Quantcast
Channel: isportsweb
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 16

Robertson Returns for 4-Game Romp with Rays

0
0
Can Nate Robertson recapture some of his old bulldog-like habits and give the Tigers a boost?
Can Nate Robertson recapture some of his old bulldog-like habits and give the Tigers a boost?

The Tampa Bay Rays are in Motown for the 1st time this year and are ready to roll against the Tigers. In fact, this will be the first meeting all year between the Tigers and Rays. This should be an exciting series as Tampa brings all kinds of talent to the field on a nightly basis. Don’t let the standings fool you, Tampa is in 3rd place in the AL East but has a better record than the Tigers. Tampa is 69-57 and play in a much tougher division while Detroit sits atop the weaker AL Central with a 67-59 mark. This 4-game set kicks off tonight assuming the rain allows. The forecast calls for the wet stuff all day long in the D. If the game does play, this could help slow down the fleet of foot Rays.

Nate Robertson is penciled in to start Saturday’s game for the Tigers. He is fresh off of a rehab stint in which he made 5 starts and posted a sub 2 ERA. He also fired 9 K’s against 2 walks in his last start that went into the 7th inning. Robertson had some tissue removed from his throwing elbow in an effort to free up his release and add some velocity back to his fastball. He is reportedly touching the low 90’s again and seemingly pitching with confidence. He takes the place of Armando Galarraga who has been demoted in an effort to rest his “tired” right arm (AKA – he has stunk all year and needs a breather). It may seem like a long shot, but if Robertson comes in and pitches solid baseball, we may not see Armando back in the rotation the rest of the year. Go Nate! It’s Gum Time! Remeber that? That was his mantra back in 2006. Hopefully he can find similar fire after sulking around with a +7 ERA in the bullpen to start the year for Detroit.

The Tigers are fresh off their 1st road series win since early June in Chicago and now look to play strong baseball against the defending American League champion Rays in a 4-game set. Some of the offensive flair the Rays bring to the table include Carlos Pena’s 37 home runs, Carl Crawford’s 54 stolen bases, and Jason Bartlett’s .344 avg. and 24 steals. Oh, and don’t forget about Evan Longoria. He may be struggling now but this guy can carry his team on any given night. Tampa is truly one of the most exciting teams to watch in all of baseball.

Weather permitting, here are the matchups:

Game 1: 7:05 eastern – Rick Porcello (10-8) v. Matt Garza (7-8): After showing some recent dominance, Porcello was banged around in Oakland for 5 runs in 5.1 innings, taking his 8th loss of the year. He’ll need to be razor sharp against a fierce Tampa lineup in this one. Garza rose to prominence during the Rays’ run through the playoffs last year but his success hasn’t carried over to 2009 as far as wins and losses go but his #’s aren’t bad at all. A 3.74 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 144 K’s are nothing to shake a stick at. Garza is intense and throws hard. The Tigers will throw every lefty bat they’ve got at him in this one.

Game 2: 4:05 eastern – FOX Game of the Week – Nate Robertson (1-0) v. David Price (6-6): Robertson makes his 1st start of the year after a lengthy stay on the DL and subsequent rehab assignment. We all know how much Nate covets a role as a starter. Look for his best possible effort in this game as he tries to convince management that he’s the 5th starter, and not Galarraga. Price is the chosen one on the Rays staff. He was the #1 pick 2 years ago and was used in short relief during the playoffs last year with much fan fare. After a severe bout of wildness upon joining the big club as a starter this May, Price has really settled in lately. He’s walked just 11 in his last 8 starts after walking 30 in his 1st 8 starts of the year. He has 75 K’s in 84 innings. The Tigers will switch gears and throw the righty lineup on the field against the lefty power of Price.

Game 3: 1:05 eastern – Justin Verlander (14-7) v. Jeff Niemann (12-5): Verlander won his 14th in a wild 10-7 game against the Angels earlier in the week. He is 3 wins short of his career high of 17 and is 2nd in MLB with 211 K’s. Tampa poses a tough test but they do have some free swingers (Carlos Pena, Pat Burrell, etc.) so look for JV to approach or exceed double-digit K’s yet again. The 6’9” Niemann has been a revelation in Tampa this year with his 12-5 record to go along with a 3.87 ERA and 1.32 WHIP. He has given up at least 4 earned runs in 3 of his last 4 starts though so maybe he is wearing down a bit.

Game 4: 1:05 eastern – Jarrod Washburn (9-7) v. James Shields (8-10): Washburn finally earned his first win as a Tiger on the road in Anaheim by holding the Angels down to 3 runs. This was also the first time he pitched away from Comerica Park since joining the team. Washburn has pitched poorly in 3 of his 4 home starts and hasn’t won any of them. He’ll need to be grooving against Shields and the Rays. Shields’ record isn’t indicative of how good this guy is. He’s the ace of the staff. He’s a powerful right-hander who has a 3.81 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 128 K’s on the year.

The post Robertson Returns for 4-Game Romp with Rays appeared first on isportsweb.


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 16

Latest Images

Trending Articles





Latest Images