Tigers Tamed

Dice-K's wilder than a hawk, as my mother would say, and Craig Hansen still may not be ready for primetime. Jacoby Ellsbury goes 0-for-5. It was the definition of winning ugly, but still, the Sox made it look relatively easy. Are the Tigers just not who we thought they were going to be? Where's that vaunted pitching staff? Bonderman, the best of the group so far, gave up four runs in six innings last night, and the always-interesting Todd Jones gave up Papi's 6th homer in the ninth.

The natives are getting restless in Motown, and I don't blame them. Any other night when you get ten free passes, you should win the game. But Dice saved his own bacon by not giving up a hit until the 4th inning. You got lucky tonight, Dice-K. Let's try and not let that happen too many times.

The Sox are cruising right now, looking like they did in mid-April before their bats all caught the flu. Mike Lowell is getting back into form, Ortiz is back to being Ortiz, Youk is on fire, Manny in a bit of a power drought but still being very productive. Even J.D. got two hits last night. Great time for it to happen, going on the road to towns notoriously unfriendly to the men in red socks (remember the Tiger sweep right before the break last year? No, me neither).

In other news, it's a bird, it's a plane, it's....Jason Giambi? Nope, it's Roger Clemens, issuing the standard non-apology apology for "mistakes" but still insisting it has not affected his credibility on the steroid issue. That's true, but only because he had no credibility on the steroid issue to begin with. Roger, please. This is getting embarrassing, even for those of us who can't stand you. Give it up, drop the suit, and then just go away. Officially announce your retirement, and then come out and make the happy rounds in 2013. It would be far less painful for everyone involved.

Wake takes the mound looking for win #3 tonight, and C's vs Cavs in round #2. To coin a phrase, guys, let's show these midwesterners how we do things downtown.

Comments

[Kevin Smith]

I have a theory in regards to Clemens. I don't think it's even really about defending himself anymore. I think it's about the attention.

I don't think he cares if it's for good things or bad, as long as the attention is on him.

It's the only conclusion I can come to when somebody so obviously has a losing hand and refuses to fold.

[Dawn]

There may not be any more beautiful sight than my Mikey going yard. Not to mention being only a triple shy of a cycle. ::happy sigh::

[Rooster]

That was a tough pitch to hit hard too for Lowell - nice piece of hitting!

Don't you love how these guys get caught doing something wrong, try to deny it it and fail, then try to save face by apologizing but really just apologizing for getting caught and having to apologize? (Does that make sense?)

[Lisa K.]

Mike Lowell going yard is a beautiful thing to behold...watching him bounce around the bases is surely another.

As for Clemens, you may be right, Kevin. In that case, it's MORE than hubris, it's a diagnosable mental illness.