For a meaningless September series between our third-place Fighting Jays and the toothless Tigers, this has been a dandy. Compared to Roy Halladay's genius yesterday, and Bobby Kielty's exciting pinch-hit game-winner, today's finale is sure to be a dog, complete with a chorus of baying hounds. Looking after my hyperactive mini-Schnauzer would make it impossible for me to enjoy the game, so we're staying home to watch on TV. Some of the players' pooches, including Chris Woodward's Sarah, will be there. Reed Johnson told me he'd bring his pal Shooter into the dugout every day, if it was allowed.
On the field, Josh Towers can stake his claim on a 2004 job with a good performance. He was terrific against the Mariners on August 20, scattering six hits and allowing just two runs (one earned) in a complete game victory, to improve to 2-1, 3.98 as a starter. Just four days later, asked to work out of the bullpen and understandably disappointed, he had a nightmare inning against the A's, but in two subsequent relief appearances, notched a win and a save in 6.1 solid frames of work. Considering Mark Hendrickson's recent struggles, Towers could move up to #4 for the rest of September, but even as #5, he should get two or three more opportunities this season.
Canadian Chris Mears makes his second big-league start for Detroit. A couple of weeks ago, Shi Davidi of the Canadian Press profiled the 25-year-old, who (like many of us) remembers 1987 all too well.
Led by Alan Trammell, Kirk Gibson and Lance Parrish, that Tigers team was reviled in Toronto for clinching the crown with a sweep of the Blue Jays on the season's final weekend.
"It's kind of crazy to think now they're my manager and coaches," says Mears, who grew up a Blue Jays fan and now pitches in the Tigers' system. "Trammell and all those guys in that series they had with the Jays -- that was a lot of fun."
Mears, who had five saves while working out of the bullpen, has been up and down between Detroit and Toledo this season; he was 5-1, 2.78 in AAA, where he made five starts and 20 relief appearances. The righty isn't overpowering -- 53 hits, 19 walks and 28 strikeouts in 58.1 IP in the minors; 32 hits, 8 walks and 10 K in 27.1 big-league innings. He lasted four innings and 68 pitches against Cleveland six days ago, allowing three earned runs on seven hits. The Tigers then rallied for four to get him off the hook, but their bullpen lost the game later. Mears, born in Ottawa, lived in Toronto for a while and will have a large rooting section at the Dome. Like Towers, he's trying to impress his bosses and earn a rotation spot next year, but he faces a formidable Jays lineup that will be eager to get back on track after being silenced by Nate Cornejo for nine innings yesterday.
Get out the brooms. Even if the Jays don't sweep, they might be useful in the canine section.
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