For a team that is missing their best player in Albert Pujols, the Cards looked pretty damn good. Maybe perspective was a little skewed after playing the Giants and the Padres, but it looks like Detroit ran into the same team that quietly handed their asses to them in the “06 World Series.
Pujols is eligible to come off the DL on Thursday, so this is one of those games that you’d kinda like to win. But it is baseball, and you can’t win ‘em all. We’ll see if they can turn this thing around tomorrow.
Kenny Rogers looked pretty rough, giving up 5 earned runs in 5 1/3. However, he did pick off his Major League Record 93rd runner. It never ceases to amaze me that teams still try to steal against Rogers.
The big news was of course, Sheffield was back off the DL. I am on record as stating that the Tigers have looked better without him, than they have with him. But he did hit a homerun in his return, albeit a meaningless one. I’ll hold my opinion for a couple of weeks to see if my mind is changed on this one. No disrespect to Sheff, but the Mendoza line must not be crossed – not this late in the season.
Cabrera and Pudge both hit homeruns, but the team never really seemed to click. Granderson extended his hitting streak to 12 games which means his average is climbing back to respectability. I don’t think DiMaggio has anything to worry about, though.
The 3rd largest crowd in Comerica Park history (44,446) witnessed a fitting tribute to the 1968 World Series (against St. Louis of course). Mickey Lolich threw out the first pitch to Bill Freehan. Too bad those two couldn’t have given the Tigers a hand on the field today.
