During a baseball season, there are key dates involving key games that can define a team's success, failure and direction. May 4th, 2008 could end up being one of those dates to remember for the Tigers. They score six runs in the first inning and slowly let that lead fade over the next eight innings. Tigers lose a real tough one, 7-6 to the Twins and as a result get swept three straight in Minnesota.
Sure the team has been playing well over the last two weeks. They swept the Yankees in the Bronx for the first time since 1966, and pulled to within a game of .500. But the May 4th game tells me that the '08 Tigers still aren't quite right.
Does June 1st, 2007 ring a bell to anybody? If you're a true Tigers' fan, that date should jump out to you immediately. Tigers were in Cleveland facing the Indians. They took an 11-7 lead into the bottom of the 9th inning. Todd Jones was brought in and he blew it. Jones proceeded have one of his most memorable meltdowns of last season, allowed 5 runs and the Tigers ended up losing the game, 12-11. I remember watching that carnage unfold on live TV and it still makes me sick to my stomach to this day.
Everybody was to blame for the May 4th meltdown in Minnesota. Tigers hitters thought six runs was enough. It might've been enough in 2006, but it's certainly not enough for 2008. Tiger hitters started giving away a lot of at-bats. Hey guys, you ever heard of add-on runs? After the first inning, Tigers hitters made Boof Bonser look like Cy Young. Once again the bullpen looked bad. Zach Miner was brought in to get one out. Instead he proceeded to give up a ground rule double which got the Twins within a run, 6-5, and extended the inning to allow the tying and winning runs to score for the home team. I still feel that Zach Miner should be the next guy to be shipped out of town, either sent back to Toledo or traded for a prospect.
I'm also starting to sour on Jacque Jones. He just isn't getting it done at the plate. I know he's a lefty bat, and you can't have enough of those in the lineup, but I'd rather play Marcus Thames right now, or Ryan Raburn, and bench Jones.
Tigers can't afford to start another big losing streak. The Red Sox come to Detroit for four games starting tomorrow, then the Yankees come to town for a weekend series. If there's a date to remember this week, it better be for a memorable win instead of another memorable loss.