Just yesterday we learned that the Tigres had signed a new USA pitcher, now we know another reason why. Bobby Cramer has pitched his last game with the Tigres. Apparently fully recovered from his back surgery, he has signed with the Stars of Yokohoma Bay, Japanese League. He had a great record here, 13 wins with just 3 losses; 123 strikeouts, five complete games, and three shutouts, with a 2.95 earned run average. Master of the strikeout, he has pitched his last game here this past Wednesday against the Red Devils of Mexico City.
I don't know if it was a reaction to the loss of Cramer that did it, but the Tigres have had a rough time of it, recently, going from an eight game lead in their division down to what is now just a three game lead over Veracruz, which they are struggling to hold onto. They helped themselves, last night, with a 12-2 win over Aguascalientes, aided by the good pitching of Pablo Ortega.
Recent struggles aside, and although Cramer got much of the attention, another pitcher has quietly been making his mark, Jose Miguel Ramirez, who pitched the Tigres to a 5-1 win, yesterday, over Saltillo, allowing just three hits and just one base on balls. He now has a 9-1 win/loss ratio, with an ERA of 2.16. How long will it be before he, too, is picked up by another team, as Cramer was...?
Tuesday, at 8 PM, the Tigres begin their last week at home for this season. Coming back from a road trip to the Northern Zone of the Mexican Baseball League, they are hoping to improve their record. On the road they split, evenly, wins and loses, so they didn't help themselves at all in the standings, and are stuck at a three game lead over second place Veracruz. Tomorrow night's game will be against the Petroleos de Matitlan (I don't name these, you know). Later in the week, they will play against the Olmecas de Tabasco. Be there!
V, can you tell me if you know if there is a game on July 26th at home? The paper schedule I have from the stadium says NO, but the website states it is their last home game of the season, and my Dad booked his trip based off that; arriving the 26th and going to the game. How can I find out a true Yes or No?
I wonder where that game came from, since it was not on the printed schedules. Rain outs are typically made up with a double header that was scheduled for only a single game. We had this once this season when arriving at a game at the scheduled starting time, only to find it was already the 3rd or 4th inning. Puzzling.
Unfortunately, this is one of those things you can never be truly sure of till the game starts. Calling the Tigres' office could produce an answer one way or the other and you still wouldn't be sure, that's just the way life is, in my experience, so being light on your feet is always in order. Coming to Cancun, just for a game, would be a mistake and I doubt that's what's happening here. If it is, the man should be prepared for a possible disappointment, it seems to me.
V and I are going to the game tonight. He was just at the stadium getting our tix and I asked him to check. Two Things make it seem real: 1. A human told him there was def a game on the 26th. 2. There is a painted sign with the schedule and show the game. Come on down Art. We will probably pass each other around Tennessee as I am traveling to NY that day. Sorry to be missing you. But I will be back in time for beers and burritos before you leave.
On a lovely, cool evening, the Tigres continued their slide, losing 3-1 to the Petroleos. Poor base running seemed to be a factor, including that of Franco, who walks like his knees hurt, and runs worse. He was thrown out at first to end an inning. I guess if they had better, he wouldn't be in the game at all. Cordova pitched six flawless innings, but his teammates could not put a run on the board for him, it seemed. He was pulled in the seventh. Tonight, the Tigres will be playing a double header, so watch the game start times. Ticket prices will be unchanged. ______________________ It's hard to explain the funk that the Tigres have been in since Cramer left. At the time of his departure, the Tigres had an eight game lead over second place Veracruz. If his departure is truly to blame, it isn't his pitching they miss, so much as his presence. Hard to say, without having been in the dugout. ______________________
