Year: 2015

Rays 8 Tigers 0

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The Tigers failed to complete their first three game sweep since very early in the season.  The Rays absolutely mutilated Tigers pitching and the offense did nothing.  The game was pretty much decided when Miggy struck out in the bottom of the fifth with the score 3-0, with runners on second and third and two out. After that, the Rays added on and the Tigers never threatened again.

I heard a rumor.  Supposedly Ron Gardenhire will be the next Tigers manager. Again, supposedly, it is a “done” deal and will be announced shortly after the season is over. The comments are not too complimentary of the former Twins manager on the site the rumor is posted on.

I’m not sure what to think to think anymore.  Gardenhire was one of my favorite managers for a long time but Sark made me rethink that position. Paul Molitor seems to have done a good job with the same team Gardenhire had problems with. Also, I’m not really sure what to think about the job Ausmus has done. The Tigers have had horrible injuries to key players with no farm system. Ausmus can only call on who he has available.  What else is he going to do?

After the first two months of the season, the Tigers have had two reliable arms out of the pen, Wilson and Hardy.  They had 1.5 reliable starters, David Price and Alfredo Simon. After Price got traded, Verlander became serviceable but Simon fell from half a reliable starter to a quarter of a reliable starter.

The offense has been pretty much feast or famine.  I guess the one thing I could put on Ausmus is the atrocious base running.  The Tigers make so many outs on the bases that it is hard to stomach and it costs them especially in close games.  Also, Dave Clark might be the worst third base coach in the history of baseball. But it is hard to put this abomination of a season on the shoulders of BA.

This team is a mess and I’m not sure a new manager is going to fix anything.  This team seems to play hard for BA for whatever that is worth.

Tigers 8 Rays 7

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Yesterday, I said the Tigers deserved to be in last place.

Last night, the Tigers deserved to lose. They didn’t.

The Tigers, circa 2015, showed me a stubbornness that you usually find in contenders. That’s not to say this was a Russian Symphony. Nope. This was still  my seventh grade band class.  This was still a cacophony of nonsense.

However, it is early September.  The season has been an abomination. The park was empty, by Tigers’ standards, and there were plenty of excuses to pack this one in and go home but they didn’t.  They wouldn’t. That says something about these players and that says something about Brad Ausmus.

For this post, I have to break it down to the good, the bad, and the ugly.

The Good, nothing new here:

  • J.D Martinez. There is not much more to add.
  • Jose Miguel Cabrera
  • Brad Ausmus for not pinch running for JMC in the 10th. I know it didn’t matter in the final outcome but it did to me.
  • Drew Verhagen. He looks good out of the pen.

The Bad:

  • Rajai Davis’ outfield play
  • Bruce Rondon

The Ugly:

  • Nick Castellanos gets caught looking three times in a row, the last with the bases loaded. Get your head out of your arse. You’re not a rookie anymore.
  • The Amazing Al. This experiment needs to be over.

Nebraska – God Speed!

Going ‘Nuts in Lansing

Crippy Baseball

I almost forgot about Jim Abbott until I read this post from one of my favorite sites, Minoring In Baseball. As a member of the Yankees, Jim Abbott no-hit the Indians.

Minoring In Baseball's avatarMinoring In Baseball

Lansing Lugnuts vs Bowling Green Hot Rods (Midwest League)

 Cooley Law School Stadium-Lansing, MI: After Brian finished his seminar, we got a bite to eat at the Nuthouse, then went back to see the Lugnuts host the Hot Rods.

 One cool new aspect of Cooley Law School Stadium is the Michigan Baseball Hall Of Fame.  Some of the best players who are from Michigan or played in the state are honored.  Some of my childhood favorites like Alan Trammell and Jim Abbott are honored, as well as some classic Tigers like Al Kaline, Charlie Gehringer, and broadcaster Earnie Harwell.

 The game was a fun one for us to watch, and a good one for the home team. This game was special also, as it was the first one all three kids attended. I’m glad Lily finally made it to a game with us this season. Trevor took a good…

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Labor Day Weekend Review

Crippy Baseball, Detroit Tigers ,

My last post from was from last Thursday when the Royals beat the Tigers into a conniption.  It has been a hectic week for me.  I returned from San Diego late Wednesday night and then flew to London, England on Thursday to spend Labor Day weekend.

Although, London was five hours ahead I did listen to some baseball. I usually stayed awake for the first five innings.  Despite losing two out of three to the Indians, at home, over the weekend, I thought the Tigers would at least deliver free pizza with a nine run outburst on Saturday but they only mustered six in a shutout win.

In Sunday’s game, I guess they decided not to score any runs for JV who threw another quality start. He wasn’t great, but lasted seven innings, and gave the team a chance to win, but you know the story, when they get pitching, they usually decide not to hit.

Anyway, even after their win last night, the Tigers are in last place in the A.L. Central.  Without searching my early season posts, I believe I sounded an early alarm at the possibility that they could finish in last or at least third or fourth in the division.  Now, the Tigers are my team and I’m not one of those guys that starts cheering against their team when things go south, but this team is in last place and frankly, they deserve it.

I’m back home and I’ll be at the game tonight.

Elvis Andrus | Stealing Home

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9/1/2015

So I was at the Padres/Rangers game at Petco Park on Tuesday, 9/1/2015. I thought Petco was very nice stadium and I got to see a straight steal of home by the Rangers’ Elvis Andrus from a fantastic vantage point.  I was in row 17, seat 5, section 105, next to the Padres dugout, between home plate and first base. I could see Elvis with a walking, then running lead, as Padres reliever, Kevin Quackenbush, went into his slow, deliberate motion to the plate.

Tony Gwynn Street
7th & Gwynn
Petco Park Scoreboard
Petco Park Scoreboard 9/1/2015
Petco Park Scoreboard 9/1/2015
Petco Park Scoreboard 9/1/2015
Prince Fielder On Deck Petco Park 9/1/2015
Prince Fielder On Deck Petco Park 9/1/2015

Royals 12 Tigers 1

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The Royals beat Randy Wolf and Tigers into a conniption and for the second straight game I didn’t see or hear one pitch.  I was on my back from San Diego through Atlanta.  I was getting updates but decided not to tune in.

As the Tigers fall ten games below the .500 mark it is looking like three things are true.  First, Sark is correct, it will be hard for this team to win 70 games.  Second, Nebraska is correct, watching the Tigers is much easier with beer and whiskey.  Third, the only remaining games in which the Tigers have a chance to win are those that JV pitches.

Although this season has been very disappointing I’m hoping that JV and JD finish strong and Miggy gets his head out if his arse and wins another batting title.

I’d really like to see J.D. drive in 100 runs.  He needs 13 more with 30 games to get there.

Tigers 6 Royals 5

Crippy Baseball

I didn’t see one pitch. I’m in San Diego. I saw the Rangers beat the Padres on my first trip to Petco Park. I saw the Rangers pull off a successful steal of home and I picked up a retro Tony Gwynn Jersey. I’m on my way back to my hotel. I’ll post pictures when I get a chance.

It looks like JV pitched well. He went 6.2 and allowed only two earned. It also looked like there were some problems on defense.

Blue Jays 15 Tigers 1

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The Blue Jays beat Buck Farmer, lead by three home runs and NINE RBIs from Edwin Encarnacion, and the entire Tigers team into an absolute conniption! This was the worst beating I’ve seen in a long time.

Even Alex Wilson struggled and it looks like The Mighty Miggy is slumping!

This is very ugly!!