It's a Good Thing I'm Not Superstitious

If I was superstitious, I’d never watch a game again, because things were crusin’ along and looking good until I left work (which, by the way, usually leaves me in total ignorance of the game, unless the one Tiger fan pharmacist is in the mood to bring it up on the internet, but he wasn’t the pharmacist last night). I turned the game on the radio on my way home (which is less than a five-minute drive, but still) and the first thing I listened to was Gerald Laird popping up with the bases loaded. Just as I got home, Edwin Jackson gave up the leadoff home run to Scott Rolen. I changed my clothes once I got home, so I missed the Inge error and Bobby Seay getting his job done. So by the time I got the TV on, Brandon Lyon was already in the game (and basically, from there on out, well…I got to see the Inge home run). According to his career stats, Brandon Lyon will give up hits, but he generally throws strikes and keeps the ball in the park. So the home run and the walk later on are both out of character. I don’t know why that is, but I do know that at Comerica Park, Aaron Hill would’ve simply hit a fly ball to left. That one is not out in Detroit. I’m not going to get into the Ryan Perry discussion (though I might be forced into it once I go to work today cuz the Tiger fan pharmacist is working tonight). At any rate, I hear that Edwin Jackson pitched well through the first seven innings. I just wasn’t there to see it.

I know I only have the observations of about a game and two innings to base this on, but I think I’m onto something so I’ll say it now. With all the hype about the left side of the infield being so much stronger defensively this year (though both Everett and Inge have errors already), it seems that the right-handed Blue Jays hitters are trying to combat this by avoiding the left side altogether. It just feels like I’ve been seeing a lot of righties get base hits either up the middle or to the opposite field. I’m not sure what the Tigers are supposed to do about this, though.

Well, if Zach Miner’s on his game tonight, maybe that left side of the infield will finally get to be busy (though according to Jason Beck, Santiago’ll be at short and not Everett). Miner needs to throw strikes. When he does that, he’s usually on his game. Barring a complete game (which I’ll certainly take), I’d have to think that we’ll see Ryan Perry and Fernando Rodney regardless of the score. Well, I might not. I’m working again tonight (though once I get through this, I don’t work again until next Wednesday).