Guy Smyly

Lots to be excited about after this win against the Yankees.

1. Shout Out- Dirks, in his first career at bat against the Yankees (or in Yankee Stadium, can't remember), hits a 3 run home run.  He also had two great catches in left.  Smyly could be heard saying, "Delmon who?"

2. Dombrowski was shown several times wearing a very classy Cosby sweater talking about Delmon Young.  What is this, 1985?

3. What did Cabby say to ARod when he hit that dinger?  My guess is, "I'm coming for you."

4. Cabby and Prince have a pretty sweet handshake going on.  It's like they are a part of the cool kids club.  Donny Kelly could be seen in the background trying to mimic the motions.

5. Cabby also has the sweet new "do", a fade.  I'm thinking this can only help his average.

6. Smyly gets a big head nod for his first MLB win.  His parents were in attendance to witness.  I'm pretty sure Mr. Smyly walked out while Valverde was pitching so he wouldn't have to watch that train wreck mess up his son's first win.

7. Come on!  A guy at the bar booed when Kelly caught the final out in right field.  I turned around and said, "Get out of here."  Seriously.  His response, "Papa Grande (hate that nickname) is the worse closer in the league."  That may be true, but you have to be a pretty dirty person to cheer for the Yankees.

8.  One more thing about Cabby.  He ALWAYS calls for his own appeals.  Rod's hypothesis is that he's friends with the umps down at 1st (since he no longer plays there) and thinks they have his best interest at heart.  It can't be that he thinks they have a better view...

A win tomorrow takes the series too.  Against the Yankees (against any team at this point), that's golden.

The positive

It's times like these where the real Tiger fans show themselves.  The Tigers started at 9-3 and came into the season with tons of media hype.  The question wasn't that the Tigers would win their division, but by how many games.  Now the Tigers are 10-10 and people are starting to fall off the bandwagon.  Yes, the Tigers lost to the Yankees last night with a past ball by Villarreal (seriously, they are finding new ways to lose), but there were some positives to come out of last night:

• The miracle happened last night...Jackson, BBoesch, Cabby, and Prince all got hits with no outs!  That's how the top of the line up is supposed to act!
• Cabby got to his 1,000th RBI.  Congratulations!  With Delmon's arrest, you are also no longer the "bad boy" on the team.  Yesterday was a good day for you.
• Welcome Brad Eldred.  He went 2/5 with an RBI.  He also had 2 strikeouts, but he balanced them with the hits...that's how it's done In-Gee.  Also, this guy is a BIG boy.  6'6'' and 270 according to the Tigers website.  It also lists Prince at 5'11''!  Seriously!

• Duane (Lookout) Below was named the fifth starter until Fister gets back.  This is well deserved after he's saved several starting pitchers early in games.
• Gem of the night: Don Kelly is Smokes' favorite because he's "versatile."  Sure Rod...that's why.  Also, Rod and Mario would not shut up about "Country Joe" last night, who by the way, has one of the most fabulous turkey necks I've ever seen.

However, let this be a lesson to Smokes.  You have to be smarter about your bullpen.  If a reliever (especially someone inexperienced like Brayan (no that's not a spelling error, he's the new Jhonny) Villarreal) is struggling, take him out!  Remember, if the game keeps going into later innings, Donny Kelly is always available for an inning or two as well.

Jerk award

In school, they teach you to learn from others' mistakes.  Delmon Young was absent that day.  Cabrera gets a DUI, disgraces the Tigers, and faces legal charges.  Delmon goes out to celebrate (whoops, I mean mourn) the loss of In-Gee and gets in an altercation that results in some anti-Semitic remarks.  Basically, he said, "I see your drunken escapades Miguel, and I raise you a hate crime."  It's no surprise that Delmon has some anger management problems (remember the bat?  Remember, remember the bat that hit the umpire).  So, unfortunately, a new feature:

The Jerk Award (you can buy them at the Jerk Store):  Congrats Delmon for the inaugural award, you are a disgrace when the Tigers are struggling.  Should have been working on your fielding instead of partying.

Need your help

I need to find a new use for my In-Gee tshirt.  I purchased it for 15 dollars and wore it approximately 100 times so I feel I've already gotten a good deal.  Here are some thoughts:

• Turn it into a G-Money throw back jersey (he used to be 15, one player, five tools)
• Use it for a "Tigers of Yore" tshirt blanket (Higginson and Deivi Cruz also included)
• Save it for Halloween and go as a skanky Tigers fan (I'd have to trim a little off of course)
• Put it in the rag pile next to my Zumaya shirt
• Find a friend and have a "Past Tiger" street fight (I also have a Granderson shirt if anyone is interested)
• Use it as a giant sole patch
• Use it to wipe the tears of thousands of fans across the state
• Use it to wipe up the spilled beer from the other thousands of fans

Any other ideas?

Then this happened

Yesterday I commented on how polarizing In-Gee is as a player.  I found this video posted on Facebook today by a fellow fan:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1OjOGCNV5U

That's right, they wrote a song about sending him down to Toledo.  As far as I know, no other Tiger has achieved that feat.  One of my other FB friends also had an In-Gee rant today.  He's a sports reporter in Nevada, so I give him more credit than most other people on FB who rant.  I'll paraphrase what he said because there were definitely some swears in there...but basically he was hoping for In-Gee to announce his retirement because Leyland and Dombrowski won't bench or release him.  Listen up Tiger fans, he's not going anywhere.  If someone was paying you millions of dollars to do a job poorly, would you retire to appease some fans or just keep doing your job and cashing your paychecks?  That's what I thought.  In-Gee has also been a staple in D-Town and done great things for the community.  There's a possibility he will return in some facet to the game, whether in Detroit or not.  I say we deal with him for the rest of this year (a journey down I-75 isn't out of the question if he really can't get his average to .225) and then part ways (or join forces).  Let's not fight Tiger nation!  Give peace a chance.  I don't have high hopes, nor should you, but fighting will solve nothing.

Also an article on the state of where Tiger Stadium used to stand.  I can't see the city of Detroit letting this happen much longer after this (and the fanfare surrounding Fenway this year).
http://sports.yahoo.com/news/tiger-stadium-opened-100-years-ago-just-like-fenway-park--but-it-s-ignored-in-detroit.html

Smy-LIE

Well, it was a lovely Sunday afternoon at the ballpark...except for that elusive W that the Tigress has yet to see in person this year.  Don't worry though, it's not me, it's the Tigers.  They are the ones not getting hits.  Time for a little recap.

I've posted about Cheli's a couple times, but today we went to Hockeytown and it was actually pretty sweet.  It didn't hurt that our waitress was hilarious and we were the first people in the restaurant.  However, a bartender there has inspired a new feature about ridiculous people who THINK they know about the Tiger or just general ridiculousness from fans (it's different from Banana Sandwich).  It's called...
COME ON!  Today's COME ON is the bartender at Hockeytown who asked a small child, "Who is your favorite Tiger?"  That's not what the slogan is!  It's "Who's your Tiger?"  Come on...

Our seats were sweet, right behind home plate and the Tiger's on deck circle.

Trust me, they were primo seats.  Stafford also threw out the first pitch and then sat one section over from us!

At one point, Chris Chelios came over and sat next to him.  There was an usher who was keeping people away, which I understand.  Then, two little boys came up and Stafford let them have some autographs, which was awesome.  Sister Tigress and I kept waving at him, and we clapped when he signed the autographs for the little kids.  We also definitely locked eyes.

Another funny thing about today was watching Trevor Thompson do his Tigers Live piece.  As a "warm up" he said "How now brown cow."  It was clever.

Now for the actual game.  Santiago hit a lead off triple and then there were 2 consecutive outs.  I was about to go Banana Sandwich, but then the Rangers helped us out with a past ball.  I won't look a gift horse in the mouth.  I'll gladly take runs wherever we can get them.

Guy Smyly was on today.  Sister Tigress did figure out that his name might be more fun to be pronounced Smy-LIE...emphasis on the 'lie.'  Again though, no run support unfortunately.

The Shout Out today goes to Avila though.  He had two put outs at second.  That will show the Rangers they can't steal on us!  (except of course when G-Money is behind the dish, he's terrible at throwing to second)

For some reason, Jimmy Smokes took out Kelly (who comes to bat to Kings of Leon!) and put in In-Gee.  This is his year...to be the most polarizing player on the Tigers.  People are either booing loudly or cheering.  There is NO in between.  It's crazy.  The winners today were the people who were booing though.  Keep cheering people, your day will come too.

Jimmy Smokes also was prepared to get thrown out.  I think when he disagrees, he just thinks, well if I'm going to make a scene, then I might as well make a big one.  I love when Smokes gets thrown out.  He really goes for it.  I think he had a right to argue today.  Watching replays, something wasn't quite right with that bunt.

All in all, a good day.  I even found the magnet photo frame that a small child left behind.  Score!

Let's play two

I used to think that the heart attack inducing 8th and 9th innings served up by Benoit and Valverde were terrible, but I'd take them any day over the pounding the Tigers got this afternoon.  That's the good thing about double headers, there's the chance to either change or ride the momentum immediately following a game.  I love it.  There should be more double headers.  My whole Saturday revolved around watching baseball.  Can't get much better than that.

Here's my hope for tomorrow: A Tiger W to split with the Rangers.  That would be epic at this point in the season.  Especially to keep an edge on the Rangers who are surely one of the best teams in the AL this year.  To do so, we need hits!  Smyly is young, he'll need the run support.  Speaking of which....

Shout-Out- Verdiggity.  He just goes out and does his job, strikes people out, deals with In-Gee's inability to play 2nd, and gets the job done with no run support.  He's the only Tiger pitcher that can pull that off.

Another new feature called: Don't trade talk him yet.  Inevitably, whenever a player does poorly, everyone starts clamoring for him to be traded. 

Today's Don't Trade Talk Him Yet: Ricky P.  One thing I've learned about him, is he's either on, or completely off.  There is no in between.  Today wasn't his day.  It's ok.  Maybe now though, Jimmy Smokes will stop insisting that G-Money be Ricky P's personal catcher.  His throws to 2nd are maybe some of the worst in baseball.

I also got a sweet children's book in the mail as a surprise yesterday from Mama Tiger called For the Love of the Tigers: An A to Z primer for Tigers fans of all ages.  It consists of rhymes about players and the such.  Here's what it says for 'V'

"V" is for Verlander,
This kid came up strong
And showed Tiger fans
he really belonged.

No diggity.

Banana sandwich

It's April and the new features keep coming!  Good news, the Tigers swept the ever lackluster Royals.  After watching the Tigers for the past 20 years, I'm used to a certain level of ridiculousness, but some things the Tigers do drive me BANANA SANDWICH.  Thus was born the new Tigress feature:

Banana Sandwich: Anytime the Tigers have a man on third with no outs and don't score, I'm irritated.  When the Tigers load the bases with no outs and don't score, it drives me Banana Sandwich.  A long fly ball?  A walk?  Heaven forbid a base hit?  No, just three consecutive outs.

The bats were a little cold this past series, but the Rangers are up next.  It's fine to squeak by against the Royals, but I can guarantee they won't be able to do that with the Rangers.  They are too good of a team.  We can't rely on starting pitchers to carry us through the whole game.  We need run support and hits...let's see it!

Which shout-out?

So many choices, only one shout-out:

1. Jacksonville has got on base in the first 10 games.  This is good for anyone, but for him, this is epic.

2. JV got the W (when is he going to get run support or someone to come in for the 8th or 9th inning?)

3. Man in tiger costume behind home plate almost got it, but he left in the 7th inning.

4. In-Gee got his first hit of the year...a home run!

5. Royal's Gordon did a face plant...so funny and looked pretty painful.

But the player who deserves the Shout-Out today is

Chin strap himself, Silent J, little Jhonny boy.  He's hit 6 doubles in the first 10 games....that's right.  Some players don't hit that in the whole season!  He may also be a candidate for the number 2 spot in the line up, I'm still looking.

G-Money, Stop It

Sometimes, you have to give props where props are due.  So, we here at the Detroit Tigress are implementing another new feature: The Shout-out.  This is where we recognize a player who went above and beyond, out of the norm, and probably proved the Tigress wrong.

The Shout-out: G-Money.  That's right, he did good today.  A home run to start, a "double" (although I think some bad fielding and wind should be credited with that hit), and a single.  He did good.  Not only that, 57% of Rod and Mario's banter today was about G-Money.  Here are some highlights:

G-Money supposedly went on the bus yesterday after the loss and said, "Get your rest boys.  G-Money is in the line up tomorrow."  That's right, he calls himself G-Money.

Rod claims they brought G-Money (or G-Mo for short) back because he's funny.  After just watching "MoneyBall" again last night, I highly doubt they brought him back because he's funny.  More like he was the cheapest back up catcher available.  Added bonus, he already knows most of the starting pitchers for the team.

Rod and Mario are speculating that G-Mo will be Porcello's personal catcher.  I guess that makes G-Mo Crash Davis and Porcello Nuke.  My question, if this is the case, why not pair him up with Smyly? 

Porcello had a sweet game.  He had more strikeouts than he's used to and was democratic with his pitching.  BUT, at least 83.5% of the credit needs to go to Laird.  Why?  Because he's G-Money.  That's why.

G-Money supposedly had the number 15 at some point in his career and told people it was because he was "1 man, 5 tools."  Yup, he's a regular Jerry Seinfeld.

So yes Uncle Tiger, G-Money came through today.  I'm not prepared to take a permanent ride on the G-Money train though.

Side notes:
Rick Porcello is the first Tiger starting pitcher to get a win...weird!

Mario must have been working on his banter and slang this off season.  Today my favorite from him was "G-Money takes the tour" when a home run was hit.  He's trying to get a drinking game, I just know it!