2012 Detroit Tigers Talk

**firstandten** · April-11-12, 07:21 PM

Originally Posted by rjk

Games like today are the reason I don't bet on sporting events.
Verlander going into the 9th with a one-hiter, only 81 pitches, and a 2-0 lead?
Who would have thunk it?

Baseball is all about the percentages, over the course of a 162 game season you are going to get a few like this especially against a good Tampa Bay team. If you're a betting man the percentages has to be the way to go.

Tough loss, but the Tigers are a very good team and I suspect there will be a few 9th inning rally's that will go the Tigers way

**Thruster315** · May-09-12, 11:15 PM

Okay, I'll ask it... where the hell is the Detroit power? Supposedly we got this team that can punch it out of any ballpark in the league and we look pathetic at the plate. C'mon you guys- light a fire underneath it already. Where are the fireworks???

**401don** · May-10-12, 10:22 AM

While some of this bad luck in losing close games will even out over the long haul, you can see why this team is not meant to win in the playoffs. Too many meaningless solo homers, no range in the infield, Valverde's inability to keep the ball away from the middle of the plate, very poor pitch recognition [[Boesch, Young, Raburn), and no team speed means you have to bunch 3 hits to score a run. Cabrera is slumping and will come around but nobody is missed more than Victor Martinez. How many times did he come through in tight games last year? Drew Smyly has been unbelievable but we have one win to show for it.

**Roq** · May-12-12, 07:34 AM

Originally Posted by Thruster315

Okay, I'll ask it... where the hell is the Detroit power?

In Oakland. Wearing #7.

Sorry, couldn't resist.

**Thruster315** · May-19-12, 04:19 PM

Damn close JV. You came within a whisker of getting another no-hitter. You most definitely make this season worthwhile watching. Now if the rest of your team mates can start playing up to their potential, we can burst out of the pack and leave the pesky Tribe, Sox, Royals & pathetic Twins [[who swept us) behind. Seriously the Central is ours for the taking but at least play like we belong at the top of the pile.

**Thruster315** · May-20-12, 10:50 PM

Scherzer was freakin' lights out with the 15 strikeouts today. We win 4-3. Bully. Against the Pirates we should be smokin' 10-3.

But rather than bemoan our feeble hitting, I'll heap some praise on a few of the guys who have finally started using the lumber. Props to Dirks who seems to have taken the two spot with some authority. And to the guy whose place he took, Brennan Boesch- he's suddenly coming to life at the bottom of the line up.

The rest of the guys who can't even hit their own weight need to pick it up or we're toast.

**daddeeo** · May-23-12, 10:07 PM

It's kinda early to feel like giving up on these guys but Geez Louise these guys look bad. Tonight's game really sucked. It's pathetic when you can't score with bases loaded and no out.
On top of that, it's becoming evident that poor fielding is hurting them more than they want to admit. If they don't get in the playoffs, some heads will roll and Marlboro Man may be headed for the last roundup.

**kenp** · May-24-12, 07:59 AM

Its way to early, though its brutal to watch. I thnk our pitching will keep us at least 500 until the bats start to get going. There is nobody in our division except us that can run away with it.

**rjk** · May-24-12, 01:37 PM

They scored 6 runs in the 3 game set against the Indians.

In todays game Dirks has a 3-1 count with two outs and he pops up to end the game. With Miggy up next, why not take a pitch and force the pitcher to throw two strikes?

These games are tough to watch.

**Thruster315** · May-24-12, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by rjk

They scored 6 runs in the 3 game set against the Indians.

In todays game Dirks has a 3-1 count with two outs and he pops up to end the game. With Miggy up next, why not take a pitch and force the pitcher to throw two strikes?

These games are tough to watch.

I guess as a hitter one has to at least try and get on base. Yeah, he needs to know where he is in the line-up and who's coming up behind him, but as someone with some competitive spirit [[and a semi-hot bat as of late), he can't be faulted too much.

But therein lies the problem- none of them, yes I said NONE of the Tigers are hitting well. Fister was lights out yesterday. Verlander pitched a gem today. And we can't even get a handful of runs to support them. Like Leyland says- we're just not hitting right now. It's not just individual slumps- it's a team slump.

Perez can talk smack now but let's see who's going to be the tops at the end of it all. I still have faith that once this team finds its stroke, we'll still get there. Like kenp says, our starting pitching is still solid and that hopefully will keep us engaged in the race and not a filthy footnote.

**kenp** · May-25-12, 09:33 AM

Originally Posted by rjk

They scored 6 runs in the 3 game set against the Indians.
These games are tough to watch.

The worst part is we probably left at least 30 on base for the series. We cant get a clutch hit.

**jefferson78** · May-25-12, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by kenp

The worst part is we probably left at least 30 on base for the series. We cant get a clutch hit.

Count me as one who is definitely worried about this team. Saying it'll all shake out fine in the end is only OK if your team shows it has something. This team has showed me nothing. Last year's model would win games in the later innings, this team loses them. They miss the professionalism and swagger of Martinez and his clutch hitting, of which we have none. Couple that with a key injury to Jackson, Leylands misuse of the pitching staff and this is what you have. Cleveland will not just fold this year. They are much improved over last year and if the Tigers are waiting for them to just hand over first place, it's not gonna happen. The Chisox are not intimidated either.
If things don't start getting better by the end of June, they may not ever get better.
With a lineup that they have, there is no excuse. And if they underperform for most if not all of the season, then Leyland and his staff has to go. It's that simple.

**Thruster315** · May-28-12, 01:20 AM

Way to go yard today Miggy. That long bomb out to straight away centerfield was a thing to marvel. The best was watching Denard Span's reaction; his shoulders dropped like a ton of bricks.

Fine fine fine- so we swept pitiful Minnesota and we're a helluva lot closer to the top of the pile than we were last week but until we're leading the division, discussing playoff opponents and thinking going deeper in the post season am I going to be happy. It's a damn good time to pull out of the swan dive and even a better time to really start flexing some of that talent.

**daddeeo** · May-28-12, 07:18 AM

Loved the way Miggie got picked off first after getting a single yesterday. It just shows the lack of concentration.
His throwing error was a gem too.
Hey, I know we all screw up but this guy gets paid milions to play baseball. Get it together.

**Thruster315** · May-28-12, 10:42 AM

Originally Posted by daddeeo

Loved the way Miggie got picked off first after getting a single yesterday. It just shows the lack of concentration.
His throwing error was a gem too.
Hey, I know we all screw up but this guy gets paid milions to play baseball. Get it together.

Yep. Miggy screwed up by getting picked off and yep, he's going to make some throwing errors too. I'm willing to concede that he's going to make some more too as the season rolls on, but I don't care if he's making the league minimum or if he gets paid a truckload of gold bricks at the end of the game either. How much these guys make is irrelevant to the criticism.

Whether it's Danny Worth and his paltry $482,000 a year salary or Prince Fielder's $23 million a year, as a fan I just want them to play professionally. The amount they make doesn't make them any less or better to me; they're on a major league roster and are expected to play like it.

**mastazero** · May-29-12, 06:25 AM

Oh, that's Great Sir !!

**Bong-Man** · June-01-12, 05:59 PM

Well I bet I'm not the only one thinking it, but spending all that money on Fielder and Cabrerra so Gerald Laird can DH is quite a tiger wtf moment for me. It shows there's more holes on this roster than just second base. We can't field worth a damn either, and I don't see that changing any time soon. Half our roster is slow as molassas in January, and this might be the worst double play combination since I watched Tito Fuentes as a kid. Wait until the bunting starts....trust me, it's coming !

**Thruster315** · June-02-12, 10:04 PM

Valverde makes Todd Jones look like the second coming of the Cy Young winning Willie Hernandez. Hits two batters and walks in the tying run? He can't seem to find the strike zone to save his life tonight. C'mon- we can't count on Miggy going yard three times to save his ass can we?

**Thruster315** · June-02-12, 10:06 PM

Santos drops the inning ending foul ball? You've got to be kidding me.

**Thruster315** · June-02-12, 10:09 PM

The boo birds are coming out now and who can blame them? Valverde looked like a complete amateur and Omir Santos looks more MudHen than Tiger.

**Thruster315** · June-02-12, 10:25 PM

Game winning RBI from Santos.

Hooray.

While I'm thankful for the win, we should've never have reached that point. Any victory over the Yankees is good though.

**401don** · June-03-12, 07:37 PM

It looks like this season is toast. As I posted back in January when they made the Fielder trade, Dombrowski & Ilitch tried to buy Fielder to replace Martinez while ignoring the obvious weaknesses - no 2nd baseman, appauling defense, lack of team speed, etc. They need to find a way to resolve the mess they've created with Fielder at 1st and Cabrera at 3rd and I have no idea how they can. I was also concerned they were expecting too many guys to repeat career years - Peralta, Avila, Valverde. What I expected was these guys to return to normal. However they are all having down years instead. Thank God Valverde's contract is up this year. I know these Hammy injuries are not the Tigers fault but there's no excuse for having a 120 million dollar payroll and having no decent players on the bench or in AAA to step in.

**Lowell** · June-04-12, 08:31 AM

Hold off on the panic button my friends. This season is far from over. The Tigers are in a division where no team seems to want to win it and are only six games back with 118 games to play. In any other division I might start to worry, but not this one.

The Tigers have quality pitching that is underperforming a little right now particularly with a shaky bullpen but history shows that pitching is the difference maker in the stretch. Valverde had a career season last year that would have won the Cy Young in some years. He can't be expected to repeat that but he will do enough.

It is rumored that Victor Martinez will be back by August and that would stiffen the line up. They have been one big hit away from winning many games this season and Martinez had the highest RISP average in the league last year. Put a surprising and speedy Quintin Berry and Austin Jackson if front of that killers' row and all things become possible.

This team is very explosive and can go on big winning spells. We saw that at the start of the season and even more importantly at the end of the last.

In the long run only injuries to 2 or more their superstars can stop them. All they have to do is hang around. My cup is still half full.

**kenp** · June-04-12, 08:58 AM

I agree with what Lowell says, we just cant let this thing snowball.
We have always been strong starters and weak finishers under Leyland. Last year was just the opposite, so hopefully that continues.
I think our starting pitching is good enough to keep us going.

**jefferson78** · June-05-12, 01:43 PM

Originally Posted by kenp

I agree with what Lowell says, we just cant let this thing snowball.
We have always been strong starters and weak finishers under Leyland. Last year was just the opposite, so hopefully that continues.
I think our starting pitching is good enough to keep us going.

I wish I had your optimism, I've watched nearly every game this season and I can tell you "this team is not last year's team".
It is certainly not better and key elements are missing that would give hope.
Add that to the fact that both Cleveland and Chicago are playing much better making it even more difficult to climb out of this hole.
Some years everything seems to go your way, others not so much.
It is not enough to have a team loaded with talent, you must have a winning environment in addition to the feeling that you are never out of a game. I felt that last year, this year I feel quite the opposite. That we are ready to blow a close game, and we have done just that. Too many times.
My biggest concern is Valverde. Knowing he was such a shutdown pitcher last year gave the team a boost and confidence that their lead was safe. Now, he seems like the reincarnation of Todd Jones in his later years.
Do I think they are out of it? No, and anything is possible. The problem I have is they need to show me something, anything. And sadly the only thing thay have been showing is a propensity to lose games they should win.
This is not good, and if things do not improve in the next month we'll be looking forward to the NFL season. Imagine that!