Tag Archives: Detroit Tigers

Ernie Harwell tries to make most of final days

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Courage is a term too often used in sports. Sure, trying to shut down the New York Yankees lineup, or trying to figure out a game plan to stop Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts offense is difficult. But courageous? No. That’s their job.

But facing an opponent that can’t be beaten? That’s real courage.

I saw a feature on former longtime Detroit Tigers broadcaster Ernie Harwell on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel yesterday. For those who hadn’t heard, Harwell was diagnosed with inoperable cancer.

There’s an age-old question: If you could find out when you were going to die, would you want to know? Harwell doesn’t know a specific day, but he’s come to grips with the fact that he might not see another Opening Day.

Doctors told him that he has six months to live, maybe more, but maybe less. He said he has days where he tries to spend as much time with his family as he can. Some days are much better than others.

It was hard to ignore the lump in my throat watching him talk about what it’s like to have inoperable cancer. At 91 years old, he’s lived a long and full life. And for more than 40 years, he was the voice of the Detroit Tigers, leaving quite an impression on generations of baseball fans in the Motor City.

I was just struck by the dignity and grace he was handling it. If that was me, I imagine it would drive me crazy knowing that cancer is inside of you, and there’s nothing to be done about it.

Harwell’s mark on the game of baseball will never be forgotten, but his legacy will extend far beyond the ballparks he broadcast in.

 

Big days ahead at the Teflon Palace

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While the Minnesota Vikings will continue to call the Metrodome home, the Minnesota Twins are closing out their tenure with the facility in style.

The Twins defeated the Kansas City Royals 13-4 on Sunday, and with Detroit having defeated the Chicago White Sox earlier in the day, Minnesota remained tied for the lead in the AL Central at 86-76 on the final day of the regular season.

The Twins and Tigers will play a one-game playoff Tuesday to determine which team will gain a postseason berth and face the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series.

It’s an exciting time for the Twin Cities area. The national sports spotlight will definitely be on the Metrodome for the next two days.

In a way, these next two days are a microcosm of the Metrodome’s history – logistical problems intertwined with historic sporting events.

The one-game baseball playoff would normally be played on Monday, but the Vikings have a big game of their own against the Green Bay Packers, highlighting one of the problems with the Metrodome.

As my colleague Dan Haglund pointed out tonight, "Where are the Twins going to work out tomorrow?" Good question. They might have to christen Target Field a little early.
 

But despite issues like that, the Metrodome has played host to a lot of big moments. It’s hosted the Super Bowl and the NCAA men’s basketball tournament. And it’s hosted two World Series, one that saw Minnesota win its first major sports championship, and another which is often considered the greatest World Series ever played.

The Metrodome could play host to two more monumental moments in the next two days. I’m happy to say I’ll be going to the one-game playoff, but I’ll have to settle for my couch for the Vikings-Packers game. And that’s not a bad consolation prize either.

So you’re saying there’s a chance …

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The Minnesota Twins continued to tease area sports fans Thursday, picking up an 8-3 victory against the Detroit Tigers and pulling within two games of the AL Central division lead.

The front-running Tigers have three games left at Comerica Park against the Chicago White Sox, while the Twins host the Kansas City Royals for a three-game series. Below are matchups:

White Sox at Tigers

  • Friday: Chicago, Peavy (2-0, 2.25 ERA) vs. Detroit, Jackson (13-8, 3.36 ERA).
  • Saturday: Chicago, Garcia (2-4, 4.78 ERA) vs. Detroit, Figaro (2-1, 5.74 ERA).
  • Sunday: Chicago, Danks (13-10, 3.69 ERA) vs. Detroit, Verlander (18-9, 3.45 ERA).

Royals at Twins

  • Friday: Kansas City, DiNardo (0-2, 7.52 ERA) vs. Minnesota, Manship (0-1, 5.81 ERA).
  • Saturday: Kansas City, Greinke (16-8, 2.06 ERA) vs. Minnesota, Blackburn (11-11, 4.08 ERA).
  • Sunday: Kansas City, Hochevar (7-12, 6.24 ERA) vs. Minnesota, Duensing (5-2, 3.69 ERA).

The Tigers’ magic number is 2, meaning any combination of Detroit wins or Twins losses equaling two will clinch the division for Detroit.

The challenge for the Twins is winning 2 of 3 against KC and having the Tigers get swept. Or the Twins can sweep the Royals – which seems unlikely with Cy Young candidate Zack Greinke pitching Saturday – and have the Tigers win no more than one game against the ChiSox.

If the two teams were to be tied at the end of the season, Minnesota would host a one-game playoff by virtue of winning more head-to-head games, a formula that changed last offseason after the Twins lost a coin toss prior to their one-game playoff with the White Sox. The Twins lost that game in Chicago 2-0 1-0.

It’s hard to like the Twins chances here. They really needed to win 3 of 4 in Detroit, just like they needed to sweep Detroit during that 3-game set at the Metrodome a couple weeks back.

This has been the story all season long for the Twins. They simply haven’t been able to catch the Tigers this year, remaining a handful of games back all season long.

I know I had some criticism of Ron Gardenhire a couple days ago – I still haven’t gotten over the awful decision to have a right-handed reliever come in to face Curtis Granderson in the nightcap of that doubleheader – but Gardy’s definitely a Manager of the Year candidate. When you look at where this team was at Opening Day, they have lost so much.

Key cogs in their rotation such as Kevin Slowey and Glen Perkins are out for the season after missing significant time. Another starter – Francisco Liriano – has been relegated to bullpen duty. Meanwhile, the offense has surged lately despite being without Justin Morneau and Joe Crede. The team seemingly lacks any depth, having no pinch hitters whatsoever.

Mike Scioscia should and probably will win AL Manager of the Year when you take into account the Los Angeles Angels are AL West champs despite injuries to key members of their rotation early on, plus missing Vlad Guerrero and Torii Hunter for significant periods of time.

But Gardy shouldn’t get lost in the shuffle. For a manager that consistently posts winning seasons with a low-payroll team, this might be his best job yet.

Doubleheader thoughts

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Here’s my take on the Minnesota Twins’ splitting a doubleheader Tuesday against the Detroit Tigers, leaving the Twins still two games back in the AL Central race:

  • Nick Blackburn did a nice job in Game 1, ducking trouble in the early innings before settling into a nice groove. This was a big game for him, probably the second-biggest start of his young career, ranking right after the one-game playoff start he got against the Chicago White Sox last year. On both occassions, he held the opponent in check.
  • The Nick Punto suicide squeeze in the ninth inning of Game 1 is inexcusable. I hated the play. And of course, if it works, it’s applauded. But with a runner on third and one out in a tie game in the ninth inning, if you can’t find a way to drive that run in there’s something wrong with you. Punto did what he could; I certainly don’t blame him.
  • Jon Rauch did a nice job of pitching around the leadoff walk in the ninth, giving the Twins a chance to win the game in the 10th inning. I know I’ve mentioned it before, but I like the way this bullpen is going to shape up for 2010. The Twins got Joe Nathan, Matt Guerrier, Jose Mijares and Rauch. Not a bad four to start with.
  • Expected a better outing from Brian Duensing in Game 2 after he shut the Tigers down just a week or two ago. He’s done a nice job this season as a starter, but he’s starting to show some chinks in his armor.
  • Nice to see the Twins battle back against Justin Verlander, who thoroughly dominated them through the first five innings. Watching him make Delmon Young and Carlos Gomez look silly on high fastball after high fastball continues to leave me wondering how the Twins could have gotten so little for Johan Santana, Matt Garza and Jason Bartlett.
  • I really didn’t understand Guerrier facing Curtis Granderson to open the bottom of the eighth inning of Game 2 with Mijares still available, and I did say as much before he homered. Yeah, Mijares pitched in Game 1, but just to a couple of batters. Guerrier has been one of the best middle relievers in baseball this season, but Granderson is hitting under .200 against lefties this year, and he’s a full 100 points better against righties. It seemed like a no-brainer spot to put Mijares in. Unfortuately, Granderson’s homer put the Tigers up by 2, and with the Twins managing just a run in the ninth, the Guerrier decision proved costly.

One other Twins story that caught my eye was the Twins reportedly agreeing to terms with free-agent Dominican teenage shortstop Miguel Angel Sano to a rich signing bonus.

"I’m very thankful to get this chance to sign with the Twins," Sano told the Associated Press. "I’m going to work very hard to try to get to the majors in two years."

There’s much being done to confirm Sano’s age. He claims to be 16 years old, but according to the story is much more physically developed than the typical 16-year-old.

The story does mention if the Twins do get this guy and he is 16 or near that, he will easily be the biggest prospect the Twins have ever had from Latin America.

I’ve mentioned on this blog before that I was concerned that the Twins seemingly don’t develop any prospects through the minor leagues from outside the draft, other than those they trade for. It’s nice to see them make a commitment to someone that wasn’t acquired through the draft. Sounds like he has first-round talent, so why not pay him first-round money?

Making the case for a Twins’ sweep

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The Minnesota Twins have faced long odds of making the playoffs all season, due entirely to their inconsistent and relatively mediocre play. But lo and behold, the Detroit Tigers have failed so far to completely put the Twins away.

Starting Friday night at the Metrodome, the Tigers (78-68) will get their chance to bury the Twins’ hopes. Or if the Twins (74-72) can sweep, they’ll find themselves just a game out of the AL Central lead.

Believe it or not, the Twins’ four-game deficit to Detroit makes the AL Central the tightest division in baseball. Among playoff races, only the San Francisco Giants’ 3.5-game deficit to Colorado in the NL wild card is tighter. Kind of a yawner as far as pennant fever goes.

The Twins have a few factors going in their favor.

  • First, they’re 11 games above .500 (43-32) at home this season.
  • Secondly, they have the best intra-divisional record in the AL Central (33-23).
  • And finally, the Twins are actually riding a little momentum. Not that I’m taking credit for it, but Minnesota has won four in a row dating back to my trip to the Metrodome on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Tigers are 3-7 in their last 10 games, having gone just 1-5 against Kansas City and splitting a four-game set against Toronto.

The pitching matchups go as follows:

  • Friday: Twins, LHP Brian Duensing (3-1, 3.53 ERA) vs. Tigers, RHP Rick Porcello (13-8, 4.21 ERA).
  • Saturday: Twins, RHP Carl Pavano (12-11, 4.91 ERA) vs. Tigers, RHP Justin Verlander (16-8, 3.34 ERA).
  • Sunday: Twins, RHP Scott Baker (13-8, 4.35 ERA) vs. Tigers, LHP Jarrod Washburn (9-9, 3.78 ERA). Washburn scratched in favor of LHP Nate Robertson.

The Twins have to like Sunday’s matchup. Despite Washburn having good success against the Twins in his career, these two pitchers – Baker and Washburn – are having polar opposite seasons. Washburn was red-hot in the first half, while Baker struggled. Now, Baker is the one on fire, while Washburn has won just one of eight starts since getting traded from Seattle.

Friday’s matchup isn’t bad for the Twins, either. Porcello, just 20 years old, has battled inconsistency all year, and the Twins got to him in their last game against him. Meanwhile, Duensing has come out of nowhere to be a very good contributor in the rotation for this year, and perhaps beyond. The southpaw has given up just six runs in his five starts since being moved from the bullpen.

Saturday’s game could be the key. Verlander is the unquestionable ace of the Tigers’ staff, while Pavano has dominated the Tigers (1.48 ERA, 18/1 K-to-BB ratio in four starts) all season.

Pavano has done a pretty satisfactory job since joining the Twins, posting a 3.75 ERA in eight starts. But his numbers for the season are run-of-the-mill. His success against Detroit is a big reason he was brought in, and that will be put to the test Saturday.

The Twins have four more games in Detroit still coming after this weekend series. But the Twins have been a poor road team. I think a sweep is a must this weekend. It’s hard to see the Twins ending Sunday on a seven-game win streak, but that’s the task at hand.

Pavano provides just what Twins need

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The Minnesota Twins had to turn to Cleveland to find a quality start, and boy, did it come at a good time.

Carl Pavano, who was making his first start in a Twins uniform Saturday after getting traded from the Indians, tossed seven shutout innings to give Minnesota a win over the Detroit Tigers.

Forum sports desk colleague Tom Mix sent me a text message tonight that read, "Crow tastes great." But prior to the game, who could blame him for being a little less than enthused about the trade.

One game does not a season make, though. I mean, one could say I’m eating crow for all of my Nick Punto criticsm after he reached base twice and played great defense Saturday. But fortunately for me, Punto Crow is a delicacy. It’s rarely served up to me more than five times a year.

Now it’s up to Scott Baker on Sunday to assume his role as the team’s de facto ace. These are the kind of games the Twins pay Baker to win. This is the reason he got the big contract extension.

He’s only given up four runs in four starts since the All-Star break. And it’s never too late to salvage a season when your team is still clinging to postseason hopes.

Taking a road series from Detroit would be big for these Twins that – thanks to a mediocrity-laden AL Central – just won’t fall out of the division race.

Tiger Stadium process is a little sad

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Tiger Stadium has been put to death and saved seemingly over and over again, and it happened again last week.

This time, the Detroit Economic Development Corp. voted to demolish what remains of the ballpark, which is roughly the area behind home plate from dugout to dugout. But once again it was stalled by a judge that’s giving a group trying to save the stadium more time.

For whatever reason, a proper tribute and televised implosion seems more appropriate than what’s going on right now.

Stadiums come and go. At the end of the day, they’re just buildings. But I think Tiger Stadium is a little different than most parks that are destroyed nowadays.

Tiger Stadium opened in 1912 on the same day that Fenway Park in Boston did. It has housed Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg and the unstoppable-at-times 1984 World Series champions.

We would never see Fenway Park go away like this.

I’d love to see this conservation group be able to save what’s left. I really hope that they can find some use for it. But if it can’t be done, it’s time to move on.

If you want to see a really cool Tiger Stadium moment, here’s a clip from the last game ever played at "The Corner." It’s at about the 45-second mark.