I'm wide awake at 5:30 in the morning, so, why not write a few thoughts down about
Detroit Tigers baseball.
Just a few short hours ago I went to bed after a horrendous implosion by the bullpen of my Tigrrs, who were cruising along with a 6-1 lead heading into the bottom of the 9th inning in Minnesota, only to have relievers Bruce Rondon and Joquin Soria give up 7 runs to the Twins, and the Tigers lost, 8-6.
Justin Verlander cannot be happy this morning.
Even though he will never publicly say it, he has to be devastated after he pitched 7 2/3 innings of marvelous baseball that reminded all of us Tigers fans of the pre injury Verlander, only to have his first win of the year ripped away by a pathetic big league bullpen.
I'm not a negative driven baseball fan, but this loss hurt, and it put sone not so good thoughts about my team in my heaf, and I don't like it.
I always believe in my teams.
I always think the Tigers will start to get out of their funk, start playing good, solid baseball...and then Friday night happened, and I'm not so sure I'll have those thoughts again in 2015.
Justin Verlander had done his job, and he had also given Tigers fans like myself thoughts of what could be in the second half of the baseball season in the Motor City.
Tigers fans want that feeling again, that feeling that Verlander will once again take the mound every fifth day and pitch his team to victory.
For 7 2/3 innings last night, that feeling was back.
Before last nights start that marvelous feeling we get when JV pitvhes in a ballgame wasn't there, but after his dominant start over Minnesota, fans had to believe that Verlander was himself again...maybe not the 2011 American League MVP and Cy Young Award Winner, but still the awesome Must See JV we all love to root for.
Fans are cruel at times, and after last nights meltdown social media is going to let the team have it on Saturday.
The fand have probably already given it to the teams manager Brad Ausmus, even though it's hardly his fault.
General Manager Dave Dombrowski, however, is another thing entirely.
The Tigers bullpen hasbeen a mess for years, and Dombrowski must fix the problem immediately.
The Kansas City Royals are the best teamin the A.L., and if the Tigers have any chance of getting back into the Central Division race the bullpen must br revamped, and soon.
Miguel Cabrera, baseball's best hitter, is out 5 more weeks with a injured calf muscle, and the team's offense, behind All-Star slugger J.D. Martinez, is scoring runs after moving Ian Kinsler into the leadoff spot and Yoenis Cespedes into the 2nd spot in the Tigers lineup.
Martinez hit his 25th home run of the year Friday night, and Victor Martinez, who missed about 2 months himself this year, hit a 2 run blast that gave the Tigers an early 2-0 lead.
All the pieces are there offensively for Detroit to make a serious run at the Royals and the playoffs, but that cannit, will not, happen until the Tigers bullpen is repaired.
I'm not a fan who likes to focus on the negative, there are plenty of those fans to go around, but last night the implosion by Rondon and Soria have made me upset.
I'm upset, not because the Tigers bullpen blew a lead, heck, thats happened many, many times the past few years.
I'm upset that the bullpen cost my favorite big league pitcher, Justin Verlander, his first win of the baseball season, a win that would not just add to the teams win column, but a win that would boost the confidence of Verlander after a terrific start against the Twins.
Verlander has to be, at least, the Verlander of last night if the Tigers are to be winners in the second half of the baseball season.
Verlander is a proffessional, and he'll prepare for his next start like he's done the past decade, but the team is close to falling out of contention if they continue to give away wins like they did last night.
Here's hoping that stops soon, and that my Tigers play exciting baseball the rest of the season.
Go get 'em Tigers!
Play Ball!
