Pat Caputo: Opening Day Loss Is Why The Tigers Are The Tigers — And The Yankees Are The Yankees
It's not that the Tigers played an absolutely awful game Thursday during their season-opening 6-3 loss to the New York Yankees.
It's just that it was an example of why certain clubs move into contention - and remain there. And why others aren't quite able to close the deal.
The Tigers must play better than they did Thursday against a quality team such as the Yankees on the road, or they have no chance of winning but an odd game or two in that circumstance.
Sports.PAT CAPUTO: Opening day loss is why the Tigers are the Tigers — and the Yankees are the Yankees WITH VIDEO
Published: Friday, April 01, 2011
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New York Yankees, right, and Detroit Tigers line the baselines during pregame ceremonies for their opening day baseball game at Yankee Stadium on Thursday, March 31, 2011 in New York. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
By PAT CAPUTO
Of The Oakland Press
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Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander looks on as New York Yankees' Mark Teixeira (25) runs the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the third inning of a baseball game, on opening day Thursday, March 31, 2011, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
It's not that the Tigers played an absolutely awful game Thursday during their season-opening 6-3 loss to the New York Yankees.
It's just that it was an example of why certain clubs move into contention - and remain there. And why others aren't quite able to close the deal.
The Tigers must play better than they did Thursday against a quality team such as the Yankees on the road, or they have no chance of winning but an odd game or two in that circumstance.
Also, manager Jim Leyland must do a better job of pushing the right buttons, which he clearly didn't do in this particular game, if the Tigers are going to be a genuine force in 2011.
Yankees' left-hander C.C. Sabathia is one of the best starting pitchers in baseball and the Tigers loaded the bases against him during the second inning with nobody out. This game was essentially lost when they got just one run out of the situation - on a sacrifice fly by Jhonny Peralta with nobody out.
Brandon Inge lined out. That left Alex Avila, a left-handed hitting catcher, who has struggled for the most part hitting major league pitching, to face Sabathia with two outs. What transpired, a strikeout, was predictable.
