May Day!?!

Guillen is hoping for a better June.

For my 2007 Tigers Replay, the Detroit Tigers knew entering the month of May things would get a bit interesting and definitely more challenging.

As you know, we were rolling entering the Metrodome ("Metrodome Blues") with a 11-3 stretch, and then Minnesota swept us in a three-game series, and then we had to head to Boston. The eventual World Champions of 2007 took three of four at Fenway. We would bounce back a bit by taking our first inter-league series of the year against the St. Louis Cardinals, 2-1 at home & we would also host the Angels, in which we took two of three from them as well.

Then it was our first series against our division foe, the eventual A.L. Champion Cleveland Indians at Comerica Park. Justin Verlander pitches his 2nd shutout of the season, as we defeat the Tribe, 7-0 for the opener; but then followed that with 8-2 & 11-8 losses. During the 8-2 loss, Jeremy Bonderman suffered his first loss of the season, at the hands of C.C. Sabathia, as Bonderman is 5-1.

We would travel down to Tropicana Field in Tampa, which we won the first game 9-4, and then followed that victory with a 12-inning 3-2 victory. With a chance of a sweep, I loved my chances with Verlander on the mound (coming off of his shutout), instead fielding mistakes by the Tigers and untimely walks by Verlander made it a short night for him with 4 ER's (7 runs) allowed in four innings. The Devil Rays' James Shields would shutout the Tigers, allowing only two hits.

Now we have to go back up north to face the Indians in Cleveland for a big, early four-game series. The opener was a rematch between C.C. Sabathia & Jeremy Bonderman -- and boy, did they deliver? Bonderman would go nine innings of one run allowed, while striking out seven; while C.C. struck out six through ten innings, allowing only a run himself. The game would go through 15 innings! Until Casey Blake hit a walk-off three-run HR as Jacobs Field went nuts.

The Tigers finish the month, with a record of 30-23; going a even .500 with a 14-14 record in the month of May, trailing first-place the Cleveland Indians by 2.5 games. Tigers will continue the rest of the four-game series starting in June.

The Tigers' bats cooled off dramatically in the month of May, dropping from a team average of .301 in April, while batting .267 in May. The Tigers had five starters batting over .300 by end of April, only Magglio Ordonez batted over .300 in the month of May with an amazing .417 mark. He is currently batting .389 with 17 HR's & 46 RBI (An OPS of 1.191)! Carlos Guillen had a rough May, batting only .147, while driving in only 10 runs (he also hit into 6 DP's).

The pitching remained the same with a 4.37 ERA as their starting pitching did better, while the Tigers' bullpen kept going south. Chad Durbin finished the month with a 6-1 record, despite a 4.66 ERA, while Jeremy Bonderman has been the most consistent starting pitcher with a 5-1 record & 3.74 ERA.

No telling where the Tigers will be by the end of June, but hopefully it will go better than May.