From a 1-hit shutout through 8 innings...

[Roger King]

...to giving up 4 runs in the 9th, Verlander now stands to be the losing pitcher if the Tigers can’t pull it out in the bottom of the 9th.  Now 4-2 for the Rays.

But have no fear – Fernando Rodney is now warming up in the Rays bullpen.  Awesome!  I am very optimistic about a comeback :)-


Roger King
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[Paul Meloche]

What was Verlander's pitch count going into the 9th?

Not that I blame Leyland or Verlander. Damned if you do, damned if
you don't, w-r-t bringing in the closer in that situation. After
Valverde blowing the 2-0 lead on opening day I'd have probably stuck
with Verlander too.

Paul M.

[Roger King]

85 pitches. No brainer that Verlander goes out there for the 9th.

[Tanvir Shaikh]

On Wed, 11 Apr 2012, Roger King wrote:
> But have no fear ­ Fernando Rodney is now warming up in the Rays
> bullpen. Awesome! I am very optimistic about a comeback :)-

Roger, you're doing it wrong... But I agree with the sentiment.

On Wed, 11 Apr 2012, Paul Meloche wrote:
> What was Verlander's pitch count going into the 9th?

Only 81 pitches, very Maddux-like. I definitely would have let him
continue, but I don't know how long a leash I'd give him. The rule of
thumb, I think, is that you don't want to let a guy get a loss after an
otherwise brilliant game, but I don't know if someone was warmed up once
the tying run was on base.

> Not that I blame Leyland or Verlander. Damned if you do, damned if
> you don't, w-r-t bringing in the closer in that situation. After
> Valverde blowing the 2-0 lead on opening day I'd have probably stuck
> with Verlander too.

I have a love-hate relationship with Valverde anyway. Even when he was
perfect last year, he tended to put a couple of runners on before he got
his act in gear. At least, it seemed that way.

-Tapu

[Withey, Jeff]

I was at the game. FWIW, Valverde was warming up as insurance the entire 9th inning, as was Schlereth (I'm baffled on this one as he has shown zero ability in clutch situations.)

Verlander was pretty dominating most of the first 8 innings but just had no command in the 9th. He was throwing harder but not for strikes. Getting behind hitters led to the long inning (which was something like 40 minutes long- ouch.)

Tough loss.

-Jeff