EVERYBODY PANIC!!! - The Justin Verlander edition
The Detroit Tigers announced this afternoon that they will be skipping Justin "The Franchise" Verlander's spot in the rotation this weekend, and replacing him with with Wil Ledezma.
JEBUS! OH MY GOD! The other shoe has dropped, the Tigers are DOOOOOOMMMMED!
OK, that's just hyperbole on my part, as the Tigers are saying that they are just simply limiting Verlander's innings. I believe the Tigers, I soooo want to believe... Honestly, all Tiger fans can get behind sitting Verlander occasionally, as no one wants to see him come down with the affliction known as "Dusty Baker Disease." But then you think about Francisco Liriano being shut down for at least one Twinkies start for "Soreness," and the PANIC begins to rear it's ugly head.
It's just that we all have a lingering feeling, despite the fact there are only 54 games left on the schedule and they have an 8 game lead, that the Tigers collapse is just around the next corner. Even though it would take a collapse of epic porportions (The '51 Dodgers, '64 Phillies, '69 Cubs, '78 BoSox all come to mind) for the Tigers to miss the playoffs, it has become the nature of a Tiger fan to expect the worst.
Brian put it succinctly in the comments of the Rod Allen drinking game post...I've just accepted that panic is going to be my natural state for the next two months and that I won't relax until the magic number is 0.
Agreed on all counts. I try to keep a even keel, tell myself it's a long season with plenty of ups and downs. I realize that saves will be blown, pitchers will be knocked out of the box, there will be slumps at the plate, some Jim Leyland decisions will backfire. Try as I will, I can't keep the thoughts of Tiger armageddon out of my head. I've tried loud humming, drinking excessively, tin foil hats, and drinking excessively, but the evil thoughts won't stay away.
Even though watching Verlander's innings like a hawk is the right thing to do, sitting him isn't helping with my Tigers nervous disorder.
They just signed Andrew Miller to a 4 year deal and it mentions he will get a September callup.
ReplyDeleteMy level of panic about our pitching just went down another level.
Chicken Little Big Al.
ReplyDeleteThat has a nice ring to it.
What a win. This team is incredible.
ReplyDeleteStill in panic mode though.
The Andrew Miller signing was a nice surprise coming on the heels of the Verlander news. since he's going onh the 40 man roster, he very well could be the arm that the team needs down the stretch.
ReplyDeleteHey, Brian's the Chicken Little! He the one getting me all riled up! lol
Incredble is n understatement. It's amazing the confidence I have in the Tigers. I just knew they would, if not win outright, make the game close. Who knew Craig Monroe would turn into frigging David Ortiz-lite?
I think including a September call-up in Miller's contract was quite possibly a genius move by Dombrowski. Considering how much rosters expand, it seems like a no-lose move by the Tigers.
ReplyDeleteI suppose there's a risk in that it starts the clock on Miller's major league service time, but if the expectation was for him to make the big club sooner rather than later (a la Verlander), then why bother putting such a move off?
Good Lord, another incredible finish. I'm running out of adjectives.
ReplyDelete(And for the record, I'm not saying "the sky is falling", I'm just admitting that I'm not going to be able to relax until the playoffs are clinched.)