Hondo breaks down Tigers Cards #1 from Comerica!

Detroit, Michigan

June 23, 2006

The Great Pujols, Albert that is went four for four tonight here at Comerica Park but when I talked to him in the club house all he had to say was: “I thought my best at bat was the walk, with the shadows in the this park, I couldn’t see the ball real well so getting the walk was great.”

Watching him freshly back off the DL was wonderful because the Tigers still won. The bullpen (read Jones) was still shaky and for the first real time, he entered the game with a significant amount of boo birds. I told one member of the media that I thought the team must have been bringing Joey Harrington out in the shadow of beautiful Ford Field with all those blues.

The point is that Jones is a good guy and I root for him, but he did nothing to help his nearly 7 ERA and he just struggled. He went after Pujols with two outs and the greatest active player in baseball drilled a shot to left center that I think is still orbiting around Motown.Â

“He certainly is a special player, and to get the win makes it all that better,” is what Placido Polanco, the Tigers 2b told me in the clubhouse after the game.

“It’s real special going against Jim, we are close as you know, but we are both professionals and he wants the Tigers and I want the Cardinals of course, but yes, it is special to face him” said a visibly exhausted Tony Larussa, the Cardinals skipper to me in his office after the game.

Verlander certainly didn’t have his best outing, but don’t let the Cards record fool you, they are very good. He gets to none wins and of course he makes us all so proud he improved his record to a great 9-4. Pudge hurt his wrist early in the game, but x-rays were negative and he is day to day.

The Gambler: Kenny Rogers goes for win number tomorrow. The park was packed with over 42,000 folks but get down and gets some standing room tickets it is worth it.

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