Detroit Tigers --Another Year, More of the Same

[emu steve]

Great pitching duel today. Verlander makes 2 bad pitches and it costs him a win. Let's not get crazy about Jones after 2 games, as everyone tends to do when a rookie gets off to a fast start, but there are definitely things to like about his game: Number 1 - he can actually run! Number 2 - he can play multiple key positions. Number 3 - he has a compact swing and will likely be the type of gap hitter that suits Comerica Park. Big series coming up in KC this weekend.

Agree with your points.

I like what the Tigs are doing talent wise with Aybar and Jones. Aybar is a proven player and Jones is a fairly high ceiling, versatile kid.

What I like is if the baseball gods are shining on us [[e.g., with injuries) we get back Maybin, Zimm, Pelfrey, and Nick C. That would make for a solid, deep squad.

If we are very healthy, we'll be pretty good!!!

[emu steve]

Is this a year where we try to make a run as a Wild Card team? Should be healthy and closing fast?

We are tied for the 2nd WC slot and if we face the BoSox they have their warts, too:

"My Stats & Info colleague Jason McCallum shared this note: Koji Uehara was injured on July 19 and has not pitched since then. Since July 20, the Red Sox bullpen has a 7.02 ERA in the eighth inning when the score is within two runs. That is easily the worst in baseball during that span. The major league average is just under 3.00."

Compliments of ESPN.

[emu steve]

Analytically speaking we have a number of series with teams which do not play .500 ball at home or away.

http://www.espn.com/mlb/standings

K.C. and CLE are very tough at home. Balto struggles on the road. Twins struggle both at home and on the road.

Tigers need to win 2 or 3 out of 3 vs. the O's next weekend. Huge series.

[emu steve]

Tony Paul, Detnews, summarizes the crazy nature of the 2016 season:

"The Tigers know something about winning a bunch. They also know something about losing a bunch. This is a ballclub that, after all, has recorded 12 sweeps, but been swept six times; they've been 12 games over .500, and six games under; they've been 8.5 games out of first place, and a game in front; they've been shut out nine times, and scored 10 or more runs 13 times; they've won 10 of 11 in one stretch, lost 11 of 12 in another; heck, they once suffered two walk-off losses in a single day, then responded by sweeping the next two series, against fellow wild-card contenders Boston and Houston.If you can make sense of all that, congrats. You've just been accepted to Mensa.
It's been a roller coaster so wild, so high and so low, so fast-moving, if they recreated it down the road in Sandusky, Ohio, the expected wait time to ride the gut-busting thriller would be five hours."

[emu steve]

For those who wish to look beyond 2016, it appears the Tigers are finally getting better with their scouting and drafting and rebuilding a bad farm system.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/spo...look/89875254/

[emu steve]

Got to admit I'm a little surprised that the Baltimore series this weekend would be as important as it is.

Fulmer, Zimmerman and Verlander going for the good guys... the home team.

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/ml...ated/89933138/

[Cincinnati_Kid]

Really important after dropping 2 of 3 to the palehoes....

[emu steve]

Nice article on V-Mart. Healthy, as V-Mart will be with his injury history, he is a valuable cog in the middle of the lineup.

Still a clutch player on a team which could be dangerous the rest of the way IF Zimmerman is good to go. [[Nick C., also).

Has two more years left on his contract and maybe two more years left on his legs. 2018 should be his retirement season.

Hope he can make it through the 2018 season.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/spo...ture/90147194/

[401don]

Nice article on V-Mart. Healthy, as V-Mart will be with his injury history, he is a valuable cog in the middle of the lineup.

Still a clutch player on a team which could be dangerous the rest of the way IF Zimmerman is good to go. [[Nick C., also).

Has two more years left on his contract and maybe two more years left on his legs. 2018 should be his retirement season.

Hope he can make it through the 2018 season.

http://www.detroitnews.com/story/spo...ture/90147194/

It's not Victor's fault, but this was another crazy Ilitch contract. He should have been given 3 yrs, not 5. Maybe give him 20 million per season. No way he wouldn't have signed. His inability to score from 2nd base on a single or 3rd on a sac fly and stretching doubles into singles is just hard to watch. As well, having a full-time DH hurts your ability to rest veterans like Cabrera and Kinsler by having them DH occasionally. No chance we get 2 more years out of him. I just hope it doesn't prevent the Tigers from giving the younger Martinez his extension.

[emu steve]

It's not Victor's fault, but this was another crazy Ilitch contract. He should have been given 3 yrs, not 5. Maybe give him 20 million per season. No way he wouldn't have signed. His inability to score from 2nd base on a single or 3rd on a sac fly and stretching doubles into singles is just hard to watch. As well, having a full-time DH hurts your ability to rest veterans like Cabrera and Kinsler by having them DH occasionally. No chance we get 2 more years out of him. I just hope it doesn't prevent the Tigers from giving the younger Martinez his extension.

If V-Mart struggles with injuries in 2017 I doubt he'd be back in 2018 to collect a paycheck.

I think V-Mart will retire when he thinks he can't go any more...

[emu steve]

Just bumping this thread up.

As soon as fans thought "It's over" the Tigers win two and are still alive.

What a roller coaster ride this season has been!!

Now if we can win two more in Minnesota and some more help from the BoSox we're back in there!!

[emu steve]

Just bumping this thread up...

As this strange season progresses, the Tigers just got bumped up to the 2nd AL WC spot.

[emu steve]

Three or four games to go [[or maybe even more before the post season begins).

IF Tigers are out of it after Sunday's game, BUT Indians are jousting for a higher or lower seed for their first post season series, the game will be played Monday at Comerica.

If the Tigers are out of it, will the stadium be 99% empty? [[ticket holders can exchange Thursday's ticket for a tix next year).

http://www.freep.com/story/sports/ml...game/91329252/

[Ray1936]

Well, that's that. In my humble opinion, the season ended Saturday when the Tigers had the bases loaded in the 8th with nobody out, and Miggy struck out and Martinez grounded into a double play. But Sunday's 1-0 was absolutely a heartbreaker for Verlander, who deserves so much better. On the plus side, they were in it until the last game. On the negative side....too many mucho-multi-game losses in a row during the season. Only suggestion I have for next year is a management change, quite frankly.

[401don]

Well, that's that. In my humble opinion, the season ended Saturday when the Tigers had the bases loaded in the 8th with nobody out, and Miggy struck out and Martinez grounded into a double play. But Sunday's 1-0 was absolutely a heartbreaker for Verlander, who deserves so much better. On the plus side, they were in it until the last game. On the negative side....too many mucho-multi-game losses in a row during the season. Only suggestion I have for next year is a management change, quite frankly.

I never totally bought into the argument that you can't judge a starting pitcher by win totals until I saw Verlander the 2nd half. Game after game dominating the other team while allowing 2 runs or less, and not getting the win. Today typified the season. Solid starting pitching and a line-up flailing away at a mediocre pitcher, unable to manufacture a single run. As I've said all year, we need a couple more athletic guys who can handle the bat and run. Our outfield defense is very weak as well. They need to find a better centerfielder and try to re-sign Maybin primarily as the 4th outfielder since he's over 30 and can't stay healthy to play everyday. It may also be time to move JD Martinez. His value is high, he's going to be very expensive and he's the only slow moving slugger that has a contract you can trade. They should dump both Sanchez and Pelfrey even though it will mean eating most of their contracts.

[401don]

A couple more thoughts before I turn my attention to the Lions. I never pay attention to them until the Tigers are done. It should be a great season.
Avila has shown nothing as a GM so far. Nobody thought Zimmerman was a bad signing. That was just bad luck. Upton was way overpaid but that was Ilitch's move, not Avila. Maybin turned out to be a good deal. On the other hand, dumping Rajai Davis and signing Aviles for the same money was insane. Signing Pelfrey and Lowe, two lousy pitchers to multi-year deals was even more insane. Trading Devon Travis to the Jays for Gose was the most insane. Ilitch has too much ego to dump his own hire after one year but so far I blame Avila far more than Ausmus for this season's failure.

[Hypestyles]

Well, now what?
now that the season's over, what's next?

[401don]

Well, now what?
now that the season's over, what's next?

If every baseball card I owned when I was a kid was correct, what's next is "Hunting and Fishing."

[softailrider]

It was all there for them but they couldn't take care of business. It was an exciting year that didn't end good. Nowhere near as bad as 1967, but it was still disappointing. I think the most maddening aspect to this season was their frequent power outages, with all those thumpers you wouldn't think that would happen as often as it did. I think that Pelfrey and Zimmerman just didn't pitch up to snuff.

On the other hand tickets were pretty damm cheap for most games and I'm optimistic about next year. Bring on April, I'll be ready.

[Cincinnati_Kid]

They need to get more athletic. VMart and Miggy are great hitters, but they are a liability on the bases. A younger roster with speed is what's needed. Can't always count on 3 run homers to win games for you.

[emu steve]

They need to get more athletic. VMart and Miggy are great hitters, but they are a liability on the bases. A younger roster with speed is what's needed. Can't always count on 3 run homers to win games for you.

I agree with the problem with V-Mart and Miggy.

I was disappointed that the Tigers didn't make better usage of the speed they do have on their roster.

Have to get some of the players with speed [[e.g., Maybin, Iglesias, etc.) running more trying to manufacture runs. I'd pinch run for V-Mart more come say the 7th inning. I'd love to have a utility player with a lot of speed ala Maybin and Iggy.

That said, with all of the injuries, still a season hopeful for the future.

Lack of speed is a concern among position players but they are set for next year.

Pitching looks hopeful too with JV, Fulmer, Zimmerman, Norris, and Boyd.

Add a set up man and some 'good health' and 2017 will be promising.

Sports can be very disheartening [[like this weekend), winning and losing. If someone wants a guaranteed happy ending maybe go see the movie "Sully." Don't go see athletic contests. A full house up in Mt. Pleasant came to see CMU host WMU and WMU left them disappointed. Sports have the highest highs and the lowest lows...