They’ve done it. The 2008 Detroit Tigers — a team that started out 0-7 — finally reached the .500 mark. And they did it in fine fashion last night at Comerica Park with a Miguel Cabrera walk-off double in the bottom of the ninth.
The crowd went crazy as the Tigers rallied back from a blown save opportunity by Todd Jones in the top of the inning. Jones was simply awful as he blew his first save in his last 19 chances.
But let’s be honest. Many of Jones’s “saves” haven’t been pretty. Should a three run lead, for example, that ends up being a one run lead with two runners left on base really be considered a save? I, for one, don’t think so. In Jones’s case, his saves often seem more like dumb luck than a brilliant pitching performance.
And speaking of dumb, I sure wish Jones would stop acting the part while he’s in the bullpen and during rain delays. It’s hard to take him seriously when he’s in the ‘pen hosing down the sun-drenched crowd or sliding on the field tarp. A closer should be an imposing, intimidating figure, not an overgrown kid who needs adult supervision.
In any event, the Tigers have finally reached the break-even point despite Jones’s weak performance. The team looks like it has finally jelled. There’s still plenty of season left for the Tigers to prove they are one of the best teams in baseball.
