7/7/09 -- Kansas City Royals (Chen) vs. Detroit Tigers (Verlander) -- 7:05 PM

[JayVee7777]

Coming to you LIVE from Comerica Park, in beautiful Downtown Detroit, Michigan...





It’s Your FIRST PLACE
DETROIT TIGERS





versus the

Kansas City Royals

PITCHING MATCHUP:



Kansas City – LHP Bruce Chen (0-2, 4.38 ERA)

Chen has proven to be a solid addition to the rotation after two starts. He pitched six innings and allowed two runs on five hits against the White Sox in his second outing with the Royals. He showed the ability to make batters miss, striking out five while walking just one. It was a slight improvement over his first start. Chen went 6 1/3 innings and gave up four runs against Pittsburgh on June 27. Chen is back in the Majors for the first time since 2007, after missing the entire 2008 season after undergoing Tommy John elbow reconstruction surgery on his left elbow. Before making the start against Pittsburgh, Chen hadn't started a big league game since Aug. 4, 2006 with Baltimore against the Yankees.

Detroit – RHP Justin Verlander (8-4, 3.54 ERA)

Verlander only made a couple mistakes Wednesday. Unfortunately, the A's made him pay for both. Oakland hit a pair of two-run home runs -- an opposite-field poke by Jack Cust and a line-drive shot courtesy of Jason Giambi -- to hand Verlander the loss. He was solid otherwise, walking one and striking out six in six innings. Verlander had his way with Kansas City on May 25, throwing seven shutout innings to earn the win. He struck out eight and didn't walk anybody.

NOTES:
Ramon Santiago could be away from the team Tuesday. His wife is in Detroit and expecting their first son at any time. ... Ryan Raburn will get another start Tuesday coming off a five-game hitting streak, during which he's batting 9-for-16. ... Tuesday is the Tigers' first Elvis Night, featuring tribute artists performing before the game and a kids' Elvis impersonator contest.

Current MLB Records and Standings


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***
GO TIGERS!

[Corky]

King night.

[Oblong]

On the day of Michael Jackson's funeral no less... what planning.

[JayVee7777]

I smell a conspiracy!

[kdog]

No roster moves today again. I think we roll to the all-star break with the current roster.

[apabruce]

We have Greinke tomorrow. After last night, we desperately need a win tonight. Or at least I do.

[sabretooth]

Yahoo! We still have Maggs, Anderson and Kelly on the roster! I hope we can figure out a way to play them together every game.

[pyrotigers]

Originally Posted by sabretooth

Yahoo! We still have Maggs, Anderson and Kelly on the roster! I hope we can figure out a way to play them together every game.

Kelly - Anderson - Maggs

DH: recalled Sardinha

[Eric Cioe]

Originally Posted by apabruce

We have Greinke tomorrow. After last night, we desperately need a win tonight. Or at least I do.

Greinke's tough but looking human lately. I understand his ERA is 2.00, but he's been pitching like a normal good pitcher instead of some cyborg lately. He's beatable. Of course, he's owned the Tigers this season and if they want a chance, they're going to have to do a little better than watching 110 pitches get him 27 outs.

[The Truman Show]

You know what would totally suck?

Getting shut down by Bruce Chen.

[AlaskanTigersFan]

Someone tell Jim to keep Rodney out of the game unless it's a save situation please....

[JOliver]

The Kings and I will both bring some runs tonight. Heading down sitting in left field to bring some good juju to the Tigs and the King of Rock & Pop.

[budman]

bruce chen hasn't won a major league game since the tigers were like 60 games under .500......so, he is bound to win tonight.

[Lousluggage]

Originally Posted by apabruce

We have Greinke tomorrow. After last night, we desperately need a win tonight. Or at least I do.

So do I. I had to go to bed before the game ended last night, and reading the score first thing in the morning really put me in a bad mood. So I think my co-workers need a Tigers win, too. OK, I am exaggerating just a bit.

[DennisDubay]

game over.

[jaymo]

This isn't as much fun as last week. The Tigers need to win 5, or 6 in a row!

7/7/2009						

	W	L	Rate	W	L	
TIGERS	44	38	0.537	84	78	Detroit record at 0.500 for rest of season
WS	42	40	0.512	0.525	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
TWINS	43	40	0.518	0.519	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
ROYALS	36	46	0.439	0.600	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
INDIANS	33	50	0.398	0.646	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
						
	W	L	Rate	W	L	
TIGERS	44	38	0.537	92	70	Detroit record at 0.600 for rest of season
WS	42	40	0.512	0.625	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
TWINS	43	40	0.518	0.620	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
ROYALS	36	46	0.439	0.700	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
INDIANS	33	50	0.398	0.747	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
						
	W	L	Rate	W	L	
TIGERS	44	38	0.537	87	75	Detroit record at current win rate for rest of season
WS	42	40	0.512	0.563	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
TWINS	43	40	0.518	0.557	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
ROYALS	36	46	0.439	0.638	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
INDIANS	33	50	0.398	0.684	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
						
	W	L	Rate	W	L	
TIGERS	44	38	0.537	80	82	Detroit record at 0.450 for rest of season
WS	42	40	0.512	0.475	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
TWINS	43	40	0.518	0.468	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
ROYALS	36	46	0.439	0.550	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
INDIANS	33	50	0.398	0.595	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit

[InfanteIago]

Must win.

[Tint]

Go tigers start winning again... please?

[63 Tiger]

Starting tonight V and J need to pitch like all stars in their combined 3 starts before the break. If they don't this home stand could be disastrous based on the 1 to 3 runs per game offense the Tigers have provided lately.

[kdog]

Granderson cf
Polanco 2b
Cabrera 1b
Thames dh
Raburn lf
Inge 3b
Ordonez rf
Laird c
Everett ss

[Lousluggage]

Channeling Bert's six runs.......

[EatEmUpTigers711]

Tonight looks like it's going to be the first night in at least a week or so, that I'm going to be able to sit down & watch the entire game. Work has been a real pain in the *** for trying to watch the games lately....

[Corky]

THe boss is ready for this one.

[Sports_Freak]

Originally Posted by jaymo

This isn't as much fun as last week. The Tigers need to win 5, or 6 in a row!

7/7/2009						

	W	L	Rate	W	L	
TIGERS	44	38	0.537	84	78	Detroit record at 0.500 for rest of season
WS	42	40	0.512	0.525	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
TWINS	43	40	0.518	0.519	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
ROYALS	36	46	0.439	0.600	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
INDIANS	33	50	0.398	0.646	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
						
	W	L	Rate	W	L	
TIGERS	44	38	0.537	92	70	Detroit record at 0.600 for rest of season
WS	42	40	0.512	0.625	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
TWINS	43	40	0.518	0.620	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
ROYALS	36	46	0.439	0.700	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
INDIANS	33	50	0.398	0.747	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
						
	W	L	Rate	W	L	
TIGERS	44	38	0.537	87	75	Detroit record at current win rate for rest of season
WS	42	40	0.512	0.563	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
TWINS	43	40	0.518	0.557	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
ROYALS	36	46	0.439	0.638	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
INDIANS	33	50	0.398	0.684	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
						
	W	L	Rate	W	L	
TIGERS	44	38	0.537	80	82	Detroit record at 0.450 for rest of season
WS	42	40	0.512	0.475	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
TWINS	43	40	0.518	0.468	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
ROYALS	36	46	0.439	0.550	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit
INDIANS	33	50	0.398	0.595	<---	Win Rate to Catch Detroit

Jaymo? I love reading these when you post them. Thanks for taking the time and effort. It really makes for some interesting reading.

[ToledoTigerFan]

Originally Posted by AlaskanTigersFan

Someone tell Jim to keep Rodney out of the game.

Fixed it for ya.

[ToledoTigerFan]

Originally Posted by The Truman Show

You know what would totally suck?

Getting shut down by Bruce Chen.

Perish the thought. Actually, it won't happen. I'm sick of predicting victories, then watching the boys demonstrate offensive ineptitude that hasn't been seen since the 2003 Detroit Tigers, but not sick enough(yet) to stop predicting some offense. Tonight, youcanputthisontheboard, yesssss...........

Tigers 8
Royals 2

[ToledoTigerFan]

John Keating says JV is 8-1 with a 2.21 ERA against the Royals.

[ToledoTigerFan]

They had Elvis impersonators read the starting line-ups and they both sucked. They weren't even close. They must work cheap.

[Sports_Freak]

Originally Posted by ToledoTigerFan

John Keating says JV is 8-1 with a 2.21 ERA against the Royals.

I hate these type of stats. When a pitcher dominated a team for YEARS, it makes no difference in the next game. The players, managers and team has changed. It makes no difference how well any pitcher did against the Royals in 2006, this team is totally different.

That being said? Verlander has the stuff to dominate ANY team on any given start.

The Royals sure are a PITA. This game is huge, a loss very well could mean a sweep. 2 ways to look at this, would you rather save Justin for tomorrow when runs are going to be hard to come by or go for what <should> be an easy win tonight?

[Eric Cioe]

Originally Posted by ToledoTigerFan

John Keating says JV is 8-1 with a 2.21 ERA against the Royals.

That'll do.

[ToledoTigerFan]

PLAY BALL!!!!!!!!!!!! AND WIN WHILE YOU'RE DOING IT!!

[sabretooth]

I was at last night's game. When Jacobs hit the HR, it was the first time in my life I just gasped in shock at a sporting event.

It seemed like the ball was going to hit a passing plane -- the guy behind me shouted "he hit it too high!"

[Sports_Freak]

Originally Posted by sabretooth

I was at last night's game. When Jacobs hit the HR, it was the first time in my life I just gasped in shock at a sporting event.

It seemed like the ball was going to hit a passing plane -- the guy behind me shouted "he hit it too high!"

What was the count on that pitch, anyway? Was Rodney way ahead and groove a FB? Either way, IMO, it was inexcusable.

[wolverinefan]

DeJesus starts with a hard hit single up the middle

[djb6]

Go here and vote for Inge while we watch and talk: The Official Site of Major League Baseball: Events: 2009 All-Star Game Sprint Final Vote

[wolverinefan]

Bloomquist K's swinging, and DeJesus is caught stealing. 2 outs, bases empty for Butler.

[thewave84]

Based on the first 2 batters I don't think Verlander is going to go very deep in this one.

[wolverinefan]

Butler doubles to right. Ordonez had a chance to throw him out but the throw was not accurate.

[sabretooth]

Originally Posted by Sports_Freak

What was the count on that pitch, anyway? Was Rodney way ahead and groove a FB? Either way, IMO, it was inexcusable.

It was a 1-1 count and the HR was on a changeup.

Rodney had gone with the first-pitch changeup (called strike) then the second-pitch fastball (ball), then went back to the changeup and BAM!

[MoTownTigers15]

Originally Posted by thewave84

Based on the first 2 batters I don't think Verlander is going to go very deep in this one.

Looks as if you are right