A very disappointing season comes to an end. This three-game demise was a team effort. The flaws of the 2014 Tigers were too much to overcome.
Bad defense and a horrible bullpen lost game one.
Ditto, in spades, for game two.
In game three it was an inconsistent offense that could muster only 4 hits, 2 off of “future hall of famer” Bud Norris.
Did I mention, the fielding sucked today too? Although no errors were awarded, Castellanos and Kinsler should have gotten one each.
David Price was fantastic. He lasted 8 innings and made only one mistake, a two run, opposite field, home-run to Nelson Cruz. (Perhaps, if they ever meet again, the Tigers should pitch around Cruz. I’m not sayin. I’m just sayin.)
Basically, all season long, the Tigers have had three reliable hitters, Cabrera, Martinez and Martinez. Before and after that trio, nobody contributed much. You can’t have 1 and 2 slot hitters that don’t get on base.
If not for the starting pitching the 2014 Tigers may have finished near the bottom of the Central. I don’t think spotty hitting, bad defense, and a horrible bullpen will take a team too far.
The most disheartening thing is that I don’t see a way to fix this team without spending a ton of money. They need two outfielders, a lead-off hitter, a shortstop*, a catcher**, and an entire bullpen.
*I’m not very optimistic about Iggy coming back. Even if he does come back how much is going to be able to play and contribute.
**AA left the game today after being rocked by a foul ball. He has taken so many shots I don’t think the Tigers should let him catch anymore.
My prediction is that the Royals and Giants will meet in the World Series. Everything just seems to be falling into place for both of those team.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever see another Tigers World Series win.
“God I love baseball.” -Roy Hobbs | The Natural
Flashin' Leather 
For this game it seems God mercifully put an end to the madness that was the 2014 season.. Romaine could easily have been called safe.. Cruz HR could easily not have blown fair.. And just when it looked like a comeback was in the cards, along comes Brad.. Why bunt Holiday? Why PH for Romine? I felt that was an insult to Romine, not that the outcome would have been different.. But Perez?? Bush league managing. I’m actually happy for Showalter. He deserves a shot at the title.
I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s KC vs SF, but Baltimore will be tough.. Now after this weekend is there any doubt the Cards and Giants own the NL? Thinking of fixing the Tigers gives me a headache. They’re simply too top heavy with zero depth, as we saw with the lame pinch hitters we sent up this series. AA has probably caught his last game.
This team was an abomination. Why was DK running to third on a ground ball to short with less than two outs?
What in the sam hell was Holaday’s swinging bunt? JUST MOVE HIM OVER YOU IDIOT!!!!!!!!!!!
Not to mention, the Tigers had to lead the world in runners picked off.
Basically, other than the starting pitching, and the 3-4-5 hitters, they had and did nothing. I know Kinsler drove in 91 runs but he was batting leadoff and had an OBP of .308.
Also, I think Davis’s injury was the death knell. It seemed like the bottom of the order was starting to figure out how to manufacture runs or at leas the beginning of a rally.
I’m beginning to come around to your suggestion. I love Miggy and JV and Price but they haven’t won anything. This is just a team of super-stars.
As much as I like watching Miggy hit, and he is a once-in-a-generation hitter… This team as currently constructed will always be decent, but not likely good enough to win a title… They are simply too top heavy with some really good star power, but little in the way of depth to fill out a roster.. It was only fitting Perez made the final out, a guy who wasn’t even on the team until Sept call ups… I fear we are going the way of the Yankees and will be looking at the next sexy free-agents available to plug the holes.. How has that been working for them? They have a lot of players with some track records, AND some mileage, and they simply don’t fit together.. I think the Tigers will be forced to resign Vmart for more money and more years than is practical because they have nothing to fill his role. They need a CF, SS, C, and a couple of starting pitchers to go with Ricky, JV, and either Price/Sanchez.. I don’t see Price here long term, but I could be wrong… Iggy is a ? because of missing a whole year.. Suarez may be a valuable replacement, but needs some experience.. Dirks? Forget about it… I think McCann at C could be a keeper, though he will have growing pains.. AA needs to find a new position, or hang it up.. That leaves CF and RF as top priorities, outside of the bullpen… Moya/Collins? Who knows given the track record of this organization to develop position players.. They will have to swing a blockbuster trade this year to fill these positions with major league ready talent.. That is why I think it best to part with Price or Sanchez, and a couple of these so-called prospects… As for Lobstein, he reminds me of Mike Maroth… They’ll eventually figure him out so I don’t see a lot of upside.. But maybe he develops a new pitch or finds some velocity… Then there is the bullpen… Rondon shouldn’t be counted on – 14 months for TJ recovery, and that puts him into middle of next season at best.. They’ll need to make another blockbuster trade for help in the pen too.. All-in-all it’s looking like a pretty interesting off-season, and we haven’t even discussed the manager/coaches, though you know my opinion on them…
Speaking of coaches, Jones and Lamont have to go. I was watching Mat Shoemaker pitch over the weekend and was fantastic. The commentators said that he throws a split-fingered fastball, the same one Jack Morris learned from Roger Craig. He said it is hard for hitters because they have never seen the pitch before. Apparently, organizations forbid their pitchers from using it. But Shoemaker came from the independent league so nobody cared what he threw. No organization cared if he blew his arm out.
The point I’m trying to make is we need out of the box thinkers. You don’t just bunt because , ‘that’s the way we’ve always done it.” Teams like the Cardinals can play that way because their players are taught that way from the time they are drafted.
The Tigers are trying to use the Yankees model but the Yankees had a core group of home grown talent, Jeter, Posada, Rivera, Pettite. What do the Tigers have, JV, AA, Dirks, The Amazing Al.
I don’t know, this is a mess. Maybe trading Miggy or Sanchez or someone for a bunch of major league players is the key.
I just keep thinking back to the 2012 season. Instead of Fielder, the Tigers could have signed Scutaro and Cuddeyer and filled two positions instead of creating a log jam at one.
I’m getting a headache.
WHAT WAS HOLADAY’S SWINGING BUNT? WTF?
I don’t know if they have enough money left to buy the dynamite and matches.Can’t make me believe that my last best hope as a pinch hitter was a guy named Perez. That’s going to be a rough visual all winter long. We have been in a weak division for a while and K C and the Tribe are going to change that. Win now means the Tigers are playing now and they ain’t…that window is closed. Time to get the dynamite and sit back…..