AL Central

After what seemed like an eternity, the bats finally woke up to lift our Detroit Tigers to a three-game sweep over Milwaukee. The offense was able to put up 28 hits and 19 runs in the first two games to help the back end of the rotation pick up two very important games.

Filed:June 21st, 2009

(Source: Cubbie Nation)

The Minnesota Twins have spent most of June slowly gaining ground on the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central.

Early next month, the Twins could quickly gain ground on the rest of the Major League Baseball when it comes to high-profile international signings.

As we are now approaching the half way point of their first full season, I thought it would be a good idea to check up on some of last seasons highly regarded draft picks.  Among the many 2008 Draft picks was a solid core of arms again. 

Dave Dombrowski drafted solid relievers that could be MLB ready soon to put some Neosporin and a band aide on a wounded Tiger bullpen. With that said lets take a look at some of our newest Tigers that are earning their stripes.

Marcus Thames is "country strong." He showed that Friday night, clubbing two home runs, leading the Tigers to a 10-4 rain-shortened victory over Milwaukee.

After Armando Galarraga yielded a three-run bomb to Prince Fielder in the first, it was Thames who responded with a two-run shot off Braden Looper in the bottom of the inning to get the Tigers back into the game.

Welcome to Rudy Dominick & Johnny Lawrence's seventh weekly installment of Detroit Tigers information and analysis. 

Each Thursday, we will delve into all things Tigers. Read and digest, or skim and spit out our insightful banter.

Keep An Eye On

Thad Weber, Starting Pitcher—Lakeland Flying Tigers (A)

(June 11—June 18)

1-1, 16 IP, 11 H, 0 BB, 8 K, 1.12 ERA.

• Date: June 17, 2009
• Time: 8:15pm
• Teams: Detroit Tigers at St. Louis Cardinals
• Park: Busch Stadium
• Weather: 88 and mostly sunny.  Chance of rain later.
• Starting Pitchers: Edwin Jackson (6-3, 2.24)  Todd Wellemeyer (5-6, 5.50)
• Records: Detroit (34-30)  St. Louis (35-30)
• Last 10 Games: Detroit (5-5)  St. Louis (4-6)

Francisco Liriano has served many roles in the eyes of Twins fans.

In 2006, he was the second-coming of Johan Santana and part of a vicious one-two punch that would lead the Twins to the Promised Land.

In 2007, he was the missing piece on a team that failed to meet expectations.

Date: June 16, 2009
Time: 8:15pm
Teams: Detroit Tigers at St. Louis Cardinals
Park: Busch Stadium
Weather: 83 and partly cloudy. Chance of rain later in the evening.
Starting Pitchers: Justin Verlander(7-2, 3.02)  Adam Wainwright(6-4, 3.49)
Records: Detroit(34-29)  St. Louis(34-30)
Last 10 Games: Detroit(6-4)  St. Louis(3-7)

My Two Cents

The A.L. Central, like its Western-division brethren and the entire National League, is full of bad teams. The division’s first-place Detroit Tigers enter Tuesday’s games with a run differential that would rank fifth in the A.L. East.

The Minnesota Twins, meanwhile, have ridden Joe Mauer’s Ted Williams impression and a pitching staff that has decided against issuing walks this season into second place, a mere three games out, and are the only other team in the division to have outscored its opponents thus far.