Angels Vs. Tigers: Best MLB Game of the Year so Far

I am a sucker for a well pitched baseball game. While most fans love to see the big boppers go yard, I would much rather watch a pitcher with filthy stuff make hitter look silly. That was what I got in the game between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Detroit Tigers on Sunday, July 31.

Both starters, Jared Weaver for the Angels and Justin Verlander for the Tigers, were dealing. They both came into the game with 14 wins on the season and both will probably be candidates for the American League Cy Young Award.

The action started in the third inning when Weaver let up a two run home run to Magglio Ordonez. Ordonez stayed at the plate watching to see if the ball he blasted to left field would stay fair. Weaver didn't appreciate that and told him to run. They jawed at each other a bit and then things calmed down.

That was until the seventh inning rolled around. Carlos Guillen blasted a solo shot off Weaver and stood at the plate posing, basically telling Weaver to stuff it about watching homers. Weaver barked a Guillen and Guillen barked back. The next pitch went over the head of Alex Avila and an angry Weaver was tossed from the game.

While all this was taking place Verlander had a no-hitter through seven innings. Erick Aybar led off the eighth for the Angels and tried to lay down a bunt, considered bad form when a pitcher has a no-hitter that late in a contest. It didn't matter because Verlander fielded the ball and promptly threw it away, an error on the scorecard. Verlander groused at Aybar from the mound. Later Macier Izturis would break up the no-no with a single in the eighth with two outs in the inning. The Tigers won the game 3-2.

This game had it all, good pitching, a few home runs, and some general dislike of each other on both sides. Hopefully this becomes a rivalry along the lines of the St. Louis Cardinals and Cincinnati Reds the game's current best rivalry.

As for baseball's unwritten rules there were at least three of them broken on Sunday. First Weaver was right about the posing at the plate, circle the bases like you have hit a home run before. Second Weaver was wrong for throwing at the head on Avila, hit him in the ribs instead to send your message. Finally Verlander was wrong to complain about the bunt attempt. At the time it was just a three run game the Angels needed base runners any way possible.

With the good pitching performances and the extra fireworks, I think Sunday's game was the best of the year, so far.