Tiger Geist

I wasn’t planning on watching the all-star game last night, but I got home at 9:30 (12:30 EST) and for some reason the game was still on.  And i loved the three or so innings that I saw:

• At that point, the players and pitchers had settled down.  Great defense (minus Uggla, who seems to be the ‘Miguel Cabrera playing third base’ version of a second baseman), great sportsmanship, great strategy (sacrafices, intentional walks, etc).  Neither team wanted to lose the game.
• Love the slide by Morneau.  He runs like an elephant.  A very very slow elephant.
• Love the slide sign (down, to your right!) by Carlos Quinton, the on-deck batter.  Maybe its just the angle of the camera that showed it, but the little fundamentals that the great ones do make you really appreciate that game.  Again, maybe every player does that, but remembering the little things (even when you aren’t involved in the play or even on the field, like Quentin at the time), even in an all-star game, makes these guys all-stars.
• They said they would have gone with emergency pitchers;  I wonder if Francona had thought about just throwing the game.
• Loved the enthusiasm by the AL team after winning;  nice hugs for Leyland.
• Love the nonchalant manner of Michael Young, after hitting the winning sac fly.  In the Barry Sanders mold of “pretend you’ve been there before”… Young has been there before, winning the 2006 all-star game with a triple in the top of the ninth.
• Love the throw and attempted tag on Morneau… a tad late, but great attempt.
• Love the Umpire getting the call right
• Wonder if the Umpire would have called ’safe’ just to get everyone out of there.

Overally, I don’t think its fair that this decides home field advantage, but I do like how the game felt like it meant something to the players.  Unlike the NHL, NBA or the ghastly NFL pro bowl, the players had pride.

Clete down, Maggs back in… Joyce and Larish stay up.  Larish will probably be sent down when Bonine (or another starter) is recalled.  Joyce got a couple of starts last week over Thomas, so this isn’t too big of a surprise.  What is surprising is the power Joyce has shown, and the lack of power Thomas seems to have.

I wonder if this is also a move that may mean some DH duty for Joyce?  Detroit now lacks a true backup center fielder (Raburn is the most logical choice, Inge could continue spot duty).  Unless more moves are upcoming, maybe Detroit feels that Granderson is going to play 60 of the next 68 games.  Or at most of the games from now until September, when the rosters expand and (most likely) Thomas and maybe Clevlen are recalled.

Granderson is a potential all-star who has been hot and cold all year.  I’m not quite sure how Raburn fits in at center; he’s only played there for 22 innings this year, while playing 63 innings there last year.  Though at this point, with the long-ish layoff and rosters expanding in about seven weeks, maybe its time to let the boys play.

Back to Joyce.. does this mean less playing time for Sheffield?  I imagine Joyce could use more at-bats, as he seems to have hit himself into consideration for playing time next year.  Wouldn’t Toledo be a better place to get those at-bats?  Based on previous years’ output, Thames will probably see a slightly reduced workload over the next few months, as Leyland will do his best to keep Thames fresh.  But in a part time role, with the lack of a true backup center fielder (see above), Clete Thomas would have been the better choice to ‘ride the pine’.  Maybe Leyland thinks he can get enough at-bats for Joyce between the corner outfield positions and DH to make it worthwhile.