(no subject)

[catslash]

JESUS FUCK OKAY YOU WILL ALL LISTEN TO ME RIGHT NOW.

The next person who declares that the next week of baseball is "the real test" for the Tigers is GOING TO FEEL THE BACK OF MY HAND.

Next four games: Series against the Yankees. HI THE YANKEES SUCK KTHX. Their outfield is, like, Johnny Damon and my mom, okay? Their starting rotation is basically Mike Mussina and four other guys who are fresh from the DL, eighty-seven years old, or both. The bullpen has a bunch of guys who suck and two guys Torre overuses, one of whom is having back problems (and gave up the win to the Royals the other night; thanks, Kyle, love ya!). Mariano Rivera continues to not be human, except that occasionally these days he is. Basically, the Yankees have their offense. This may be enough against, oh, the Royals, or certain Boston teams who forget about plating runs and we will get to that, but against a team with insane pitching and solid defense? Go away, Yankees. You are not a test.

The following three games: Against the Red Sox. Okay, they don't suck so much. They have a real outfield and an actual starting rotation, which includes Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling. Of course, they also have a bullpen that includes Rudy Seanez and Julian Tavarez. There is also Mike Timlin, so yay, but there is also Keith Foulke, who never really knows what he's gonna do on the mound from night to night. And the offense, while making an admirable show of it, can't completely carry their pitching and shouldn't always have to. Also, with the plating runs? Yeah. What have they left, like 712 men on base in the last couple of weeks? I will, however, take Jon Papelbon over Rollercoaster Jones any day.

Meanwhile, the Tigers starting rotation owns you all, the bullpen has been rock solid, and the offense has developed this intriguing habit of getting runs when they are needed. And when they are not needed. And even with Maroth on the DL and Leyland apparently undecided about who will be taking his start (I heard Colon, but then I heard not so much, so I don't know), I am unconcerned. We have some great pitching depth this year. Lots to choose from.

In conclusion, the teams' records to date:

Yankees: 28-20
Red Sox: 30-18
Tigers: 35-15

So bite me already. I do not want to hear about this test shit at all ever again plzkthx BYE.

Ahem. That rant has building up for the last week or so. In case you can't tell, the whole thing has really been pissing me off. The 2000 Yankees? That would be a test. The 2004 Red Sox? Final exam. The 2006 versions of same? Not so much. I don't make predictions, because I'm always wrong, but I think you can guess what I'm expecting.

And, yeah, I'll be the chick at the bar this weekend in the Tigers hat and Bonderman shirt. Sorry, Red Sox. Get your wins somewhere else.

Comments

[aloha-moira.livejournal.com]

I think the "test" stuff is just reflecting that the Tigers have played the overwhelming majority of their games - 40 out of 50, in fact - against sub .500 teams. They've done fine against the better teams they've played (a combined 6-4 against the Reds, Rangers and White Sox), but you can't really say they've been challenged very much so far.

I'm not saying I don't think the Tigers are legit, because I honestly haven't been paying enough attention to them to weigh in on that, but come on, facing the Royals and their .229 win percentage is not the same as coming up against perennial playoff contending teams.

[catslash.livejournal.com]

Yes, I know, that all makes sense, but the way people have been talking is driving me crazy. They're not making your logical points, they're acting like the Tigers should be crapping their pants. The Yankees and the Red Sox =/= the be-all and end-all of baseball right now. I'm more concerned about the upcoming series against the White Sox, myself. This entry is part actual use of fact and part pent-up explosion.

[aloha-moira.livejournal.com]

Oh, I wouldn't be crapping my pants about facing anyone... the stupid ass baseball world just needs something to talk about since nobody's paying any attention at all to Barry Bonds. :P

[catslash.livejournal.com]

Who?

[lissa-ann.livejournal.com]

Timlin's on the DL, as of today.

And I'm surprised there hasn't been a rant about Boomer. I was fuckin' pissed.

[catslash.livejournal.com]

Fucking shit, really?

I thought my computer was broken for the past couple of days (it wasn't, long story) so I haven't been able to keep up with things very well. I did not know about Timlin, and I could not write about Boomer. And fake!Boomer won't communicate with me for an actual entry because he's too drunk frustrated and depressed.

[lissa-ann.livejournal.com]

Wouldn't lie about something this important. Timlin was put on the DL for a strained shoulder. He hadn't been in, oh, the last two games or so. Manny Del's been recalled from Pawtucket. It was just announced today. Coco's back, today. Wily Mo Pena's on the DL, as of today (allowing Coco to come off the DL...but WM also is having wrist problems), and Manny hasn't played the last two days because of back and knee stiffness.

I'd love to throw Rudy Seanez and Julian Tavarez off the team after the debacle that was this afternoon's game. Go and blow Tim's shutout by walking three runs in, and letting a fourth score on a hit.

Yeah, I figured it was something like that with Boomer. !Tek hasn't posted about it, because a) he doesn't know what to say and b) he's kinda tied up with his own stuff right at the moment. Although, suffice it to say, !Tek is pretty upset.

[catslash.livejournal.com]

That's - damn. That's a pile of injuries right there. Kind of reminds me of the last couple months of last season for the Tigs, actually, when like half the team got DLed one right after another.

Yeah, I have my hands wicked full with my other !boys, but I should get it together and do something with Boomer soon. Maybe you and I could do a scene.

[caruso.livejournal.com]

Leyland said it's Colón tomorrow, but then I saw this and almost wet myself:



Please God, don't let this be true.

(This is mostly to the first commentor)

A good team beats the teams they're supposed and "holds their own" against other good teams. Who's to say that Minnesota or Cleveland would still be sub-.500 had the Tigers not crushed them so far this season? Maybe the reason they're not over .500 is because they've played the Tigers.

Also, hooray on letting out the pent-up frustration and hooray on, as far as I can tell, solving your computer problem.

[bakoo.livejournal.com]

I think saying any games against a certain team are 'tests' is stupid. The baseball season is 162 games long, not a three game series. That being said, I think it's a good way to look at your team when it faces tough competion. Killing the Royals or DRays isn't the same as killing the White Sox or Tigers. When a team makes it to the playoffs, they're not playing the Royals or DRays (although I think that'd be hysterical if one of those teams went on an insane hot streak and somehow made it in).

When the Red Sox finally play the White Sox and Tigers, I won't look at it as a 'test'. In 2004, the Sox would have lost to the DRays in June or July, but could beat anyone in August and September. Baseball is such a game of streaks, that you can't really tell if that sub-.500 hundred team is gonna be bad at the end of the year.

I have a bet with offspeed about the upcoming Tigers/Sox series. I write Vance/I-Rod if the Tigers take two outta three and she writes Beckett/Varitek if the Sox win. GO SOX! :P

[heckraiser87.livejournal.com]

But, but, but....BUT THIS NEXT WEEK IS THE REAL TEST FOR THE TIGERS!!!!!!111ONE!

And it's also the week wherein they shut the mouths of those damn idiots who keep saying that.

BRkPnPORteHQ

[(Anonymous)]

a6a7d2745ee994377352f07b209ce0d6