2010 Detroit Tigers

**401don** · August-09-10, 06:59 PM

As many truly awful Tiger teams as I've watched over the years, I can't ever remember them going into an off-season with only two position spots filled for the next season. Only Cabrera and Jackson are set. Bosch would be the the third but that's not a sure thing at the moment. Guillen should return to DH if they can fill the ss, catcher, third base and left field holes ahead of 2nd base. However Guillen is as likely to get injured running the bases as fielding. That guy could pull a hamstring eating a ham sandwich. On the other hand our pitching is solid. Our number 3 starter just got his first win since mid May yesterday! Okay, now I remember why I stopped posting on the Tigers. I'll shut up now.

**smogboy** · August-16-10, 10:32 PM

Has Jose Valverde been channeling the ghosts of Todd Jones & Fernando Rodney? He was lights out first half and now he insists on giving us all heart attacks with his walks, wild pitches and loading them up in the 9th.

Sorry, but the only roller coaster I like riding are at Cedar Point.

**jefferson78** · August-26-10, 09:03 AM

I've absoluttely had it with Jim Leyland and his player managment.
Why would he keep Figaro in the game so long? How can you keep a reliever like him in a tie game throwing 54 pitches?
I know they are pretty much out of the race but it would have been nice to keep that win streak going.
You can blame injuries all you want, but Leyland's insistence on keeping the struggling Boesch batting behind Miggy border on the moronic.
I cannot count the number of times opposing pitchers would pitch around Miggy to face this guy who was obviously struggling. Just like the ninth inning yesterday.
Rayburn should have been up in that spot since he has been carrying a hot bat lately.
It's a crying shame Cabrera has been walked so many times this season. I know it's good strategy by opposing teams but I hate to see it. The only way to prevent it is to have a strong hitter batting behind him and once the AL pitchers figured out how to pitch Brennan he became a non-factor. It was at that time Leyland should have changed the order but he was too stubborn and stupid.
I tell you, for all of the good things that Leyland has done, his in-game player management leaves a lot to be desired. His refusal to start Kenny Rogers in St. Louis during the World Series may have cost us a championship we should have won.

Ravine · September-13-10, 11:10 PM

I have some strong objections to Leyland's decisions, too. I don't have a better guy in mind, but some of Leyland's decisions really frost my ass.

I hope the folks who were so anxious, last season, to have Magglio taken out behind the garage and shot took notice of how lame we started to look after he broke his ankle.

There are only about 15 guys, in MLB, who have amassed 3000+ AB's and have maintained a BA of .300 or higher. Magglio is one of them [[over .310, actually) and Cabrera is another.
That accomplishment is no trifle. If we can get Magglio back for one more season-- at a reduced rate, of course-- I'm all for it. We must have somebody with a real bat in the order next to Cabrera; preferably, one in front and one in back, and until somebody else comes along, I don't think we need to feel queasy about having Ordonez, one of the greatest hitters to ever wear a Tiger uniform, stick around. He's not young, but he ain't old, either, and while he's not a good outfielder, so fucking what? He wasn't a good outfielder ten years ago, either.

**ggores** · September-27-10, 10:38 PM

I would like to tell a story. But first first, I have a couple of questions.

First off, Ravine, are you still stepping out on the ledge? Why have you not atempted suicide this season?

Just kidding.

The first Tiger's game I remember was the locker room scence from the '68 Championship Celebration. Think I had shat my diaper, as I was still learnining how to walk. Ray Layne and Little Al Kaline. Again, correct me if I am wrong. Or don't. Nobody likes being "corrected".

Eddie Brinkman, Pops always told me he was the scnhizzitz. "He can pop one down the line like you've never seen before" is what Dad used to say. And he did.

Bill Freehan was completely old-school, elite, had a glove like a rhino.

Aurealio? Gold-glover, just like Inge.

Ralph Houk?

Ron Leflore.... he was fast....

Mark The Byrd? God rest his soul.

Les Moss?

The Detroit Tigers are a fabled franchise, and maybe one of these years they will make a really good run.

This 2010 season is quickly drawing to a close, and that ball park will be silent from October thru April of 2011.

They will finish above .500. Not bad. BUT! We all know that you need to be at least a .625 to clinch.

I have no idea what D-browski is going to do with his money in the off-season. The Free Agent field is kinda dried up, unfortunately.

But no matter what, I like Tiger's Baseball. In fact, they're the only MLB team I like. It's been fun, kids. See U in 2011.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p8PJpCkuU9s

**kenp** · September-28-10, 09:40 AM

Didnt see Ray Lane. The announcers were George Kell and Larry Osterman. I think Lane was doing radio with Ernie in 68, but not sure. Little Al Kaline as you mentioned was no longer a starter in 68 and winding down his career.
Eddie Brinkman was also a great fielder as was Rodriguez, got them and Joe Coleman in a trade for Denny McClain later in the early 70's
Really enjoyed the video

Ravine · September-29-10, 04:16 AM

Ggores, I live on the ledge. From there, I can keep an eye on things.
And, you are correct, sir [[or madam, but I doubt that,) in stating that nobody likes being corrected.
However, from my advantage point here atop the ledge, I can see that Kenp, while correctly naming the broadcast teams, has committed, to print, an erroneous statement, and because it directly refers to a Tiger who is very, very special in my eyes, I cannot let it stand uncorrected, although I would like to thank both of you for breathing a little bit of life into this inert thread, a thread so thanatoid [[yes, I made that one up, but it works) that I, long ago, ceased to bother with even checking its pulse.
*Ahem*
"Little" Al Kaline, all 6'2", 180 of him, was a mere [[I hate to use that word, anymore, with it having been permanently ruined by Gannon's abuse) 33 years old during the 1968 Tiger season, and was not "winding down" anything. Sadly, he missed about one-third of that season-- and the opportunity to earn an eighth consecutive Gold Glove-- due to an injury, with that injury being Another Story for Another Time.
#6 [[I think that sounds so much more dignified than does "Little Al Kaline," don't you agree?) lashed 685 of his 3007 Career Hits after the '68 season, with 85 of them being Home Runs, and retired, at age 39, after the 1974 season.

-Ravine, snaring Ggores' fly ball on a bounce off of the wall and throwing out Kenp at Home Plate

**kenp** · September-29-10, 08:33 AM

I often wondered why Kaline wasnt a starter late in 68, but you set me straight. I was only 6.
Gotta hand it to you Ravine, nice info on Kaline.

When people talk about 68 to me they always insist Brinkman was on that team. UGH

Anyway, I will not argue the OUT call at home, I will walk away quietly, but I insist the 3rd base coach waved me in

Ravine · September-29-10, 10:17 AM

Understood. You are granted a "mulligan" as compensation for 3rd Base Coach Gene Lamont making yet another dumb-ass decision.

Besides, you are aware of the truth that Brinkman was not the SS on that team [[although we should point out that Ggores didn't suggest such a thing in the walk down MemoRay Lane.)
More, on that, later. That matter is connected to another matter that is directly relevant to the original subject.

**kenp** · September-29-10, 11:50 AM

The Brinkman observation had nothing to do with Ggores post and Brinkman being on the 68 team. I didnt think he meant it that way, the name just got me to thinking of what others said.
To be quite honest Ggores post confused me quite a bit. It would be like me writing something after smoking a big fat one.
Back to Kaline. In 1974, his last year, he played in 147 games, batted over 600 times and had close to 150 hits. That is 6 years after 1968. With that kind of year I must admit, "winding down" wasnt a fair choice of words. Why wasnt Kaline starting at the end of 68? Were they resting him for the post season? Or just in a nice groove with Stanley, Northrup and Horton.

**ggores** · September-29-10, 08:01 PM

Thanks "Discuss 2010 Tigers". I learn things. And I really do not mind being corrected when correction is due. I like throwing out names, that's all:

Gator Brown
Freehan
Lolich
Rodriguez
John Hiller
Dave Concepcion
Les Moss
Ron Leflore
"Big Daddy" Cecil Fielder
Thurmon Munson
Petry
Morris
Rollie Fingers
Lou Frggin' Brock!
Charlie Hustle
Billy Ball

etc. etc.

I have little time to do deep research, so, again, thanks for corrections.

Completely irrelevant to Tiger's Baseball, I will be pulling for Bobby Cox this season. Thought he would've had a damn stroke by now.

**kenp** · September-30-10, 07:36 AM

Ggores. I am also rooting for Cox. 4 games to go and they are up by 1.5 games

**smogboy** · September-30-10, 09:04 AM

Snif snif... as sad as it may be [[or is it relief) that the Tigers season is about to come to a close. Getting swept like we did in the day/night games yesterday was painfully obvious. The team isn't in total disarray but we do have some issues to hammer out in the off season. There isn't much to cheer for now unless one's a fan of the other teams going to the post season. Except maybe Miggy having a shot at AL MVP.

**kenp** · September-30-10, 10:06 AM

Smogboy, dont forget to give props to Jackson for Rookie of the Year. Been above .300 for most of the season until lately. Now at .298
Besides that I will be glad its over.

**smogboy** · September-30-10, 03:17 PM

Originally Posted by kenp

Smogboy, dont forget to give props to Jackson for Rookie of the Year. Been above .300 for most of the season until lately. Now at .298
Besides that I will be glad its over.

My apologies to Austin Jackson. I hope he gets Rookie of the Year too. His play really made me heal up a lot faster after sending Curtis Granderson off to the Yankees. On top of the nice bat he's had at the plate, what really impressed me has been his defensive play. That kid has just got jump after hearing the crack of the bat. He seriously patrols that massive Comerica Park centerfield like a predator. Dave Dombrowski really did pull off a major coup with that deal.

Any idea what Jackson would need to nudge his average to something above .300? Maybe I'm splitting hairs here but it sure would be nice to hear that our Rookie of the Year here had a +.300 batting average.

I'm also sure there have been a handful of other good stories to be culled from the 2010 Tigers season too, but I'm just too darn tired to mull most of them over at the moment. I'm looking forward to Fall and closing the door to baseball season soon. Give me a little bit of baseball hibernation and I'm sure I'll be back discussing our fine team again.

**jiminnm** · October-01-10, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by kenp

I often wondered why Kaline wasnt a starter late in 68, but you set me straight. I was only 6.
Gotta hand it to you Ravine, nice info on Kaline.

When people talk about 68 to me they always insist Brinkman was on that team. UGH

Anyway, I will not argue the OUT call at home, I will walk away quietly, but I insist the 3rd base coach waved me in

The hero of 1968 [[in addition to Mickey Lolich) should be the other Mickey - Stanley. Mayo Smith moved him from CF to SS late in the season and kept him there thru the World Series because Ray Oyler was such a weak hitter. Stanley performed brilliantly, as did Northrup who moved to CF from RF and Kaline who was back in the lineup in RF.

Brinkman, now gone, was a slick fielder but weak hitter. He may be better known for his famous line to Ray Lane [[I think) on live TV from the locker room when the Tigers clinched the 1972 pennant - this is the best f***in' bunch of guys I've ever played with.

Ravine · October-02-10, 02:42 AM

Nice going, Jiminnm. You told part of the story I was promising to tell. I was dragging my feet; thanks for jumping in.

Kaline's arm had been broken, much earlier in the season, by a pitch from Lew Krausse. That necessitated moving Northrup from CF to RF. Stanley took over in CF-- and Creepin' Jesus, he was great at it-- but near the end of the season, with Kaline ready to return, Mayo Smith decided to have Stanley play at SS [[where he had almost no experience, but he was such a good athlete, and had such a sure glove, it seemed like a can-do) in place of Ray Oyler, who, as Jiminnm pointed out, was a terribly weak hitter.
The lore has it that Kaline, ever the honorable one, went to Smith and urged him to go, in the World Series, with the guys who got the team there, but Smith, having used the last week [[or so) of the season to prepare Stanley for SS duty, told Kaline-- who, by that time, represented everything great about the Olde English D-- to forget it, that he was going to be in RF where he belonged, and so Oyler sat.
I really like Jiminnm's suggestion:
"The hero of 1968 [[in addition to Mickey Lolich) should be the other Mickey"
So true. Kaline had a terrific Series, Lolich had the kind of World Series that every baseball-loving kid dreams of [[the kind that really doesn't even sound possible,) and Northrup was like a hired killer, but Mickey Stanley & Mayo Smith combined to pull off a maneuver that, while it had to be difficult for Oyler, is an unforgettable moment in the history of our Tigers.
You would think that a team Struck Out seventeen times in Game One would deflate immediately and have no chance.
Of course, as we are loathe to point out, the Cardinals "got us back" 38 years later.
Linkosaurus Rex:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/po.../1968_WS.shtml

**kenp** · November-23-10, 02:15 PM

Tigers get Martinez to Catch and help in the hitting department. He has power and is a .300 hitter. Laird will be long gone I'm sure, his great catching couldnt make up for is awful hitting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/mlb...ory?id=5842176

**Leroy Hoard** · November-23-10, 04:37 PM

Originally Posted by kenp

Tigers get Martinez to Catch and help in the hitting department. He has power and is a .300 hitter. Laird will be long gone I'm sure, his great catching couldnt make up for is awful hitting.

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/mlb...ory?id=5842176

The fact that La[[i)rd is gone alone makes this good. VMart will bat 5th behind Cabrera as a switch hitting DH/catcher who should help make sure Cabrera isn't walked every time like last year.

**401don** · November-23-10, 05:37 PM

It just seems like the Tigers are forced to throw the most money at whatever is available each year because they are backed into a corner. They haven't developed a corner outfielder since forever. Martinez is basically just another Guillen when Guillen was healthy a few years ago. Paying both of them this year is like giving 24.5 million a year for one decent DH.