Tigers Option Andy Oliver to Toledo, Cost Blogger Cheap Pun

The Tigers optioned fifth starter candidate Andy Oliver to Toledo this morning, narrowing the current field down to Drew Smyly and Duane Below and, unfortunately, costing this blogger a cheap pun at Oliver’s expense (had Oliver not been sent down, I would surely have titled a blog post “Oliver to Dombrowski: Please Sir, May I Have Some More”).

What this means about the race for the final spot in the rotation: who the hell even knows? The Tigers won’t need a fifth starter for a little while, and may even option Smyly and/or Below to Toledo as well, so that they can go with an 11-man pitching staff.

There has also been a little talk on Twitter of the Tigers possibly making a trade, but this appears to be nothing more than speculation from Detroit News writer Tom Gage, who spotted Dave Dombrowski and Jim Leyland talking animatedly and decided to write about it, which then sent the unwashed masses into a frenzy.

It does not appear that a Brandon Inge/Andy Oliver for Joe Blanton deal is on the horizon, Tigers fans. Sorry.

In the words of Torii Hunter: That was stupid. It was all stupid. Everybody was stupid.

So, that game. Weaver almost upstaged the Weaver/Verlander pitchers’ duel all on his own.

I really do think Ordoñez was checking to see if his homerun ball was fair or foul, but Guillén and Weaver both acted like asses, imo.

Game 105: So, that happened.

[SBNation]

Yeah. It’s no Armando Galarraga/Alex Avila slap fight though.

It’s pretty easy to sum this one up: Penny was awful, Purcey was awful, and seven runs should be more than enough to win.

I was busy getting my teeth cleaned at the dentist’s so I missed a chunk of the game, including the moment where Purcey was lifted with a 2-0 count. Amazing.

According to Oakland Press writer @matthewbmowery, clubhouse doors were closed for twenty minutes after the game ended. At first I thought maybe they were announcing David Purcey is to be fed to hungry lions at the Detroit Zoo tomorrow morning, but it seems more likely Leyland lit into them for being a bunch of lollygaggers.

Links roundup for 7/27/2011:

One mistake costs Scherzer, Tigers. And a whole lot of faily at bats with runners in scoring position, looks like.

Juan Pierre looks up to Darryl Cousins for mercy and finds none. Darryl Cousins is a cruel tormentor of men’s souls, and also his strikezone is inconsistent, at best.

Ryan Raburn, month-by-month. The fact that people are so desperate to get him off the team at the deadline and for next to nothing simply because they want him gone amazes me. Can we just not play him in May? That seems doable. Or maybe we could revisit my Raburn/Boesch Frankenstein’s monster idea.

Dave Dombrowski looks like a bumblebee. Oh yeah, something about Ilitch’s desire for a championship yadda yadda bork LOOK AT DAVE DOMBROWSKI’S SHIRTS!!! THE STRIPES!!!!

ALL IS DOOM! ALL IS DOOM! Alburquerque unavailable, to be checked out Thursday. ;____; If those people crowing “Alberto Zumaya!!!” would kindly shut up now, that would be nice.

Everyone’s favorite whipping boy had a big night in Toledo, feasting on AAA pitching. I’m surprised there weren’t unironic calls to #freebrandoninge after that game.

Get the latest news on trade deadline rumors and deals. Oh, hey, Edwin Jackson is on his seventh team in … five years, is it?

Detroit Tigers rumors over yonder at MLBTR. Hopefully this Tigers-related radio silence means DD has something big up his sleeve?

Why You Should Stop Trusting Twitter. Hilarious and alarming.

Zubazpalooza is coming to Comerica Park on Sunday! What is Zubazpalooza? Well, you get a ticket to a pre-game party and … these pants. Yeah, I have no idea what the heck this is. Who would wear these pants, besides a rapper from the ’90s?

Also, in case you didn’t notice, CatsWithBats has a new header and blog title! :D

***

The MudHens’ game is still going on just went final while I was typing this up, but Andy Oliver turned in 7.1 innings of decent ball. He held the Norfolk Tides to three runs on three hits, with seven strikeouts and three walks. It’ll be interesting to see if any scouts were there specifically to watch Oliver and what they thought about his performance.

After Oliver was pulled, Lester Oliveros came in and promptly blew the lead. Norfolk wins 5-4.

***

Tigers lost a close one 2-1 to the White Sox. I didn’t see it as I slept through most of the game, save the first minute or so. Sounds like they were overswinging, perhaps to overcompensate for the fact they haven’t been hitting for much power in this series? Whatever the case, Leyland sounded miffed.

Also, they wasted an Austin Jackson homerun, for Paws’ sake. How often do those come around? You have to capitalize on those!

***

ETA:

I can’t believe I forgot to mention that Cleveland got no hit by Ervin Santana! I believe this was the first no hitter ever at the Jake.

Cleveland actually was winning that game until the fifth inning too, thanks to an Erick Aybar error and a wild pitch.

It was Anaheim’s first complete game no hitter since Mike Witt threw a perfect game in 1984 (Mark Langston and Mike Witt tossed a combined no hitter in 1990). It was the first no hitter that wasn’t a shut out since Darryl Kile’s 7-1 no hitter in 1993.

Game 70: spoiler– they lose

Actually I don’t know for sure if they are going to lose this game because I’m about ten seconds from passing out, but as the score’s currently 13-5, I think it’s pretty safe to say they’re going to lose.

Porcello got clobbered.

Miguel Cabrera posed on a– single and cost the Tigers a run.

Everything about this game sucks, pretty much.

I just hope for one or all of the following, while I’m sleeping:

a bases clearing brawl

a position player pitching Looks like Marlboro Jim is going to deny me this simple request.

Huston Street coming in in the ninth and getting owned by Magglio. Again.

Is that too much to ask?

I had a long day. If my day could be quantified as shit, then this game would be the cherry on the shit cake of my day.

Or something, I don’t know. I’ve been awake for eighteen hours and my brain has turned to mush.

ETA

So I had this post written up before the game ended, but I didn’t post it until after the game ended. So it’s irrelevant now.

Fuck Coors Field.

Game 57: RAGE!

If I never see another bunt with a runner in scoring position, I will be a happy woman.

Jim Leyland, there is already a fucking runner in scoring position. You do not need to bunt to increase your chances of scoring. A base hit will probably score him. The bunt is superfluous.

* * *

The lack of base hits with runners in scoring position– off two struggling White Sox pitchers, no less– makes me want to smash things into tiny pieces with a sledgehammer, throw those tiny pieces into a blender, make a smoothie from those tiny pieces (with some chunks of frozen dog crap to add flavor) and then force the people I am raging at to choke it down.

Game 54: Unmitigated Disaster

Leyland: Hey, Raburn, you’re our starting second baseman now that that slug Sizemore is finally gone. [puffs on cigarette]
Raburn: Woohoo! Consistent playing time! Yay!
Leyland: On second thought, I think I’ll bench you again for no reason other than that I’m a dick.
Raburn: Oh.
Leyland: Wait, you have terrible numbers against Duensing and Andy Dirks is a better fielder, so I’m going to start you against Duensing and put you in left field again. The Twins won’t know what hit ’em!
Raburn: ……………………………

Basically, this is what happened in the last couple days.

Leyland must just be doing this to fuck with Raburn. He hates him and wants him off the team but DD is reluctant to just cut bait and eat his salary, so Leyland is engaging in an elaborate mindfuck with Raburn until his spirit is broken and he quits on his own.

This is cruel and unusual, Jim Leyland. CRUEL and UNUSUAL.

* * *

Raburn, everybody’s favorite whipping boy that isn’t named Jim Leyland, got a base hit.

* * *

… what in blue blazes just happened.

* * *

Via beckjason, Tigers beat writer: Leyland on why Raburn over Boesch in LF: Raburn could then move to 2B if Dirks pinch-hit for Worth later.

Oh. I see.

I’ve been told I should update more.

So, I will. Think of this as a rage blog.

Tigers do something stupid, like fail to score with the bases loaded and nobody out? RAGE!

Leyland leave his pitcher in too long? RAGE!

Leyland pull his pitcher too soon? RAGE!

RAGE FOR EVERYBODY!

Brad Thomas in a one-run game.

I think that’s really all that needs to be said about tonight’s bullpen implosion.

No?

Okay. Why wasn’t Schlereth in there? Okay, I know Perry is on the DL and Weinhardt probably didn’t get to the park in time but still. You honestly thought Thomas was going to get big outs for you in a close game? Thomas is a mop-up man at best, and on a plane back to Australia at worst (or would that be best?).

Not much to say about Brayan Villarreal or Enrique Gonzales. They did what they could. I mean, who else hits the pitch Gonzales threw to Guerrero but Guerrero?

Brad Penny was a bucket of “meh”.

Offense missed some opportunities.

YOU BRING IN BRAD THOMAS TO PROTECT THE ONE-RUN LEAD AND THEN BRING IN THE BETTER LEFTHANDER WHEN THE GAME IS ALREADY OUT OF REACH. GREAT BULLPEN MANGLEMENT, JIM LEYLAND. SERIOUSLY AWESOME.

Also why was Kelly in right over someone like Wells? I don’t think Wells is a natural rightfielder, but he at least has a good arm and might’ve been able to nail that runner at the plate.

Anyway this shitshow gave me a headache. Hopefully they left this crap on the road.

This is why we can’t have nice things, Jim Leyland.

The Tigers lost a game they should have won because Valverde threw SIXTY goddamn pitches last night. SIXTY.

And now you can probably add both Perry and Coke to the list of relievers who won’t be available for Sunday’s game. All because Jim Leyland left Valverde in Friday’s game in hopes of his arm falling off, apparently.

Good job, Leyland. *slow sarcastic golf clap*