and one of the big stories of the young NFL season (thank you Buffalo Bills for sharing the "surprise" spotlight - without you I think Ford Field may have melted under the scrutiny), and the Tigers have won their first Division Title since 1987 (and first ever as a part of the AL Central).

We, Detroit sportsfans, find ourselves in increasingly foreign waters. As unfamiliar as this situation is, however, we should soon learn how to react.

By the time the Lions host the Bears for a Monday Night Football game - the first time the Lions will feature on MNF since 2001 - on October 10, we'll have a better understanding of how to behave. By that time, baseball's divisional series should be over and the ALCS will have just begun. The Tigers will either have ended their season without an August collapse and made it to the playoffs only to fall to a hotter/better team, or we'll be treated to yet another possible run to the World Series. Jim Leyland, having lost his bid in 2006 to become the 2nd manager to ever win the World Series with an AL and NL team, will either still be chasing that honor - and we'll all be smoking and crying with him - or he'll have survived another contract year and we can spend the off season thinking about what could have been (like we're used to).

The Lions will have had away games at Minnesota and Dallas to let us know whether they can actually make waves in the NFC or if we'll once again be looking at a top 10 draft pick (read: whether or not Stafford, Johnson and Best are still healthy)

So, while we are stunned and enjoying the view from the couch with silly confused smiles - not knowing whether we should dare dream of further glory - very soon we'll know whether we can legitimately expect continued competitiveness (Lions) and another shot to add to Tiger lore (statue of Verlander, anyone?) or if we can slump back to television black outs and woulda-coulda-shouldas. Till then, folks, let's just keep smiling and enjoy being in the national press every week.

Uncharted Territory

What does the bitter single man do when he finds love? When the obese man loses the weight? When destitute man wins the lottery?

These are strange times, my friends. The Tigers won their 9th straight game last night. The Lions won the first game of the season - an away game against a 10-win team, no less. Michigan State and Michigan both remain undefeated, with Michigan's recent win sending shockwaves through the nation (and my house, apparently). The City of Detroit decided to close down the morning as sports fans across the area lie comatose, unable to comprehend such a rash of success.

I spent this past weekend in DC. As I drove to the BWI airport yesterday morning, I listened to a national sports radio host chat about the Lions. It was not positive. He was sick of all the hype. "Let's have them win some games when they're not already eliminated from the playoffs." And I agreed. There's been way too much talk about this team. When I arrived back in Detroit, I heard Pat Caputo predict a Loss. Finally, I thought, some sanity. It's nice to win preseason games, but let's not forget these are the Lions. They exist to disappoint.

Well, a strange thing happened. The Lions actually did not lose. They faced a strong Tampa team in Tampa. They even spotted the Bucs a touchdown on Stafford's INT-for-TD. Still, the Lions did not wilt in Tampa's excruciating heat. They simply controlled the entire game. They drove up and down the field, almost at will. They allowed the Bucs a chance for a miraculous comeback late, thanks to some typical boneheaded Lions plays and playcalling. But the mistakes did not ultimately matter. A balanced attack from the offense, and strong Lions play on the defensive line sealed this win.

I'm not claiming the Lions are gonna rattle off 10 wins this season. There's a long way to go. But I will say that the game yesterday was a game the old Lions would lose. The 2011 Lions arrive back in Detroit at 1-0. That's progress.

As for the Tigers, Fister pitches 7 shutout innings. Scherzer goes 7 strong the night before. Valverde gets his 42nd save. Inge hits a walkoff homerun. What the hell is going on?! It's just an incredible run they're on. 16 games left, and they have a chance to eliminate the White Sox this week. I don't know what to expect anymore. Victor Martinez hits into 4 straight double plays yesterday (4!!), and the Tigers still find a way to win. Strange times indeed.

The Tigers and What Bruce Arena can teach us

Be afraid. The Tigers are playing well. I can't help but acknowledge their recent string of success -- 15-5 in their last 20 games. Sean Baligian, on WDFN, has said for months that the Tigers just needed one stretch of good baseball to put away the rest of the AL Central. And, as he predicted, the Tigers are 8 games clear of the Chicago White Sox. (8.5 games ahead of Cleveland). With the collapse of '09 still so fresh in everyone's mind, I'm not going to claim victory. Until the Tigers mathematically clinch 1st place, we'll all sleep with one eye open. Yet, I must give credit to the team for a fine stretch of both offense and pitching.

This afternoon, the Tigers go for the sweep with Verlander taking on Cleveland's ace, Justin Masterson, who's quietly putting together a fine season (11-8, 2.92 ERA). The Tigers need to maintain that killer instinct and nail that Cleveland coffin shut.

US Nats
With the Tigers playing well, I've at least got the US Nats to still kick around. Since taking the helm, Jurgen Klinsmann and the US Soccer team tied Mexico, lost to Costa Rica, and lost to Belgium. To be fair, that's decent competition. Even Costa Rica, despite the country's small size, produces quality talent. Yet, the US scored just one goal in those three games. One goal. That sucks. Against Mexico, they were dominated for long stretches. Only when Mexico replaced some starters did the US seize control and score an equalizer. The loss to Costa Rica was a bit more atypical. The US dominated for much of the first half but could not finish. Costa Rica had a few chances in the 2nd half and put one chance in the back of the net. Then, against Belgium, it was a somewhat ugly affair. Belgium showed off their technical brilliance and picked apart the US for most of the first half. They brought everyone forward, caring little about any US counter-attack. If not for some heroic Tim Howard saves, the US could've been down 3 or 4 goals. Ultimately, it was a 1-0 loss where the US hardly created any chances.

To be fair, the US did score a goal off a set-piece, but it was quickly waved off. Still no word as to why the goal was disallowed.

So, three games into the Jurgen Klinsmann experiment, and I don't see a huge difference from the Bob Bradley teams, with one exception. Bradley's teams rarely created a ton of opportunities against top competition but they had better fortune in actually scoring. Often, his drab sides would get pushed up and down the field and then somehow score on a rare corner kick.

Klinsmann is trying to implement a possession mentality with this team. An actual game-plan is a welcome change from Bradley. It was often difficult to discern if Bradley ever opted for a style or strategy. He certainly never discussed any of these things in post-game interviews. Nor did the players ever say anything. It was more likely Bradley simply relied upon individual players to create some magic. Sometimes it worked (the halcyon days of '09 when Charlie Davies was in full bloom). Usually, it didn't (Ghana, Gold Cup). The Bradley "non-style" drove fans crazy. He didn't appear to have a soccer brain needed for this level. Klinsmann, on the other hand, has been forthright with his new approach. He wants the yanks to carry the play, to build up from the defense and pick apart the opposition. In his three games, the US has often carried possession, but this approach hasn't resulted in any goals but the one against Mexico.

It's still a work in progress. Does the US look headed in the right direction? It's hard to say. Klinsmann might not have the personnel to pull off a possession game. For a few brief moments against Mexico, the US looked downright awesome. Brek Shea, Jose Torres, and Donovan blistered the Mexican defense with incredible one-touch, pinpoint passing. Yet, that dominance was not evident at all against Belgium.

After the Belgium loss, Alexi Lalas emphasized the need for patience. He's of course critical of the team's performance, but he realizes that Klinsmann is trying new things. These games are friendlies. Results are secondary to team growth. Klinsmann "bloodied" Edgar Castillo, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Robbie Rogers, Kyle Beckerman, and Brek Shea. He also reintroduced Jose Torres to the national team. Torres is one of the few US players capable of playing that central distributor role, like Claudio Reyna. Of the new (and reintroduced) faces, Shea has shined. Beckerman and Torres proved solid, and the rest should no longer suit up. Klinsmann will soon get a look at new US midfielder, Fabian Johnson, another German born to an American soldier. He's thrown his hat into the US team player pool. The list of names is growing. And, to his credit, Bob Bradley experimented with new faces too. So did Bruce Arena.

I recall attending a US vs Australia match in San Jose (with JoKo) early in Arena's tenure. He fielded the first All- MLS squad. It was a pedestrian affair, ending in a drab 0-0 draw. Yet, Arena got his first look at two young, inexperienced players who would play an integral role in the '02 World Cup and WC Qualifying campaign -- Eddie Lewis and Clint Mathis. Perhaps we'll look back at Klinsmann's early games as the discovery of Brek Shea. No doubt he'll get at least a few offers from European teams in the next transfer window. Whether MLS accepts  an offer is another story...

Nofrownmotown curse strikes again

Hours after I highlight Coke's awesome month of August, he gives up 3 runs and records zero outs, essentially losing the game for the Tigers.

Moving Forward

It's a good sign when I can use the phrase "moving forward" in September, and not refer to the next Tiger season. The Tigers are on pace to make noise this season. They're in the midst of a 10-3 run, which gave them some much-needed breathing room over the Tribe and ChiSox.

Strangely, the Tigers compiled the 10-3 record with weak starting pitching, no Brennen Boesch, no Carlos Guillen, and a healthy Brandon Inge. This is baseball. It doesn't always make sense.

With a 5.5 game lead over Cleveland, folks in Detroit are breathing easier. Yet, after the collapses in '06 and, especially, '09, nobody is ceding the division to Detroit. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Detroiter who's confident in this team. Even now. But I'm not gonna act like the sky is falling. Despite the issues with Scherzer, Penny, and Porcello, the bullpen suddenly looks strong. And, most impressive of all, the Tigers are getting some clutch hits. It's a strange and welcome sight.

This stretch run will largely depend, though, on the pitching. Overall, the Tigers rank 22nd in ERA. The top contending teams all rank higher, with Philly at #1. The Yankees, considered a weaker staff than Detroit, clock in at #10. The stats don't lie. The Tigers got problems with their arms.

Last time out, Verlander won his 20th game but gave up 4 runs. For Verlander, that's a chink in the armor. He also only lasted 6.0 innings. Still, in his five prior starts, he only allowed 8 total runs with a 1.96 ERA. That's stellar. No worries about JV.

Things start to get murky with Scherzer. For August, Scherzer posted a 5.45 ERA, highlighted by giving up 7 runs to KC in just 3.0 innings. Yet, he did well in his two prior starts yielding just 3 runs over 12 innings. The Tigers desperately need Scherzer to stabilize. It could be that Kansas City simply has his number. While they're a last place team, they do have a formidable offense. They're 4th in the AL in batting average. Against KC, Scherzer's got a 5.66 ERA. Against Minnesota, he's 5.27. Yet, he's 1.64 against the ChiSox and 3.72 against Cleveland. Scherzer's next start is Sunday night against the ChiSox. It's a high-profile game on ESPN2. It should tell us a lot about what to expect from this guy.

Now, the Tigers are on high-alert for Porcello. While Scherzer's been inconsistent, Porcello's been more consistent... but consistently poor. He did technically keep the Tigers in the game yesterday against KC. Over 7 innings, he gave up 4 runs. Yet, those 7.0 innings were the most he's lasted since July. His August ERA was 6.82, including an 8 run, 11 hit shellacking by Cleveland. The normally sedate Dan Dickerson and Jim Price pointed out yesterday that lefties teed off against him. For the season, Porcello's given up 13 HR, 59 runs to lefties. They're hitting a robust .337. That does not inspire confidence going forward. Especially when the top teams in the East can load their lineup with lefties (BoSox) or switch-hitters (NYY) or both (CLE). There's no easy answer for the Kid. This season, he's followed a poor month with a stellar one. In July, he posted 5 wins and a sterling 3.06 ERA. If that trend continues, expect a strong month of September, and then the Tigers should stash him in the basement in October.

With Porcello and Scherzer throwing blanks, Tigers' new acquisition Doug Fister has proven to be a steal so far. He came to Detroit with a stellar ERA (3.33) and awful W/L record (3-12). He's actually improved on that ERA in his 6 Detroit starts (2.97) and already equaled his Seattle win total. On Tuesday, Fister threw six perfect innings. The stadium was abuzz. He doesn't overpower batters, but he proves that effective pitching ain't always about velocity. He alternated locations and speed and, in general, kept the KC offense (which powered 18 hits off the Tigers the night before) off the bases. Also, Mrs. Nofrownmotown pointed out that Fister is now the handsomest Tiger.

Did the Tigers trade for Fister or Guy Pearce?

The bullpen, meanwhile, no longer requires two tubes of Rolaids. The key contributor in the turnaround is Phil Coke. After a hot-but-mostly-cold string of games as a starter, Coke returned to the bullpen mid-season. He struggled early, but his numbers recently... well... they sparkle. Coke appeared in 13 games in August. He allowed just 10 total hits and ZERO runs. Nada. Not a one. Oh, and he allowed just 2 walks and struck out 20. That's a 0.00 ERA for August, folks. Benoit's fared almost as well. After a troubling May, Benoit's posted a 2.61 ERA in June, a 1.17 ERA in July, and a 1.80 ERA in August. The Coke/Benoit/Valverde 1-2-3 punch served the Tigers well in this recent run. Soon, they get Alburquerque back. With the Amazing Al, a somewhat effective Schlereth, and the Coke/Benoit/Valverde triumvirate, the Tigers' bullpen is no longer a joke.