Month: September 2013

Tigers 9 White Sox 1

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The Tigers ended their 3 game skid with a 9-1 victory over the White Sox tonight at US Cellular field in Chicago.

The story of this game was Rick Porcello.  Ricky pitched the first complete game of his career,  He allowed one earned run, seven hits, walked one, and struck out 5.  He really looked good tonight and the Tigers needed it.

The offense put up 9 runs but you’ll forgive me if I don’t get too excited.  Five of the nine runs scored were unearned.  The White Sox defense aided the Tigers offense with four errors, three of them by third baseman Conor Gillaspie.

Prince and Alex Avila each had 4 hits tonight but Miggy was 0-5 and something just doesn’t look right with him.

The Indians lost tonight so the Tigers’ lead is back up to 5.5.

Let’s see what the offense does tomorrow with Anibal Sanchez on the mound in the rubber game of the series.

On a another note, I heard that Jhonny Peralta will rejoin the team for the last week of the season.  From what I can make out of Dombrowski’s comments, he is definitely not coming back to play shortstop.  John Keating said on the pre-game that Peralta was fielding fly balls.  Does this mean that the Tigers plan to put Peralta in left?  That’s the only thing I can think of and if he hits, it might not be a bad idea.  I think the Tigers have run out of corner outfield experiments.  I don’t think Dirks, Tui, or Castellanos are legitimate options for an everyday left fielder.  I guess I’m not sure Peralta is either but how much worse can he be?  I guess we’ll find out soon enough.

“God, I love baseball.” – Roy Hobbs | The Natural

Sark’s Comment from June 30th, 2013

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When Sark wrote this comment on June 30th, I was hoping it wouldn’t play out.

I’m having second thoughts.

Here’s what he said:

I agree they have become as unwatchable as ever. The 2003 team was more interesting simply because they were terrible, but we knew that going in. This team is supposed to be the best since 27 Yankees, or so we’ve been sold. There are so many holes in this team its hard to figure which to fill first. They simply can’t perform in the clutch. I would love to see a statistic that evaluates how many runners reach first base and then touch home plate. Can’t be a very good ratio on this team.

I can see them out of first place at the all-star break, though that will be the case much sooner on this road trip. Hate to say it but they’re going to need a change of manager to put a spark into this team. Things are getting too stale and the players are becoming a reflection of the manager. You know – ‘it’s a long season and the talent will win out’. Dangerous attitude to have when there are hungry teams in the chase.

Here‘s a link to the original post, “Just About Unwatchable”.

“God, I love baseball.” – Roy Hobbs | The Natural

White Sox 5 Tigers 1

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This game started out bad and kept getting worse.

For the second time this season Miguel Cabrera got thrown out of a game during an at bat.  In the first inning, home plate umpire, Brian Gorman, ruled that Cabrera swung at a pitch that ultimately hit him.  Cabrera asked for the appeal to first but Gorman refused.  Replay showed that Cabrera probably didn’t go around.  However, Miggy needs to keep his F***ING mouth shut.  There is nothing he can say that is going to change the call so shut up and finish the at bat.

Miggy does not get star treatment.  I don’t remember seeing a game where I thought he got a borderline call because of his past accomplishments.  I can’t say for sure why but maybe shutting his trap would help.  Instead he gets kicked out of the game in the first inning and the Tigers have Ramon Santiago batting third for the rest of the game against arguably, the best pitcher in the American League, Chris Sale.

Speaking of pitching, Max Scherzer has had a great year.  He may even win the Cy Young award but he is not a staff ace.  A staff ace can be counted on to stop the bleeding.  They prevent long losing streaks and they pick the team up when they are slumping.  The Tigers are slumping and this is the second time in a month that the Tigers needed Max to be a stopper and twice he has come up with horrible performances.

The Tigers don’t have an ace.  They have a good staff but with Verlander not pitching well they don’t have a stopper.  Right now if you asked me who I would want to pitch a one game playoff, I wouldn’t have an answer.

Nice offense.  The vaunted Tiger offense put up one run today.  That makes six runs scored in the last three games.  The part that is so frustrating is that it never looks like the Tigers offense makes adjustments during a game.  As has often been discussed here, opposing teams seem to have better at bats against Tigers pitching in the 4th and 5th innings, or the second time through the order.  Most of the time this year, the Tigers’ staff has been able to readjust, but the Tigers offense never seems to try anything different.  They go up there time after time with the same approach and just hope that it works.  That’s one of the reasons their offense is so streaky.

I’m sure this isn’t the case but the only person on the team with any spark, that looks like they give shit, is Jose Iglesias.  You don’t want a team to be too uptight but this team looks too loose.  On that note, I’m not sure about anyone else, but I’ve have had just about enough of Torii Hunter’s clowning antics in right field.  I like when players have fun but this is your profession, act like a professional.

It is looking more and more like wheels on this bandwagon are falling off.  The Tigers lead has been cut to 4.5 games courtesy of the Indians victory over the Royals.

Does anybody want to change their vote in yesterday’s poll?

“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural

What team is on pace to become the most profitible baseball team in history?

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2013 Houston Astros
If you answered the Houston Astros, you’d be correct.

From Deadspin courtesy of Nebraska:

“The big benefactor is TV money. Regional sports networks aren’t just for successful or popular teams anymore! The Astros, Rockets, and NBC launched CSN Houston last fall, and the deal pays the Astros a whopping $80 million a year—on par with the Red Sox, Mets, and Rangers, and ahead of every team except the Dodgers, Angels, and Yankees. It’s been argued here and elsewhere (though it’s far from unanimous) that the TV rights bubble can’t continue to swell indefinitely, but no matter the long-term, the Astros got in before it popped.”

“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural

Royals 5 Tigers 2

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After scoring 16 runs the first game of the series the Tigers scored just five the final two games.  As a result, they lost the weekend series and the season series to the Royals.

As we have noted here several times, the Tigers cannot manufacture runs.  When they are not pounding the ball it is difficult for them to score.  It is difficult for them to win.  Couple that with sub-par pitching 3 of the last 4 games and we have a recipe for disaster.

I know, statistically, the Tigers have the best offense in baseball.  However, these numbers are skewed.  The Tigers put up huge numbers in a game or two and then do relatively little for the next week.  If we take this series with the Royals, the Tigers scored 21 runs in 3 games for an average of 7 runs per game.  But like Mark Twain said, “there are lies, damn lies and statistics.”  Upon closer examination we see the real picture.  16 runs the first game, 3 runs the second and 2 runs in the third.  If we take just the last two games, the Tigers only scored 2.5 runs per, hardly enough to win.

The Tigers have gotten away with streaky offense most of this season but that was due in large part to the pitching.  But now the pitching needs to be picked up and the offense can’t find a way to score with consistency.

The Tigers have positioned themselves to win with a specific formula, pitching, defense, and homers.  When any of these three elements are lacking the Tigers struggle to win.

In the first game of this series Tigers announcer Rod Allen marveled at how the Tigers continued to grind out at bats with the score well in hand.  Over the last two games, we didn’t see a lot of grinding, unless you count grinding to a halt.

Alex Avila threw out Lorenzo Cain, the second consecutive base runner the Tigers have thrown out, in the second inning.  Iggy hit a homer in the 3rd to give the Tigers the lead but that was about all there was to cheer about for Tigers fans today.

Much like JV, I’m not sure what to make of this team, but my hope of the 29 year drought coming to an end this season is fading, and fast.

Let’s see what they can do in Chicago.

“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural

Royals 4 Tigers 3

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It would have been nice to save some hits and runs from yesterday to use today but I guess that’s not the way it works.  After a 16 run, 26 hit attack last night the Tigers could manage only 3 runs on 5 hits tonight.  I know, you can’t expect 26 hits every game but I was hoping the Tigers’ offense would go on a roll similar to roll the Red Sox have been on since tagging the Tigers with 20 runs on Wednesday.

The Tigers had chances but couldn’t get a big hit from someone not named Miguel Cabrera.  With two out in the 5th and the bases loaded Miggy walked to drive in the tying run.  This brought Prince to the plate with a chance to do major two out damage but popped out to third to end the inning.

JV was disappointing again tonight.  Whatever his issues are I have lost all hope of getting them solved this season.  It has gotten hard to watch him pitch.  Even in games where his final line doesn’t look too bad it seems like every inning is a struggle.  His final line tonight was 7 innings, 8 hits, 4 earned, 7 strikeouts, 1 walk and 114 pitches thrown.  The 114 gives him an average of 16.3 pitches per inning.  Of his seven innings pitched he got the Royals 1-2-3 only twice, in the 2nd and 7th.  Maybe I’ve just gotten spoiled with Verlander’s last few seasons but something looks off with him.

One good takeaway from tonight’s game is that the Tigers finally threw out a base runner.  In the bottom of the first Brayan Pena threw out Emilio Bonifacio trying to steal second.  I believe this is the first base runner the Tigers have thrown out in the last 26 attempts not counting last night’s pick off.

The Tigers have Fister on the mound tomorrow against Tigers’ nemesis Bruce Chen.  The Tigers need a win tomorrow to win this three game series and tie the season series with the Royals.

“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural

Tigers Dust Royals

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Overshadowing the big news today, that the Tigers fired Charlie Marcuse, the Singing Hot Dog Vendor, the Tigers did the thrashing tonight as the they took out some frustration on the Royals’ pitching staff.  What makes this game impressive is that the Tigers put a beating on the the Royals’ ace, Big Game James Shields, who shut the Tigers out the last time he faced them at Comerica Park.

Andy Dirks had a nice night in front of his friends and family.  However, in the 3rd inning, with the bases loaded, nobody out, and the Tigers up 5-1, Dirksy got himself picked off of 3rd base.  When we look back at this game, this bone headed play isn’t that big of a deal, but it could have been and could be if it happens in the future.  In fact, after Dirks got picked off, the Tigers went out quietly and didn’t tack on any runs that inning.  It kind of felt like the momentum was changing.  Luckily, Emilio Bonifacio led off the the bottom of the third with a single and returned the favor by getting himself picked off of first.

The Tigers were able to pound their way around this miscue, today, but it was still a horrible play that could have been devastating in a different situation.

How in the sam hell do you get picked off of third with nobody out?  Are you just not paying attention?  Where are you going?  And further, what was The Windmill doing?

I don’t want to rain on Dirksy’s parade, but if I were Jim Leyland, he would have been yanked after that bout of cerebral cramping.

Anyway, I’ve been sick all week so I’m going to bed with the Tigers winning 15-1 in the top of the 8th.  Like my good friend Nebraska says, “if they blow it, I don’t want to be around to see it”.

Till tomorrow.

“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural

The Singing Hot Dog Man is Done!

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In one of the biggest moves of the season the Tigers have sent the Singing Hot Dog Man, Charlie Marcuse, packing.  That’s right, the Tigers fired Charlie.  Well, not technically, the food vendor Sportservice did the dirty work for Tigers so they can claim ignorance or innocence or whatever.

I’m a season ticket holder and at first I didn’t care for Charlie but as I got to know him I got to like him a lot.  He is a nice, decent human being and I always waited for him to come around to buy hot dogs.

I’m not sure what issues the Tigers had with Charlie but I can’t believe getting rid of him was so important.  Perhaps bullpen or catching help would have been more useful.

I’m not sayin, I’m just saying.

Here is a link to the Detroit News story.

Hat Tip to Sark for showing me the article.

Good Luck Charlie!

“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural

By The Numbers

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John Lowe at the FREEP has another article today documenting two things that we’ve been talking about here at Flashin Leather, the Tigers lack or a run defense and the struggles of the Amazing Al.

Al Alburquerque has played a prominent postseason role in each of his first two seasons with the Tigers. It remains to be seen if he will do any important pitching in any potential postseason games this October.

The right-handed reliever gave up two homers in Boston on Wednesday night and has allowed five this season. He never gave up a regular-season homer in his first two seasons.

His ERA is 5.58. That’s up from 1.87 in his rookie season. It’s up from 0.68 last year, when he appeared in fewer than 10 regular-season games because of elbow surgery.

But most notably, Alburquerque has not been throwing his best pitch, the slider, for strikes consistently.

Keep reading here.

Thanks again to Nebraska for pointing this article out.

“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural