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What a week! Two
wins! Sound the trumpet! Things
are certainly looking up for the Tigers. Jeremy
Bonderman tosses a gem, the Tigers show a lot of
fight, and we get some limited production from Dean
Palmer when it actually counts. I think I would have
liked to have seen at least one of those games in
Oakland, but none of them were televised!!! I suppose
the networks figured the Wings would still be
around...oops! Anyway, there is a lot to be hopeful
about after this week, and the next two bring us
Baltimore and Tampa. It's Deivi and Damion
revisited...
New Subscribers...
Well I missed a few people last week and a few more
are on the list. Here are the new mates on board for
the long and winding road.
Andy Leon "Durham"
Andy "Van Slyke" Karnitz
Jeff "Weaver" Kerr
John "Kruk" Klozik
Jim "Thome" Maher
Sonny "Mazz" Mazzolini
and welcome back
J.D. "LaSorda" Ryznar
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Week of 4/22 - 4/28
Record: 2-4 LWLLWL-
AL Central
KCR 17 5 -
CWS 14 11 4.5
MIN 10 14 8
CLE 7 18 11.5
DET 3 20 14.5
Tigers Division
NYY 20 5 -
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TOR 10 16 10.5
MIL 9 16 11
CLE 7 18 13
DET 3 20 16
Up Next for the Tigers...
April 29 - May 1 Baltimore
May 2-4 Tampa Bay
May 5-7 @ Baltimore
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Tiger of the Week...
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Dean Palmer...did not get the award this week. Did I
scare you? I think that we have to give the nod to
rookie Jeremy Bonderman, who went 8 innings in a 4-1
victory over Cy Young winner Barry Zito and the AL
West defending champion Oakland A's. Bondy
surrendered just three hits and one run, while
striking out five. If Bonderman can give us an outing
like this once every four starts, that would be sweet.
That Jeff Weaver deal is starting to look a bit
better, as it brought us Pena, Bonderman, and German.
Pena is young and should come around. German has
already shown that he has great stuff, and this is a
very promising outing from Bonderman. Here's a link
to an article, recently written by Peter Gammons,
about Bonderman's story.
http://espn.go.com/gammons/s/2003/0427/1545513.html
I can't deny that I still miss Weaver, though.
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Poll Question...
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This season, John "Brian O'Toole's idol" Rocker signed
a contract with the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. Rocker
recently threw two perfect innings in relief in a
minor league game. Love him or hate him, Rocker
brings an unstable element to the game that doesn't
involve drunk fans, Lou Pinella, or Roseanne Barr. So
the question is, do you think John Rocker being in the
majors is good for generating interest in MLB (which
obviously isn't as popular as it once was) or would we
all be better off if he left the game for good? Also,
do you think Roseanne Barr could eat John Rocker in
one sitting (yes, she does get a glass of water to
wash him down)?
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Beat Down of the Week...
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Carl Everett got some revenge on his old teammates on
Thursday, as the Texas Rangers pounded Boston 16-5 in
Arlington. Everett, Juan (Booooooooo) Gonzalez, and
Rafael Palmeiro combined to go 8 for 14 and knock in
10 runs. Michael Young also went 3 for 4, as Texas
batted .442 on the day. Derek "my ERA was once" Lowe
was given the hook after retiring only six batters.
He took the loss after giving up 7 earned runs on six
hits and three walks. Ex-Tiger Kevin Tolar, who was
verbally abused by Hillsdalian Chas Claus before he
even threw a pitch for the Tigers, was thrown to the
wolves. Tolar went .1 innings and gave up five runs
(four earned). Amazingly, Texas starter Ryan Drese
only lasted two innings, so he didn't even pick up the
win in this gift of a game by his offense. I think
the Kingston Trio needs to come out of retirement to
record "Where Have all the Pitchers Gone?" ...Gone to
Yankees, every one. Oh when will they ever learn?
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Quote of the Week...
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"I like you, but I still like the Lions and the
Tigers." - Kevin O'Toole, my uncle (who has Down's
Syndrome), toasting my grandmother on her 90th
birthday.
I don't get choked up often, but Uncle Kevin's toast
was pretty awesome, and he ended it with that line,
which left me giggling all night. Here's to Uncle
Kevin, the most faithful Detroit fan you'll ever meet.
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Mo Vaughn Weekly...
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On Sunday, the Mets were swept in a double header
against the Diamondbacks. On the day, they committed
eight errors! That's more than Moltar (there's a
shout out to all Spaceghost fans)! Mo's contribution
to the day was 0 for 4 over the two games with two K's
and one of the eight errors. Mo, hitting .206, is
doing a splendid job at leading his team into the
toilet this season. They are 11-14 (hardly bad
compared to the Tiggers, but the team payroll should
demand more) and sit in last place in a very
competitive NL East. Tony Clark, in the second game
of the double header, was 2 for 5. Tony would be
redeemed for all his K's if he can force Mo to the
bench. The only thing keeping me semi-hopeful for the
Mets success is that Leiter and Glavine are both on
the fantasy team that I care about (and that none of
you care about, so I'll try to keep fantasy mentions
to a bare minimum). Mo for death.
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Game Linescores...
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April 21: no game scheduled...
April 22: Detroit 5 - Oakland 6 F/11
Starters: DET: Bernero 6IP - OAK: Hudson 7.2IP
DET 000 000 032 00 5 6 0
OAK 100 020 110 01 6 13 1
W: Rincon (1-1)
L: Ledezma (0-1)
April 23: Detroit 4 - Oakland 1
Starters: DET: Bonderman 8IP - OAK: Zito 7IP
DET 000 200 020 4 7 0
OAK 000 000 010 1 3 0
W: Bonderman (1-3)
L: Zito (3-2)
S: Anderson (2)
April 24: Detroit 0 - Oakland 2
Starters: DET: Cornejo 6IP - OAK: Mulder 9IP
DET 000 000 000 0 3 2
OAK 000 010 10X 2 8 0
W: Mulder (3-1)
L: Cornejo (1-2)
April 25: Detroit 0 - Seattle 6
Starters: DET: Maroth 2IP - SEA: Pineiro 5.1IP
DET 000 000 000 0 4 0
SEA 420 000 00X 6 9 0
W: Pineiro (2-1)
L: Maroth (0-6)
April 26: Detroit 6 - Seattle 4
Starters: DET: Knotts 4.1IP - SEA: Franklin 6.1IP
DET 000 121 101 6 11 0
SEA 002 020 000 4 11 2
W: Walker (1-0)
L: Franklin (1-2)
S: Anderson (3)
April 27: Detroit 3 - Seattle 4
Starters: DET: Bernero 7IP - SEA: Garcia 7IP
DET 011 001 000 3 4 2
SEA 013 000 00X 4 5 0
W: Garcia (2-3)
L: Bernero (0-4)
S: Nelson (2)
April 28: no game scheduled...
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Readers Write In...
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Peter "The Poet" Ciofani
Roses are red
When you make a number it's a pass
Will the Tigers ever, ever
Get out of last?
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Jason "Double Stuff" Boddu
i know this is the "tiger's weekly" and all, but they
are horrible...so how's about a little love for the
pistons? a bunch of no-namers making a name for
themselves. how they made it to the top of the eastern
conference is a miracle. topping the magic will be an
even bigger miracle!
here's another miracle... the bulls accumulated 30
wins this year.
jason
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Steve "Three Minutes" Sprague
I think the increased frequency of fans attacking
players is an instance of all three. Animosity
towards the game, towards the players and also
general stupidity of those fans involved. Did you see
the guys who attacked the Royals coach last year? I
think they went to Oakridge high. But in the end it
comes down to people getting drunk and getting upset
that these guys are overpaid crybabies, and the owners
are rich pricks.
Best fan appearance on the field, the two guys running
the bases with Hank Aaron after number 715. Best
appearance on a playing surface in any sport is
definitely the fan that walked onto the court during
an NBA game after the lockout and threw money at the
players to protest the bull shit. The best part was
that one of the players grabbed a wad of cash and
stuffed it in his sock.
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sent by Matt "Nokes" Muller
I think there is a real possibility that the Tigers
will only win 40 to 45 games this year. How many teams
have finished with 120 or more losses?
Trevor Burns
*** Trevor: Only one team since 1900 has lost 120
games -- the 1962 Mets, who finished 40-120. The AL
record of 117 losses in a season belongs to the 1916
Philadelphia A's, who played only 153 games.
I covered the 1988 Orioles for the now-defunct
Baltimore Evening Sun, tracking their 0-21 start and
54-107 finish. That team featured two future Hall of
Famers (Eddie Murray and Cal Ripken Jr.), a former MVP
(Fred Lynn) and several others who were or became
solid major leaguers (Mike Boddicker, Brady Anderson,
Terry Kennedy, Mickey Tettleton).
The Tigers aren't nearly as good.
To win 50 games, the Tigers must finish 49-96. That
shouldn't be out of the question, but keep in mind
that they have yet to face the Yankees, Red Sox or any
of the AL West contenders.
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Brian "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother" O'Toole
Well another stellar week of pussycats baseball. It's
been difficult to watch, err, observe from down here
in North Carolina. All I seem to see are highlights
of ninth inning screw-ups and walk off home runs. I
can't even watch them fall apart every day, I just get
the abbreviated version on Sportscenter. Then follow
it up with Rome telling me they are only good for one
win a week . . . err month. No wait, they should win
one a week . . . maybe or they might win one a week or
it could be a month. Hell I don't know! I'm going to
get drunk and watch John Rocker pitch in Durahm! For
it's one, two, three strikeouts and John gets his KKK
at the old ballgame. Just the Good Ole' Boys!!! I'm
trying to get some of these Rednecks down here
interesed in the Tigers Weekly but they keep comparing
them to the lowly Hurricanes. At least the 'Canes had
a shining moment last season, whereas the Tiggers have
to reach back to Doyle Alexander and the 87 season
to find a winning mark. Was that the worst year of
trades in history??? 200 year old Doyle for a young
kid oh what's his name . . . I can't really remember .
. . oh yeah John Smoltz. I think Doyle's calling
for his food through a tube and John is throwing gas
in the late innings. Way to go Illitch. Anyways I'll
be visiting the Great Lakes State this weekend as
Grandmother O'Toole celebrates her nineth birthday.
Also in attendace will be Mike Illitch and a few
others who were around long before she was
born. WAR Tigers Weekly. . . WAR Grandma O'Toole. . .
WAR the South. . . WAR the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim!
OUT! LIA!
Big Brother
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Matt "Y" Weiland
Fellow readers obviously the Good Old Boys aren't
faring too well. I just wanted to remind us all that
no matter how many more games the Tigs lose there is
still no excuse to cry. I think we all know the
reason why, if not ask Jimmy Duggan from A League of
Their Own.
O'Toole thanks for the shout out on the left side
of the infield, remember nate and I were nothing
without Higginbbottom at first. I can honestly say
that my best career choice was stepping down from the
glories of Division II baseball and being signed by
the Highlands for the price of a T-shirt (Dallas I
still have yours).
Well I think it is safe to say that some of these
wall jumping fans are idiots based on the fact that
they are obviously buying enough beer, at least 7
bucks a pop, to forget why they are there. To watch a
game! Heck I might even jump on the field to see some
of those prestigious ball players freak out.
O'Toole I called Ilitch and when I asked him where he
was getting his players. He said something about
schools and I said colleges. He replied no carnival,
and something else about barking for the Yack Women.
(only makes sense if you know Christmas Vacation)
Keep (sob) the (sob) faith
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Toolie's Trashtalk...
OK Houser, now where's your snide comment about teams
with a winning percentage that starts with .0? The
only team I can think of now like that is the team of
House and Guage vs. O'Toole and Samoit. You know what
I'm talking about!
The Tigers were 2-4 this week, but they showed some
real life. They were also shut out twice this week.
That brings the total to six times already the Tigers
have been shut out. The Tigers have been shut out
twice the times they have won. Yikes. Well at least
in the two wins they showed that they have the ability
to score some late runs. They also pushed Oakland to
the brink in the first game, tying the game off of
closer Keith Foulke. I don't think the Tigers forced
a blown save on a closer once last year...but I could
be wrong (who's gonna check for me?). Bernero,
Cornejo, and Bonderman all turned in nice outings. It
seems that Bernero has a certain C.C. Sabathia quality
to him in that he's vulnerable in the early innings.
Bernero started the only game I saw this year, giving
up 5 in the first two innings against Chicago before
pitching five scoreless innings. On Sunday, Bernero
gave up one in the second and three in the third and
didn't allow a HIT after the third (Sparks pitched a
hitless 8th).
Well it was pretty bad road trip, with the boys going
2-10. These next two weeks, it would be nice to see
the Tigers play .500 ball. At least we know that
there won't be a let down against a lesser team. I
think I may try and make it to one of the games
against Baltimore and see if I can get Deivi Cruz to
autograph the baseball card of him I got once in a
Pepsi twelve pack.
I got in some trouble this week for neglecting to
include a vote for Field of Dreams in last week's
issue. And since Houser voted for Eight Men Out as
the best movie, Field of Dreams actually comes out
ahead (when you include my vote as well). So Field of
Dreams is the newly crowned champion. Not that the
vote is that valid anyway, since "Field" won with
three votes (and i had to break the tie). In Kevin
Costner fashion, I guess the lesson I've learned is
"if you leave out someone's vote (especially if it's
your girlfriend's) then you will get an earful."
Well my tour of duty teaching Math 1825 at MSU has
come to a close as I graded my students' finals today.
They're out! Well some of them anyway. Indeed I
have become a paragon of patience through this class.
Heck, between that and waiting for the Tigers to crank
out a winning season, I could put the most patient of
monks to shame. Just call me Grasshopper.
Boddu, I included your shout out to the Pistons
because it looks like this could be the last chance to
do so this year. They are heading the way of the Red
Wings, down 3-1. Good, then I can really officially
not care about the NBA again (see Sprague's post).
Though I would almost expect the same thing from Tom
Glavine or other MLB Player Union misers.
I can't say that I disagree with the trade the Tigers
made back in 1987 for Doyle. You never know how
things like that will turn out. Doyle had a great
stretch run with the Tigers. Sometimes that rookie
turns out to be a star (Smoltz) and sometimes not
(Karim Garcia).
Weiland, I am in total agreement with you about the
beer situation. I have always wondered why beer
prices are so high at games, and that Ilitch should
have the prices lowered to get attendance up (cause
the players sure aren't pulling the people in). Now I
see that if prices were any lower, half the stadium
would leave drunk. I, for one, have never paid for a
beer at a baseball game, and I don't think I ever
will.
OK, that is all she wrote. I'm gonna go chow down on
cafeteria food and start studying for my final
tomorrow. Rome is Burning debuts tomorrow at 7PM on
ESPN. I just hope that it's not a "Rome has guests on
and proceeds to kiss their butts" type show. The Rome
show is at its best when he's ranting by himself about
an issue. Man, I'm sick of hearing him blitz the
Tigers though. Next week we'll start things on a
happy note. I'm calling for a 5-1 week (though Tampa
is no slouch team this year). I hope Easley is 0-12
in the TB series. After all, we're still paying him.
I'm done.
Toolie
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Tigers Weekly is in no way affiliated with the Detroit
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