guns down Dee Gordon!
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Year: 2013
“It isn’t Heaven…
but it’s pretty darn close.” Ray Liotta
Actor Ray Liotta narrates the open to the 2013 NLDS Game 2 (Pirates vs. Cardinals) on MLB Network, shot at the Field of Dreams movie site from MLB dot com.
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Tigers 3 A’s 2
Whew!
Behind excellent pitching and just enough offense the Tigers took the first game of the series in Oakland.
The Tigers scored three runs in the first but couldn’t add on the rest of the way. This was not really a surprise. This is the same thing we’ve seen all year.
Scherzer, Smyly and Benoit were outstanding and combined to strike out 16 Oakland batters.
Readers of this blog know I’ve been hard on Dirks this year and I’m going to continue. The Tigers are still not getting anything substantial out of his bat and his fielding is terrible at best. I know, there is supposed to be some metric that tells us Dirksy is a wonderful fielder but the numbers don’t correspond to the visual.
In the bottom of the second Yoenis Cespedes hit a hard shot to left field that ended up as a one out triple. I understand the ball was hard hit but it looked like Dirksy didn’t take a very good route to the ball. It would have been a nice play. It is a play I would expect a good left fielder to make.
There was another play in the 5th or 6th inning where Dirks ran for a ball in foul territory. The ball looked like it hit the palm of his glove and he ended up dropping it.
Luckily, Max was able to pitch around these two plays and the pen was able to hold on for the win but I think Leyland and the Tigers really need to evaluate what they are getting from left field both offensively and defensively. I’m not even saying put Peralta in but perhaps it’s time to put DK in left. Let him play solid defense and take what you can from his bat. What are you really losing playing DK over Dirksy?
In the 6th the Tigers had a chance to add on. With one out, Martinez on second and Avila on first, Omar Infante singled sharply to right field. Tom “The Windmill” Brookens sent Victor home and he was nailed at the plate for the second out of the inning. At first, I was screaming about another horrible send from The Windmill, but on further review, I think it was the right thing to do. The Tigers had just gotten three hits and Dirks was up next. At this point, you can’t expect anything from Good Ole Dirksy.
I’ve been screaming all year about the offense but nothing is going to change. The formula the Tigers used tonight to win will have to be the recipe going forward. But at least if they could tighten up the left field defense, it might increase their chances.
JV goes tomorrow. Your guess is a good as mine regarding what to expect.
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
AL Wild Card – Rays 4 Indians 0
Well the Indians offense looked like the Tigers offense. The red hot Indians got cooled off by the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Indians had several chances to score, they had 9 hits, but couldn’t push across a single run. (Is this the Indians or the Tigers?)
The key moment in the game was in the bottom of the 4th when the Indians had the bases loaded with 1 out and Asdrubal Cabrera at the plate. Alex Cobb got Cabrera to hit into a 3-6-1 double play to end the threat and the inning.
Nick Swisher had chances as well but went 0-4 with 2 strikeouts and left 5 runners on base.
The Rays are off to meet the Red Sox and I’m picking the Rays in 6.
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Say it ain’t so Kate…
How could you Kate? Born and raised in Michigan, former girlfriend of Justin Velander, and now donning a Braves uniform on the cover of Sports Illustrated with the brothers Upton.
This picture is courtesy of WithLeather.
When are JV and Emily Yuen getting back together?
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Dallas Latos
Here is a photo of Reds’ pitcher, Mat Latos’s wife, Dallas. I found this picture at a blog called LobShots.
You’re welcome!
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Dallas Latos Attacked in Pittsburgh
From CBS Pittsburgh:
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) – Pittsburgh Police released details of an incident at PNC Park last night, which involved the wife of a Cincinnati Reds pitcher.
Dallas Latos, the wife of Mat Latos, took to Twitter last night claiming she had been assaulted in the Budweiser Bow Tie Bar during the Pirates’ 6-2 Wild Card Game win.
The first tweet read, “Got punched in the head at least 3 times by a pirates fan so this has been cool.”
It was then followed by several more claiming she had spent most of the game speaking to police about the alleged incident.
On Wednesday, police held a press conference to discuss the incident.
According to police, the incident happened around 9:30 p.m. PNC Park security was initially called to the Bow Tie Bar, but police officers were soon called as well. When officers arrived, they found 20 to 30 Pirates and Reds fans shouting at each other.
Police issued warnings to all involved, but more yelling, shouting and light shoving ensued. Police also said all involved appeared to be intoxicated to some extent.
At that time, Dallas Latos identified herself and said she had been assaulted by a Pirates fan.
A total of seven people from the bar area were ejected from the game, including two from Latos’ party.
Police did not witness the alleged attack and did not make any arrests. However, police did give identification information to all involved for the purpose of pursuing the case further with a local magistrate’s office on their own.
There were no visible signs of an attack on Latos.
Police also said the players’ wives have a designated seating section within the ballpark that is guarded by security and police. That section is several sections away from the Bow Tie Bar. Latos was free to move around the ballpark and chose to enter the general population of the park.
Police said Latos declined medical attention.
Following the press conference Latos continued to address the issue on Twitter and said she would be pressing charges. The tweet read, “Ok. I came on here to tell the truth and am more or less over the verbal abuse. Yes, I am pressing charges. Yes, that presser was garbage.”
I’m no longer pulling for the Pirates. Go Cards!
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Raise The Jolly Roger…
Pirates beat Reds head to St. Louis for Division Series.
From MLB dot com:
Pirates romp at raucous PNC, advance to NLDS
PITTSBURGH — With a foot in the door to Major League Baseball’s postseason, the Pirates kicked it in Tuesday night with a rollicking 6-2 win over the Reds in the National League Wild Card Game.
There will be a baseball tomorrow in Pittsburgh — well, a baseball Sunday, when the Bucs will return from St. Louis for Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the Cardinals.
And there is most definitely a home-field advantage in a one-shot Wild Card Game, at least when it is played on the banks of the Allegheny River that runs under the Clemente Bridge.
Keep reading here.
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
It looks like the Tigers rotation will be Scherzer, Verlander, Sanchez and Fister.
Jason Kipnis Flashin Leather
Jason Kipnis Flashes Leather to end game against Twins.
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Adeiny Hechavarria Flashin Leather
Adeiny Hechavarria Flashin Leather to preserve Henderson Alvarez’s No-No.
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Flashin' Leather 