Detroit Tigers lineup vs Boston, Sunday April 8, 2012

Posted on April 8, 2012 by

Two games into the season and the Tigers are showing their stuff! Justin Verlander opened the year at Comerica Park with eight shut-out innings in Detroit’s 3-2 win over the Red Sox.

Although Jose Valverde wasn’t at his 2011 best in relief, the Tigers did what they had to do to bring an opening day victory in the ninth.

With a 2-0 lead, Valverde gave up a double to Dustin Pedroia. Adrian Gonzalez singled Pedroia to third. A sac fly from Ortiz put the first Boston run on the board. Then, Darnell McDonald, running for Gonzalez, scored to tie the game on Ryan Sweeney’s triple. It was a blown-save for Valverde – who was perfect last year.

In the bottom of the ninth, Austin Jackson came through with a walk-off hit for Detroit, and the Tigers were winners.

Yesterday, the big bats of Cabrera and Fielder, helped power the Tigers to their second win. They both homered – twice – in the game. Originally, Cabrera’s second shot was thought to have been a ground rule double. After a review from the umpires, it was deemed a home run. Alex Avila added a home run, too. There were five total in the game. The Tigers won the game with a wallop, 10-0.

However, it wasn’t without its misfortunes. Doug Fister was injured and had to leave the game in the fourth inning with a strain in his left side. He will be placed on the disabled list today, and Brayan Villarreal will be recalled from Triple-A before this afternoon’s game. It hasn’t been announced who replace Fister in the rotation.

Duane Below came into the game to take over for Fister. He was credited with the win, his first in the big leagues.

Keep an eye on Prince Fielder. He is one hit away from reaching the milestone of 1,000 career hits.

This afternoon’s match-up features Max Scherzer facing Clay Buchholz. Scherzer had 15 wins last season.

Here is the Detroit Tiger’s lineup against the Boston Red Sox for Sunday, April 8, 2012:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young DH
6. Alex Avila C
7. Jhonny Peralta SS
8. Andy Dirks LF
9. Ryan Raburn 2B

Go Tigers!

~Skip

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Detroit Tiger’s Opening Day 2012

Posted on April 5, 2012 by

Opening Day Report

You can read along while you listen…

Well, we have nearly reached the pinnacle of our journey! Today is Opening Day in Detroit, Michigan. As every Tiger’s fan knows – Opening Day is an unofficial holiday in the Dee, and this one comes with all of the frills and thrills of a Detroit Tiger’s baseball game.

This Opening Day brings tons of optimism amid an expectation that this is one of baseball’s best teams. Boasting players such as last year’s CY Young winner and AL MVP, Justin Verlander. And, the Detroit Tigers have a couple of the best hitters in the game of baseball, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. Undoubtedly, it is a team that can and should go all the way to the World Series – and beyond.

But, each journey begins with a single step. And step one is the home opener for the Tigers. Let the journey begin!

Now, what should you know about Opening Day?

First, game day weather should be cooperative with mostly sunshine and temperatures topping out in the upper 40’s with a slight, slight chance of rain.

Get downtown early. Bars and businesses open at the crack of dawn and will be hosting radio stations and television stations. Comerica Park will open at 10:30 – as will the parking around Woodward.

Once you get into the stadium, go ahead and take a deep breath. Yes, opening day is really, finally here – and you’re not dreaming. Get a scorecard – if you keep score, and wander over to the field to take a look at the brand new scoreboard. Don’t forget to take pictures.

Get a hot dog or a slice of pizza, something to wash it down with and find your seat. The ceremonial first pitch will be thrown by Mr. Tiger himself, Al Kaline. First pitch against the Red Sox is at 1:05.

A military flyover will feature the 107th fighter squadron “Red Devils” flying the A-10C Warthog from Selfridge Air National Guard base. American idol finalist Haley Reinhardt will perform the anthem.

And, the 2011 American League Central Division flag will be raised to honor last season’s division champs.

Now, if you can’t make it to the ball park, you can have the best seat in the house – your house! The Tigers game will be televised on FSD. Don’t forget to look for former Tiger Craig Monroe. He’s now a Fox sports analyst. Or, of course, you can catch the radio broadcast with Dan Dickerson and Jim Price.

What about the players?

One of the things I do is learn every player’s jersey number. When I am at the ballpark early I like to know which player I’m looking at from the distance. Maybe you do the same? If you do, you need to know that there are a few new numbers you’ll need to know.

In addition to our familiar Tiger’s starters Justin Verlander, Doug Fister, Max Scherzer, and Rick Porcello, you can add the new fifth man Drew Smyly. Drew doesn’t have a number yet because he won’t be with the Tigers until he pitches against the Rays on the 12th.

Collin Balester is number 31.

Octavio Dotel is 20.

Luis Marte is number 49, but you won’t see him on opening day. He’ll start the season on the disabled list.

Gerald Laird will be number 9.

Prince Fielder is 28.

Those are the guys who didn’t don a Detroit jersey in 2011.

I am going to be at the game, and I promise to take plenty of pictures and post them to the Deetown Tigers in the evening.

I also have the option of phoning into the site and posting that way. I’ve never done that yet, so it might be fun to capture the excitement from Comerica Park – as it happens.

But, once we get past the fun and all of the festivities of the opener, i will be getting down to the business of writing and recording future Dug Out reports.

Remember to find me on Facebook, a lot of the day to day stuff about the Tigers can be found there, and on Twitter, too.

For Deetown Tigers this is Skip – thanks for looking in and Go Tigers!

~Skip

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Drew Smyly fills the fifth spot in the Tiger’s rotation

Posted on April 1, 2012 by

There are three more days until the Detroit Tigers open up the 2012 campaign at Comerica Park. Are you getting excited? I am. I have my tickets in hand and I am ready to go.

If you are worried about the weather, don’t be! Thursday’s outlook from the Weather Channel is promising sunshine, but cool temperatures. The high is expected to be around 46 degrees.

I am quite happy with that.

Last year’s weather for the opener was rainy, and, if I recall correctly, we had snow flurries the year before that.

The Boston Red Sox will roll into town on Thursday to try and stifle our excitement over a season/home opener that features the likes of Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder.

Of course, they will fail.

The Tigers will open the year with ace Justin Verlander. The Red Sox will counter with Jon Lester.

This team has been slowly taking shape over the past few weeks, and the Tigers made more moves today. They have finally answered the looming question about who the fifth starter would be on opening day. The winner, and clear choice among the candidates who had vied for the spot, was Drew Smyly.

Although Smyly has never pitched in the big leagues. Jim Leyland commented that he thought Smyly “had good stuff, a good delivery and threw strikes. How that plays up here, we’ll wait and see. That usually plays pretty good anywhere.”

So, yes, we’ll see how he does when he travels north with the team this week. He will start one game in Toledo on April 5th allowing the Tigers to go once through a four man rotation. Then his first major league game will be on April 12 against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Right handed pitcher Luis Marte won the last bullpen spot. Pitchers Duane Below and Brayan Villarreal were optioned to Toledo.

The bullpen has some pretty good arms. You can expect to see left-handed pitchers Phil Coke and Daniel Schlereth back this season. Also, the right-handed arms of Marte, Joaquin Benoit, former Nationals pitcher Collin Balester (who came to Detroit in a trade for Ryan Perry), Octavio Dotel, and of course, Papa Grande, Jose Valverde will round out the 2012 Tigers bullpen.

It as though Brandon Inge might be placed on the disabled list. He has a sore groin. As you know he has competed for a spot at second base after losing his third base duties when Miguel Cabrera moved there from first.

Still up in the air is the final roster spot. Clete Thomas and Andy Dirks are leading candidates.

The Tigers will come north with 14 position players because of Smyly’s later start, Jim Leyland said.

~Skip

Remember to find Deetown Tigers on Twitter and Facebook to get all the latest news and happenings with the Detroit Tigers.

See you at the game!

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Dugout Report: Cabrera, second base, and the fifth spot in the rotation

Posted on March 21, 2012 by

Here is today’s Dugout Report – a quick look at some of the bigger news concerning the Detroit Tigers. In certain cases the the Dugout Report will be a feature, like the report from Monday which can listened to on the right side of the page, and in other cases it will be a conversation, like today’s report.

To hear the report, click on the player below. There is no download and no pop-up to worry about.

~Skip

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Miguel Cabrera Leaves Game to Get Stitches

Posted on March 19, 2012 by

During this afternoon’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies, Hunter Pence knocked a grounder toward third that took a bad hop and caught Tiger’s third baseman Miguel Cabrera in the face.

It was a pretty scary moment.

Cabrera turned out of the way, but it was of no use. The ball hit him just under the right eye, and required him to get stitches and x-rays at a local hospital. By all reports, it appears that the results were negative.

Detroit Tiger’s manager Jim Leyland said of the injury that Cabrera “basically looked like a fighter who needed a cut man and who wasn’t doing too well in the fight. “Obviously, he got a bad hop. It (his face) is swollen. It will be black and blue.”

We’re just glad that he is OK, and that the injury wasn’t more serious. You will recall that pitcher Al Alburquerque was hit by a batted ball during batting practice in Baltimore on August 12, 2011. He suffered a concussion and was placed on the disabled list.

~Skip

***UPDATE MARCH 20, 2012***

ESPN MLB is reporting that Miguel Cabrera has a small fracture under his right eye. He will be re-evaluated in a week.

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