lordstanley

Sox announcer was bitter that Tork didn't start his home run trot until he knew the ball was fair.

The Skubal “trade” is using some of the money you would have needed to sign him to instead sign two good players in the 2026-2027 offseason. In the meantime you hope the Tigers can achieve post season success in 2025 or 2026 with Skubal as their ace.

The Tigers' record is 9-5 since the 1-12 horror stretch. I consider 9-5 to be acceptable and respectable. I'm not going to use more positive adjectives than that because 10 of the 14 games were at home and 10 of the 14 games were against teams under .500. I'm not going use more negative adjectives than that because 9W 5L is a .642 winning percentage. In those past 14 games, the Tigers have averaged 5.6 runs scored and 4.1 runs allowed, for a +22 run differential. In the 13-game horror stretch, the Tigers averaged 2.3 runs scored and 6.3 runs allowed, for a -52 run differential.

Finnegan with the Tigers:

69 for the Tigers!

Tigers win! Vest made it nice and boring.

Vest struck him out - at least once, maybe twice.

2nd time this game he had a chance to bust the game open but struck out. Previous time was in the 4th, I believe, with the bases loaded.

Took about 4 seconds to complete the top of the 9th.

I would sure love an insurance here. Vest for the 9th?

Yes, and kicks himself for it. https://talkindetroitsports.wordpress.com/2019/12/23/al-kaline-hit-401-home-runs-but-rain-washed-out-two-and-left-him-at-399/#:~:text=On June 1%2C 1958%2C Kaline,from the game were erased. In the final game of his career, Kaline pulled himself from the game after his first two at-bats. It cost him two chances at becoming the American League’s first member of the 400-home run, 3,000-hit club. “It was my fault,” Kaline said in The Detroit News in 2015. “It was one of the worst, if not the worst, decisions I’ve ever made in my life. Sometimes when you make bad decisions, you don’t realize how it might hurt other people.” Kaline was speaking of Tigers outfielder Ben Oglivie, who replaced him in the game and was booed by the fans wanting a few more glimpses of Kaline. “I really felt bad for Ben,” Kaline said. He also wishes he had known about that 400-homer, 3,000-hit club. “Back in those days, statistics weren’t as important,” he said. “You didn’t have ESPN, And I didn’t realize 400 homers would be such a milestone The record book shows that Kaline finished with 399 home runs, and that is official. But No. 6 circled the bases 401 times in his major-league career. And that’s a fact.

I think when games are delayed like this in the opening game of a series, the managers should be given a chance to negotiate a settlement. Like in tonight's situation, the White Sox manager could say, we'll give you tonight's game but in exchange we want to be spotted with a 2-run lead for tomorrow's game. The Tigers could counter by saying we'll take the win, thanks, but since we only needed 3 outs anyways it's not worth runs tomorrow but we'll give you runners on 1st and 2nd to start the game. The White Sox manager will then threaten no deal, let's just play things out. Hinch will say, fine, we will take tonight's win and give you a 1-0 lead for tomorrow. Final offer. Deal or no deal? It's a deal, everyone goes home for the night.

Al Kaline lost two home runs to rainouts, but both of them were hit in the 2nd inning before the games were official.

It's never a bad time to make Jeff Riger look bad.

Dan kind of did too. tork homers off foul pole.mp3

Tork smashes one off the foul pole! Tigers lead 2-1.

Tied heading to the 9th. Tigers have Perez, Greene and Tork coming up. No time like the present to score a run or two and win this.

10 straight Tigers hitters have been retired.

Good outing for Paddack. Went 5 2/3 innings, 1R, 3H, 1BB, 4K, 76 pitches.

Meanwhile on the out of town scoreboard …

Paddack with 2 scoreless innings. But I still don’t trust a pitcher with a blue glove.

Ask and you shall receive.

Riley getting hot?