June 21, 2009
By Mike McClary in Featured, Fungoes | 1 comment
To steal a line from Fungo contributor Doug Hill, it’s time to clear out a cluttered mental notebook:
The Tigers were so bad for so long in the ’90s and early ’00s that it’s hard for me to believe they managed to sustain a winning record against any club. But, after today’s win against the Brewers, Detroit has an all-time record of 221-197 against them. The question I have — and it’s not answered in the Game Notes — is whether that record includes the one year (1969) that the Brewers were the Seattle Pilots. I’ll admit that I get creeped out easier than most, but am I alone in thinking that spending the night in the bowels of Comerica Park — as Jim Leyland does often — is eerie on another level? With today’s victory, the Tigers raised their daytime record to 18-7 record this season. Speaking of records, everyone knows that the Tigers were able to eek into the postseason in 2006 based on their record against division rivals and interleague opponents. So far this year, their 14-11 against the Central and an even 6-6 against NL clubs. Let’s hope they can make some hay against the Cubs and Astros this week, because the division will likely be a tough road for this team here on out. Agree? Poor Ken Macha. His ‘06 Athletics get swept in dramatic fashion at Comerica Park and then he returns as Milwaukee skipper and sees the resurrection of the Tigers’ offense — however temporary it might be.
Finally, Happy Birthday to a pair of former Tigers, starting with lefty reliever Sean Runyan. He pitched for Detroit from 1998-2000 posting a 1-5, 3.66 ERA in 103 games. He appeared in 88 games for the ‘98 team. He turns 35 today.
Gene Pentz made his debut for the abysmal 1975 Tigers and appeared in 13 games (0-4, 3.20) that season. That offseason the Tigers dealt him to Houston with Terry Humphrey, Mark Lemongello and Leon Roberts for Jim Crawford, Milt May and Dave Roberts. Pentz is 56 today.
Happy Father’s Day to my Dad and every Dad out there.
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June 20, 2009
By Mike McClary in Featured, Fungoes | 0 comments
I don’t like to leave this space empty for days at a time as I’ve done lately, but this Tigers team has made me one grumpy fan — yes, I’m unhappy with a first-place team.
There. I said it.
There’s been plenty of frustration expressed about this light-hitting lineup in the blogosphere, the Twittersphere, and assuredly on Detroit sports talk radio. Why subject you to more negativity? And, I simply couldn’t think of a way to say “Tigers can’t hit” again and again.
But now I think I’m ready to come out of the dark and into the glow of a club that will assuredly cause me late-summer gastrointestinal angst, if not deliver a division title.
Not that you asked.
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June 8, 2009
By Mike McClary in Blast from the Past, Featured, Fungoes | 1 comment
On this date in 2005, the Tigers traded reliever/troublemaker Ugueth Urbina and infielder Ramon Martinez to the Phillies for infielder Placido Polanco. We all know how that traded worked out.
In his five-ish seasons in Detroit, Polanco has been merely a machine: .313 average, .357 OBP, playing in about 140 games a year, hitting .529 in the ALCS to win the MVP, consecutive errorless-games streak at second base, and so on.
As for Urbina, he pitched in 56 games for the Phillies posting a 4-3 record with a 4.13 ERA. He managed to notch a single save before turning to a life of crime — and who could blame him? He was scraping by on the more than $25 million he’d earned in his 11 seasons. He’ll be in a Venezuelan clink for another 12 years. Give or take.
Also, a bevy of notable births occurred on June 8, not the least of which is my daughter. Friends of the Fungo Doug Hill and Ian Casselberry (he of the resplendent BlessYouBoys.com) also celebrate birthdays today. Then there are the Tigers-related celebrations, Kevin Ritz and Dave Mlicki and Matt Perisho.
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June 4, 2009
By Mike McClary in Fungoes | 2 comments
The Tigers are in first place, but they stink.
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June 4, 2009
By Mike McClary in Featured, The Podcast | 2 comments
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (9.1MB)
Welcome to The Detroit Tigers Podcast. This is Episode #96, a 19-minute podcast about the Detroit Tigers recorded live from Scottsdale, Ariz.
In this episode we’re joined by Lynn Henning of The Detroit News.
Download the audio file or grab the RSS feed here.
•••
Comments? Leave a message on the listener line: (602) 903-5174.
Theme music for the podcast produced by Paul Minshall.
The Detroit Tigers Podcast is not affiliated in any way with the Detroit Tigers Baseball Club or Major League Baseball.
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May 25, 2009
By Mike McClary in Featured, Fungoes | 4 comments
Courtesy of today’s Game Notes:
Marcus Thames is slated to begin an injury rehabilitation assignment with Triple A Toledo this evening when the Mud Hens battle Norfolk at Fifth Third Field. Thames has been sidelined since April 19 with a left rib cage strain. Jeremy Bonderman is scheduled to continue his injury rehabilitation assignment on Tuesday with a start for Triple A Toledo against Norfolk.
The roster moves that these guys will trigger upon their respective returns should be fascinating. One would think Ryan Raburn would be on the bubble from a — pardon the alliteration — position-player perspective for Thames’ return. As for Bondo, could the Tigers look to deal Nate Robertson rather than send a younger guy to the bushes?
What do you think?
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