Tigers On Top

Never say the Tigers aren’t interesting.

With most teams, after jumping out to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, the rest of the game is coasting. But not our boys! Chad Durbin, Kenny Rogers’ stand-in, turned in another solid outing, and then the bullpen almost blew it. Actually, Jose Mesa almost blew it.

This is not last year’s bullpen–these guys will have your heart in your throat in two seconds. They get the job done most of the time, as the Tigers slim hold on first place in the Central attests, but they do it while increasing your blood pressure ten fold.

Jason Grilli seems to be back on track,  thankfully. After a solid performance on Tuesday, he pitched two perfect innings on Wednesday. But then Jim Leyland summoned Jose Mesa, and Tigers fans everywhere screamed, “WHY?!”

I’ve tried to give him the benefit of the doubt. After screaming bloody murder at the firing of Alan Trammell and subsequent hiring of Jim Leyland, as well as at the trade for Gary Sheffield, I thought this might be the time to hold my tongue and just see how things turned out. But Mesa is exactly what I expected: An over-the-hill, unnecessarily expensive reliever who can’t be trusted with a lead. Sure enough, Mesa served up a gopher ball to Anaheim’s Mike Napoli, who tattooed it for a three-run homer. Somewhere in the dugout, Chad Durbin must have been thanking his lucky stars that Magglio Ordonez had hit his second homer of the game the inning before. Up just 7-6, Durbin was still in line for the win. Mesa’s night could have been even worse–he promptly gave up a triple to Howie Kendrick–but Tim Byrdak came on to strike out Chone Figgins and wrap it up. You know you’re crap when Tim Byrdak is the one bailing YOU out.

Of course, Todd Jones had a bit of an interesting night as well, but you should expect that by now. The Roller Coaster takes you to the edge, but seldom actually plunges to doom. Again, a homer the previous inning–this one by Curtis Granderson (off a lefty no less!)–prevented the Angels from actually tying the game. Jonesy faced Vladimir Guerrero with runners on the corners and none out. Which would you rather have–a three-run moon shot from Bad Vlad, or a double play that pulls Anaheim within one run?

I thought so. Jonesy apparently agreed, inducing a run-scoring 6-4-3 twin killing. After waiting for a fan to get tackled after running onto the field, Jonesy got Gary Matthews Jr. to fly out, and the Tigers had an 8-7 win.

With Cleveland falling again to suddenly-hot Kansas City, the Tigers regained first place, if only by a half-game. Today Bonderman will return from his blister issues for the rubber match. For the health and well-being of anxious Tigers fans everywhere, let’s hope he goes the distance so we don’t have to worry about the bullpen.