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Michael Silverman (Boston Herald photo)
Detroit Tigers' fans have seen many poor relievers in recent years blow leads after skillful starters have pitched brilliant games.
In fact, Tigers relievers on Opening Day on Friday almost did just that, giving up five runs in the eighth inning and suddenly handing the Boston Red Sox a 5-4 lead. Fortunately, the Tigers bounced back and won 6-5, thanks to a series of walks in the bottom of the eighth, which gave the Tigers the lead.
That poor performance by the Boston bullpen prompted Boston Herald baseball reporter Michael Silverman to write:
If the Red Sox lineup could rise above the flu, bereavement, injuries and roughly seven more plagues to come, what excuse did the bullpen have yesterday?
Answer: None. None at all.
Wasting a thrilling redemption tale starring Pablo Sandoval and his eighth-inning, go-ahead three-run homer, a trio of Red Sox relievers locked arms and marched themselves over a cliff, dragging the Red Sox along with them.
Worse than the result was the cause. When it came to throwing strikes and trusting their stuff, two of the three relievers experienced a stunning and untimely display of solidarity. The result ruined a stirring comeback.
Four walks in the space of five batters with the game on the line won’t ever get the job done, not on any team, in the big or little leagues.
In high-leverage situations or not, this bullpen better start being better than this soon — after three games, they have six strikeouts against four walks — or else there’ll be a much worse pox on the Red Sox’ house than the one smothering them right now.
If Friday's performance by the Tigers bullpen is any indication of what's to come, Detroit sports writers might just want to cut and paste the Boston Herald article and put the Tigers team in place of Boston.
