2011 Detroit Tigers talk

[401don]

Tomorrow starts the end game for me: The vast majority of the remaining games are against Central opponents, so do the Tigers bear down, and take this thing or somehow manage to fritter it away? Which, of course, has been their recent "second half" history. I may be a touch off, but I don't feel a disastrous slide coming on, yet I've not been entirely comfortable with this team either-- It often seems, even in their wins, that all three aspects of the game, pitching, hitting and fielding are not always there together in a nice, tight cohesive bond-- Remember how it seemed it took until May for the bats to come around? Another thing, it seems to me winning teams put together several good win streaks-- maybe three 7 to 10 wins in a row-- I think the Tigers have just the one "7" this year. OK, rant over-- Go Tigers! Beat the Tribe!

I think the Tigers will hang on and win the division only because they're the best of a bad lot. Very similar to the 2006 Cardinals. They finished 4-5 games over .500 and won the NL Central. Hopefully, the end result will be the same for the Tigers - get hot in the playoffs and win the World Series. We're well positoned for the next few years if can sign a couple of infielders who can move more than three feet to either side.

[Ravine]

I think we all understand that it is foolish to attach enormous significance to any single game, or series, with so much of the schedule yet unplayed, but damn sure we know that we have, before us at this juncture, a great chance to put the Indians in a position whereby the remainder of their season will be a struggle.
I still say that we should worry about the White Sox. Road Record is important. We have an even record of 28-28, CLE has a losing record, but the CWS have a winning record. By quite a few games, in fact.

[Planner3357]

Let me express my increasing disgust with Leyland's lineups. Why the hell did we even get Betemit if he isn't going to play him? I mean....WTF? I'm sick of seeing Raburn, Kelley [[although I like him), and santiago in place of Peralta, Betemit and Guillen. I like Dirks, but you have to play Mags in a big series opener.

Why isn't our #1 lineup in at least 2 of three? And they should be in for this whole series. I'm fucking sick of hearing about giving guys rest, [[a blow..a blow? WTF!?!) "well I've really been playing Avila too much..." Too much? He's young and he makes an MLB salary...JESUS!

Sorry.

[ggores]

Why the hell did we even get Betemit if he isn't going to play him? I mean....WTF?

It is frustrating, at this point in the season, when the Tigers are obviously the go-ahead front-runners to take the Division Title, and to have creepy Cleveland looming and ChiSox licking their chops as well, that Leyland does what most of us would not do. But he always has a pretty rational reasoning behind it. Once he gets into the numbers and stats, he actually turns out to be a decent strategist. But whatever. He's the boss.

Couldda swore that I heard on the radio yesterday that Leyland was going to go to a four man rotation for a run. I like that idea. Strange to even imagine a four man rotation these days. So I did some looking up. Billy Martin was the last manager to go a whole season utilizing the four man rotation. The 1980 Oakland Athletics I believe. Anyway, I heard this is what he was going to do down the stretch, and in doing so, eliminating the ill-effective fifth starter and giving Verlander a start every 4th game, or better put, pitching on 3 days rest instead of 4.

But the way he puts a team on the field on any given night, or day, just makes ya feel as if he's saying "Well here is one we can lose." That's the part I don't get.

Having done a little bit of reading though, I find that most managers in MLB are not much different, and what Leyland does, or doesn't do, is pretty much in agreement with the majority of MLB skippers.

I would prefer to see these ball players busting their collective asses, day in, day out. No rest.

I am skirmish about this series with Cleveland. They may only have something like an 18% chance of taking the division, but guess what? The Tigers, according to the simulations, have a ZERO % chance of getting a Wild Card.

First pitch in about 25 minutes. Go Tigers.

[Planner3357]

And again.....look at that sweet lineup! NO Peralta...NO Jax....NO Guillen....but woopdeefuckingdoo...Santiago really can lay down that bunt!

[401don]

Tigers acquired Delmon Young today. Never been a fan. Although he has speed he's lousy defensively. His power numbers have reverted back to the way they were before his breakout season last year. They gave up little unless the player to be named later turns into something. They need to approach Magglio and ask him if he would rather be released or be used as a pinch hitter the rest of the season.

[Thruster315]

They need to approach Magglio and ask him if he would rather be released or be used as a pinch hitter the rest of the season.

Magglio- love him or hate him, he was the team's number three hitter in the line-up. BAM! Next day, he's damn near tossed to the curb. It wasn't like he was even demoted to 6th or 7th in the line-up [[where he should've been) before being shown the gate. It's almost like a mid-season FU to the man who's been a pretty classy individual here. I get that his numbers aren't looking great but hell, at least do the man the dignity of benching him before you ditch him.

And for the amount of money that they signed him to? Criminal I say. It's almost as criminal as the Carlos Guillen contract; if memory serves me correctly he's making $13 million this year. And for the 82 at bats that he's had this year- that comes out to damn near some change over $158K every time he stepped up to the plate.

Dombrowski... what the hell are you thinking? Seriously.

[Ray1936]

Austin Jackson's throw from center field to Avila at Home Plate was the finest toss I've ever seen.....................and to end the game on that throw was totally appropriate.

I still cry at the loss of Granderson. But Austin is making me feel somewhat better about it all.

[Redleg81]

A great end to what became a very wobbly game-- Great throw, indeed! Valverde should buy Avila and Jackson dinner tonight-- They 'saved' his save..........

[Lowell]

This is getting fun - the immaculate throw, Justin wins his 19th, Delmon adds punch to the 3 spot, the emergence of Avila ... Dare we dream?

[Thruster315]

And Brad Penny pitching a gem of a game against David Price?

Surely the apocalypse is upon us. What next?

[Roq]

Surely the apocalypse is upon us. What next?

Phil Coke being a pitching machine?

[Thruster315]

Phil Coke being a pitching machine?

Yeah he was when he was the guy coming out of the bullpen last year.

I do declare that the Coke as a starter experiment was a complete flop.

[Roq]

Tigers just DESTROYED the White Sox tonight -- best come from behind I've seen in a while. Can't wait to see what this team does for the rest of September.

[Thruster315]

Tigers just DESTROYED the White Sox tonight -- best come from behind I've seen in a while. Can't wait to see what this team does for the rest of September.

To be more accurate I'd say the Tigers destroyed Sergio Santos.

It was a scrappy game and Brad Penny being the veteran that he was came unglued when Carlos Guillen messed up royally on the inning ending double play in the 4th inning. We should've never have been down seven runs.

I'll take a sip from the Kool-Aid jug for now because they came back in the 9th inning. It's also nice to see Austin Jackson starting to heat it up as of late too [[about time!).

[Roq]

I'll take a sip from the Kool-Aid jug for now because they came back in the 9th inning. It's also nice to see Austin Jackson starting to heat it up as of late too [[about time!).

lol, it is tasting good right about now, isn't it?

It's also nice to see Ajax cooking too -- he's been spectacular since the break. And, I even have to say, d.bag Ryan effing Raburn is making me eat a few words lately.

[rjk]

What a nice win that was yesterday coming back from a 8-1 deficit.

Also Jared Weaver gave up 6 runs in 5 innings so Verlander now has the best ERA in the AL.
And he has the 2nd best era in all of baseball being only .05 out of the top spot.

[401don]

Maybe the best comeback in my 40 years of going to the ballpark. I can't ever remember 2 homers in the bottom of the 9th. Always tempting to leave during a rain delay but I always tell myself how pissed I'd be if that happens. I believe that was the Tigers first come from behind ninth inning win all season and on the other hand they still haven't lost a game leading after 7 innings. Strange season indeed.

[Thruster315]

lol, it is tasting good right about now, isn't it?

It's also nice to see Ajax cooking too -- he's been spectacular since the break. And, I even have to say, d.bag Ryan effing Raburn is making me eat a few words lately.

I ditched the straw and chug-a-lugged the Kool Aid. I think that game was a serious back breaker for the Sox and the Tribe is just falling apart now. Dare I say I think the second half collapse of this team that we've grown accustomed to seeing isn't going to emerge this time around?

But no need to reserve criticism of Raburn though. A few good solid pops out there doesn't constitute the need to play him as much as Leyland has. He stunk it up the first half and didn't deserve any praise. Why Leyland stuck it out with the likes of him, Guillen and Inge as starters as long as he has is mind numbing. I have no issues with them coming off the bench in a pinch hit situation or defensively but the skipper stuck with them all year long and why??

I'll cut Austin Jackson the slack for not hitting well early because he was still the stud in centerfield, but those three other jambronis needed to sit or play for the MudHens.

[Thruster315]

18-2 means "kiss my ass", Ozzie Guillen.

I think this spanking will signal the death knell for that guy in Chicago. Never liked him and never will. Sweeping him and the Sox felt very very nice. You'd think the White Sox would try to come out with some fire after the back breaker the night before but instead they got shellacked!

[Ravine]

What a nice win that was yesterday coming back from a 8-1 deficit.

Also Jared Weaver gave up 6 runs in 5 innings so Verlander now has the best ERA in the AL.
And he has the 2nd best era in all of baseball being only .05 out of the top spot.

Johnny Cueto has pitched about 80 less Innings. His Innings Pitched qualify him for that #1 spot, but I think it's fair to say that it's very, very unlikely that he would maintain that ERA through the amount of IP Verlander has logged in and slogged through.

[Roq]

18-2 means "kiss my ass", Ozzie Guillen.

I think this spanking will signal the death knell for that guy in Chicago. Never liked him and never will. Sweeping him and the Sox felt very very nice. You'd think the White Sox would try to come out with some fire after the back breaker the night before but instead they got shellacked!

On National Tee Vee no less. A complete and utter meltdown by the Sox-- was great watching it happen.

[401don]

With Boesch done for the season, Delmon Young is making me eat my words when I posted I never really liked the guy. Speaking of done, Adam Dunn [[dung?) - They said on the game last night his .163 avg. is on pace to be the lowest ever in MLB with 400+ plate appearances. Yikes. Just think if he would have agreed to DH he probably would be a Tiger instead of Victor Martinez.

[Ray1936]

On National Tee Vee no less. A complete and utter meltdown by the Sox-- was great watching it happen.

What pissed me was all the "talking head" they gave to Guillen during the game. Leyland got maybe 15 seconds of interview, but the ESPN team of Herscheiser et all shot themselves in the foot by playing up the Guillen interviews.

And, God, why do network announcers talk so much? About so little?? And say nothing???

[rjk]

Valentine can be a little goofy, but Hershiser is very good at discussing all things pitching.
They were a little heavy on the Guillen talk, but he is an interesting character whether the sox are in the race or not. Plus Chicago is a huge market and I'm sure they wanted to keep the sox audience tuned in. They probably figured the Tiger fans were a lock to watch the game.

What a great trade the Fister exchange is turning out to be. Fister gets 13 strikeouts and out pitches the guy the Tribe gave up major prospects to get.