illustration by Samara Pearlstein
–Justin Verlander threw so many pitches. So many pitches. I recall at one point Joe Buck and Tim McCarver were talking about the bullpen and how it should get going right away. I looked up at the score bug and realized it was only the 6th inning. What the heck, FOX? Why would you be turning dewy eyes to the scandalously thin Detroit bullpen this early? And on a day when Justin Verlander is starting, no less!
Then they showed Justin’s pitch count, through 5-and-a-bit. I think it was 110 pitches or something like that. Definitely over 100.
He ended up going 7.1 innings and throwing 133 pitches, because of course he did. Of course. Justin Verlander is secretly pitching in the NPB inside his own heart.
–Miggy doubled. Victor tripled. Avila, Delmon, and the Rhino homered. All of this came off of CJ Wilson, except for the Rhino’s contribution. Is good. Alex has been struggling so much lately, his homer was especially special and generated all sorts of warm happy feelings.
–Delmon actually homered TWICE, and this with a strained/busted/sore/otherwise-wonked oblique. Has there ever been a player so manifestly relieved to not be playing for the Twins anymore?
–The rain more or less held off. Also good. Further rainouts or rain delays are no longer the fault of Detroit.
–THANK YOU PHIL COKE. He was far from perfect, but he was good enough to stay in the game and not give it away. This preserved the rest of the bullpen, which was extra important today because there was actually nobody else available in the bullpen.
Well, there was Brad Penny, but that doesn’t count. We’re only considering viable options here.
–I HAVE A RALLY TOWEL. MetsGrrl had a family connection to one and offered to send it along, because she is made of cupcakes and kittens and magic. It arrived this afternoon, prior to the game. RotT gets a rally towel; Tigers win a game. Coincidence? I SUSPECT NOT.
Roar of the Tigers 
And we live to fight another day. That’s all I was asking at this time last night. I was scared to ask for some awesomeness to go along with it, but, yay!
Everyone getzadaye to breathe! (Aaaaaaaah!)
Scherzer and Fister: form of Impregnable-Pitching whoop-dee-doo! (Iceberg!)
Everything’s Big in Texas? Yeah, right! Nothin’s bigger than your hard-wired ability to choke on the Furry, Cylindrical Hairball dealt you by the Motor City Kitties!
Clearly heart of a Tiger >>>>>> heart of a measly lion. :)
I love how JV was lying so much after the game “I feel good.” Sure you do, Justin, sure you do. Now go reattach that magnificent pitching arm and get some rest before the next series. <3
Verlander is the MAN!
Could this be 1968 again? Down 3-1 to the Cards, and we know how that one turned out…..
wouldn’t that be awesome if we had another rematch with them? They beat us in 1934, we beat them the fallowing year and in 1968. They beat us 5 years ago and we the chance to beat them again this year.
who would you rather win the NLCS? Brewers or Cardinals? Inside I want the Brewers to win because St. Louis is like the Yankees in the NL but if Detroit gets in, a rematch with St. Louis would be amazing. (only if they win) :)
One correction… Cards beat us in ’34, but it was the Cubs we beat in ’35.
But you’re correct — a rematch with the Cards would be awesome.
Yeah you’re right. We also played the Cubs in 1907, ’08, ’35, and 1945.
I was at Game 4 and the guys in front of us spilled a LOT of beer while trying to double-fist and celebrate simultaneously. (Sentences that sound dirty but aren’t for $200) They wiped their seat with one of their rally towels and then proceeded to continue to wave said rally towel. For the rest of the game, every tense moment smelled like a drunk’s t-shirt the morning after quarter beer night.
To answer the question “What the heck, FOX? Why would you be turning dewy eyes to the scandalously thin Detroit bullpen this early?”…
It’s because Buck and McCarver are open-mouthed breathing, drooling morons. It’s bad when I’m watching the game and think “Where’s Joe Morgan, he’d make this better.”
Woah now, friend. Joe Morgan would NOT make it better. Feel free to pine for the brief halcyon day of Terry Francona in the booth, though.
I was thinking Josh Lewin would be nice…
Heck, I know this is borderline blasphemous, but I’m even finding myself liking A.J. Pierzynski as a broadcaster. It’s probably just his huge A.L. Central bias showing. But, FOX, if you find your viewers liking “the meanest man in baseball” above your chosen announcers, I think you have a problem.
You’d think with the Rangers in the series, we’d have had Josh Lewin sightings, but alas, no sign of the amazing baseball-geeky one :( At least not that I’ve seen – anyone else?
I like AJ as well. He’s smart and very well spoken, and doesn’t take himself too seriously.
Just because I hate him as a player doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy him in the booth. I think he would do very well after he retires.
I have the 2K7 baseball game. Joe Morgan broadcasts so I usally turn that off. He is even annoying in the game. Stupid flappy arm batting stance. Were you born in a chicken coop, Joe?
I know Joe wouldn’t have made it better for real, and I did miss Tito in the booth. I overreact sometimes in my head, that’s all.
If the Tigers wins on Saturday, it’s going to be two insane Detroit weekends in a row with the Lions Sunday afternoon and the Tigers Sunday night.
Which is EXACTLY how it should be!!
Tigers going to the Fall Clasic and the Lions win thier 6th straight!
I cant believe the Lions were 0-16 only 2 or 3 years ago. That catch by Calvin Johnson in the first quarter against Chicago was priceless. but it was even more when he jumped into the stands afterward and men flocked to him just to slap his butt
you should make Roar of The Lions