Tigers Swept, This is Pathetic

I really want to start this post with a string of profanity, but this blog is very easily findable by employers and parents and the like, so I'll keep it clean and professional.

But, Come on! Swept??? By the Royals?!?!?! UHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Way to start the season off with a bang. 5 total runs in 3 games. Fantastic...

Alright here are my reactions from the opening series.

Pitching

Solid games by Verlander, Bonderman and Kenny. Bonderman got that opening inning out of the way with a 1-2-3 inning with just 8 pitches. True they all got in a little bit of trouble eventually, but the fact is they pitched well enough to win.

Jason Grilli is a gas can. I am amazed everytime he manages to record an out. I really hope he is the first to go when Rodney comes back.

Bautista looked pretty good. He did give up the winning run but it was in his second inning of work. Plus the team really should have picked him up by scoring Thomas in the bottom of the 11th.

Otherwise, the bullpen looked decent. Todd Jones did not allow a run after a rough spring, so that is a good sign. Zach Miner looked very good as well. And Bobby Seay did a great job getting lefties out and looks to be a solid guy for that role. Once Rodney comes back we should be pretty solid.

Hitting.

Where to begin...

Pathetic outings from every single hitter in all three games with perhaps the two exceptions being Edgar Rentaria's 3-4 in game 2 and Carlos Guillen's 3-5 with a HR in game 1. The Team went 21 for 102. That is a team average of .205. Take away those 2 decent performances by Carlos and Edgar and the Team has a batting average of .161. That is completely unacceptable. Especially with as many experienced, professional hitters as this Team has.

20 runners left on base. There was really only 1, non-HR, RBI hit. There were a few scattared hits with a runner on, but only one that resulted in a run and keeping an inning going.

Completely impatient hitting. Kansas City has young pitchers. Young pitchers are likely to make a mistake if you work them a little bit. The Tigers did not do this at all. Bannister went 7 innings, Grienke went 8. That isn't working the pitcher. Not even Gary Sheffield did a very good job of this in the last two days. Sure he got a few walks, but when he was swinging he was missing fastballs or at bad pitches. Not to mention he got a high breaking ball that he missed today and sent a weak fly ball to left field.

Who is Clete Thomas? Did Leyland forget Raburn hit .300+ last year? He played Centerfield last year...? I question that decision.

I know that I shouldn't panic, but this team should NEVER get swept, let alone to the royals. In all reality they shouldn't ever lose series. I also know that Granderson is hurt and has been known to be the spark plug to this offense, but still what just happened in the last 3 games should not have happened.

Im pissed.