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Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Hinge, AGAIN (What Took So Long?)

The game-winning D-Rays tenth inning rally, Duane Below pitching:

Leadoff infield single (Evan Longoria). 

Fielder's choice that should have been a double play, but Hinge (in at third for defense) couldn't get the ball out of his glove, Ben Zobrist on first.

Matt Joyce struck out. Then, the ever-popular hit batter in the bottom half of extra innings (Casey Kotchman). 

If anything makes more fans jump for joy that a HBP or leadoff hit in x-innings on the road, it's a walk (Sean Rodriguez). But no one's warming up, and Below will have to pitch himself out of the mess.

Elliot Johnson grounds one to third. Even in Little League, they teach you to take the easy out at first with the bases loaded and two out.Your first baseman has that big mitt, and is just waiting for you to throw the ball to him.

Can someone with more baseball wisdom than me tell me why Hinge threw it to second?

Ramon Santiago, with the switch-hitting Johnson batting left-handed, was playing closer to first that usual. Zobrist safe, game over. 3-2 D-Rays. They never hit the ball out of the infield. But they hit it to third base twice.

Even Jim Leyland said he made the wrong play.

The honeymoon is over. It lasted four days.

I know I'm not the only Tigers fan who has become weary of hearing how wonderful Brandon Inge is. He's been a distraction ever since The Miracle Worker signed him to that two year deal this spring, at age 32 and on two bad knees. Waived in July, and NO ONE wanted him. (For all this, The Miracle Worker got a four year contract extension. All of us should be rewarded with that level of job security.)

It almost makes you hope they lose the division by one game (this one) so the point can be made.

They can consider themselves fortunate that the Indians lost and no ground in the standings will be lost as a result of our hero's error in judgement. And our hero should consider himself fortunate that they're playing in Minneapolis tomorrow night, and not in front of the home fans, this soon after. 












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