Sweep!

I just watched the highlights from the third and last game of the Indians-Tigers series from this weekend. After beating the Tribe 4-1 and 10-1, and then getting off to a 7-0 lead today, things got a little hairy. The Tigers finally prevailed 8-7, with Jose Valverde getting his 37th straight save with a big heap of help from Austin Jackson, who nailed a Cleveland runner trying to score on a sacrifice fly to end the game.

The Tigers are now up 4 1/2 games on Cleveland, in what is fast becoming one of only two meaningful races in baseball (the other is the N.L. West). Some contributors this weekend were names that weren't even on the team a week ago. Brandon Inge, who wasn't hitting his weight and striking out almost every at bat, returned from a stint in Triple A to hit a home run on Saturday, and Delmon Young, recently acquired from the Twins, blasted his second home run in six games for the Tigers, though he had four all year for Minnesota.

It was pointed out in an article in The New York Times today that since their World Series appearance in 2006, the Tigers have below a .500 wining percentage after the all-star break. This year they will certainly have to be on guard for collapses. Verlander, who has been nearly unbeatable this year, can't do it all himself. Rick Porcello, tagged today, has some problems to work out with his sinker. It is imperative that the starting rotation past Verlander provide some victories, or it may be deja vu all over again.

Verlander for MVP?

Drew Sharp of the Detroit Free Press floated the idea that Justin Verlander should be in the discussion for American League MVP. I think he should, too, but it opens a can of worms that has remained closed for a long time.

I tried to remember the last starting pitcher to win MVP, and it's no surprise that I coudn't--it was Vida Blue, 40 years ago! There's hardly an active player who was alive then. Before that, it was not uncommon, especially before the advent of the Cy Young Award. Since then, it seems that the baseball writers have considered that hardware enough for starters.

There have been handful of relief pitchers who have won it, though, including Rollie Fingers, Willie Hernandez, and Dennis Eckersley. It seems that the theory is that starting pitchers, who nowadays appear in only one game in five, aren't fit for an award over an everyday player. Relief pitchers appear far more often, and thus are not out of the conversation.

I can buy some of that argument. Verlander is clearly the MVP of the Tigers, even over Miguel Cabrera. He leads the league in wins, strikeouts, and WIP. Moreover, 14 of his 18 wins have come after Tiger losses, defining the term "stopper." He is the front runner for the A.L. Cy Young, putting a little distance between himself over Jered Weaver, who he beat one-on-one two weeks ago. Weaver still has a slight edge in E.R.A.

Verlander should receive MVP votes. Writers are allowed to vote for ten players, and he's in the top ten, despite being a starter. He's the ace and savior of a first-place team and, barring a collapse, should have well over 20 wins, which in this day and age is a rarity.

But he won't win. A starting pitcher probably will never win the award again, unless there are absolutely no other worry candidates. That's not true this year. The leading candidates are Adrian Gonzalez and Jacoby Ellsbury of the Red Sox, Curtis Granderson of the Yankees (where'd he get that power?), and Jose Bautista of the Blue Jays. They are all having great years, and except for Bautista, play for playoff-bound teams. Verlander's only shot is if the two Red Sox split the vote.

I'm a Tiger fan, but I can see that Verlander won't win this award. I am counting on him winning the Cy Young, though.

Bourbeau to Coach at Brown

I learned today that Amy Bourbeau, who has been the assistant coach of the Princeton women's ice hockey for the last 12 years, was named the new head coach at Brown. While I'm sorry to see her go, I'm excited at her opportunity to head a big-time program.

Bourbeau, who came to Princeton as Amy Carlson (she married former goaltender coach Francois Bourbeau) was a player at Providence and a former head coach at Williams. But she's been a fixture on the Princeton bench, as long as I've been attending games. She sort of fits the Princeton mold--very low key and unflappable, which is perhaps why she got the Brown gig. She's replacing Digit Murphy, who is "retiring" after 24 years at Brown, where she set the record for most victories as a college women's ice hockey coach. Murphy, to put it mildly, was fiery, and while she once had one of the best programs in the country, the program has hit hard times in recent years, with more players quitting than victories.

I wish Bourbeau the best of luck, except when it comes to playing Princeton.

The Statues

Here are the six statues that impressively sit above the left field stands at Comerica. They were sculpted by Omri Amrany. Initially, there were five statues: Cobb, Gehringer, Greenberg, Kaline and Newhouser. Then someone noticed that no black player was represented, and Willie Horton was added. This is an example of statuary affirmative action, as Horton, unlike the others, is not a Hall of Famer, and has not had his number retired (neither did Cobb, but he played in the days before numbers). But it was a nice gesture nonetheless, as Horton was a force and team leader on a team that helped calm a burning city back in the 1960s.

Wille Horton

Ty Cobb, spikes high

Hank Greenberg

Charlie Gehringer, who is also a distant relative of mine.

Hal Newhouser

Al Kaline, my favorite Tiger

Magic Day at Comerica Park

I just returned from a trip to see family in my home state of Michigan. While there, I took the opportunity to attend a Tiger's game at Comerica Park with my father, aunt, and uncle. As the days led up to the game, I followed the pitching rotation closely, as I hoped to see Justin Verlander throw for Detroit. I got that wish, and more, as his opponent would be Jered Weaver of the Los Angeles Angels. The two best pitchers in the American League would be facing off against each other.

This was my third or fourth game at Comerica Park, which opened in 2000. I went to dozens of games at the old Tiger Stadium, and while that grand old place had great charm and history, it was falling apart and I don't regret that it was torn down. Baseball teams play in stadiums, not museums. While some old fields, like Fenway Park and Wrigley Field, have weathered the years and are still viable, Tiger Stadium's time had passed, and the new stadium is a fantastic place to watch a game, while also respecting the history of the team. I love the six statues of Tiger greats that sit above the left-field stands, and the concourse that surrounds the stadium serves as a museum of the team's history. There's even a Ferris wheel for restless kiddies.

It was a hot Sunday--90 degrees, with very little breeze. In the car my dad called a no-hitter for Verlander. He's had some success in making bold predictions--he once correctly predicted we'd see Norm Cash hit two home runs in a game, but calling a no-hitter seemed outlandish. But in the first, Verlander set down the Angels in order, and did so in the second and third as well. He walked Bobby Abreu in the fourth and again in the seventh, but when the eighth inning rolled around, Verlander had not allowed a hit.

Meanwhile, other fireworks were taking place. Magglio Ordonez put the Tigers ahead with a two-run home run in the fifth, a fly ball which hugged the left-field line. Ordonez watched it sail into the stands, not running because he didn't know whether it would be fair or foul. Weaver, it seems, did not care for this, and yelled at Ordonez to "run the bases!"

In the sixth, Carlos Guillen, with a 3 and 2 count, took Weaver deep. Guillen, annoyed at Weaver's petulance, upped him in the childish behavior department and not only admired his home run, he gave Weaver a direct look and took a little hop-skip down the first base line. From where we sat, we didn't see any of this, but did see Weaver having a long conversation with the home plate umpire, who then warned both benches.

Weaver's next pitch came in close proximity to Alex Avila's skull, and Weaver was promptly tossed, gesticulating wildly as he made his ignominious exit. The crowd went wild, of course, as all this was happening while a no-hitter was in progress.

Eddie Aybar led off the eighth by dropping down a bunt attempt. There are all sorts of unwritten rules in baseball, and trying to break up a no-hitter with a bunt is one of them. Verlander later called it "bush league," but Tigers' manager Jim Leyland had no problem with it. It was only a three-run game, and bunting for base-hits is part of Aybar's repertoire. If they had been down eight runs, it would have been a different story.

Verlander may have been so annoyed that he fielded Aybar's bunt and threw it down the right field line. Aybar took second, and then third on a ground out. The next hitter hit a grounder to third, and Aybar got got in a rundown between third and home. It was botched by third-sacker Don Kelly, and Aybar scored. The shutout was gone, but the no-hitter was alive, but not for long. Maicer Izturis singled sharply to left, and suddenly it was a 3-2 game.

Much was made in the media about whether Verlander was so rattled by the fielding miscues that he lost the no-hitter because of chaos. It is true that had he thrown true to first he would have had Aybar, and Izturis would have led off the ninth, and no doubt Verlander would have pitched him differently. But it's also true that a pitcher is the last person on the field who should have trouble throwing out a base runner.

Verlander struck out Torii Hunter (his ninth K of the game) to end the threat, and walked to the dugout to great fanfare from the crowd. Jose Valverde came in to save it in the ninth, although made it interesting by allowing a walk and a runner to get in scoring position. But he got the last batter to pop to third and nail down the victory.

We missed seeing a no-hitter (my dad saw Jack Morris's no-hitter in 1984 at Comiskey, but I've never seen one) but it was a fun day nonetheless. The Indians lost, and Sunday ended with the Tigers up 2 and a half games in the standings. Later, on MLB network, Tom Verducci called it the best game in the majors so far this season. I certainly don't go to many games during the season (this was my first), but I sure can pick my spot.