Quick thoughts on ALCS game 1
The triumverate that was Thom Brenneman, Steve Lyons, and Lou Pinnela had only one thing going for it. That they weren't Joe Buck and Tim McCarver. Unfortnately, even that fact didn't help. Unlike others, I didn't find them biased. They just sucked.
Lyons is annoying, Pinella is grating, and Brenneman is clueless. For example, Brenneman going off on crazy ass Milton Bradley heading to 3rd on a ground ball to short with no one out, and he could not grasp as to why didn't the Tigers make a play on him? Pinella, in a rare monent of lucidity, shut up Brenneman when he said, "I'd rather have a man on 3rd with 1 out, than men on 1st and 3rd and no one out." Well, duh... With a 5 run lead, the Tigers' main focus was on preventing the big inning, rather than worring about the runner advancing. For some reason, that fact was beyond Brenneman's comprehension.
By the way Brenneman, it's not MAHN-roe, but Mun-roe. For that matter, it's not Pla-seed-do, it's Plah-sid-o. And Lyons, this has been bothering me since Saturday, but the "Windsor River?" Do your homework...
It's the little things like that which drives me nuts when listening to the national broadcast. It's obvious that these clowns on both the Worldwide Leader and FOX haven't seen much, if any, of either the Tigers or A's. Such as their utter amazement when seeing Joel Zumaya on the mound. Tiger fans have seen that ALL DAMN SEASON. Speaking of which, you think noted one nutted chubby guy John Kruk feels more than a little silly now? Nah, Kruk's too clueless to know how clueless he really is...
Fernando Rodney still scares the Jebus out of me. Hell, he always scares the Jebus out of me. He's one untimely walk away from going into my, and hopefully Jim Leyland's, dog house. All I ask is that he throw strikes. Not that it matters, as Rodney looked the best he has in a couple of weeks, but no way could he throwing 100 MPH. Could he? Nah... The FOX Juggs gun had to be amped up last night.
I've become so confident in seeing Todd Jones throw the strikes that seem to elude Rodney, seeing him give up a 4 pitch walk in the 9th was stunning. It didn't come back to bite him on the ass. This time...
Last night patience and plate discipline worked for the rest of the lineup. But what of Magglio Ordonez? The next time Ordonez takes the first pitch, it'll be his first. I know Maggs can hit like stink, but could it hurt to work the count, even just occasionally? Good Lord, even hacker extrodinaire Pudge Rodriguez is taking pitches!
How did Carlos Guillen manage to bungle up a 10 hop slow roller? There had to be more spin than you'd see at a White House press confrence on that goround ball.
You have to think that things are looking good for the mighty Tigers when, despite what the Marlboro Man would like you to believe about Nate Robertson, their number 4 starter beats the A's acknowledged ace in Barry Zito. Your number 1 getting knocked out of the box had to be demoralizing for the Athletics. Absolutely had to be... And just how much money did that start cost Zito in free agency?
Placido Polanco, large noggin and all, is really really good. Other than possibly Carlos Guillen, is there any other Tiger you'd prefer to see at bat with RISP? I didn't think so...
All in all, if there is such as thing as an uneventful playoff victory, the game 1 Tigers win was it. With that win under their belts, you have to now like how the pitching matchups look to be in the Tigers favor.
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