Detroit Tigers @ Texas Rangers (April 6th-9th)

[Vinny]

The Tigers come in on fire after demolishing the Royals in a two game series to start the year. The Rangers should prove a bit tougher of a test, though they didn't fare too well against the Red Sox, taking only one of three to open their season at home. The Rangers' Ameriquest Park is a hitter's paradise often referred to as "Coors Lite" because of the abundance of Home Runs that are hit there on an annual basis. Much of the reason for those prodiguous home run totals is the Rangers' powerful lineup featuring such young studs as Mark Teixeira, Hank Blalock, Michael Young and Kevin Mench.

The Tigers start things off in game one with the Lefty Nate Robertson. Nate has put together back to back seasons of about league average starting pitching, which is a much more valuable commodity than some people realize. He's actually pitched pretty well against the Rangers in his career, going 2-2 in 6 starts with a 2.95 ERA and holding them to a .231 batting average. He's been surprisingly dominant at the Rangers home Ameriquest Field, a notorious hitter's park, allowing only one earned run and nine hits in 15.2 innings of work there. The only Ranger who's hit him particularly well is the catcher, Rod Barajas, who's 4-8 lifetime against big Nate.

The Rangers fire back with righty R.A. Dickey, a 31 year old who's 2-0 against them in his career. Dickey features a special pitch known simply as "the thing" which has been known to baffle hitters. Watch for it during tonight's game. Craig Monroe's the only Tiger with much luck against Dickey going 4-9 with a double in his career.

It should be a tough game but let's hope the Tigers can keep their early season winning ways flowing with a victory tonight. I'll take the Tigers, 9-6.

vs

[Darth Thanatos]

So the Tigers move up from freshman to JV competition.

This game will be a home run derby.

[Anthony]

Hopefully we can see some of the same results.

[WalledLakeBomber]

Why does it not surpise me that a pitcher named R.A. Dickey has a pitch called "the thing" and that the Rangers picked him up. I can see the Tigers going 2-2 in this series. 4-2 coming home would not be bad.

[Vinny]

Lineups are up. The Rangers benched Blalock as he's not at his best against lefties. Granderson got benched, too. Monroe's starting in center with Thames in left and Inge is leading off. Leyland also moved Guillen up to 7th, a solid move. DY really needs to move down to 7th with Shelton and Guillen pushed up another spot, in my opinion.

Detroit
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
B. Inge 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .444
P. Polanco 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .500
I. Rodriguez c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .625
M. Ordonez rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
D. Young dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .143
C. Shelton 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .667
C. Guillen ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .375
C. Monroe cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .125
M. Thames lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1.000
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Texas
AB R H RBI BB K LOB Season Avg
B. Wilkerson lf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .286
M. Young ss 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .250
M. Teixeira 1b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273
P. Nevin dh 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .273
M. DeRosa 3b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
K. Mench rf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .385
A. Brown cf 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
R. Barajas c 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .333
I. Kinsler 2b 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .167
Totals 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

[Vinny]

Inge plays Rickey Henderson, leads off the game with a Home Run.

[Vinny]

Maggs just T'd off too. We're going to chase this guy by the 4th. 2-0 Tigers.

[Vinny]

The barrage continues....Shelton GONE!!! 3-0 Tigers in the 2nd on 3 solo shots.

Nice double play to end a Ranger threat in the first, btw....

[Vinny]

Shelton gone again!!! That's 4 for the season now.

(I love DVR, i'm watching both the Pistons and the Tigers games simultaneously during down times for each...)

[Vinny]

Tigers have 6 home runs with one out in the fourth. This is officially ridiculous. It's batting practice out there. 2 for Shelton, 1 each for Maggs, Thames, Inge, and Craig Monroe. 7-0 Tigs.