Tigers 6, Twins 2: Verlander'd

by Jesse on Jul 22, 2011 9:38 AM EDT in Game Recaps

Valencia wasn't happy about this strikeout call, but it's not as though he looked sharp anyway. Verlander was just too good last night.

If you were a Tigers fan, or just a general fan of baseball who enjoys watching the game for its own sake, you probably loved this game. Justin Verlander was as sick and as filthy as I can recall seeing him, as he positively decimated the Minnesota Twins. He wasn't perfect - he did allow a run, and the leadoff triple by Michael Cuddyer in the second looked promising too - but it hardly mattered. The Twins couldn't solve him.

Part of what made Verlander so difficult to figure out was his location. While his fastballs covered all parts of the plate, he clearly had a game plan when it came to everything else. Inside Edge posts brilliant post-game reports, which allows me to show you this brilliant illustration.

Insideedge_medium

Against left-handed hitters, Verlander's strategy of low-and-away clearly worked. Against right-handed hitters he just pounded everything down in the zone - except for the slider that got away. Cuddyer crunched that one. Interestingly, the only other hit from a righty off Verlander was also off the bat of Cuddy, who clubbed the high fastball to drive in one of the Twins' two runs.

There wasn't much else to write home about in this one. It was all Tigers for the most part, barring a couple of few-and-far-between moments. Carl Pavano wasn't at his best, but with one run already in and the bases still juiced in the fourth he caught a come-backer and turned a double play. Joe Mauer made one hell of a diving stop at first base in the third. But that's it.

Pavano allowed five runs through six innings, and Chuck James was hit hard until the final two plate appearances of his two innings of work when he picked up back-to-back strikeouts. Twins batters not named Mauer or Cuddyer went a combined 2-for-25.

Let's pack it up and move along to tonight, shall we?

Studs

Mauer, Cuddyer

Duds

Pavano, James, Thome, Young, Butera

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Verlander might be the CYA winner

Weaver, Verlander or Sabathia

by DJL44 on Jul 22, 2011 9:58 AM EDT reply actions

Incarcerate Chuck James!

The only stat that counts is W

by wayback on Jul 22, 2011 10:18 AM EDT reply actions

Hey, at least Mauer is getting hits

by twinscrazy_german on Jul 22, 2011 10:30 AM EDT reply actions

James, Dumatrait, Repko, Tolbert

All replaceable pieces. Probably one could add Alex Burnett, Mijares, Luke Hughes and a couple others. I realize Tolbert is in the minors, but he’ll be back.

by Alexi Casilla All-Star on Jul 22, 2011 10:37 AM EDT reply actions

by a couple others . .

I assume you mean Alexi Casilla?

by That'sWhatSheSaid on Jul 22, 2011 12:58 PM EDT up reply actions

Sometimes the other guy is just better

Verlander is as good as it gets. Scoring a run against him feels like a moral victory.

It actually puts me in mind of a happier memory: April of 2010 when Francisco Liriano outdueled Verlander, pitching 8 shutout innings and striking out 10 in a 2-0 win that culminated a run of three straight starts in which he didn’t give up a run.

The Wolves are like the worst meal you've ever had--terrible while you're eating it and even worse later.

by Eric in Madison on Jul 22, 2011 11:06 AM EDT reply actions

Verlander is a genetic freak

Normally guys who can throw that hard (especially the breaking stuff) nuke their joints within a few years (remember the pre-injury Frankie?) He should mate with a hard-serving tennis pro to create a master race of supreme rotator-cuff beings.

Steve Goodman lives.

by twinsbrewer on Jul 22, 2011 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions 2 recs

what a race that would be!

baseball and tennis would be amazing to watch. I wonder how life would change if the other 7 billion people were like that. Hmmm…

by DavidRF on Jul 22, 2011 12:42 PM EDT up reply actions

The silver lining

the rest of the Tigers pitchers are going to look like meatball-flingers compared to Verlander

The beard abides.

by Jason Kubel's Beard on Jul 22, 2011 1:41 PM EDT reply actions

Verlander still listens to boy bands

And Morneau would’ve crushed his fastball.

"Don't take life for granted, because tomorrow isn't promised to any one of us." -Kirby Puckett
"God grab your neck but never choke" -Ozzie Guillen

by less cowbell, more 'neau on Jul 22, 2011 2:02 PM EDT reply actions

Loved that one

And still do!
He’ll get his chance

by twinscrazy_german on Jul 22, 2011 4:13 PM EDT up reply actions

Yeah

The pre concussion Morneau. The problem is we don’t know how Justin Morneau will react right now because of his injuries.

I'm a proud fan of the Minnesota Twins and Dallas Cowboys!
"Life is precious and time is a key element. Let’s make every moment count and help those who have a greater need than our own." – Harmon Killebrew

by Jessy S on Jul 22, 2011 7:21 PM EDT up reply actions

Verlander still intimidates me

Also, you forgot to mention the highlight play of the day: Wilson Betemit’s “throw” to… well, I’m not sure who he was throwing it to. But it led to the second Twins run.

by ColossusOfRhode on Jul 22, 2011 2:05 PM EDT reply actions

On a different blog, Tigers fans were so happy to have Betemit over Inge,

wonder if they are still feeling the same way today?

I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!!!

by bf4mvp on Jul 22, 2011 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions

The Cy Young this year will go either to CC Sabathia or Justin Verlander, and right now I’d say it’s Verlander’s to lose. Sure, Drew Butera looked over-matched, but he had plenty of company.

by jimbo55403 on Jul 22, 2011 4:45 PM EDT reply actions