Does anyone else question Leyland’s decision to keep Bonderman in the game? He seemed rattled after the first batter and things only escalated from there. I know that Leyland has made pitchers pitch out of jams successfully before, but this is nearly August, not May. I worry about what an inning like that can do to a pitcher’s psyche down the stretch.

You’re not going to beat the Twins with four errors…some work on the fudmamentals by the infield should be in order for the next day off…

Let’s not be too critical. The Tigers have had one of the best infield defenses this year. They’re bound to have a bad game, and they had it. I’m sure they’ll get back on track this week.

Sean Casey wouldn’t let that ball through. I feel bad for Shelton, but the Tigers just improved their infield and their hitting.

It’s amazing we have a guy that actually walks about 10% of the time.

I disagree that they’ve improved their hitting. Probably not.

Shelton was not hitting terribly well, but Sean Casey is one of the more overrated players in baseball. This move makes very little sense, but yeah, like he said, the price wasn’t very high.

Leyland’s continued insistence on using dumb “aggressive” plays like the hit-and-run again cost us at least one run yesterday. This happened much earlier in the game and will therefore never be discussed by anyone but me, as usual. Having a runner thrown out at third with no one out because the stupid, useless hit-and-run play was on (on a 1-0 count) really hurts the chances for a big inning. No one seems to ever criticize this, yet everyone is always very eager to praise the hit-and-run on the off chance that it actually works. I’m tired of watching the team run themselves out of innings because Leyland thinks he’s John McGraw. It’s dumb.

Before you tell me not to be so hard on the Tigers, that I should be happy they have played so well, as yourself whether youd rather be 72-32 and not 70-34. Every little bit helps, and it’s Leyland’s goddamn job to know how to get those little bits.

not to mention that we just picked up a player that was injured on the 29th and is currently listed as “day to day” with an oblique strain. We didnt lose that game only because shelton made an error. there was plenty wrong in that game…like Leyland hitting and running with no one out and men on first and second. Wilson gets thrown out at third and on the next pitch, Polonco slaps a single. That cost us at least one run and possibly the big inning. PLus there is zero reason to let your starter melt down in the 8th and give up six runs. once the first 2 men got on base your strike out pitcher should be summond. Zumya was unavailable so rodney should have been called in.. only problem was that grilli was the one warming up. When you are playing a hot team on the road there is no reason to leave your starter in. everyone could feel that that inning was going south fast.

Agreed, Mike. The hit-and-run pitch was a ball, so that would have been none out, 1st and 2nd, 2-0 count on a good hitter with Santana still laboring. We handed him and out and it cost us at least one run. Will anyone in the Detroit media talk about it? No. Will anyone on line talk about it? No one of note. If the hit-and-run would have worked the broadcasters and writers would have had their pants around their ankles within seconds.

This type of crap has cost us games this year, at least a couple. Once in a while it works and it helps us win a game, but it far more often hurts the cause.

Dan,

What’s funny is, the announcers did bring up the hit and run, like you said, when it worked. Can’t remember the situation, but they made a big deal about it because it was an 0-1 count, which they claimed was traditionally not a hit and run count.

I liken it to the stolen base. Way overrated and unless it succeeds way more times then it fails, it’s not worth doing.

You go into the eighth inning with a 3-0 lead and your starting pitcher has a one hitter, which was a bunt single, and your defense gives the Twins 6 runs and all you guys want to talk about is a stupid meaningless hit and run play fifteen thousand innings ago where “Leyland cost us at least one run.” Oh, well we happened to lose by two runs. There’s a lot of manager decisions you can question throughout a game, but if your freakin first baseman can’t field a routine ground ball I don’t think there’s much to second guess about that now is there! Shelton has been a liability at the plate since May 1. While Casey may not be the best player available, he’s a .300 career hitter, and a little time at AAA will hopefully get Shelton’s head back on driving the baseball instead of swinging at crap and watching strikes fly down the middle of the plate. It makes a whole lot a sense to me!