Year: 2014

Tigers 9 Royals 5

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The Tigers survived JV and Joba Chamberlain and came away with a 9-5 win over the Royals.

Let’s face it, JV is bad. There is no way to sugar coat it. I know this is crazy because the bullpen is an abomination, but if Verlander is going to continue to start, he needs to be pulled after six innings, if he makes it that far. I’ve heard all kinds of stats about how a pitcher’s ERA explodes in the 6th year when logging so many innings and Verlander falls into this statistic. If his arm has too many innings on it, then it is time to limit the number going forward. Keeping him out there into the seventh is not doing anybody any good.

The inning that really annoyed me today was the third. The Tigers put two runs on the board in the bottom of the second then JV comes out in the third and gives them back? HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hat’s off to the offense. They put up nine runs today. Castellanos let the way with two RBIs and Hunter had three hits. Miggy was 2-5 and got is 101st RBI.

I’ll take the win but this pitching situation has to be sorted out.

Tigers 6 Giants 1

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Where would the Tigers be without Kyle Lobstein? He’s only made three starts but they have come at critical times and he has come through strong each time. I wish some of the regular starters were as consistent.

Behind Lobstein the Tigers were able to avoid another sweep at the hands of the Giants.

What’s up with Miggy? He has five home-runs in the last week. I can’t believe he’s feeling that much better but I’d rather not look a gift horse in the mouth.

I’ll take the W.

Giants 5 Tigers 4

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Not good enough.

David Price pitched 8.2 innings but allowed five earned runs, four before the Tigers got to bat. In the middle of a playoff race, on a team whose only strength is starting pitching, Price wasn’t good enough.

Continuing yesterday’s theme, Price is another guy that can’t be counted on. He seems to have one good start followed by a shitty start. Maybe he should pitch every 10 days.

I guess I have to resign myself to the fact that this team just isn’t good enough.

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Giants 8 Tigers 2

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Horrible. Freeway Ricky was a nightmare. He started off bad and got worse. I’m never an apologist for the offense but they never had a chance. The defense was no help but this was the worst I’ve seen Ricky pitch in a long time. There were some hits off of good pitches but he still got hit hard.

A contending team just cannot have this kind of inconsistency throughout the lineup. The offense is very streaky and the starting pitching has become the same way. The Tigers have the last three Cy Young winners and they can’t count on any of them every fifth day.

I’m pissed and I’m beginning to hate them again.

Tigers 11 Indians 4

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Remember the post a few days ago saying Miggy is back. Forget it. Although he had a double in the 10th tonight, he looked horrible in his previous at-bats. Not having power I can understand but what’s up with the terrible pitches he swings at? In fact, he got a nice call from the umpires that saved his last trip to the plate.

OK, the defense has become worse than horrible. What in the sam hell is going on out there? The Tigers have made 91 errors this year, good for 7th worst in all of MLB. Besides giving the opposition extra outs, how much more stress does it put on the pitchers?

Let’s see, errors give opposing teams extra outs. Extra outs cause pitchers to throw more pitches. More pitches from the starters means shorter outings. Shorter outings means getting into the bullpen faster. The bullpen is an abomination. Hmmmm, sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Nebraska, you’re right, “to many leaks in this dam to float this boat to the playoffs.”

Did I mention the Tigers won with a seven run 11th?

Tribe 7 Tigers 0

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Well the offense didn’t show up tonight and I wish JV didn’t either. He was horrible. I have officially lost any hope of seeing a quality JV any time soon.

No, I won’t tip my hat to Indians starter Danny Salazar, although he excellent, that tune has been played too many times before. The Tigers offense sucked and so did Verlander.

FYI: Seattle and KC both won.

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Tigers 4 Indians 2

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The Tigers had chance after chance to blow this game wide open. Only in the first inning did the Tigers go out 1-2-3 but couldn’t get the big hit.

Until the 9th. Hats off to Torii Hunter. He doesn’t walk much but worked a lead-off walk in the 9th that seemed to get things started. “Fear His Awesomeness” followed with his third hard hit ball of the night ( This DH thing might be just what the Dr. ordered?). After Victor flied out, J.D. crushed a three-run homer to give the Tigers the lead for good. I think J.D. was still fuming from the bad third strike call that ended his previous at-bat. Whatever the case, the Tigers needed a big hit, and J.D. delivered.

WTF, Kyle Lobstein? He looked good in his first outing against the Yankees but didn’t strike anybody out. In fact, according to Dan Dickerson and Jim Price, he had only one swing and miss. Yesterday was a different story. He struck out 10 Indians in 5.1 and allowed only two runs. Its amazing how much better a few wins makes me feel.

Tigers 12 Indians 1

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This was a flash from the past. For one game I was reminded of the Sports Illustrated cover, “Fear His Awesomeness”. Miggy looked like Miggy.

Fear His Awesomeness
The Mighty MIggy

I know is wasn’t all about Miggy, up and down the lineup, from Kinsler to A Squared Money, just about everyone had a good day. And David Price was smokin balls for eight complete. But once again the Mighty Miggy was the story. Miggy went 4-5, with two home-runs, four runs scored and three RBIs.

Unfortunately, I think this game was an anomaly. I can’t believe that one or two days off cured what ailed “Fear His Awesomeness”. But it was nice to see a glimpse of the once Mighty Miggy.

I guess time will tell.

Tiger Fall, 6-2 ,Split Four Game Series

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Normally, a split of a four game series, on the road, is acceptable, but not this time.

Yesterday, the Tigers split a double-header in an unconventional fashion. The 2013 CY Young winner got beaten into a conniption in game one but a rookie stepped up, and was lights out in game two.

Hats off to Kyle Ryan.

Today, Freeway Ricky got dealt a bad hand. He took the loss and gave up six runs in six and two thirds. However, only three runs were earned. The defense let him down making four errors. He wasn’t lights out, he allowed 11 hits, but he deserved a better fate.

I guess the Tigers will have to regroup in Cleveland. At worst, by the end of the day, they will be only one game out if the Royals win.

Tigers 7 White Sox 1

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JV lasted seven innings and gave up only one run. He was in trouble early in the game but managed to escape relatively unscathed.

I can’t complain about the offense. They scored seven runs and did it with no help from Miggy. Miggy was 0-5 and his batting average is down to .301. Isn’t it time to give him some time off? I hate to say it, but he’s not really doing anything to help the team win, so put him on the 15 day DL and see if he can get healthier. As far as I’m concerned, the Tigers don’t have much to lose.

For what it’s worth, I wonder if JV can get his ERA under four by the end of the year. It sits at 4.68 right now. He’ll need another September like he had last year. I’m not sure if he still has it in him but we’ll see.

The Royals lost to the Indians. The Tigers are only a half game out.