Wednesday night Tigers 2- Royals 3
Thursday afternoon Tigers 7 - Royals 3
After last night's game lasted until almost midnight and then playing an afternoon game today it's time for some catch up here in Section 148.
Last night started out with Scherzer and Hochevar going head to head in a pitching duel. Scherzer was almost perfect through 5 2/3. He didn't allow a hit or a walk until then (although he did hit two batters). Flirting with perfection through almost 6 innings SHOULD be enough. But as good as Scherzer was Hochevar was almost as good, neither team could get a run across until KC got one off of Fu Te Ni in the 7th. It looked like Detroit would lose 1-0 until Miguel Cabrera drove one juussst over the wall and hitting the Right Field foul pole to tie the game up in the Tigers' 9th to send it to extra innings. Both teams tried to score in the 10th but failed to make it the last 90'. Then in the 11th Detroit put a series of singles together off of Kyle Farnsworth (I never did like him much as a Tiger, but I love to see him pitch for the other guys!). Finally Don Kelly was waved home from 2nd on a not-very-deep single to Left Field, testing the arm of Posednik. Pods failed that test miserably- I mean Kelly should have been out at 3rd much less getting all of the way Home! But he scored and the Tigers took the lead 2-1 going into the bottom of the 11th. It was time to bring in our shiny new Closer...
I hope you've had the chance to see Valverde, aka "Papa Grande/ The Big Potato" enter a game from the bullpen. It's as though you got a ticket to the walrus show at Sea World. He steps up to the gate leading onto the field. He looks to his left- and spits a stream of water on to the warning track. He looks to his right- and spits another stream. Then he looks straight ahead and spits out the rest. Apparently he does this every time he comes into a game.
So our Walrus makes his entrance- and gives up a home run to the first batter he faces. Game tied. He then continues his mis-adventures until the winning run comes across on an error by Sizemore. And that was that. As I said in last night's game thread at BYB: "This is not how you make fans in your new home!"
Today (Thursday) was another debut. It was Dontrelle Willis' coming out party. He made his first Big League appearance in almost a year and nobody was sure what he would do.
Well he did pretty well. He pitched 6 innings, allowing only 2 runs on 7 hits and 2 walks. You have probably guessed that he had some help to pull that line off- the Tigers made 3 double plays behind him to keep him in the game. Not a great performance, but we'll take it.
Early on the Tigers continued to struggle at the plate, with only 1 run first 7 innings. But Cabrera came through again with ANOTHER home run (a 3 run shot in the 8th) to give them the lead. He pushed in another run as the Tigers batted around in the 9th.
MVP of the series is no question- Miguel Cabrera. He had 8 hits in 14 (.571) including 2 home runs for 7 RBI (of the total 17 runs the Tigers scored). His SLG is currently 1.600!
Tomorrow is the Home Opener for Detroit! I hope that you can find some place to enjoy it. Game time is 1:05. Rick Porcello has been given the honor of the start for Detroit. The Cleveland Indians will do their best to spoil it.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Game 2: Tigers at Royals
Game Day Link
Tonight is Max Scherzer's Tiger debut. The word on the internet is that Scherzer is a top tier pitcher and Detroit did well to get a hold of him. I'm sure not going to doubt wiser people than me, but his Spring numbers did not impress me (I know, "Spring stats don't mean anything" but that's all I have). Apparently Max decided about half way through Spring Training that he needed to focus more, so he started approaching the games like he would a regular season game. Here is what Tom Gage wrote in this morning's DetNews:
He goes up against Luke Hochevar. Hochevar has a slightly higher WHIP (1.47) and a much higher ERA (5.88). Hopefully the Tigers can take advantage of Royals pitching tonight as they did on Opening Day.
The game starts at 8:10 pm EST but because it "April in the D" we can't watch the game until the Red Wings game is over. Normally if there was a conflict the Tigers would be bumped to FSN+ but they have the Pistons there, so we have to wait. Maybe I can watch American Idol and a Tigers' game. The game will be re-broadcast at midnight in its entirety on FSN Detroit.
Tonight is Max Scherzer's Tiger debut. The word on the internet is that Scherzer is a top tier pitcher and Detroit did well to get a hold of him. I'm sure not going to doubt wiser people than me, but his Spring numbers did not impress me (I know, "Spring stats don't mean anything" but that's all I have). Apparently Max decided about half way through Spring Training that he needed to focus more, so he started approaching the games like he would a regular season game. Here is what Tom Gage wrote in this morning's DetNews:
What was learned in spring training is that for Max to become SuperMax, if indeed he can, he has to be all in, all the time.
He can't get by with half intensity. It has to be max for Max.
He can't get by approaching any outing as less than a huge outing.
His entire spring training turned around when he stopped treating it like spring training. He knows himself well enough to realize that unless he's into every outing 100 percent, he's not himself.
Even with the turn around Max had a WHIP of 1.76. So he basically averaged almost 2 base runners per inning he pitched. For comparison, Nate Robertson had a WHIP of 1.30 when he was traded and Rick Porcello had 0.78. Max's ERA was 7.15 for the spring. Historically Max has a WHIP of 1.32 and an ERA of 3.86 in 226 1/3 innings over his 2 years with the Diamondbacks.
He goes up against Luke Hochevar. Hochevar has a slightly higher WHIP (1.47) and a much higher ERA (5.88). Hopefully the Tigers can take advantage of Royals pitching tonight as they did on Opening Day.
The game starts at 8:10 pm EST but because it "April in the D" we can't watch the game until the Red Wings game is over. Normally if there was a conflict the Tigers would be bumped to FSN+ but they have the Pistons there, so we have to wait. Maybe I can watch American Idol and a Tigers' game. The game will be re-broadcast at midnight in its entirety on FSN Detroit.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Tigers 8 - Royals 4, Game 1 is done...
We saw two of last year's best pitchers to start things off in KC today: Zack Greinke (2009 AL Cy Young winner) against Justin Verlander (3rd place in the 2009 Cy Young voting).
Verlander went 5 innings and gave up 4 runs with 1 walk and 6 strike outs. Greinke went 6 innings, giving up 1 run with 1 walk and 4 strike outs. But there is only 1 Zack Greinke and after the 6th he was done.
The difference in this game was the difference between the bullpens. Detroit's was solid, KC's was not.
Fangraph of the game.
After JV was done Zumaya went out and threw a 7 pitch 6th inning. Coke took over for him and got 2 in the 7th. Perry came on, finished the 7th and took care of the 8th. Valverde came in for the 9th and there was some "questionable" fielding but got out of the inning without allowing a run. The Detroit 'pen only allowed 3 hits in the last 4 innings.
KC's bullpen allowed 4 hits and 5 runs in the first 1/3 of an inning after Greinke left the game to give Detroit a lead they would not give up. Austin Jackson not only got an RBI double on his first Major League hit and later scored, he also gunned down a run at the plate in the 7th inning from Center Field. Johnny Damon was 2 for 5 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Ordonez had a double and scored a run, Cabrera had 2 RBI and a run scored.
It was a solid win for the Tigers. A great way to start the year.
Tuesday is an off day and then we get to see Max Scherzer take the mound on Wednesday evening (8:10 start time in Michigan).
Verlander went 5 innings and gave up 4 runs with 1 walk and 6 strike outs. Greinke went 6 innings, giving up 1 run with 1 walk and 4 strike outs. But there is only 1 Zack Greinke and after the 6th he was done.
The difference in this game was the difference between the bullpens. Detroit's was solid, KC's was not.
Fangraph of the game.
After JV was done Zumaya went out and threw a 7 pitch 6th inning. Coke took over for him and got 2 in the 7th. Perry came on, finished the 7th and took care of the 8th. Valverde came in for the 9th and there was some "questionable" fielding but got out of the inning without allowing a run. The Detroit 'pen only allowed 3 hits in the last 4 innings.
KC's bullpen allowed 4 hits and 5 runs in the first 1/3 of an inning after Greinke left the game to give Detroit a lead they would not give up. Austin Jackson not only got an RBI double on his first Major League hit and later scored, he also gunned down a run at the plate in the 7th inning from Center Field. Johnny Damon was 2 for 5 with 2 RBI and 2 runs scored. Ordonez had a double and scored a run, Cabrera had 2 RBI and a run scored.
It was a solid win for the Tigers. A great way to start the year.
Tuesday is an off day and then we get to see Max Scherzer take the mound on Wednesday evening (8:10 start time in Michigan).
Opening Day 2010
Tigers at Royals
4/5/2010
Here it is! Opening Day for a brand new season! The Roster has been whittled down to 25 men. Names we have known for years are gone (Granderson, Polanco, Rodney, Robertson). New ones are now on the team (Sizemore, Jackson, Valverde).
No one really knows how well they will do (the individuals or the team). For today they are just as good as the eventual World Champions- for all that we know they will BE the eventual World Champions.
In order to do that they will have to beat weaker teams on a regular basis, and today's Royals should be one of those weaker teams. If there is anything we should understand after 2009 is that EVERY game counts, even the ones played in April and May. Just one more win along the way would have avoided Game 163 and the Tigers would have won the AL Central Pennant.
I believe that the 2010 Tigers can do that. Ordonez should be much better than last year (now that his wife is healthy). Inge has been to the repair shop and his knees appear to be strong again. Cabrera has apparently faced his demons and should focus better. Laird should bat better (more to his norm) also.
What I hope, more than anything, is that those players who are still here from Game 163 will be angry. They had the prize taken from them at the last moment. I'm not trying to take anything away from what the Twins did, they earned it- but the Tigers should be pissed about losing like that. And they have to take that energy and focus it.
I have read the story of the 1968 Tigers' team. They too had lost a chance at the post season taken away on the last day (in 1967). They came back angry and determined. They won the last true AL pennant and then the World Series that year.
Others may think I'm crazily optimistic, but I see a lot of talent on this 2010 team and I believe they can do this. Starting in about 10 minutes we're about to find out!
4/5/2010
Here it is! Opening Day for a brand new season! The Roster has been whittled down to 25 men. Names we have known for years are gone (Granderson, Polanco, Rodney, Robertson). New ones are now on the team (Sizemore, Jackson, Valverde).
No one really knows how well they will do (the individuals or the team). For today they are just as good as the eventual World Champions- for all that we know they will BE the eventual World Champions.
In order to do that they will have to beat weaker teams on a regular basis, and today's Royals should be one of those weaker teams. If there is anything we should understand after 2009 is that EVERY game counts, even the ones played in April and May. Just one more win along the way would have avoided Game 163 and the Tigers would have won the AL Central Pennant.
I believe that the 2010 Tigers can do that. Ordonez should be much better than last year (now that his wife is healthy). Inge has been to the repair shop and his knees appear to be strong again. Cabrera has apparently faced his demons and should focus better. Laird should bat better (more to his norm) also.
What I hope, more than anything, is that those players who are still here from Game 163 will be angry. They had the prize taken from them at the last moment. I'm not trying to take anything away from what the Twins did, they earned it- but the Tigers should be pissed about losing like that. And they have to take that energy and focus it.
I have read the story of the 1968 Tigers' team. They too had lost a chance at the post season taken away on the last day (in 1967). They came back angry and determined. They won the last true AL pennant and then the World Series that year.
Others may think I'm crazily optimistic, but I see a lot of talent on this 2010 team and I believe they can do this. Starting in about 10 minutes we're about to find out!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Our long wait is over! The Tigers have played baseball again!
Florida State College 1, Detroit Tigers 13
It was a beautiful sunny day in West Michigan today, but there are at least 6" of snow on the ground and nobody could play baseball here. But, in Florida they can and today- for the first time since Game #163- the Tigers played together against another team. And they won! Perhaps you believe that a MLB team should beat a Division II college team (and you'd be right) but it wasn't that long ago that no one could guarantee that.
I don't want to insult anyone's intelligence, but I feel I have to say this: this is only Spring Training (and this game wasn't even THAT- it was a scrimmage) so we can't read much into what happened today. But OMG- they played baseball today!
Phil Coke started things out (and his role as starter or reliever is one of the questions this spring). He pitched 2 innings with 0 runs and only 1 hit and 1 walk against 3 strike outs. A nice solid outing. No matter what his job is during the season, I hope we see a LOT more of this from Coke.
Eddie Bonine came in and also pitched 2 innings of 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, and 1 K.
Someone wearing 62 also pitched 2 innings with 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 walks and 2 Ks.
Joel Zumaya came on in the 7th and seemed to bring back the scary Joel. 1 hit, 1 walk and one HBP loaded the bases. But he worked way out of it with 2 strike outs and a fly out with 0 runs allowed.
Fu-Te Ni pitched the 8th and was perfect.
#70 finished it off in the 9th allowing 1 run on 3 hits but did have 2 Ks and a fly out.
Offensively it looks like it was noobs that scored the runs. Ryan Striebly scored 3 runs, Brennan Boesch scored 2, Casper Wells scored 1, as did Jeff Larish, Brent Dlugach and Don Kelly. Some of the regulars crossed the plate also (Ordonez scored 1, Cabrera scored 1, Thomas scored 2).
Guillen knocked in 2, as did #75 (whoever that was).
Overall it was an impressive day for the Tigers! We now know that they can beat up on smallish college opponents. BTW Al Kaline's grandson Colin Kaline, had 2 hits for the FSC Moccasins. The only downside was that Boesch played a fly ball off of his face and needed stitches as a result.
For, lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
(thanks to Lee Panas for posting Ernie Harwell's classic)
It was a beautiful sunny day in West Michigan today, but there are at least 6" of snow on the ground and nobody could play baseball here. But, in Florida they can and today- for the first time since Game #163- the Tigers played together against another team. And they won! Perhaps you believe that a MLB team should beat a Division II college team (and you'd be right) but it wasn't that long ago that no one could guarantee that.
I don't want to insult anyone's intelligence, but I feel I have to say this: this is only Spring Training (and this game wasn't even THAT- it was a scrimmage) so we can't read much into what happened today. But OMG- they played baseball today!
Phil Coke started things out (and his role as starter or reliever is one of the questions this spring). He pitched 2 innings with 0 runs and only 1 hit and 1 walk against 3 strike outs. A nice solid outing. No matter what his job is during the season, I hope we see a LOT more of this from Coke.
Eddie Bonine came in and also pitched 2 innings of 0 runs, 1 hit, 0 walks, and 1 K.
Someone wearing 62 also pitched 2 innings with 0 runs, 2 hits, 0 walks and 2 Ks.
Joel Zumaya came on in the 7th and seemed to bring back the scary Joel. 1 hit, 1 walk and one HBP loaded the bases. But he worked way out of it with 2 strike outs and a fly out with 0 runs allowed.
Fu-Te Ni pitched the 8th and was perfect.
#70 finished it off in the 9th allowing 1 run on 3 hits but did have 2 Ks and a fly out.
Offensively it looks like it was noobs that scored the runs. Ryan Striebly scored 3 runs, Brennan Boesch scored 2, Casper Wells scored 1, as did Jeff Larish, Brent Dlugach and Don Kelly. Some of the regulars crossed the plate also (Ordonez scored 1, Cabrera scored 1, Thomas scored 2).
Guillen knocked in 2, as did #75 (whoever that was).
Overall it was an impressive day for the Tigers! We now know that they can beat up on smallish college opponents. BTW Al Kaline's grandson Colin Kaline, had 2 hits for the FSC Moccasins. The only downside was that Boesch played a fly ball off of his face and needed stitches as a result.
For, lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone;
The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land.
(thanks to Lee Panas for posting Ernie Harwell's classic)
Monday, February 15, 2010
Pitchers and catchers report...
It is only 4 days until the pitchers and catchers report to Lakeland, FL for the first formal day of Spring Training! The winter has been cold, long and confusing (for many of us Tiger fans). There has been much written and discussed since Game 163 last October. Why did DD trade Ganderson and E. Jackson? Who on earth are A. Jackson and Scherzer? Can Bonderman and Zumaya make comebacks this year?
I can't pretend to know the answers to those questions. The only service I can provide is to supply some links to what's out there.
I can't pretend to know the answers to those questions. The only service I can provide is to supply some links to what's out there.
- Firstly there is news that Jair Jurrjens may have injured his shoulder. He has an MRI scheduled. I know that he isn't a Tiger anymore, but they traded him for Cabrera so it's relevant. (hat tip to Baseball Musings).
- Along those same lines, an (ex) Tiger much closer to our psyche, Curtis Granderson is "able to" move to Left Field. (Freep)
- Which of course brings us to the Johnny Damon saga/ drama. If you have been living under a rock there has been a great deal of ink spilled about Damon coming to Detroit (or Atlanta, or Chicago- it all depends on the days' rumor). Personally, I think that Detroit should sign Damon. He is a LH bat who has a career OPS of .794 and a WAR of 3.0 last year. He is a proven lead off hitter too. With both Granderson and Polanco gone they need a proven hitter at the top of the order. And, for what it's worth, they way he stole 2nd and 3rd base in the World Series last year proved to me that he has brains.
- There is a great deal of debate on whether or not Detroit is struggling with money or not. Personally I don't believe what we are seeing is a fire sale. Detroit ponied up good money for Valverde. They got younger (and refilled their system) at the very least. Andrew Jackson appears to be for real. Scherzer looks to be a solid replacement for Edwin Jackson (who I believe was a one-hit-wonder).
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Reading tea-leaves...
That is pretty much all that we have to go on right now. We can look at the deals which the Tigers have closed, participated in or not participated in and we scratch our heads and attempt to figure out "Why?" and "What it all means!" In the final analysis we cannot really understand what DD and his office have in mind.
This has not been a quiet off-season. First they allowed Polanco, Lyon and Rodney to walk via free-agency. Then they traded Granderson and E. Jackson in a major, 3 team trade. Now they have signed Jose Valverde, a closer who has been with Houston the last 2 seasons and Arizona the previous 5 seasons.
Although sorcery is not something I would aspire to, I will take a crack at seeing if there is a big picture strategy here that DD is following or if he is just grasping at straws.
Who have they lost since game #163?
I don't believe he is just cutting payroll in all of this. He has told us that he isn't having a "fire sale" and I don't see him or Illich doing that when they missed the post season by 1 out.
This has not been a quiet off-season. First they allowed Polanco, Lyon and Rodney to walk via free-agency. Then they traded Granderson and E. Jackson in a major, 3 team trade. Now they have signed Jose Valverde, a closer who has been with Houston the last 2 seasons and Arizona the previous 5 seasons.
Although sorcery is not something I would aspire to, I will take a crack at seeing if there is a big picture strategy here that DD is following or if he is just grasping at straws.
Who have they lost since game #163?
- Polanco has been a huge part of the Tigers' recent success (and by "success" I mean being a contender after the All-Star Break in the past 4 seasons). He is a consistent hitting threat who rarely strikes out and plays some of the best defense in the league. But, he is aging and his range did seem to decline as 2009 wound down. He was a free agent and was going to get big money from someone. Detroit decided to allow someone else to pay for his success in a Tigers' uniform.
- Rodney had his best year last year, with 37 saves. Again, somebody was going to pay handsomely for his success and Detroit decided he wasn't worth it.
- Lyon was a similar story. He comes off a career year in 2009 and Detroit decides to let him test the free agent market.
- Granderson being traded to the Damn Yankees was a surprise. He was an All Star in 2009. He helped the Tigers lead the league in OPS (.791)for center fielders while continuing to patrol the vastness of center in Comerica Park. He is/was Mr. Baseball in Detroit- the "face of the franchise" and a well rounded ball player.
- Edwin Jackson also had a career year. Until August/ September he was as solid as anyone on the staff. He claimed to learn to "throw strikes" over the last off season and he did that with a vengence- 161 strike outs in 214 innings (6.77 k/9). He was 13-9 for Detroit last year.
- Polanco has earned a big paycheck, probably more than Detroit was going to find reasonable given his age (34). As I mentioned above, his defense appeared to be slipping toward the end of the year (although his UZR was still 11.4 and his range factor was still 4.8 which are excellent numbers. He signed a 3 year deal with the Phillies for $18 million where he will reportedly move from 2B to 3B. Scott Sizemore is said to be ready for the Big Leagues and DD has bet that this is true. Sizemore will not replace Polanco's glove (who could?) but reports are that Sizemore's bat is more dangerous- at least in power. I hated to see Polanco go, but he earned his paycheck and DD seemed to have planned on this happening.
- Rodney felt that he has earned a big paycheck as a closer somewhere else. Detroit was willing to let him see how that worked out. Well, the best he could do was find a role as a set up man in LAA for 2 years at $11 million. I am very "okay" with letting Rodney go. 2009 was the first year since 2005 he has not suffered some sort of injury and the blood pressure of many Tigers' fans will not have the tests of Rodney's saves (or even worse, his non-save situations) to endure in 2010.
- Lyon also had a career year with the Tigers in 2009. After a terrible start in April he settled down to become one of the best relievers on the team. By the end of the year I didn't want anybody else in a tight situation. He finished the year with a WHIP of 1.106. I was disappointed to see Lyon go and I would have tried to keep him, but he ended up with a $15 million/ 3 year deal in Houston and I would not have given him that many years.
- Granderson is the most controversial move Dombrowski made this year (perhaps one of his most controversial ever). Curtis was "My Tiger!" and I love to watch him play. But I truly believe that the writing was on the wall for this long before December. Leyland made comments about Granderson not focusing enough on baseball. Al Kaline made similar comments later in the season. Curtis has still not figured out left handed pitching even though he has been in the Majors since 2004. Leyland tried to compensate by moving him around in the lineup when they faced LH pitching, but nothing could hide the hole Grandy created there. Although he makes spectacular plays in CF, the UZR rating at Fangraphs shows a decline since 2007 for Curtis in the field as well. I think that 2 years from now this trade will appear to be very shrewd on DD's part. Perhaps the New Yankee Stadium will be kinder to Curtis than Comerica Park has been, but as much as I hate to see him go I think that DD unloaded a player who he feels is not going to live up to the reputation he has.
- Edwin Jackson had an outstanding 2009, at least for the first 2/3 of it. After that he seemed to hit a wall and not be able to recover. I don't know if it was his pitch count (who else could the Tigers turn to in early 2009- the bull pen couldn't be trusted and the bats routinely gave Jackson less run support than anyone else in the league). Regardless of the cause, Jackson pitched 214 innings in 2009, which was 31 more innings than he had pitched in 2008 and 53 more than he had pitched in 2007. I don't know if he will be able to recover enough to be as effective in 2010 as he started out 2009. I believe this is another case of Dombrowski "selling high".
I don't believe he is just cutting payroll in all of this. He has told us that he isn't having a "fire sale" and I don't see him or Illich doing that when they missed the post season by 1 out.
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