Minnesota Twins 3, Detroit Tigers 5

Kenny Rogers pitched his seventh win this afternoon, making him the first pitcher in baseball with as many and capping a three game sweep of the Minnesota Twins.  The Tigers’ win, coupled with Chicago’s loss this evening to Tampa Bay awards sole possession of both the best record in baseball and first place in the AL Central; Detroit now leads Chicago by 1 game.

The win wasn’t the prettiest thing.  The Tigers commited errors on defense and on the basepaths.  Closer Todd Jones allowed three straight two-out hits and a run before he was able to close out the game for his 12th save in 13 attempts.  Jones has been unconvincing in the closer’s role.  In 13.1 innings this season, Jones has allowed 18 hits, 6 earned runs and blown one save.  In short, Todd Jones has come into close games and made them closer; much closer than they need to be.  So far, despite his less-than-dominant pitching, Jones has been able to get the job done.  I’d have to say, however, that he is one of the few weak spots this team has shown during their hot start.

As the season progresses, Tigers fans have to keep looking into the past.  For example, today we have to look back to August 1993 to find the last time the Detroit Tigers won seven straight games.  To find the last Tigers manager with three or more five-game win streaks in his tenure, let alone inside of the first 40 games, you’d have to look up Sparky Anderson.  To find the last Tigers team to be in first place later than mid-April, you’d have to go all the way back to 1993 again.  Ripe on the lips of many Tigers fans is another legendary year: 1984.  I try to keep my mind away from that year as much as possible; it is, after all, only May.  The baseball season is a long one, but one thing is certain:  Looking to the past is much, much better than looking forward to next year, where before a season is very old, Tigers fans (the ones who have stuck around) have been looking for twelve years.

COMING UP

Rumors, speculation and all kinds of other links and goodies I’ve been saving.

Interleague play begins this weekend as the Cincinatti Reds, the this year’s answer to the Detroit Tigers for the National League, come to Detroit for a three game series.  Jeremy Bonderman (4-2, 3.74 ERA) will take the hill for the Detroit Tigers.  Brandon Claussen (2-4, 4.96 ERA) will pitch for the Reds.  The game will be televised live in Detroit markets on TV 20.  The game will also be late-casted following Detroit Pistons coverage on FSN Detroit.  Gametime is 7:05 PM EDT.