The Tigers scored 6 runs yesterday so I hope you weren’t expecting much today because not much is just what you got.
Hisashi Iwakuma completely dominated the pathetic Tigers offense. He breezed through, statistically, the second best offense in baseball, and I can’t imagine he broke a sweat. Iwakuma needed just 105 pitches to get through 8 complete innings. He allowed four hits, walked 2 and struck out 6. I’d like to say ‘tip your cap to a great pitcher’, but it seems like the Tigers make anybody look like a great pitcher.
On the flip side, the offense did absolutely nothing. They didn’t have good at bats, they didn’t drive the pitch count up, and when they had runners on couldn’t get a clutch hit.
JV was JV vintage 2013. He allowed 3 run in 7 innings of work. He gave up 4 hits, walked 3 and struck out 6. If the Tigers plan on winning any future games JV starts, they better plan on scoring 4 runs or more. Tonight is what the Tigers should expect from Verlander. That being said, this offense makes every pitch and every inning a stressful one. As I’ve state several times previously, it seems any deficit is too much to overcome.
I could sit here and tell you Phil Coke is done, but then if you’ve been watching this team, you probably already figured that out. Coke wasn’t good today but I don’t think he was expected to be. When he came out to pitch the 8th inning it was actually Jim Leyland waving the white flag and conceding the game. Coke wasn’t good yesterday, he hasn’t been good all season, so why would the Tigers expect anything different today. They didn’t and they weren’t disappointed. Coke actually retired two of the first three batters he faced. By the time the switch hitting Kendrys Morales came to the plate Coke had thrown 7 pitches all for strikes. Not bad for a guy who has had trouble finding the strike zone. So what was the Tigers’ next move, they decided to have him intentionally walk Morales. This might not have been a bad plan if they planned on relieving Coke, but they left Phil out there to completely implode, and that’s exactly what he did. After the IBB to Morales, he surrendered a single to Justin Smoak, a double to Michael Saunders and then intentionally walked the .216 hitting Nick Franklin.
The Amazing Al finally relieved Coke and after giving up a wild pitch and making an error on a throw from Avila while covering the plate, he mercifully got Henry Blanco to fly out to end the inning.
If the game wasn’t over when the top of the 8th started, it was by the time it ended.
For as bad as Coke was, the pitching is not the issue. This offense blows and they can’t expect the pitching staff to shut down every team in every game.
Fister is on the hill for the finale.
God, I love baseball.” – Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Flashin' Leather 
I feel bad for the paying customer tonight… This is why I stay away as much as possible, though I might take in a playoff game if the opportunity arises – if they make it in. This game blew from start to finish. i’ll give a little credit to the Seattle pitcher because he has been pretty good all season long. But for the parts of the game that I saw it looked like the Tigers hitters pretty much gave up before they got in the box.
Coke – can’t possibly be on the playoff roster. Al Al may be pitching his way on, though it will depend on Rondon being unable to pitch. I know the Tigers won’t do it, but in my fantasy baseball mind I would do what the Giants did last year and move the alleged ace ofthe staff to the bullpen for the playoffs – yes JV in the bullpen. He didn’t pitch terribly tonight, but lets face it, JV is probably the one starter I have the least amount of confidence in to keep the team in the game long enough for the offense to wake up. He could be this years Tim Lincecum. I know they would never do it, so it’s just my 2 cents.
I like Fister tomorrow!
Sark, I agree. Right how JV is the Tigers’ 5th best pitcher. He goes to the pen in the playoffs.
Sorry to burst your bubble…..we have seen JV in a short situation b4…..remember his All Star Game start? Can’t type hurt arm tipping cap…
OK, point taken. However, which of these pitchers gives you a worse feeling right now than JV? Scherzer, Sanchez, Fister, or Porcello? My answer is none of the above.