Tigers continue their downward spiral
By Mike Castiglione
With the way the Detroit Tigers have been playing lately, one would think they would be in a free fall down the standings.
But despite losing 10 of their last 14 games, the Tigers still have a half- game lead in the American League Central Division. That fact is largely because the second-place Indians have endured similar hardships in the last few weeks, and have lost seven of their last 10.
On Sunday, just before the Tigers were swept by the Los Angeles of Anaheim Angels, manager Jim Leyland surmised, “We’ve got some real good challenges for our team and our character and our stomach.”
In all three games of that series against the Angels, Detroit surrendered double-digit runs, a trend the Tigers’ pitching staff has certainly not come to expect. Nate Robertson allowed eight runs in two innings last Friday. Reliever Tim Byrdak was tagged for five runs in the eighth inning of Saturday’s 10-3 loss. And on Sunday, Jeremy Bonderman was roughed up for 11 runs in just 2 1/3 innings of work.
With the team having just wrapped up an 11-game road trip, it’s tough to say whether Detroit’s skid is a case of a tired baseball team, or if there really is reason for Tigers fans to hold their breath. In either case, the fact remains that the Tigers, once owners of the top record in the majors this season, are being pushed up against the wall.
After being swept by the Angels on Sunday, Detroit came up with a much needed 5-2 victory over Oakland the following day. Ironically, it was Jordan Tata who stopped the bleeding while making his very first Major League start. Tata gave his team a chance to win by holding the A’s to two runs over seven innings.
But Detroit could not keep the momentum going, as the A’s were able to take the series by winning the next two. On Tuesday, the Tigers got to Oakland starter Dan Haren for three runs in the first two innings, but the A’s fought back and scored a total of six runs in the sixth and seventh innings.
Robertson took the hill again on Wednesday, only to walk away with another loss after yielding three runs in six innings. After finishing up the road trip with a 3-8 record, the Tigers are no doubt ready to take the field tonight at Comerica Park to kick off a 10-game homestand.
INJURY WOES
If the Tigers are to get back to the business of winning ballgames, they must do so without a few of their stars.
Shortstop Carlos Guillen left Tuesday’s game after he felt a pinching sensation in his left knee. Though he is expected to be in the lineup tonight, that knee will surely have the attention of the training staff.
The team is once again without Kenny Rogers, whose performance has dropped off dramatically in his last three starts. The veteran southpaw is back on the disabled list with inflammation in his left elbow. The injury is not related to the shoulder injury which kept him on the DL for the first three months of the season, and the team is hopeful Rogers will not miss an extended period of time.
But the biggest injury news involves slugger Gary Sheffield, who yesterday went and saw a specialist about the pain in his right shoulder, which has not subsided even after cortisone shots. Sheffield also reported numbness in his right hand, leading him to believe there is some nerve damage.
FRONT OFFICE SAYS NO DICE AT DEADLINE TIME
The Tigers’ big late-season acquisitions appear to be Fernando Rodney and Joel Zumaya. Of course, those two are already earning paychecks for the Tigers despite being on the DL.
But general manager Dave Dombrowski said the asking price was simply too high for some of the players being dangled as trade bait.
“The one difference we have compared to everybody else is that we have a chance to get quite a few reinforcements, and relatively soon,” Dombrowski told the team’s official web site.
Zumaya is the furthest away from returning, though he has been throwing side sessions and may be ready to begin a rehab assignment. The team hoped to have Rodney activated this weekend.
WHO’S HOT
Placido Polanco has 13-hits in his last 25 at-bats.
WHO’S NOT
Sheffield, who Leyland said has been cheating on his swing to compensate for his shoulder, is hitting just .174 over the last six games.
A LOOK AHEAD
The White Sox are in town this weekend, as Andrew Miller (5-3, 3.76) opposes Mark Buehrle (8-6, 3.06) this evening. Bonderman (10-3 4.33) gets a shot at redemption tomorrow against Javier Vazquez (8-6, 3.63). And on Sunday, Tata (1-0, 2.57) is back on the hill against Gavin Floyd (0-1, 10.05).
On Monday, the Tigers kick off another home series against the Devil Rays.
