Detroit Tigers Fan Blog» GameSetMatch

Why the Tigers had to release Dontrelle Willis

GameSetMatch — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 18:53:05 +0000

Dontrelle Willis is gone. The question, still a sticking point from spring training, is why he was ever brought north, why the Tigers believed a man with heartbreaking control challenges was viewed as having any reasonable chance for success in 2010.

The answer, of course, is that the Tigers didn’t opt for a pitcher as much as they opted for a contract when they decided to make Willis part of their five-man rotation.
Nothing about his performance in Florida seriously stated that Willis should have made the team, let alone be entrusted with a fifth rotation spot.
He still battled the strike zone. He was still prone to back-to-back walks, if not worse. The double play was his godsend any number of times an inning, and his place in the rotation, were perhaps one batted ball, or one more walk, from blowing to pieces.

Click here to read the full article – By Lynn Henning of The Detroit News

Tigers hand Yankees second series loss of season

GameSetMatch — Fri, 14 May 2010 19:41:30 +0000

On Monday, the Detroit Tigers pitching staff seemed to be on the verge of collapse.

Three days later, everything is fine.
Justin Verlander kept up a much-needed success streak for the Detroit rotation, throwing 6 2/3 shutout innings in the Tigers’ 6-0 victory over CC Sabathia and the New York Yankees on Thursday.
Miguel Cabrera homered, doubled and drove in three runs for the Tigers, who took three of four from New York. The Yankees had only lost one other series this season.
“I thought we pitched very well against a team with a relentless offense,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. “There’s no place to relax against the Yankees from one to nine.”

Click here to read the full article – By Associated Press of ESPN.com

How the Tigers might steal the AL Central title

GameSetMatch — Wed, 07 Apr 2010 16:13:51 +0000

Following one baseball team exclusively is a little like relying solely on your vehicle’s side mirrors. You don’t always get the big picture.

Geography made it tough to get fresh insight into the Tigers’ division rivals.

The Twins trained in Ft. Myers, Fla., and never played the Tigers in the Grapefruit League. The White Sox, Indians, and Royals tuned up in Arizona’s Cactus League.

I call it Marchant Myopia: the tendency to magnify the Tigers’ pluses and minuses while sometimes failing to remember other rosters have their hot shots and soft spots, as well.

So, here’s the case for how Jim Leyland’s team could steal a division title, based solely on how the Tigers stack up against the rest of the Central:

Click here to read the full article – By Lynn Henning of Detroit News

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Justin Verlander comes through at most crucial time

GameSetMatch — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:31:56 +0000

This is when seasons are defined and careers are shaped. This is when the best have to deliver, or you’ve got no shot.

The Tigers were teetering, no doubt about it. And then in the biggest game of the year, their best stepped up and saved the season. Am I being overly dramatic? Not really.

Justin Verlander pitched with nasty feistiness Tuesday night, and that’s where it started for the Tigers, just a few hours after their toughest loss of the season. Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez had the big early hits and the Tigers temporarily quelled gigantic pressure with a 6-5 victory over the Twins, after dropping the opener of the doubleheader, 3-2 in 10 innings.

Click here to read the full article – By Bob Wojnowski of The Detroit News

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Below are links to memorabilia available for Justin Verlander.

Justin Verlander Memorabilia

Tigers watching the scoreboard, calendar

GameSetMatch — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 20:41:41 +0000

The Tigers are back to scoreboard-watching for a week now that they’ve left Minnesota, but they’re also watching the calendar as the games count down.

The Tigers didn’t go to Minnesota with the goal of simply avoiding disaster, but as they left the Metrodome for the final time on Sunday with one win out of the three-game series, they could be excused if they breathed a quiet sigh of relief.

They didn’t put away the race the way they would’ve hoped, but now 2 1/2 games up with 13 games to play, they didn’t let it slip into a neck-and-neck race, either. Their lead is slimmer than it had been on Thursday, but the Twins have one fewer games in which to catch them.

Click here to read the full article – By Jason Beck of MLB.com

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Tigers stay focused on series finale

GameSetMatch — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 20:51:00 +0000

The Tigers avoided facing Zack Greinke in their series finale at Kansas City last week, and lost the game. Greinke had been pushed back.

Likewise, the Blue Jays pushed back Roy Halladay a day, avoiding a meeting with Detroit on Monday. The Tigers had to come back in the ninth to win that one.

They couldn’t avoid facing Greinke again, but the way their past series finales have gone, maybe that isn’t totally a bad thing.

Click here to read the full article – By Jason Beck of MLB.com

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Detroit Tigers T-Shirts

GameSetMatch — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:26:09 +0000

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Tigers add Bonderman, 5 others to roster

GameSetMatch — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 17:21:19 +0000

Big-league teams can expand their rosters from 25 to 40 players beginning Tuesday — the day of the annual Sept. 1 roster expansion. The Tigers announced today they will add six players, all from their Triple-A Toledo farm club:

Pitcher Jeremy Bonderman (who has been pitching in relief on an injury-rehab assignment at Toledo). In his only appearance of the season for the Tigers, Bonderman lost a start in Chicago. “I’ll use him out of the bullpen,” manager Jim Leyland said. “There is no chance he will be starting. If there’s a spot where three of the next four hitters are righties, that might be a good fit for him. We’re bringing him (up) because we think he can contribute, not because it’s Jeremy Bonderman.”

Click here to read the full article – By JOHN LOWE of Freep.com

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Detroit Tigers Hats

GameSetMatch — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 16:38:22 +0000

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Detroit Tigers Authentic Road Performance 59Fifty onfield cap

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Off DL, Guillen making big impact

GameSetMatch — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 18:42:41 +0000

Carlos Guillen isn’t feeling completely like his old self yet after his April left shoulder injury, and he isn’t swinging like his old form. Still, his swings are producing some of his old power when he connects.

A month after Guillen returned at long last from the disabled list, his bat is producing numbers for a Tigers lineup in desperate need of it, even with Guillen’s limitations. Though his recent stats get lost in the season totals thanks to his slow start in April, his three-run home run Monday against the Angels was his sixth homer in 28 games and 100 at-bats since his return, to go with 19 RBIs and a .280 average entering Tuesday.

Even compared to his completely healthy days, those are impressive totals. He has some theories behind them, but it doesn’t have to do with feeling he’s at full strength quite yet.

Click here to read the full article – By Jason Beck of MLB.com

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Below are links to memorabilia available for Carlos Guillen.


Carlos Guillen Autographed Memorabilia