Daily Update Archive- 2008June 30- A fitting game to end a fabulous month in which the Bengals went 19-8 including a 19-4 run in their last 23 games... as impressive as that is, consider just how hard it was to go 35-5 in their first 40 in 1984. Enough of the history lesson for now- let's look at 2008! Still 5 games out as the White Sox are putting together a nice run, recovering from the Detroit sweep a few weeks ago... but injury problems??? Just as Zumaya and Rodney come back, we lose Maggs for a couple of weeks and maybe Cabrerra- we'll find out more later today. Last night's game was one of those that should have been a loss- 3 crucial errors, playing in the 'dome with the Twins on a roll... down 4-1 in the late inning, but rallying for a big victory on a crucial hit by Matt Joyce, riding a fine relief performance by Casey Fossum and having Joel Zumaya come through in the closer role giving Jonesy some much-needed rest. Just a big victory in a hostile environment against a very hot team which had won 11 out of its last 12. Let's keep it going! June 29- Series sweep against Colorado brings us one over .500 but bigger and (we hope) better things await as we hit the road for the Metrodome! June 26- Another series win- 2 out of 3 from the tough Cardinals... we've handled them pretty well since the '06 series. More interleague this weekend against the Rockies. Let's sweep this series! June 22- A very good road trip, taking 4 of 6 out on the left coast... only 5 games behind and only 3 games under .500! June 18- Galarraga does it again as we take 2 out of 3 from the Willie Mays-less Giants. On to San Diego- I was there for the final game of the '84 Series. Quite possibly the ugliest uniforms in history!!! June 17- Marcus Thames goes deep again... his last 8 hits have been for the distance... 5 straight games with a homer- last Tiger to do that was Willie Horton in 1969! Big win over the Giants and a chance to take another series this afternoon! June 15- The lads shaved 5 games from the division leader in less than a week- down to only 6 behind. I always think it's too early to worry about GBs until August, but it's nice to see some encouraging stats for a change. Big trip out west- these two teams aren't doing very well this year, but it's always hard to win on the left coast. It'd be great to keep it rolling and hit .500 and build from there! June 12- An exciting 2-1 walk-off win homer by Cabrerra sweeps the first place White Sox. In come the Dodgers with Koufax, Drysdale... well thank goodness not! June 11- The first series victory in a long time AND against the (up to now) red-hot White Sox. Verlander pitches well and the team shows some life. It'll be tough, though- the injuries are piling up and the pitching staff took two hits with Bonderman probably out for the season and Dontrelle Willis pulling his Steve Blass impersonation. May 21- Two wins in a row with a chance to sweep Seattle this afternoon... takes me back to 1969 when we swept the Seattle Pilots, who later became the Milwaukee Brewers. Anyway Lolich, McLain and Earl Wilson all beat them at the end of August to bring them within 12½ games of the Boog Powell-led Orioles. May 20- Finalllly- a victory. The bats awaken, but it's a long climb back to contention. Can we get back in it? Remember 1987... 11-19 at one point May 13- If you can't say anything nice, don't say anything at all. May 7- Just when it looked like a big lead was blown, Polanco came to the rescue with 5 hits and the game winner in a come from behind walk-off victory against the Bosox! May 4- How do you follow a 3 game sweep in New York with a 3 game tanking in the Metrodome? Leyland promises big changes in the lineup. May 1- First 3 game sweep in New York since 1966 when we started the season with a perfect record... Bill Monbouquette got the win and catcher Orlando McFarlane homered! April 30- May ends with another big win in New York... Polanco hits 2 homers, Bonderman finally pitches well. 13-15 after that 0-7 start makes us 13-8 since- not too bad! April 28- So what does Sheffield do? ... hits a big home run to propel a big victory in NY... April 24- Sweep of the Rangers and a chance to get to .500 with a sweep over the tough Angels. I'll be there Sunday night to see 'em do it! Anyone else? April 23- We're outta the basement and only 3 games behind and scored a million runs last night! April 22- BIG DEFENSIVE SHAKEUP!!!- Cabrerra to first and Guillen to third. Let's hope that helps! We need to win 6 out of the next 7 to get to .500 by the end of the month, but most are against the tough Angels and Yankees. Since starting winless (0-7), we've gone 8-7... better, but obviously not good enough. April 21- Armando Galarraga saves the team with a getaway day win in Toronto for a series split. Leyland sez "Big boys need to step it up," and he's right. April 17- Verlander gets lit up again... time to worry about HIM? April 16- Big win against Cleveland... 17 hits, bunches of runs... guys breaking out of slumps. Cabrerra had a monster night... unknown Galarraga pitches very well and we've won 3 in a row. We're only 4½ behind- maybe we were ready to push the panic button a little too soon? April 15- ... and another nice comeback victory over the Twins... 2 in a row! April 14- Now I don't know if there are really big games in April, but this might have been... not only winning, but winning a game that looked like it was lost early. Two big comebacks and, more importantly, maybe the bats are waking up! April 13- Back from a week in Florida and, while it seemed ugly from there, it was even uglier when I watched the Saturday and Sunday games. Word has it that Leyland really lit into the team yesterday. Normally I think that kind of thing is overrated, but these guys are walking dead- maybe it'll do some good. It sure can't hurt. April 6- Who saw this coming? I didn't... Leyland didn't... even Nostradamus didn't. Hey- can he pitch? Or hit?? April 2- Rogers pitches well, but the offense is non-existent. We get shutout 4-0. Already down 2 games to the Tribe, but I think it's still early! March 31- OPENING DAY finally arrives, but we never seem to win the lidlifter... Verlander pitches well but the bullpen can't hold the lead, even though Guillen smacks a big home run in the 8th to tie it. Cabrerra homers in his Tiger debut. Some good signs, but the bullpen continues to worry. March 30- Finally done with spring training. The team about breaks even, but the pitching is somewhat worrisome. Willis does not look good- is he the guy from a few years ago or the guy from last year? Todd Jones also looks pretty bad. Is he at the end of the line? We can't afford that with the injuries to Zumaya and Fernando Rodney. Our prediction? Tigers win 100 games and the World Series! March 24- Big news is that Cabrerra is signed to a huge long-term contract... we come back from a 6 run deficit to beat the Astros, but Verlander gets shelled. March 23- More bad news-- Curtis Granderson gets hit on the hand by a pitch- he'll miss 3 weeks... looks like Inge might be the opening-day CF. Also Dontrelle Willis has been very ineffective. He's got a week to get straightened out. March 20- Now I know therse are only exhibition games, but come on- 6 losses in a row? Let's start to get ready for the sesaon... it's only a week away! March 17- Todd Jones has another bad inning in a loss to the Reds. Time to get nervouser? March 16- GADZOOKS! Three losses in a row and 2 in one day, to the Mets and the Rays... but on the brighter side, check out our NEW STORE- HERE!! We've got the famous caps, jerseys, t-shirts, jackets already and more coming all the time!... or click the "BUY STUFF!! link to the left! March 13- Big news as Todd Jones, goes a scoreless inning and lowers his ERA to 19.29! Sheffield homers, but Bonderman struggles in a 6-6 tie with Los Bravos. March 12- Pudge homers twice... Kenny Rogers pitches 5 strong innings! March 11- A BIG sweep of the Ohio teams... More than repayment for the buckeyes over the Blue... well even I don't think so! Four homers in the Cincinnati game! March 10- Pudge leads off the game with a homer... Cabrera also goes the distance as Verlander puts up 3 scoreless innings. March 9- Guillen triples and homers- we beat the Pirates, but Todd Jones realllly struggles again, giving up 4 in the 9th... should we worry??? March 7- Pudge goes 3 for 3 with 2 doubles and a homer, but Rogers struggles... Tigers 9, Braves 6. March 6- Dontrelle Willis looks very good in 3 innings, but bullpen implodes in loss to Braves. March 5- Verlander goes 3 strong innings... Maggs homers... Granderson continues to pound the ball. We beat the Phillies and the Pirates!March 3- Bonderman looked great in 3 scoreless innings- could he finallllly have developed the elusive change-up??? We blow a 6-2 lead, but with minor league pitchers. March 4- 17 hits but we blow a 6-0 lead as Todd Jones gets racked for 6 runs in 1 innings. March 2- Only 4 hits in our first exhibition loss to the Tribe, but the good news is that Kenny Rogers went 2 strong innings without giving up a hit! March 1- Over 176,000 tickets were sold on the first day available... last year, coming off a World Series appearance, they sold 76,000 and the year before was only 29,000. Better get 'em soon, check our Stubhub Links for great seats to all games! Go to each monthly schedule to find individual game ticket links. February 29- Granderson homers and Maggs smacks two hits and we go 2-0 in the Grapefruit League with a 4-1 win over the Blue Jays. There's no way Maggs can come close to duplicating last year, is there???? February 28- First Exhibition Game!!! It's always good to win, even in Florida- especially if you're there. A huge? 4-2 win over the Mets gets the Exhibition Season off to a good start. February- So it's been an unbelievable off-season with the acquisitions of key players... make no mistake- this team is loaded and the pitching should be more than adequate to carry it to season-long contention, if not better. I set the over at 100 wins! Any takers??
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