Detroit Tigers: Weekend Update, July 17, 2009

Greetings, salutations and happy second half, fellow Tigers' fans! It’s time to take another look at the current exploits of the Detroit Tigers.

Looking back

It was a slow week, as far as the standings were concerned, but the Tigers took care of business by taking two of three from the Stinkin' Indians to end the season's first half.

·    Friday vs. Cleveland: Edwin Jackson tossed another gem, and got the win this time. (W, 5-1)

·    Saturday vs. Cleveland: Cabrera's two-run ninth inning blast wasn't enough to get past the Indians. (L, 5-4)

·    Sunday vs. Cleveland: Verlander got 10 runs in support, but didn't need them all. (W, 10-1)

One can never complain about a series win and this one was certainly important. The Tigers gained some momentum going into the break.

Let's hope they keep it.

The gold star of the week goes to Clete Thomas, who went 6 for 9 at the plate with a home run, three runs scored, and five RBI in the three game series with the Indians. Keep it up Clete!

Looking forward

The Tigers hit the road to face the Yankees for the first time in their new diggs before returning home to host the Seattle Mariners.

The New Yankee Stadium has not held many balls this year so I'm looking for the Tigers feast or famine offense to take advantage of the hitter-friendly park.

·    Friday @ New York: Luke French (1-0, 1.93) vs. A.J. Burnett (8-4, 3.77)

·    Saturday @ New York: Edwin Jackson (7-4, 2.52) vs. C.C. Sabathia (8-6, 3.86)

·    Sunday @ New York: Justin Verlander (10-4, 3.38) vs. Joba Chamberlain (4-2, 4.25)

Let's look for All-Stars Justin Verlander and Edwin Jackson to set the tone for  the second half of the season. The Tigers have not fared well against the AL East this year and this is the perfect opportunity for the team to show themselves and the fans that they can compete in the American League.

The pitching matchups have not been announced for the Seattle series yet, but look for Galarraga, Porcello, and French to take the mound back in Detroit.

·      Tuesday vs. Seattle: TBA vs. TBA

·      Wednesday vs. Seattle: TBA vs. TBA

·      Thursday vs. Seattle: TBA vs. TBA

If the Tiger's can maintain the 0.675 pace they set for home games, they should continue to be a strong contender for the division lead.

Looking Around

Here's what others are saying about the Detroit Tigers right now.

·      Buster Olney details the American League's toughest playoff roads. (ESPN Insider)

·      Lynn Henning the Tigers' discusses second half issues.

·      I ask for Jim Leyland to show his extension was deserved.

·      Lawrence and Dominik write about Minnesota and Chicago as roadblocks to the playoffs.

Comments about last week, this week, and the future are welcome (and encouraged) below.

Look for another edition of Detroit Tigers: Weekend Update next week.