Jason Grilli: We knew you all too well

Goodbye, and good riddance, Jason Grilli. May the tape measure home runs you give up in the thin air of Colorado not kill any Rockies fans in the outfield stands.


Memo to any Rockies fans checking out Grilli after the trade: Don't let the Rockies front office or the Denver MSM fool you, as Grilli...Well, to put it bluntly, sucks beyond belief. You have been warned...

Is it a coincidence the Tigers are 1-0 post Grilli? I think not...

WDET interview recap

Edit 5/1: Matt has the clip of just the roundtable up at DBB.

My appearance on WDET, as far as I could tell, was a success. The finalized blogger lineup was myself, Bill Ferris from The Detroit Tigers Weblog, Matt Watson from Detroit Bad Boys, and Matt Saler from On the Wings. It was a ton of fun, and I think we all came off as somewhat knowledgeable....I hope...

The conversation lasted about 15 minutes, and is archived at WDET's Detroit Today website. The direct download link is here. The roundtable begins approximately 15:40 into the broadcast. I'll try to have a smaller MP3 file of just the interview available later.

I have to apologize to Bill, as I blathered on towards the end, and cut into his time. My bad, sorry!

Programming alert: TWFE is on the air!

4/30 10AM: Thought I'd give this a bump. We'll be on after WDET covers the latest Kwame Kilpatrick texting scandal news. First it's the President bumping us, now the mayor? Who's next? The Queen of England?!

Seriously, listen in, as it should be fun.

Addendum 4/29 10AM: Our roundtable has been postponed by President George W. Bush! WDET, being a public radio station, breaking news (W's holding a press conference) comes first. So our roundtable will be on Wednesday at 10AM instead!

4/29 9:45 AM: I 'm bumping this up, for those who didn't catch it yesterday...

I'll be appearing on "Detroit Today," which is broadcast on WDET 101.9 FM, Detroit Public Radio. If you are unable to tune in, click here to listen live over the web.

You can hear me today at 11AM as part of a blogger roundtable. I hope everyone can listen in.

Edit 4/28 10PM: Also confirmed to be on WDET's blogger roundtable are Bill Ferris of The Detroit Tigers Weblog, Matt Watson of Detroit Bad Boys and AOL's Fanhouse, and Bruce Macleod of Red Wings Corner and The Macomb Daily. It should be a fun listen with this group of bloggers!

What have we learned?

The Pistons are home tonight, eager to flip the switch after evening up their 1st round series with the Sixers 2-2 Sunday. The Red Wings are currently in Denver, up 2-0 on the Avalanche, hoping to put a stranglehold on their 2nd round series LATE tonight.

With both series now in full swing, it seemed like a good time to figure out... Just what have we learned so far in the playoffs?

Detroit Pistons vs. the Philadelphia 76er's: What have we learned?

Antonio McDyess, and his lights out shooting off the bench, single handedly kept the Pistons within 10 points of the Sixers in the 1st half of Sunday's game 3. A game 3 that could have been the beginning of the end of the Pistons as we currently know them. If there is one Piston who truly leaves everything on the floor, and wants a NBA title more than anyone, as shown by his locker room speech at halftime, it's Dice. If the Pistons go all the way, will we look back at McDyess' speech in the same way as Steve Yzerman's 2002 playoff locker room speech?

As uninspired as McDyess' teammates were playing, I'd be yelling too!

After being M.I.A. the previous 6 quarters, the Pistons we saw for most of the regular to season finally made an appearance in the 2nd half of game 3. Be it Dice's speech, Flip calling out the entire team (save for McDyess), the moons aligning, biorhythms, voodoo, whatever, the good Pistons finally reappeared. Once the Pistons flipped the proverbial switch in the 2nd half, it wasn't even a game. Why they suddenly decided to show up then is something we'd all like to know.

I'd really like to see Amir Johnson on the floor when the game is still in doubt, even if it's just a handful of minutes. Obviously, Flip Saunders doesn't.

Even though the Pistons won going away on Sunday, Chauncey Billups' game isn't where it should, or needs to be. He's shooting 28.6% from the floor, 82% from the line. Both are unacceptable from your All-Star point guard, and team leader. It still should be enough to beat a 7 seed in the 1st round, but in the following rounds? Actually, I should have just written round, as the next round could easily be their last if Billups doesn't step up his game.

NBA playoff scheduling remains mind-numbingly stupid. 2 weeks to play a 1st round series is asinine in any league, in any sport, at any time.

Detroit Red Wings vs the Colorado Avalanche: What have we learned?

In this series, the past does not reflect on the present. Wings-Avs is as much a rivalry as CheatyPants McSweaterVest-Lloyd Carr is a rivalry. It's in name only. Hammer, meet nail. Nail, meet wood. You know where I'm going.

Jose Theodore, to put it bluntly, sucks to high heaven. Is he as bad as he looks? Probably not, but playing against the Red Wings, who continually pepper shots on goal with the consistency of a mini-gun, are making Jose look awful. We haven't seen the last of backup Peter Budaj.

Avs head coach, Joel Quenneville, announced he is playing Theodore between the pipes in game 3. In most instances, such an unconscionable, indefensible decision is grounds for institutionalization. Save for in Detroit, where it's hailed as genius.

Thinking Petr Forsberg's return to the lineup will cure all that ails the Nordalanche is delusional. (You have to think he'll suit up tonight, Hasek-like groin, or not. Right? If not, he's burning up a ton of fan goodwill...) If he plays, he'll help their cause, even if it's giving the Avs a short term shot of energy just by his suiting up. But to expect a gimpy groined, oft injured, older than his years Forsberg to be a series turner is ludicrous.

Darren McCarty can still contribute to a winning hockey team. His dropping the gloves, and more than holding his own, against a much younger and bigger shit-stirrer, Cody McCormick, was the latest example of his value to the Wings.

11 years later, D-Mac can still
kick a little Nordalanche ass...

Mid-week 10 PM eastern time starts, much like the NHL powers that be that keep the Red Wings exiled to the Western Conference and show extreme prejudice against 8 legged sea creatures, blow. They blow hard.

Answering the Detroit Tigers burning questions: Galarraga or bust edition

The season is all of 4 weeks old, and the Tigers have begun to string together a few wins, recovering from their horrendous start.

They've raised their record to 11-15, only 4 games back of the Central leading White Sox, and 1.5 back of their main competition, the Indians. They are getting little help from the schedule makers, as the Tigers now play 10 of their next 13 games against the Yankees and Red Sox. Not exactly the best way to go about righting a listing Tigers ship.

The Tigers being 6-4 in their last 10 games isn't what I'd call great, but when factoring in the starting rotation has had little to do with the 6 wins, it's fairly impressive. Still, the team isn't playing up to anyone's expectations.

With that in mind, let's answer a few more "burning questions." Topics include (obviously) the starting pitching, the "Great position switch of 2008" and Gary Sheffield.

Let's light this candle...

What's up with the starting pitching?

You tell me! In fact, if you do have an answer, tell Jim Leyland! Seriously. I'm not kidding!

Rather than try to describe the Tigers starting pitching, or should I say, lack thereof, just take a look at the stats. I'm warning you now, they aren't fit to be seen by women, children, baseball purists or those with weak constitutions...

Justin Verlander: 1-4, 6.50 ERA, 1.47 WHIP

Kenny Rogers: 1-3, 7.66 ERA, 1.91 WHIP

Jeremy Bonderman: 1-2, 4.28 ERA, 1.79 WHIP

Nate Robertson: 0-3, 6.91 ERA, 1.47 WHIP

Dontrelle Willis: 0-0, 7.20 ERA, 2.00 WHIP (Currently on the 15 day DL)

That's some bad, bad pitching. If they, as a group, didn't have proven big league track records, and the contracts to match, it's the sort of performance which would get you either a bus ticket to Toledo, sent to the bullpen to pitch long relief or outright released.

If it wasn't for the unheralded Armando Galarraga (2-0, 1.50, 0.72) pitching well above his average (at best) ability, the Tigers would be...Well, let's not talk about it. What's even worse is Galarraga is bound to come back down to earth. He's not going to pitch like an ace indefinitely. He started the season in Toledo for a reason.

I know what you're going to ask. What can the Tigers do?

Nothing, save for running their highly paid (save for Galarraga) starters out to the mound every 5th day, and hope they pitch their way out of their collective slump.

Really, that's it. That's all the Marlboro Man can do. The Tigers have what they have, there's no saviors in the minors, no trades to be made, no one in the pen that will step into the rotation. We knew back in December this was the Tigers rotation. They aren't about to make changes now. Not a month into the season, anyway.

What if the rotation continues to suck like the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked?

The offense best start scoring 8 runs a game, or it's going to be a loooong summer.

The great Guillen/Cabrera position switch of 2008, how's it working out?

At their previous positions, Cabrera and Guillen were the equivalent of butchers attempting to carve meat while using dull, rusty cleavers. It's scary to watch, and someone was going to get hurt. I don't think either would have made it through the season in one piece without the move.

I know it's only been a few games since Cabrera has taken over duties at 1st, and Guillen played 3rd for the first time this season on Sunday. But no blood has been let at 1st or 3rd since the announcement. Thus, I'd have to consider the "Great position switch of 2008" a success! (to this point, anyway)

At the plate, it hasn't made a whit of difference, as long as they are healthy, Guillen and Cabrera are both going to hit, no matter the position. Guillen is off to a great start with the bat, and Cabrera as really begun to come around after his slow start. The Tigers need them to swing the bat, and swing it well.

If the position switch keeps both healthy, happy and their potent bats in the everyday lineup, while tightening up the infield defense at the same time, what's not to like? (Save for Brandon Inge supposedly having a hissy fit)

What should the Tigers do with Gary Sheffield, and his achy, breaky shoulder?

They are walking a fine line with Sheff. If he says he can play, you got to put him in the lineup. He's' THAT good when healthy. But when you see Sheffield at the plate, he's lunging at pitches, the timing is off, and he's not fluid. He's not buggy whipping inside pitches, as the bat speed isn't there. Are his struggles because of the pain, or just his needing at bats to find his rhythm?

I hope I'm wrong, but if you ask me, it looks as if Sheffield is still in pain. Probably a great deal of pain. He needs to get himself right on the DL, not while trying to DH every day.

We've all heard about Sheffield getting cortisone shots in his shoulder to relieve the pain. I've had cortisone shots myself, back in my high school football days. The only thing that would make the pain in my knees go away were the injections. But it was only a temporary fix, the pain always came back. They only thing that would help was rest.

As it stands, Sheffield is hurting the team trying to play through his shoulder misery. He needs to do whatever it takes to make him pain free. If that means spending time on the DL now, to assure he's healthy for the rest of the summer, then do so.

(Great minds think alike, even if out answers differ. Over at Mack Avenue Tigers, I see Kurt asked the same question, "What to do about Sheffield? I think he needs to sit, Kurt, on the other hand, says, "Keep playing him for now, but bat him sixth and return to the question in another two weeks or so.")

FYI: I'm going to live blog EVERYTHING in Detroit today at SideLion Report

As I'm officially an NFL blogger, I'll be watching the draft intently. But I'm more than a one-trick pony.

There's 2 other big time events in the D today, and both are nationally televised. The Tigers are taking on the Angels at 3:30, and more importantly, the Red Wings will be playing game 2 of their playoff series against the Nordalanche a little after 3PM. That's also the same time the draft will start.

As I don't have a life, and nothing better to do on a beautiful Saturday in SE Michigan...

I figure I'll attempt to watch all 3 events, giving my TV and remote a huge workout in the process, and blog about them at the same time. I'm going to try and use a live blogging software that will allow you to chat along with me, if anyone is interested.

I have no idea how long I'll be doing this, but I'm thinking at least up till the Lions pick at 15, and/or the end of the Wings/Tigers, whatever comes first.
I hope I'm not biting off more than I can chew...

So come on over to SLR, and join me around 3ish. I have beer!

I'm up to HERE with the Detroit Pistons

I'm infuriated! I'm ticked! I'm fed up! I'm pissed off beyond belief! Thanks a lot for ruining my Friday night!

What a farce of a Pistons playoff game tonight. Detroit literally got their asses kicked from end of the court, to the other, in a 95-75 shellacking. It's games like this, where the Pistons don't bother showing up, act as if showing up to the arena is enough to win a game, and give a lazy, lackadaisical, embarrassing, it's only the first round, we've been here before kind of performance, that have me wanting Joe Dumars to blow the team up.

Worse than anything I've mentioned was Philly making the Pistons look old and slow. The Sixers played like a team the Pistons once were, HUNGRY. They hustled, fought for all the rebounds and loose balls and got them, were all over the place on defense, and played like a team that wanted it.

Unlike the Pistons, who...Hell, I have no idea what they want at this point. They obviously didn't want to play basketball. The starting 5 must have had better things to do.

Just how bad were the Pistons' vaunted starters tonight? Look at the +/- totals.

Billups: -15
Hamilton: -14
Wallace: -17
Prince: -20
McDyess: -6

Those numbers would be hysterically funny, if they weren't so shameful. That's supposed to be one of the best teams in the NBA? A starting 5 full of All-Stars? Yet get run off the court from the opening tip? By the Eastern Conference's 7th seed?

It's one thing to have an off night shooting, they happen. But to continue to jack up 3 ball after 3 ball, when you're lucky to hit the damn rim? If I'm Flip Saunders, I yank the worst offenders, namely Billups and Wallace, and run someone out there who wants to actually drive to the hoop on occasion.

You see Saunders, standing on the sidelines, at a loss for words, totally ineffectual. Not that it would make a difference, as the team doesn't seem to listen to him all that much, if at all. I doubt Flip called for all those bad 3 point shots from Billups, but he did nothing to stop it, either. If Flip had a handle on this group, God forbid show a backbone and a modicum of balls, he would have yanked out the starters, and gone with the youngsters on the bench. The Zoo Crew. They sure as Hell couldn't have done any worse.

The Pistons lose 2 more games, and the way they are playing, it's entirely possible, you can officially stamp the label "UNDERACHIEVERS" on them.

I'm aware this is a knee-jerk reaction from one of the worst Pistons playoff games ever. Thing is, I've seen this same sort of game many times over he years. As a fan, I'm sick and tired of it. Really, I am.

The regular season is one thing, I understand you can't be 100% motivated for 82 games. But it shouldn't be an issue now. Not in the playoffs. I hate going into EVERY playoff game, EVERY playoff series, hoping the Pistons have decided to flip the "ON" switch.

There's no way in Hell this series should go 6 games. Now? I'd be surprised if it didn't go 7. Here we are, AGAIN, with the Pistons having to come back from a series deficit, against an inferior opponent. When it comes to this core group of Pistons, they never learn from their past history, and are always doomed to repeat it.

This is not the sort of team I want to root for, who show up when they feel like it, play hard when they want, and have such hubris to act as if they are ENTITLED to a victory.

To be honest, I'm not sure what's worse. Another ugly loss, or the Pistons' feeling of entitlement.

TWFE answers a few Red Wings burning questions: 1 up on the Avs edition

I'm going to give "burning questions" a shot with the Detroit Red Wings tonight. I'm nowhere near the hockey expert as most of the Red Wings blogosphere, but I'll throw a few of my half-assed opinions out into the world wide web...

The questions, the questions, the questions are on fire!

Detroit beat Colorado 4-3, anything stand out?

Tonight, it was one thing.The goaltending.

Chris Osgood won the game for the Red Wings, Jose Theodore lost it for the Avs. Theodore ended the game somewhere outside the Joe, supposedly back at the team hotel, feeling sickly. More like sucky, but that's me. Osgood ended the game by smothering a point blank shot with 5 seconds left, saving the game from going into OT. Osgood only faced 21 shots, and the Avs scored first, but Ozzie came up huge when he had to, which is all the Wings need.

Give Ozzie his due, he won the game for Detroit. The fans at the Joe said as much, with their "OZZIE" chants in the game's final moments.

The Avs' Petr Forsberg was out with a groin injury, did it make a difference?

Well, it didn't hurt.

Seriously, he's a shadow of what he once was, not nearly the same player when compared to the All-World Forsberg who on the ice the last time these teams met in the playoffs. With or without Foppa, the Red Wings are a better team than the Avalanche. The Wings are better offensively, defensively, and have possibly the best coach in the NHL. An over-the-hill Petr Forsberg isn't enough to overcome all that, is he?

Johan Franzen's pretty God damn good, huh?

The player of the game, obviously, with 2 goals and an assist. Everyone was worried about the Red Wings finding secondary scoring. The Mule apparently has that well under control. He's become one of the Red Wings most vital players, a force on the ice.

The Joe was rocking, did it factor into the game?

This win may have the best overall performance by the Red Wings of the playoffs. I don't know if you can give the fans credit for the Wings playing up to their talent. But you can't deny Joe Louis Arena was damn loud. Not as loud at it was during the glory years of 97-98, before the Red Wings jacked up ticket prices, and the fanbase turned corporate, but loud all the same. It was great to see!

I don't think we need to worry about any more Red Wings playoff games not selling out.

Any more thoughts on the NHL/Al Sobotka/octopus controversy?

I said my piece last week, and nothing has changed. The NHL, as usual, has their brainless heads up their ass. It's one thing to crack down on penalties, or some sort of rule violations. To to piss all over Detroit's 50+ year old tradition? Please.

This is an Original 6 city, and the NHL seems intent on killing off the term "Original 6," and the traditions that go with it.

Is Red Wings-Avalanche still a rivalry?

In the same way a hammer is a rival to a nail.

It hasn't been a true rivalry since the 2002 Western Conference Finals. for those who say tonight's game was intense because of "The Rivalry?" Well, what the Hell else would it be? It's the 2nd round of the PLAYOFFS, for crissakes! Every game is going to be intense at this point.

The fans and media still making this series out to be a continuation of the legendary 1996-2002 blood feud are deluding themselves. Yes, those years when the road to win the Stanley Cup went through both Denver and Detroit were, to witness as a fan, absolutely awesome. March 26, 1997 game is, to this day, my favorite regular season game of ANY Detroit team. (Come on, how many regular season matchups have their own Wikipedia entry?) I hated Claude Lemuix and Patty Roy with a white hot passion back then, and I still do today.

But they are no longer Avs, the Red Wings are a different team, and this is no longer a rivalry. It may become one again, but it takes long playoff series for rivalries to develop. To be honest, I don't see this series going more than 5 or 6 games. To call this a rivalry is wishful thinking.

The series is 1-0 Red Wings up. What happens Saturday?

As long as Osgood plays well, the Red Wings win. I see no reason they don't take a 2-0 series lead with them to Colorado.

Clichés remain the refuge of a newspaper hack

The longer I'm a sports fan, the longer I blog about sports, the more bullshit I see being spewed from the quickly dying medium commonly known as a newspaper.

For the most part, with a few exceptions, beat writers don't insult their readers with uneducated, meant to irritate tripe. I don't always agree with their coverage, and they are all too often in lockstep, reporting the same exact stories. Nevertheless, they are on the front lines, actually reporting.

Columnists, on the other hand...

There's a reason more and more fans are getting their sports opinion from the web. Because most columnists are phoning it in. The latest example of hackery I found tonight in the Freep. No, it's not a piece from the usual hacks (Though they are often guilty themselves), but a Bernie Lincicome column reprinted from the Rocky Mountain News.

I'm not even going to bother rebutting what this clueless fool says about Detroit and the Red Wings. It's the same tired clichés we've been subjected to in the past, by every newspaper hack in the damn country. Detroit's dirty, it's crime ridden, it's not "Hockeytown," as it should be called "Loserville," Hasek is old, so are the rest of the Wings, the octopus tradition is stupid...

Har-de-fucking-har-har.

I know this clown is attempting to put semi- coherent sentences together for a Denver readership, Avs fans who probably believe this was an awful piece of writing as well. If you are going to do the same flea bitten, overdone, unimaginative "our city is so much better than the opposition city" column every other piss ant, know-nothing fishwrap columnist in the fucking country feels the need to commit to print, at least be creative and funny about it.

What actually made me laugh was this Lincicome character is writing as if Detroit-Colorado is still a rivalry! It hasn't been one in quite some time, since the moment Patrick Roy tried his "Statue of Liberty" move in 2002. Which is also the last time the Avalanche were actually a factor in the Western Conference.

Hell, I'm guessing this guy is as much of a bandwagon rider most columnists are, only writing about hockey when the playoffs come around. Which is why he has to stoop down to the level of turning in a column full of bad jokes and insults, as he knows little about the sport to begin with.

Utterly lame columns as this are a prime example as to why newspapers are an endangered species. Your daily paper is too often full of opinions spewed from old, the stuck in the past curmudgeons who think an IBM Selectric is advanced technology. In other words, it's the same shit, different day and city.

In fact, the Freep is just as guilty, as the only reason they printed Lincicome's drivel is the same reason Drew Sharp still has a job. To get a pissy, knee-jerk reaction out of Detroiters. In the world of fishwraps, a bad reaction is better than the type they usually get, which is none. If they sell a few extra papers, and get a few more page views in the process, even if it's in anger, then they're happy.

Who needs it? I don't. Those of you who have realized how homogenized and dumbed down the newspapers have become, and now get the vast majority of their news and sports opinion from the web, don't either.

We have better things to do, like seek out educated, thoughtful, well written and funny sports opinion on blogs and web sites. Finding the same in newspapers is as rare as a Nick Lidstrom goal from center ice. It happens on the rare occasion, but you should never, ever expect it.

A shocker at Comerica Park

Not THAT kind of shocker. Get your minds out of the gutter, you pervs! The shocker was an announcement made by the Marlboro Man after the Tigers 10-2 win over the Rangers.

Miguel Cabrera is now the Tigers full time 1st baseman, while former shortstop and 1st baseman Carlos Guillen takes over at the hot corner.

When asked for a reason why, all Jim Leyland would tell the media was, "It makes us a better team."

As Leyland doesn't want to give a reason, we can only speculate. And isn't that what bloggers do best? So let's speculate away!

1. It's obvious Cabrera is not a very good defensive 3rd baseman. In fact, it's safe to say he blows. He has the arm, but neither the range or hands needed to play the position well. Sometime during the next 8 years (The length of his current contract), he was going to switch positions, be to left field or 1st base. Cabrera looks much more comfortable at 1st, and his powerful bat is tailor made for the position.

2. It's obvious Guillen is not a very good defensive 1st baseman. In fact, it's safe to say he blows. His defensive play at 1st has been underwhelming. What is more worrisome is Guillen was playing 1st in a dangerous way. Reaching into the runner for a throw, straddling the baseline while awaiting a throw, those are moves that will get you killed at 1st base. It's wasn't a matter of if Guillen would collide with a base runner, but a matter of when. I played the position my entire life, I can flat out guarantee you he was going to get run over, and it would have been ugly.

3. Guillen has played 3rd in the past, spending 100 games there during his Mariners days. So it's not like it's a totally foreign position for him. Guillen has the arm, without question. His range at short was lacking, but at 3rd it shouldn't be as much of an issue. He won't be Brandon Inge, but who is?

4. My one concern? Gullen was moved to 1st base because it was supposed to be easier on his creaky knees. Will playing 3rd base allow him that luxury? It's hard to say, though it's not as demanding a position as short. You need to ask yourself a question. What's worse? Guillen having the occasional sore knee, or being carried off the field with a concussion/broken wrist/torn up knee?

5. The move allows Leyland to use Inge all over the field, and actually sit Pudge more than once a month. He's on track to play close to 150 games. Not a good strategy when your catcher is 36 years old. Brandon Inge is much more valuable to the Tigers as a super-sub than as a 3rd baseman. He'll still play 3rd on occasion, but this move means his days as the starter at the hot corner are officially done.

The more I think about this lineup change, the more I like it. Leyland was correct, this move actually makes the Tigers a better team. They will be better defensively, it will be easier to keep 2 players extremely vital to the Tigers everyday lineup healthy, and doesn't hurt them one bit on offense.

If there are any drawbacks to this move, I haven't found them. As long as both Cabrera and Guillen approve, and they obviously do, then the switch is in the team's best interest.

Answering the Detroit Tigers burning questions, TWFE style!

As the Detroit News has not seen fit to do any "Burning questions" features in regard to the Tigers, I figured it was time I took the questioning into my own grubby little hands. I have a feeling my questions will be a tad more blunt and irreverent than Lynn Henning's, but that's what you are going to get! Deal with it!

So let's burn questions, shall we?

With one more minor league rehab appearance tonight, Curtis Granderson will be ready to join the Tigers on Wednesday. Who gets a bus ticket out of town?

The easy answer is Clete Thomas. He has options left, needs to get consistent at bats and it would be the simplest move to make. But...There's always a but...There are other options.

There's Ryan Raburn, who could be a candidate to be sent down. But he's swinging the bat well, can cover for Placido Polanco while he gets the kinks worked out of his back and gives the Tigers an Inge-like versatility coming off the bench. Raburn deserves to stay on the big club.

Gary Sheffield, and his apparently chronic sore shoulder, could be a candidate to join Dontrelle Willis on the DL. That would buy Thomas a couple of more weeks in the big leagues. Something needs to come to a head soon regarding Sheffield. Either determine he's healthy enough to swing the bat, or place him on the 15 day DL, shut him down for a couple of weeks, and get him healthy for the remainder of the season. I think you get my drift which move I prefer...

If I was making the decision, I'd sit Sheffield on the 15 day DL, and deal with Thomas' status in a couple of weeks. Hell, by that time, with the Tigers luck, someone else will go down with an injury, opening up roster spot, and make this whole discussion moot.

What about Jacque Jones? He sucks more than, God forbid, NEIFI!

To be honest, it's true. Jones is hitting all of .178 with absolutely no power. Another reason to
keep the rapidly growing "Cult of Clete Thomas" happy by leaving Clete on the roster.

But we all know Jim Leyland LOVES his veterans. In 2007, the Marlboro Man kept running Craig Monroe out to left field every day, even though his strike out rate rose faster than Michigan's unemployment numbers, and his batting average plunged faster than the price of Ford Motor stock. It was August before Leyland and the Tigers had seen enough, and cut ties with TWFE's former man-crush.

So I fully expect Jones to continue to get his fair share of PT, with Leyland giving him every opportunity to work his way out of what's becoming more than a slump, but a career trend. Remember, Jones had an awful first half with the Cubbies last season, then fired the afterburners in July, allowing Neifi Jr. to finish with respectable stats.

Even if Jones manages to find his batting eye, I do think the days of his hitting 20+ HR's are, as Ernie Harwell says, LOOOOONG GONE! We can only hope Jones rediscovers his gap power, and gets his average in the .280 range. He does that, the Tigers will be just fine. If not, there's Marcus Thames (Who's having an rough start himself), Raburn and the Cult of Clete, all waiting in the wings. The Tigers will be fine in left, though it may not be thanks to Jacque Jones.

Armando Galarraga, is he the new hotness, or a AAAA player who caught lightning in a bottle?

Galarraga is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in his 2 starts. He leads the Tigers starters in wins, ERA, WHIP and BAA. If you go by that, he's the Tigers' ace! But 2 successful starts does not a rotation mainstay make. It's a much too small sample size.

If you check Galarraga's minor league stats, a MUCH bigger sample size, it tells you a different story. In 116 appearances over 7 seasons, he has a career 25-35 W-L record, with a 4.13 ERA and a WHIP of 1.32. In other words, his stats are "meh." There's nothing in his past that shows Galarraga to be anything more than a marginal major league pitcher.

There's every possibility he's a late bloomer. He may be putting it all together at the perfect time for the Tigers. It's also possible, and much more likely, Galarraga has caught a hot streak, is pitching well over his head, and will soon crash back to earth.

I'm already seeing threads on message boards asking who's spot in the rotation Galarraga will take. It's not going to be Verlander, The Gambler, or Bonderman, struggling or not. The Tigers signed both Willis and Robertson, who have vastly superior MLB track records to Galarraga, to long-term contracts. it won't be them, either.

So who's spot in the rotation will Galarraga take when Willis is deemed ready to pitch? Someone's spot in Toledo. It's asinine to even think otherwise. At this point, I'd consider Galarraga as injury insurance, this season's Chad Durbin. Nothing more.

Odds are good if the Tigers ride Galarraga for too long, he's bound to disappoint. He's not this good, he's just not. It's great he's stepped into the rotation, and propped up the Tigers during an important time. But I don't expect it to last, and I'm betting the Tigers don't either.

What's the matter with Justin Verlander? He's barely hitting 93 on the Jugs gun! His ERA is over 7! Count it! 1,2,3,4,5,6,SEVEN! EVERYBODY PANIC!!!

Keep it down, Chicken Little. It's early in the season, there could be several reasons Verlander's velocity is closer to Mike Maroth's than Roger Clemens'.

1. Verlander's trying to get more movement on his pitches by reducing his velocity.
2. The game that had everyone alarmed, his last start against Cleveland on 4/17, was played in weather better suited for Browns-Lions than Tribe-Tigers.
3. Verlander's not up to full strength yet, as it is only mid-April.
4. Verlander has been experimenting with a 2-seam fastball, rather than using his normal 4-seam.
5. He's hurting somehow, be it his shoulder, elbow, you tell me.

Verlander claims his arm is fine and dandy, and so has the Tigers brain trust. He also mentioned finding a slight mechanical issue, as an arm angle adjustment was needed. Though the general consensus has been he's consciously reducing his pitch speed down from the occasional 98-99 and normal mid-90's, in order to get more movement on the ball.

No matter the problem, be it mechanical, mental or physical, Verlander has to pitch better. The Tigers season depends upon it. I'm willing to give Verlander and the Tigers the benefit of the doubt. They've earned my showing them some patience, and we all know patience is a virtue.

Much like how I feel about the Tigers to this point, the same goes for Verlander. I'm concerned, but not yet worried. Though my feeling on both may change quickly if things don't turn around, and turn around soon.

Finally!

The Freep has published a report stating the city of Detroit has finally awarded the contract allowing for the demolition of Tiger Stadium. Destruction will begin within a month's time.

Detroit’s Economic Development Corp., a quasi-public arm of the city, awarded the demolition contract to a joint venture of MCM Management Corp. of Bloomfield Hills and The Farrow Group of Detroit. The team will tear down the stadium at no cost to the city and make its money by selling the scrap, estimated to run $1 million or more in value.

Only in Detroit would it take the better part of a decade to demo the rusted hulk of a decrepit stadium, allowing a neighborhood to decline along with it. To allow the money pit known as The Corner stand for as long as it has is an embarrassment for the city, and to the legacy of the Tigers. The stadium been a festering pustule on Detroit's back for far too long.

The city has more than enough issues to deal with, everything from a corrupt mayor to population flight, that the demolition of Tiger Stadium is comparable to throwing a pebble in Lake Erie.

The ripple effect won't go very far...But it's start.

I'm that much balder today...

...as the Pistons 2nd half collapse against Philadelphia, ending in an excruciating 90-86 loss, had me pulling my hair out...in massive clumps.

The Detroit backcourt was beyond awful. Rip Hamilton was bad all game, and Chauncey Billups started bricklaying in the 4th quarter. The bench, save for a great game from Jason Maxiel, was nonexistent. Rodney Stuckey played like a rookie getting his first taste of the post season. Even Rasheed Wallace, who was a marvel at both ends of the court in the first half, got a "What the HELL are you doing?" out of me with the poking his head in the Sixers huddle in the final seconds.

This was not the team I expected to see.

In my mind, what was even more infuriating than the Pistons' missing gimme's and chip shots down the stretch was their post-game "We've been here before" attitude. When you shouldn't be in this position in the first place, to say "We know what to do, we've been here before" is all the more galling.

Even down 1-0, I'm not worried about this series...yet. The Pistons missed shot after shot we've seen them make all season. Tayshaun Prince and 'Sheed both clanked shots in the game's waning moments they normally drain. I can't remember the last time Billups missed 3 of 4 free throws in crunch time. So to think this was anything more than a bump in the playoff road is premature. Extremely premature.

I know Philly played damn well in the second half of the NBA season, and aren't exactly a pushover. I doubt anyone expect them to roll belly up when they came to The Palace. There's some young hungry talent there, as we saw last night. But the Pistons are a vastly more talented and much deeper team, though they sure as Hell didn't show it Sunday. Which is why I'm willing to chalk up the loss as a fluke, rather than the Pistons showing their age.

Uh, guys...Hello? Guys! GUYS! Won't anyone listen to me?!

I'm also not going to blame Flip Saunders. This loss goes on the shoulders of the players. They have even an average shooting night, and make their free throws, the Pistons win by 10. The shots were there, for whatever reason (Hubris, cockiness, age, an off night, you tell me) they didn't convert. I can't hold that over Flip. But if the Pistons come out on Wednesday (Wednesday? GOD, I hate the ASININE playoff scheduling. ESPN, TNT, the NBA, dumbasses all... They could learn something from the NHL and their play every other day format) and lay another egg? I may have to reassess my feelings regarding Flip.

I'll be honest, I'm getting damn tired of seeing the Pistons putting themselves behind the 8-ball every April and May. They are better than this. Much better, and to see them underachieve in such a manner is going to make me one bald ass cue ball well before my time.

Enough of the bullshit. Play the game right, the way we all know they can, and put Philly away. Pronto!

Please welcome WDFN to TWFE universe!

As you may have noticed by the logo in my sidebar, WDFN sports radio 1130, The Fan, has joined forces with The Wayne Fontes Experience (along with the other sports blog in the Big Al blogging network, SideLion Report) as a promotional partner.

Some of my writing will be featured at WDFN.com, and while I'll link and comment upon the occasional WDFN piece I think will interest you, the readers.

Please feel free to click on the WDFN logo (Once you've read the latest at TWFE, of course) and check out the latest sports news and opinion, along with tuning in via their live web feed, at The Fan.

For my first official linkage, I'd like to give a shout out to a long time friend of TWFE, DFN's sports director, Matt Dery. "The Diesel" has something to say about the local media coverage of last night's Piston loss. It's not flattering...

Do you think the Pistons laid an egg in Game One last night? What about the local media? It seems that there is this faction of certain writers and broadcasters who rarely come to games during the season and then all of the sudden form an opinion about the Pistons as they start the post season.

Amen, Matt. I wonder...Who is The Diesel is talking about? I'll venture a guess...

You want to know what Detroit sports fan Hell is?

No, it has nothing to do with the Lions. Actually, we lived through that Hell Friday night...

Around 10:15 PM, we fans found ourselves in the following heart stopping mess.

The Red Wings were going into OT of a damn near must win game 5 with the Predators. This was a game they DOMINATED for 59:20, yet still could not close out in regulation, as the Preds tied the game 1-1 late. As in the final 40 seconds...

This was a game we have lived over and over again, as the Wings out shot Nashville seemingly 150:2, but only beat Preds goalie Dan Ellis once, by Valtteri Filppula in the first 5 minutes of the game. The rest of the night was spent holding out breath, in a deathly fear of the Wings somehow finding a way to lose.

While at the exact same time, the smoke and mirrors closer, puff ball throwing Todd Jones, entered the game for the Tigers in the bottom of the 9th, hoping to close out their matchup with the Blue Jays.

The Tigers had, as is quickly becoming their M.O., came back late in the game, plating 4 in the 7th inning to take the lead. Their surprising bullpen held up, and the Edgar Renteria capped off a fine night on offense by knocking in an insurance run in the top of the 9th, giving Jones a 4 run cushion, 8-4. I'd hope that would enough leeway for a close by the Rollercoaster.

Thus, here we were in Detroit sports fan Hell, with the Red Wings going into an OT they shouldn't have been in to begin with, and the Tigers starting the 9th with the scariest closer in all of baseball.

To say my heart was in my throat, and stomach was in knots, would be putting it mildly.

Jones got the ball before the Wings took the ice. He gets the 1st out on a DEEP fly to center, but a 390 foot out is still an out. Jones then proceeds to channel his inner D-Train, and WALKS the next 2 batters. Beads of sweat have formed on my forehead.

A mound visit from Chuck Hernandez prolonged the agony. As the Red Wings OT was close to starting, Jones, with the tying run on deck, got a fly out and a force to end the game Tigers win, 8-4! WHEW...

One game down, one to go.

With the Tigers in the win column, I turned my attention back to Red Wings, and the start of OT. A 1:40 into the OT, the Red Wings forced a Preds turnover. The Mule, Johan Franzen, found himself open on a breakaway, and praise be to GOD/ALLAH/BUDDAH/ZEUS, pulled the string, and shoved the puck past a sprawling Ellis, allowing Red Wings Nation to finally exhale. Wings win, 2-1!

It was a Detroit sports fan's Hell, a horrifically scary moment in time, but a least it was short lived. By 10:30, my blood pressure was normal, and all was as it should be. The Tigers winners, and the Red Wings back in control of their playoff series.

With the Wings and Pistons in the playoffs, and the Tigers trying to recover from their painfully bad start, we may have more of these overly tense nights to come. I don't know you may feel, but in my mind these games aren't exactly pleasant to watch. I feel as if I endure them, one white knuckle situation after another...

I suggest you stock up on your alcohol, meds, or whatever gets you through a tense situation, as it's going to be a loooong spring, if Friday was any indication.

If Al Sobotka's twirling of the octopus is so wrong...

,,,And the clueless asshats at NHL league HQ now say it is...

I don't wanna be right!

If the NHL is intent on pissing off a one of their more passionate fanbases, they are doing a damn fine job of it.

Keeping the Red Wings in eastern time zone exile by leaving them in the Western Conference, never playing Original 6 teams, the instigator penalty essentially eliminating fighting, having a cable network no one can find on their system as the main carrier of hockey in the US, the insanely stupid lockout and countless other fuckups has made hockey a niche sport, even in cities like Detroit!

Now the NHL powers that be are dissing the tradition of the octopus? As the Chief at A2Y so aptly says...

"Thanks, Gary...Ass."

Tigers/Tribe thoughts: That was damn ugly

Tonight's Tigers loss was bothersome, so I felt the need to say a little something.

As I was hanging out at the Bless You Boys game thread (Check it out on game nights, you'll often find me over there) with some of Detroit's blogging riff raff (Kurt of Mack Avenue Tigers), the game quickly turned ugly for Tigers fans.

Topic 1...

//Big Al said in a Jerry Seindfeldian voice// What's up with Justin Verlander?!

Seriously, what was the matter with Verlander? He couldn't find the plate with a seeing eye dog, GPS, Google Earth and a compass. I've never, ever seen him so wild. You'd have thought the D-Train was on the mound, when no one on the field is safe from taking a fastball to the noggin.

Verlander's velocity was way down as well, down to the point of concern. He was rarely in the 97-98 MPH range, let alone triple digits. Verlander was in the low 90's with his fastball, making it much more hittable. Well, hittable when he was around the plate, which wasn't often.

I'm not overly worked up yet. Verlander was great in his last start, hanging pitch for pitch with the White Sox's Gavin Floyd, who was throwing a no-no for 7+ innings. Verlander pitched better than his stats showed in his first 3 starts. Tonight, he earned an inflated ERA. Verlander, and his damn important to the Tigers' chances arm, bear close watching.

Topic 2...

Anyone get the impression it was going to be a long night when you saw the lineup the Marlboro Man ran out onto the Jake? (I know it has some damn corporate name now, it's still Jacobs Field to me)

Clete Thomas CF
Ramon Santiago 2B
Gary Sheffield DH
Magglio Ordonez RF
Miguel Cabrera 3B
Carlos Guillen 1B
Edgar Renteria SS
Jacque Jones LF
Brandon Inge C

Does that give off a "B" team vibe to you? With Jones, Thomas and Santiago in, and Inge playing his least favorite position, it had the feel of one of Leyland's famous Sunday lineups, where he starts every damn bench player. I know, it's much too early for statement games, and admittedly, there are some injuries to be nursed. But it would have been nice to take every advantage of a Tribe team on a downward spiral, and a struggling Fausto Carmona.

Then again, the Cigarette Smoking Man may have thought he could get away with resting a few regulars with Verlander on the mound. So much for that plan...

Topic 3...

Zach Miner needs to be sent down. Even if it's only temporary. He needs some time in Toledo to get his head together, and hopefully find his stuff. Because he's got neither right now.

I think we all expected more, much more, from Miner. The Tigers had thought enough of his past performance to plan on his pitching in a setup role. Instead, he's become Jason Grilli, but worse. At least Grilli pitches decently on the road. Miner hasn't pitched well at home, on the road, against right or left handers, he's blown everywhere and against everybody.

When the Tigers feel Francisco Cruceta is ready, Miner is number one, with a bullet, to be sent down. Hell, the way he's currently pitching, being sent down may happen even sooner.

The Tigers are slowly finding some trustworthy relievers in the pen. Seay and Jones go without saying. Lopez and Bautista have shown they may be quite capable. Rapada is a question mark, but he's a lefty, and the Tigers want 2 on the roster. We all despise Grilli, but Leyland, God knows why, loves him.

That leaves Miner, who does have a minor league option left, as the odd man out. It may be best for all concerned to let him figure out his issues as a Mud Hen.

FYI: Local blogger continues to make good

I have a programming note for you. If you remember, Billfer, of the eponymous The Detroit Tigers Weblog, kicked radio ass talking Tigers with WDFN's Sean Baligian last week.

Well, log into their web stream, or have your radios tuned into WDFN 1130 Friday morning at 10:35 11:05, as Biller once again does us bloggers proud, talking Tigers with Baligian.

I'll be listening to the Tigers "Outsider" insider, I suggest you do the same.

EDIT: Just found out Bill will be on at 11:05, rather than 10:35. Stay tuned in!

Hasek or Osgood? TWFE makes the call!

We all knew it was coming. It was unavoidable. The Red Wings have a goalie controversy on their hands. Should Mike Babcock stay with an obviously struggling Dominik Hasek, or go to his backup, who actually had a better overall regular season, All-Star Chris Osgood? Their playoff lives may depend upon whom the Wings have in goal Friday night against the Predators.

As Hasek has lost the past 2 games, giving up too many "soft" goals, the cries for "OZZIE!" can be heard throughout Detroit. Wings fans are in crisis mode, at DEFCON 1, scared beyond belief another early round playoff knockout is on the horizon.

So to ease everyone's fears, TWFE breaks down the 2 Detroit goalies.

Hasek: Is one butterfly away from shredding his groin, likely for good.
Osgood: Is one bouncing 90 foot shot away from knocking the Red Wings out of the playoffs.

Hasek: Is a sure fire lock for the hockey hall of fame.
Osgood: Is a sure fire lock for the puck bunny hall of shame.

Hasek: His goaltending won the 2002 Stanley Cup for the Red Wings.
Osgood: The Red Wings won the 1998 Stanley Cup despite Osgood's goaltending.

Hasek: Has the most unorthodox style of goaltending ever seen in the NHL.
Osgood: Is cutest NHL goaltender ever! (According to those puck bunnies)

Hasek: Likes to flop around the crease like a dying fish.
Osgood: Likes to eat fish.

Hasek: Wears a snazzily painted mask and helmet.
Osgood: Wears a mask and helmet taken straight off the shelves of K-Mart.

Hasek: Is an old man at 42, playing on borrowed time. In fact, he may be out of time.
Osgood: Is not near as old at 35. For a Red Wing, that's the equivalent being a teenager. He may have some good years left, but he's Chris Osgood, for chrissakes!

Hasek: Is bat-shit crazy.
Osgood: Is loved by thousands of bat-shit crazy Downriver puck bunnies.

Hasek: It bears repeating, he's bat-shit crazy! Hasek's a fucking LOON!
Osgood: It bears repeating, he's every Downriver puck bunny's dream date! They SWOON over OZZIE!

So once you look at the pluses and minuses, the pros and cons of the Red Wings net minders, you can only come to one conclusion...The Red Wings are screwed.

We'll know soon enough if the goalie controversy is just a speed bump on a long Stanley Cup winning run, or the 1st signs of another playoff disappointment, as Babcock made the call this afternoon. The fate of the Red Wings rides on the shoulders of Chris Osgood.

We'll know around 10pm Friday night if his decision was the correct one.

Housekeeping: Advertising, subject matter and you!

Just a couple of housekeeping notes.

I've been playing around with the sidebar and ads, as you may have noticed. I've become a member of the Yardbarker Blogger Network, along with Scalper.com joining on as an advertiser. I'm trying to generate a little extra revenue from the site, so you may see bits and pieces come and go, as I see what works, and what doesn't. But you would be doing me a solid if you did click on the ads occasionally. Let me say thank you in advance!

I know content has been a tad sporadic lately, mostly due to my going through a slight creative drought. The biggest creative change being I've stopped the newspaper COTD and Above the Fold posts. I'm not sure if I'll bring them back, as I felt I was beginning to repeat myself, exhausting some subject matter. I don't want to be doing the same things, ranting about the exact same subjects over and over and over, as it bores you, and even worse, bores me.

I'd rather do 1 or 2 quality posts on TWFE and SideLion Report in a day, than several bad to middling ones. There were times I felt like I was churning out crapola, just to have new content. If the material is there, I'll post more. But I'm not going to force it, just for the sake of posting something new.

But you will continue to see changes on TWFE as time goes by. I have opportunities for cross promoting TWFE with some Detroit media entities, will be guest posting on another blog soon, and there are other things I STILL can't talk about. As I know more, and have dates, you'll be the first to know. Please bear with me as start to wade into some uncharted waters, and see how deep I want to go.

Anyway, I just wanted to get all that off my chest. You readers mean the world to me. Hell, many of you (namely the members of the Detroit blogosphere and you readers) I now consider good friends. I always appreciate your comments and emails, along with your visiting TWFE and subscribing via RSS.

Thanks for letting me ramble, and as always, thank you for reading!

Please welcome Scalper.com as TWFE's newest advertiser!

Ahem. I'd like your attention please!

I'd like to introduce Scalper.com to the readers of The Wayne Fontes Experience.

Please check out Scalper.com for your ticket needs. They have tickets available for all major sporting events, concerts, and theatrical productions, even those hard to get Detroit Tigers and Detroit Red Wings playoff tickets!

To find out more, just check out the Scalper.com links on the right sidebar.

Thanks for reading TWFE, and please visit Scalper.com!

Tigers, yes! Red Wings, no!

Quick thoughts on a couple of strange, exciting, nail biting, white knuckle, games.

I spent the night flipping channels, trying to watch both the Wings and the Tigers, while hanging out in the game thread at Bless You Boys. The result? The Red Wings blow up in a bad way, giving up 3 third period goals, and lose badly to Nashville, 5-3. On the flip, the Tigers blow up in a good way, come back twice from BIG deficits, and win in their final at bat, 11-9. I'll say this, I've had more than enough drama for one night.

It appears the Tigers offense took Jim Leyland's locker room explosion to heart, and exploded themselves, FINALLY showing what I hope is their true colors. The big bats did what they were supposed to do, and punished Minny pitching for 16 hits. The Tigers' pitching, on the other hand...

Not that Jeremy Bonderman wasn't as bad as his stats looked, as the Tigers' defense had a couple of inexcusable errors that led to several Twins runs. Unfortunately, the bullpen disappointed again, as Bobby Seay was lit up by the Twinkies, allowing all his inherited runners to score, along with 2 more runs charged to his stat line. The pen did suck up after Seay's bombardment, as Francis Bentran was fine in his 1 inning, and Todd Jones converted an ugly ass save, allowing 2 baserunners, before a nice running catch by Ryan Raburn on a Nick Punto left field liner ended things.

Despite the pitching issues, this was easily the best win of the young season. But Tigers aren't out of the woods yet. They haven't put together a game where all ll phases of the game, offensively, defensively, and pitching, click.

Still, this could the game that the Tigers build upon, and begin to play like the team we've expected. It was that sort of win...

As for the Red Wings? Allowing 2 goals, scored within 9 seconds of another, late in the third period? That is your proverbial nut punch loss.

I'm not sure who was at fault on the game winner, but...Well, I'll let the Chief at A2Y say what we are all thinking...

The Arnott goal? The one that brought him, and them, back into this series? A bad change and a wide open wing. Wide open. Wanna blame Lilja? Of course you do. So do I. Sure seemed like he was unnecessarily way out of position. But that far? Burned that badly? Not even Lilja can be beaten that badly, that obviously. But I can tell you this. The last three real tough playoff goals to handle as a Wing fan? Selanne’s. Tootoo’s from Game 2. Arnott’s from tonite. All had one common theme.

Namely, Andreas Lilja was on the ice, giving up the puck. If the Wings lose late on a bad goal, Lilja is usually in the vicinity.

I'm not going to get too worked up over a playoff loss, even one as painful as tonight's. It's cliched, but true, in that it was only one game. One game does not a playoff series make. But it does give a team hope, which has me worried.

The Wings weren't going to go 16-0. Nashville wasn't going to roll over and play possum. It wouldn't be a Red Wings Stanley Cup playoff run without a couple of losses that piss you off, have you crying in your beer, wondering what the fuck just happened. Games like this are why winning the Stanley Cup is considered to be one of the toughest things to do in sports.

I'm confident the Wings are the better team, and should win this series in 5 games. Being it's the playoffs and the Red Wings we're talking about here, it may be too much to ask. I do not want to see them give the Preds life, and come back to Detroit tied 2-2.

Too many weird things can happen when you let a lower seeded team hang around.

Jim Leyland loses his cool, but is it too calculated to have an effect?

After getting pasted by a total of 18-0 by the ChiSox over the weekend, nearly getting no-hit on Saturday, dropping their record to 2-10, Jim Leyland went postal/medieval/apeshit on the Tigers' collective asses yesterday. From all accounts, just as Roddy Piper skipped the bubblegum chewing, and went direct to the kicking of ass, so did the Marlboro Man.

But will it make a difference? For Leyland to go off on his underachieving team, in a weird way, is actually preaching to the choir.

Collectively, the Tigers have been saying all the right things, as they know they are playing with all the skill shown by an over 40 softball team in the middle of a kegger. They know the fans are beginning to turn on them. They know the media is making them out to be a laughingstock. They know that history is now fully against them. They know expectations were sky high, and if the season doesn't turn around soon, it's going to get real ugly, real quick, in Detroit.

Even though the fans have been clamoring for a Leyland explosion, harking back to his now legendary diatribe early in the '06 season, the situations are totally different. The only thing similar between '06 and '08 was Leyland believing his team apparently giving up in the late innings of a series ending game. What set off the Marlboro Man yesterday was the Tigers not taking a single called ball in the final 3 innings, after the Sox essentially put the game out of reach in 6th inning. In '06, it was their taking that same attitude during the late innings of a getaway day loss to the Tribe.

In 2006, Leyland was trying to turn around almost 2 decades of losing. He wanted to broom the acceptance of losing out of the clubhouse. In 2008, it comes off as much more calculated, as Leyland is grasping straws, trying something, anything, to shake the Tigers out of their early season lethargy.

When everyone is calling for, and expecting, the manager to give the "It's my way or the highway!" speech, how effective can it truly be? You can only go to the "I'm mad as Hell, and I'm not gonna take it anymore!" well once. Only once. After that, it's just so much hot air, especially with an older group of highly paid professionals with guaranteed contracts.

To be honest, what else could Leyland do? Other than making a few personnel changes within the bullpen, there really isn't much he can do, other than hoping his players begin to play up to their quite good track records. That's it. There aren't going to be sweeping changes. PERIOD.

For all the fans screaming for change, for a blockbuster of some sort, and they are all over on sports talk radio, newspaper message boards and message boards, I've said it before, and I'll say it again...A trade isn't going to happen.

It bears repeating. Teams don't make trades 2 weeks into April, at least not the type irrational fans want. Any change is only going to come from within the organization, and even then, it'll be in regard to the bullpen (Such as the callup of Clay Rapata), or injury replacement (Bring up Ryan Raburn, and the soon to arrive starting pitcher, Armando Galarraga, with Dontrelle Willis going on the DL).

The Tigers have already made their moves, and gone all in. At this point, we can only hope Leyland is sitting on a full house, as he's already drawn all his cards. If he's not, all the yelling and screaming in the world won't make a difference.

Though I'm as pissed off and frustrated as any Tiger fan, as much as I hate to say it, , at this point we can only ride out this horrific, cringe inducing, , team-wide, season imperiling slump, hoping it ends before the rest of the season becomes moot. It's what Leyland and Dave Dombrowski are doing, in the anticipation their accumulated talent finally kicks into gear.

We all agree, the talent is there. As to why it hasn't shown on the field as of yet is a mystery to all. If it doesn't show up, and show up soon...Well, let's cross that bridge when we come to it.

Unfortunately, as it currently stands, I can see the bridge on the horizon.

As seen off of I-75

Solutions to the Tigers' bullpen issues

What would I like to do with the Detroit Tigers bullpen?

1. Just like the freaky little kid on The Twilight Zone episode, "It's a Good Life." I'd like to wish them away into the cornfield.

"You're a bad bullpen! A VERY BAD BULLPEN!"

2. Stick my foot up their ass, ala the master of the "foot in the ass," Red Foreman



3. "I'm Crushing their heads!" It might knock some control into them...



4. As I said last night... The bullpen? "I'd blow 'em up good! Blow 'em up real good!"



"May the Good Lord take a likin' to ya, and blow ya up real soon!"

Instead of taking the above advice, the Tigers called up Clay Rapada, and sent down Yorman Bazardo. Let's hope the Tigers' way works...

Is a local blogger a budding "King of all media?"

Billfer graced the WDFN airwaves today, talking Detroit Tigers with Sean Baligian this morning. The audio is up at DTW, I suggest you give it a listen. Billfer handled himself damn well, a credit to sports bloggers everywhere!

Kudos go to WDFN, for realizing there are Detroit bloggers who are just as knowledgeable, if not more so, as members of the MSM.

Red Wings, yes! Tigers, not again!

I'll have more tomorrow, but here's my really quick and dirty thoughts about tonight's events...

Tigers: 9 WALKS? 9 God damn walks! Count 'em, 123456789! You deserve to lose when you walk an entire baseball team! Good God damn Lord, the hitting is finally coming around, but the pitching? The bullpen? Just...Just...ARRRGH.

I know it won't, and shouldn't, happen, but the way I'm feeling after watching tonight's bullpen debacle, I'd be happy if the Tigers took the sage advice of those famous film reviewers, Big Jim McBob and Billy Sol Hurok...

The Tigers' bullpen? Blow 'em up good! Blow 'em up real good!

Well, at least 1-8 is better than 0-9. I never, ever thought I'd write that line...

Red Wings: Not the greatest performance, but I'll take a win to start the playoffs anytime. The ancient and insane Czech was quite good in net, with the only goal being scored was off of a deflection that bounced off who knows how many players in front of the net.

Unfortunately, this was still your typical Red Wings playoff game. They massively out shot the Predators, had plenty of scoring chances, outplayed them for long stretches, yet the game was still in doubt very late in the 3rd period. I wasn't at ease till Hank Zetterberg scored an empty net goal in the final seconds.

All in all, it was a good start for the Wings. I'm happy anytime you win a playoff game, even when it's beating an 8 seed. Only 15 more wins to go...

The national nightmare is over

We can all breathe a sigh of relief.

The Detroit Tigers are no longer winless.

They beat the BoSox 7-2.

Christ, this past week sucked. We can only hope the Tigers are done sucking.

What to do? What to do?

As you may have read in my previous post, Charter had messed up the feed to FSD Plus tonight, leaving me unable to watch the Tigers take on the BoSox.

I just flipped channels, as the Pistons are getting their asses handed to them in Philly, and there is the game!

But I'm not going to watch. I want to watch, I'm dying to watch, but I'm not gonna do it! Not. Gonna. Do. it.

The Tigers are winning with me listening to Dan Dickerson and the heavy breathing Jim Price, over the radio airwaves. In an attempt to help break the curse/losing streak, I'm going to remain a listener of 97.1 The Ticket. I'm sticking with Dan and Jim for the duration.

Lord, this hope it works. I can't take much more of this losing streak...

Answering Mack Avenue Tigers' semi-rhetorical questions!

Just like last season, with the Tigers playing their first game of the season on Fox Sports Detroit Plus, Charter is screwing up the feed, and giving me nothing but a black screen. God damn Charter still hates me!

As I'm stuck listening to the Tigers game, and Jim Price's heavy breathing, over terrestrial radio, and watching an absolutely meaningless Pistons game on the main FSD feed with the sound turned down, I figured it would be a good time to post. But what?

I've been waiting for a round of Lynn Henning's burning questions, but the News hasn't started their weekly Tigers Extra section, so no questions. Then I remembered over at Mack Avenue Tigers, in a fit of pique, Kurt posted several meant to be rhetorical questions in frustration over the Tigers start.

Boy howdy, I got me some questions!

So let's answer some of Lynn Henning's burning questions of Kurt Mensching's semi-rhetorical questions!

1. WHAT THE SAM HELL IS GOING ON??!

I DON'T KNOW! I HONESTLY DON'T KNOW! GOD AS MY WITNESS, I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA! THE TIGERS ARE CURSED? MIKE ILITCH IS BEING PUNISHED BY THE KARMA GODS?

In other words, your guess is as good as mine.

(Actually, Kurt has fessed up, and is taking full blame! His post explains everything!)

2. At what point is manager Jim Leyland’s job in question as he leads a $138M winless team he repeatedly claims “isn’t ready” and states, “That’s the manager’s fault.”

It won't happen this season, if ever. Leyland and Dave Dombrowski go too far back for either to do anything as rash as Leyland's leaving the Tigers under any circumstances. I have to admit thoughts of Sparky Anderson's sabbatical/leave of absence/bailing in the middle of the 1989 season have run through my mind. Same for Leyland walking on the Rockies when things took a turn for the worse after 1 season.

The manager gets too much credit when a team is winning. Conversely, the manager gets too much of the blame when they lose, and the losing could soon reach EPIC proportions. If the Tigers can't pull out of their death spiral soon, anything could happen. Anything.

3. When does a World Series season off to a bad start become a World Series season in peril?

Sparky used to say "Give me 45 games" to know what he had. He also said (paraphrasing), "You win 60, you lose 60, it's what you do with the other 42 that decides your season." Sparky also spoke English like it was his 2nd language, so take it as you may.

So we are a long way off from saying the World Series is in peril. But I'd be lying if I said I wasn't already worried.

At the very worst, if the Tigers are hovering around .500 at the All-Star break, I think they'll get themselves in the playoff hunt. Hell, they may have righted the ship by that time, and playing to expectations. Thus, I'm withholding full judgment on the season till early July. It's still too early to go off half cocked, even though I'd really, really, really like to... (In other words, I reserve to right to change my mind at any time, and go ape shit regarding the Tigers!)

4. Further, when does a World Series season in peril become a season with no hope of a World Series?

If they are struggling by the time the All-Star game rolls around, double digits back of 1st place, I'd feel safe in writing them off. But baseball is a funny game. The Tigers could, just as easily as they have suffered through a 7 game losing streak, whip around and run off a 7-8 game winning streak. Especially once they get past their gauntlet of an April schedule.

The worst thing to happen with the Tigers was starting the season against a pair of teams that seem to have their number, the Royals and White Sox. They probably would have won a couple of games against another team.

5. And finally, what if they were never really a World Series caliber team?

Then we'll be watching a non-World Series caliber team for at least the next 2-3 seasons. There's several older players signed to BIG money contracts (Ordonez, Sheffield, Polanco, Guillen, to name a few) that would be damn hard to trade.

We'll also spend the final months of the season second guessing Dombrowski (and ourselves, for that matter, as every one of us liked how the Tigers were constructed) for putting so much faith in Fernando Rodney, trading for Edgar Renteria and Dontrelle Willis (I'll always say getting Cabrera was worth the cost. Any cost), and having the 2nd highest payroll in baseball for such a minuscule return.

6. Will this nightmare ever end?

It's not looking good for tonight's game being the breakthrough, as the BoSox have a 2-0 lead in the 3rd inning.

So to answer the question, if tonight is any indication, this nightmare will continue for quite some time. The Tigers are still not hitting. There was another error (The second in two days, after going errorless for over a year) by Polanco. Bonderman walking in a run. Guillen still clueless with his footwork at 1st base, unable to stay on the bag on a Cabrera throw. Runners stranded in scoring position in 2 of the first 3 innings. It's just more of the same!

It's as bad as...as...2003. Yes, I said it! The 2008 Tigers are playing as if they are the awful 2003 Tigers. Jesus...

7. Which Tigers are most easily tradable for quality prospects?

As we are talking hypotheticals...

I hate to say it, but Jeremy Bonderman. Considering the high prices free agent pitching commanded this past off season, his contract is signed long-term to a contract, and pitching is at a premium. With his upside (Though I'm beginning to wonder if we'll ever see it) and relative youth (He's only 25), I'm sure you could get a very nice haul for him. Could it happen if the Tigers continue to disappoint? I wouldn't rule anything out if, God forbid, the ugliness continues.

(OH MY GOD! RENTERIA WITH A 2 RUN DOUBLE! TIE GAME IN THE 4TH! PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE LET THAT BE THE PLAY THAT TURNS AROUND THE SEASON! THAMES GOES YARD! 4-2 TIGERS! IS THIS THE NIGHT?)

Bonus question:

8. SERIOUSLY, WHAT THE SAM HELL IS GOING ON??!!?

We're living in "Bizarro World?" God/Buddha/Allah/The Flying Spaghetti Monster/Zeus/God Shammgod hates Tiger fans?

My best guess? We'll wake up tomorrow, and just like Pam Ewing on Dallas, see Bobby Ewing taking a shower, and we'll find out it was all a dream. It was only a dream. A nightmare to be sure, but only a dream...

Things LESS painful than the Detroit Tigers' 7 game losing streak

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Thoughts running thru my my mind as the Tigers' season withers on the vine

Is the headline a bit of an overreaction? Probably. But don't tell me you aren't thinking the same thing.

As I watch the Tigers' bats continue to struggle (Dice-K is dominating for the BoSox through 5 innings. Thing is, he's not good enough to lights out), it's become clear that the team wide hitting slump is the biggest issue for the Tigers thru the 6 game (Likely to be 7 game after today) losing streak.

The batters are pressing, making things worse. The pitchers, knowing they are going to get little in the way of run support, are pressing, making things worse. The defense, knowing they have no room for error, are pressing, thus making errors. (2 so far today)

Everything looks worse when you aren't hitting. EVERYTHING.

But what can you do? Make changes? Bench a few players? Get serious, what would you change? How could you change it? Meaning Jim Leyland is stuck in a bad place. These are GOOD to GREAT players. You can't bench them. It would reek of panic, and who, exactly, would you replace them with?

Everyone in the Tigers' lineup is an accomplished hitter. Guys who have hit 20, 30, even 40 bombs in a year. Won batting titles. Had 20-20 seasons. Career .300 averages. Too many All-Star games to mention.

Yet they are flailing about like kids getting their first ever taste of fast pitch, either bailing out or reaching. Plate discipline has been Pudge-like, meaning non-existent. When someone does finagle their way on base, a double play has always followed. I can't remember seeing an actual rally this season. How can you when you can't even string more than 2 hits together before striking out/popping up/grounding out/hitting into a double play.

Honestly, I'm at a loss at this point. If the bats remain as silent as they have been (2 hits though 5 innings today, nothing has changed), the losing streak is going to reach double digits.

At this point, with a team wide batting slump showing no signs of ending anytime soon, the only thing that will end this streak is a starting pitcher coming up HUGE, and totally shutting down the opposition. Someone needs to step up, and pitch a shutout. Unfortunately, the starters have been less than sterling. As if right on cue, as I write, Kenny Rogers can't get out of the 5th, going 4.2 innings before getting pulled for //GULP// Jason Grilli.

So as I sit here watching the Tigers labor through another excruciating game, it's become an exercise in endurance. Instead of expecting the best, I'm watching Tigers games with a sense of utter dread. That is something I haven't experienced as a Tigers fan since since 2005...

As they say, "This too, shall pass." Unfortunately, the Tigers' 1st week is passing like a kidney stone. A LARGE and EXTREMELY PAINFUL kidney stone.