The inside pitch

Other notes today:,Wholesale Minnesota Twins Hats
For the second time in three days, inside pitches are the story for the Tigers — or in this case, against the Tigers. Polanco was hit on the biceps by Al Reyes after Pudge’s home run in the third,cheap NFL Hats, and he says Gary Glover hit him on the first pitch of his next at-bat in the fifth. The pitch wasn’t ruled to have hit him,Wholesale Arizona Diamondbacks Hats, but Polanco said something to Glover,Cheap Chras Bromn Hats,http://kunkocktions.com/index.php?to...6013#msg546013, who proceeded to throw three more inside pitches to him for a rare Polanco four-pitch walk.
Nobody on the Tigers is saying they think they’re targets. They just think it’s a coincidence and that guys are struggling to locate inside. As for why the Tigers seem to be the ones getting hit more often than other teams, well, the Tigers have some hitters that crowd the plate. Even if they’re not being brushed back on purpose, they’re in the path if someone’s trying to hit the inside corner and misses.
Both benches had been warned once Jeremy Bonderman hit Ty Wigginton in the bottom of the third, a half-inning after Polanco’s hit-by-pitch. Nothing came of it,wholesale DC Shoes Hats, though. Non-roster pitcher Steve Andrade lost a curveball in the sixth and hit Gary Sheffield,Gucci Hats, who turned away in time to have it hit his back. That was ruled to be accidental,Wholesale New York Mets Hats, and Sheffield thought it was a pitch that just got away from him. Jim Leyland went out to talk to home-plate umpire Chad Fairchild between innings,Arizona Diamondbacks Hats, but when asked about it after the game,Rockstar Hats, he said they were discussing golf courses.
Todd Jones’ entrance resulted in nothing,Wholesale Los Angeles Dodgers Hats, though Fairchild reminded him when he entered that there had been a warning issued. "I told him I don’t throw hard enough to hurt anybody anymore," Jones said.
Polanco was pretty heated after he had left the game. "It just smells bad,Cheap Boston Red Sox Hats," he said of the hit-by-pitch.
Bonderman didn’t feel like he had a good feel on his changeup or his slider, but he got by with what he had. Leyland said he left some sliders over the plate but they weren’t hit well. Jones actually pitched well for having to pitch from the middle out.
Pudge is seeing the ball very well right now. He was down 0-2 in that home-run bat, fouled off a 1-2 pitch to stay alive, then drove his homer to left. Leyland isn’t talking lineups yet,Arizona Diamondbacks Hats, but it’s pretty clear he’s a real option to lead off when Granderson isn’t playing or they’re facing left-handers (though his home run came off a righty).
Ordonez will play tomorrow against the Dodgers in Vero Beach. Monroe is less certain but might play. The DH will be in effect tomorrow,Wholesale Minnesota Twins Hats, and Sheffield has a well-deserved day off,Cheap Kansas City Royals Hats, so that spot is open.
The Devil Rays are leaving Al Lang Field after next spring for Port Charlotte,yums hats, which is a mixed blessing. The stadium here isn’t anything that great, but the view of the water down the third-base line (see bad cell phone picture above) is one of my favorite sights of spring training. It’s one of those postcard-type spring training sights that get you thinking of warm weather if you’re up north.