Tigers vs Mets LIVE BLOG

I’ll start off with bad Mets news as Johan Santana could miss opening day.

LINEUPS

Tigers (1-2)

1. Granderson CF
2. Polanco 2B
3. Ordonez RF
4. Cabrera 1B
5. Guillen LF
6. Sheffield DH
7. Inge 3B
8. Treanor C
9. Everett SS

It looks a lot like the regular line-up and they look like they really have a chance today.

Mets (2-1)

1. Pagan CF
2. Green 2B
3. Murphy LF
4. Kielty DH
5. Evans 1B
6. Reed RF
7. Cancel C
8. Martinez 3B
9. Cora SS

This is a pretty good back-up line-up.

Kibler vs Niese

1st Inning

Pagan got a a line drive hit, he’s a good pinch hitter for the Mets to have he’s got a lot of pop.  The new look, good defense got the out on Green.  Their defense was improved by Laird and Everett not to mention extra practice.  Another pop fly but it was a double from Murphy who I personally like and think is going to become a good player.  A run scores on a routine ground ball by Kielty and Ordonez mistake last play prevented the double play.  Nick Evans is up he’s got lot’s of pop and is a lefty hitter good tools to have.  Evans walks in a though inning Kibler.  Knapp went out to talk to Kibler, Knapp has brought up some great Twins pitcher’s and is a nice pitching coach.  Reed a nice back-up outfielder who’s replacing Endy Chavez walk, In my opinion he is worse.  Cancel a guy who is a life long minor leaguer and is a long shot for the club.  Another pop-up ends the half inning.  Granderson a rare player who is great will lead off.  He is going to be a 20-20 player this year.  Niese a good pitcher who is a rare lefty takes the mound.  Grandy is 1 for 6 this spring, he will leave for team USA tomorrow.  Curtis walks.  Polanco a textbook number two hitter and Gold Glover will step up.  Polanco gets a hit, runners on first and second the Tigs offense is showing up.  Ordonez the batting average man will step up.  Just a prospect update Casper wells a nice prospect is two for two and got hit so far, he’s going to be a nice outfielder.  Ordonez walks, bases loaded how bout the Tigers offense, they will score at least 900 runs and lead the league in that catagory this year.  Cabrera an all-around nice hitter steps up.  Double play on a nice play but it’s a tie game, Cabrera will get the job done.  Guillen is a rightyinthisat-bat he can bat pretty equally on both sides of the plate as Guillen strikes out.

END OF ONE: Mets 1 Tigers 1

Second Inning

Everett makes a nice play and gets Martinez.  The Tigers need to make all the routine plays and more to be a playoff team.  The Tigers right side of the infield is like the one in 1968 all defense and a little offense.  Cora a nice back-up grounds out to the mound as Kibler starts to show us what kind of a pitcher he is.  Pagan is tearing up Spring Training this year.  Pagan takes a walk, Kibler’s third of the day, he doesn’t usually walk many though he is still developing.  Andy Green is a back-up infielder who is worse than Ramon Santiago but like him.  Green walks and Murphy steps up.  I wanted the Tigers to go after Murphy this off-season.  It’s 1 and 2 on Murphy.  Citi Field is like Shea Stadium but it is more of a hitter’s park, barley.  Murphy strikes out to end the half inning, that’s Kibler’sfirstK.  Sheffield is healthy and one homer away from 500, I think he can hit 30 if he stays healthy as he grounds out to second.  Inge the guy with a good arm and the ability to make awesome plays steps up.  Inge hits a homer, he has pop that’s for sure, it barley stayed fair.  He has a good eye and can hit homers.  Treanor steps up.  He’s going to be Laird’s back-up.  Treanor grounds out.  Everett will step up, he’s done pretty good here so far and will be the Tigers best defensive player and he is an upgrade defensively.  Everett strikes out.  End of two

Mets 1 Tigers 2

Third Inning

Laird is going to be great as he calls a good game and throws good and blocks good, he is an upgrade from Pudge but only because Pudge didn’t play as well in 2008.  Keilty a back-up will step up as Eddie Bonine takes the mound, Bonine had a good 2007 but a worse 2008.  Inge makes a bad play and Keiltyreaches.  An Inge error is rare.  Evans the lefty with pop steps up  and Keilty is thrown out on the run and hit, not the hit and run because he started to run first.  Evans gets a bloop hit.  Now Evans gets thrown out stealing.  A great inning for Treanor. Reed strikes out to end the half inning.  Granderson will lead off the inning which could give the Tigers a jump start because he leads off that’s his job.  Parnell comes into the game, he’s a power pitcher who gets a lot of ground outs.  Grandy makes a oot of exciting plays on defense.  Granderson gets his second walk today he must be improving his eye.  Polanco steps up.  The Tigers have tough schedule this year.  Polanco gets out.  Ordonez steps up he will hit around 320. this year ,Parnell is doing a good job.  Full count on Ordonez, Grandersonisplaying smart baseball and is messing with Bobby on the baseline and now Maggs walks.  Cabrera will step up, Cabrera almost never lets you down.  Brandon Inge has only gotten out once this spring, just wanted to throw that out.  Cabrea flies out and Guillen steps up as a lefty, Guillen is a great switch hitter.  Guillen is mad at the ump because he has a big strike zone.  The Tigers have a good catcher now in Alex Avila who got two hits yesterday and is a lefty hitter which is rare for a catcher.  Guillen pops out to end the inning.

Mets 1 Tigers 2

Fourth Inning

Some new news, the Cubs sign Cory Koskie who is older and not as good as he used to be.  Cancel will ground out to Inge.  Now former Tiger Ramon Martinez will step up, he is certainly better at defense.  Around the league at 2:20,  Braves 4 Blue Jays 1 as Granderson makes a great diving catch and runs a perfect route, great play.  Back to scores as Cora steps up Marlins 1 Orioles 4 as Cabrera makes a nice paly and throw to end the half inning.  Pirates 2 Astros 1, Rays 1 Phillies 5, Nats 0 Cardinals 5, and Twins 6 Yankees 3.  Sheffield hits it nice and hard but is robbed of a hit.  Inge who is tearing up the Grapefruit League hitting 800. will step up.  Breaking News as the Royals are close to a deal with Jaun Cruz a great set up man.  Inge who walks a lot gets one, Inge has a great eye.  the Mets have an interesting bullpen by having a closer come in in the 8th and the 9th.  Treanor will step up he pretty good on defense too.  Treanor hits a deep fly out to center field.  Adam Everett the defensive whiz steps up and gets out.  End of the inning.

Mets 1 Tigers 2

Fifth Inning

Angel Pagan will step up and Kyle Bloom will come in Bloom has shown a nice arm.  Everett makes a great stop and he is safe but a nice play, Pagan does have a little speed and used it their.  Green will step up.  Bonine had a great outing and line today.  Pagan shows his baserunning skills and steals second on a bad pitch in the dirt.  Polanco make a routine play and gets the first out.  A line drive out as Inge takes a hit away from daniel Murphy and now Keilty hits a routine pop up that is caught by Polanco.  Parnell will depart with a good outing but he needs to caught down on walks, Ruelas will come in, he’s a lefty.  Granderson will lead off an inning for the third time, the Tigers are lucky to have him hit lead off three times and Granderson walks again and his eye has improved today and he’s  always dangerous on the base paths.  Polanco will step up.  Ruelas is throwing a lot of balls right now.  Polanco walks and now there are two good base runners on.  Ordonez who can hit great and drive in runs in bunches will step up.  Ordonez grounds into a double play a rarity.  Miggy steps up to the plate, he has shown a lot of power in the last couple years.  Cabrera gets a hit and RBI, now that’s Miggy.  Guillen will step up as a righty and he will finally get a hit, a use full one to as he got Miggy in scoring position.  Sheffield steps up as Rueles throws another ball, a slower pitcher Gary could tatto the ball if he gets his pitch.  Sheffield walks and the bases are loaded for the hot hitter Brandon Inge.  wild pitch Cabrera scores wild hrow and into the dugout two more runs score.  That was a terrible play by Cancel.  Rueles is starting to settle in.  Reed make a great diving catch, that’s rare play for Reed to have to make.  That’s the end of five.

Mets 1 Tigers 5

Sixth Inning

Lyon takes over on the mound, Lyon is a great reliever and closer, in fact one year he lead the league in saves for April.  Guillen makes a nice catch to get out to get out Reed.  Cancel will step up.  Hessmen, Laird, Sizemore, Wells, and Santiago come in the game, all are decent on defense.  Cancel gets a Texas leage blooper hit, it was a lucky hit by Cancel.  Now Martinez will step up.  Wells a nice player and prospect gets the routine out on Martinez.  Micheal Abreu will come in at first base and Brian Stokes a late blooming insurance reliever will come in.  Laird steps up and shows off his offense as he gets a single.  Santiago will step up, Santiago is getting better and better at hitting and is still the top defender on the Tigers.  Santiago grounds into a unorthodox double play, you have to give credit to Cora who made that nice play. Wells steps up and gets out.  End of six

Mets 1 Tigers 5

Seventh Inning

Lefty Bobby Seay will come in for the Tigers, Bobby is a nice reliever in a situational and long role.  Cora gets a bloop hit, Cora isn’t the best hitter in the world but will get you a hit every now and then.  Pagan hits the ball hard and it is stopped and a nice double play is turned there.  A routine play is made by Santiago, a nice inning for the Tigers, stretch time.  Scott Sizemore hits a nice line drive that is caught, the Mets bring in a new shortstop, Jose Coronado.  Sizemore is going to be a nice second baseman.  Ordonez will strike out.  Cabrera will step up this could be his last at bat before playing  for Venezuela and he hits it deep, back and GONE a home run, Cabrera showing off his pop.  Guillen will step up, he is an outstanding player to have around.  Guillen will strike out. That’s the end of seven.

Mets 1 Tigers 6

Eigth Inning

The Tigers pitching, offense, base runningand defense has been awesome today, they’re really starting to play good baseball.  Don Kelly, Ryan Raburn and Clevlen will come in.  Rudyn Darrow will come in, he willl likely be a part of this bullpen one day, as he gets the first out on Murphy.  Brent Clevlen is a prospect a long time and he has some pop too.  The same play will get the second out on Keilty.   Abreu will step up and make the count 3-1.  Abreuis putting up a good battle with Darrow, but in the end Abreu walks.  Reed will step up, he was once a big prospect but is becoming a Four A player.  Reed will get a nice hit and now their is a man on first and one on third.  We are even in hits with six but the Tigers have gotten more walks.  A nice hit by, Thole scores a run.  Martinez will step up, he can play good defense.  Darrow shows he can strike people out too as he does to Martinez.  This could be the Tigers last time up to bat.  Sheffield, the veteran will lead off the inning.  Matt DeSalvo a long time Yankees prospect will come in to pitch, Clete Thomas will pinch hit, he is a special player will pop out.  Now stepping up is Mike Hessman, he is out of options.  He has power and could make a nice back-up,  he hit that one at least 400 feet a home run by Hessman, he is a great player.  Laird the new, good catcher will step up to the plate.  Verlander will start tomorrows game, he is a CY Young type pitcher.  Laird grounds out.  Now stepping up is Ramon Santiago, he is a nice utility infielder to have around.  Santiago is a switch hitter, which makes hi that much more special.  Santiago strikes out, that’s it for the inning.

Mets 2  Tigers 7

Ninth Inning

The Tigers have palyed a great game today and derve to win and get back to 500. before all of thier player’s leave for the WBC.  Freddy Dolsi will come in for the Tigers, he is a great reliver who has a chance to become a good vloser one day, he’s a nice player.  Coronado will groud out to Sizemore.  Pagfan a nice pinch hitter will step out and will get out the same way as the last batter.  Andy green the potential last out will step up, Dolsi’s fastball has improved as I just heard.  Dolsi needs to cut down on walks, he strikes out a lot of batters too.  A close pitch was called a ball, a pop out will drop, a lot of Texas Leaguers have happened today, weak hits have came off of Mets bats.  One of my favorite Mets Danny Murphy will step up, murphy will be a nice player and a routine fly out to Wells will end it.

Mets 2 Tigers 7

Nice game played by the Tigers today.

Game Preview: Mets vs Tigers

PITCHERS SCHEDULED:Tigers: Jon Kibler, Bobby Seay, Brandon Lyon, Eddie Bonine, and Kyle Bloom  Mets: Jon Niese, Bobby Parnell, Brian Stokes, Matt DeSalvo, Heriberto Reulas, Valerio De Los Santos, Jon Switzer, and J.J. Putz
QUICK REPORT ON STARTERS:Tigers: Jon Kibler is a pretty good pitcher in the Tigers organization he is one of the Tigers prospects and he went 14-5 last year in single-a.  He is also a lefty, the second best one in the Tigers minor leagues  Mets: Bobby Parnell will be an end of the rotation guy who has a fast fastball and two other pitches he throws just as good he will be a nice pitcher for the Mets one day. but he isn’t starting today though he will be a starter.  Jon Neise is a great starter who throws a  nice fastball and curve and mixes them with two other pitches, he is a middle of the rotation guy who has a lot of potential.  He will be a good pitcher with the Mets.

 HOW IS OUR TEAM?:The Tigers are 1-2 but have showed a lot of promise.  In their first game Fu-Te-Ni got the win he could be a nice lefty for the Tigers in their bullpen and also Kyle Bloom a kid who is not supposed be anything big had a great outing in the first game.  The Tigers had 11 hits yesterday showing that they were back with offense.  The Mets are 2-1 and going strong as yesterday the only thing that was bad was their pitching.  They are hitting good and looking like a playoff team.

MLB Poll Of The Day

I like the Rays as you know.

I love them because their already great and still have a really strong minor league system. I also like Maddon.

Game Review: Tigers at Blue Jays 2-27

The Tigers out hit the Blue Jays but their pitching couldn’t give them a win.  Dontrelle Willis didn’t get his head fixed over the offseason or was just rusty, Tigers fans hope it was the second thing I said as Dontrelle had a bad line.  Armando Galarraga gave up a run but didn’t have a horrible line like Willis and he should be fine.  Don Kelly hit a homer for the Tigers as the Tigers poured on three runs and Brian Wolfe had a terrible outing, he’s got potential but needs work to make the club out of spring training.  Jason Lane continues his quest for the Blue Jays by having another good game, he could become a handy pinch hitter with pop and extra base power if he makes the club.  the Tigers played an okay game but their pitching needs to improve and right now I’m picking Zach Miner a s their number five starter which means no lefties in te rotation which could turn out bad.  Blue Jays win 6-4.

Tigers at Nationals: Game Review 2-26

A real pitchers battle, Tigers top prospect Rick Porcello gave up a run and got the loss, Nate Robertson also gave up a run.  Mike O’Connor got the win, even though he had a bad outing,   Terrell Young, Colin Balester, Jesus Colome who got the save, Wil Ledezma and Jordan Zimmerman had great outings, Zimmerman is the favorite to win the number five starter on the Nats, he throws a killer fastball and mixes it with three other pitches.  For debuts Edwin Jackson pitched two scoreless and showed he was a great number four guy to rely on.  The Tigers got their two from Adam Everett who has shown that he can hit so far and Clete Thomas who is a great outfielder to have around.  The Tigers played a worse game than yesterday and lost 2-1.

Yankees Sign Pettitte

The New York Yankees have signed starting pitcher Andy Pettitte to a one-year deal worth 5.5 million dollars.  He will be a bit overpaid, but,  he is a future hall of famer. Pettitte has an ERA of 3.89 in his career but his ERA has been over 4.00 the last three years.  Scouting wise he has five pitches and his best is his cut-fastball.   He has the third best pick-off move in the majors behind Kenny Rogers and Greg Smith.   He plays above average defense for a pitcher and has a good wind-up.  Last year he went 14-14 and he gave up  a lot of runs, so now he is a a 500. pitcher.  His post-season experience also helps the Yankees in the post-season because he is a great post-season pitcher.  His overall rating has dropped the last three years but he is still a nice pitcher to have in the middle of the Yankee rotation.

Game Review: Braves at Tigers 2-25-09

The Atlanta Braves were downed by the Tigers 5 to 4 in a close game that showed the Tigers had veterans and prospects.  The only homer hit in this game came off of the bat of Jordan Schafer in the seventh inning.  Ramon Santiago went two for two and drove in a run while scoring one.  It was a great match up as Justin Verlander went two strong innings not giving up a signle run while Jair Jurrjens gave up two runs in a though game.  Newly acquired players did okay in this game as Gerald Laird went 2 for 3 and Adam everett drove in a run, Brandon Lyon gave up three runs in his Tigers debut but none were earned.  Fu-Te-Ni got the win for the Tigers and showed he deserved a spot as a reliever, Kyle Bloom the Tigers Rule V draftee got the save as the Tigers showed that they do have a good bullpen.  The Tigers defense does need to get fixed though.  But the Tigers played a decent game showing us what they’ve got.

World Baseball Classic Picks

My picks for the 2009 World Baseball Classic are…

Pool A

1. Japan
2. Korea

Pool B

1. Cuba
2. Mexico

Pool C

1. USA
2. Venezuela

Pool D

1. Dominican Repubic
2. Puerto Rico

Round 2

Pool A

1. Cuba
2. Korea

Pool B

1. USA
2. Dominican Republic

This pool was hard because it had the four of the best countries in the tournament

Championship rounds

USA over Korea 7-5

Dominican Republic over Cuba 3-1

THE GAME

USA over Dominican Republic 5-3

How good is Pujols???

I’ve had a thought, Cardinals 1B Albert Pujols has hit 319 homers got 977 RBI and hit 324. in his career not to mention his nice defense at first.  Can this guy get much better?  He’s already a lock for the hall of fame at age 28 and is a two time MVP and should be at least a four time MVP by now.  In 2006 if not for an injury we would be looking at 55 homers, 150 RBIs, 195 hits, a gold glove,  and a 335. batting average.  Pujols is an awesome player to say the least but I think he is going to be the best player ever to live when done with this amazing game.  He will not stop hitting, fielding or using his baseball brains.  This guy only stroke out 50 times in 2006.  Pujols by all standards is the most feared hitter in the whole MLB.  He has the biggest value over replacement player in the MLB which basically means he’s irreplaceable.  It’s crazy how good Pujols is and how good he will be for many more years.

Braves, Anderson sign a one-year deal

The Atlanta Braves have signed OF Garett Anderson to a one year deal.  Anderson who may be old but can still play good is the lefty with pop that the Braves were looking for.  Anderson is a slugger, he won the 2003 Home Run Derby and hit 10 RBI in a game in 2007 he hit 35 home runs in 2000.  Anderson will hit 15 homers a year and hit 290. he just won’t walk much or play as good defense now that he is older and slower.  He will help the braves and find a spot in the bottom of their line-up.  This was a good short term move for Atlanta because they got a guy with more left than Griffey and a good coach for their younger outfielders.  He is a decent player who deserves a spot in the Braves line-up.