Baseball

Astros 5 Tigers 1

Crippy Baseball, Dailies, Detroit Tigers , ,

Well I didn’t give the Tigers much of a chance to win this game going into it. Astros’ starter Dallas Kuechel was undefeated at home and I didn’t think the Tigers offense, even with the return of Jose Miguel Cabrera, was much of a threat to change that.

I was correct.

Alfredo Simon wasn’t good and neither was the offense.

The best offensive play came from the Astros. They executed a beautiful safety squeeze, a play I wish the Tigers would try, in the sixth to extend their lead to 4-1.

JV pitches tomorrow.

Cabrera was 0-3 with a walk and two strike outs.  He hit the ball hard his last time up but lined out to I believe short or second.

Tigers 6 Royals 4

Crippy Baseball

The Tigers found a way to do what only one other team has done to the Royals in the last two years, come back from an eight inning deficit. In fact, the Royals hadn’t lost a game this year when they were leading after seven but the Tigers got four runs in the eighth and managed to avoid the sweep.

Bruce Rondon looked ok closing the game out in the ninth after he decided to throw strikes.

I really like James McCann. If he can avoid injuries he looks like a keeper.

Jose Miguel Cabrera should make his return to the lineup on Friday night in Houston.

Red Sox 7 Tigers 2

Crippy Baseball , , , ,

Well JV looked pretty good although his pitch count was too high and he had to turn it over to the pen and we all know how that turns out more times than not.

I didn’t see the end of the game but it looked like Krol imploded.

What is the story with giving up home runs and waking number nine hitters? Especially number nine hitters batting under .200?

For me not scoring runners at third with less than two outs is an abomination. In the third, I know Davis eventually scored, but it took a two out hit by Victor, but Iggy and Kinsler had horrible at-bats. They have to find a way to hit a ground ball to shirt or second. Boston was conceding the run and they refused to take it. They can’t just tip their cap to the pitcher game after game.

Another series loss to a bad team.

Tigers 7 Red Sox 6

Crippy Baseball

Nice come from behind win. Victor has been hitting the ball well for the last three or four games and got rewarded for it tonight.

Simon is still a nightmare and is hard to see him, or in my case hear him, pitch every five games

Let’s see if JV can deliver a series win.

I guess the argument between McCann and Iggy last night was McCann thought Iggy should have dove for a ground ball? I’m in Vegas so I’m getting my info second hand.

Red Sox 7 Tigers 2

Crippy Baseball, Dailies, Detroit Tigers , , ,

Daniel Norris’ second start didn’t go as well as his first.  In fact, he needed 40 pitches to get out of the first inning.  His offense didn’t show today either but that’s another story.

I have tried to defend Brad Ausmus and give him the benefit of the doubt but I am at my end with this team’s base running.  This has to be the worst base running team I’ve ever seen an I have seen some abominations.  How many double plays and does this team have to hit into? How many line drives have to not get through, with runners taking off, do we have to sit through for something to change? Can’t they at least try sacrificing? Can’t they at least try to move runners over?

Tempers flared in the dugout.  Jose Iglesias shoved James McCann after they exchanged words over something apparently regarding defense.  I like Iggy but he may need an attitude adjustment.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/141789874/jose-iglesias-james-mccann-exchange-words

The Tigers just can’t win three in a row.

Tigers 8 Royals 6

Crippy Baseball, Dailies, Detroit Tigers , , , , ,

Ian Kinsler has turned what started out as a miserable season completely around. Sort of under the radar, well at least under mine, his batting average is up to .296, he’s hitting in Miggy’s old #3 spot, and he knocking in some runs. He’s making me forget that 4-50 streak, or whatever it was earlier in the season, where he was just an automatic out.

Let’s turn to Victor now. Since Miggy went on the DL he has been horrible. This afternoon, however, he hit two bombs and drove in five runs. The Tigers needed every one of them and more because Anibal wasn’t very good and didn’t get any help from Neftali Feliz or Blaine Hardy.

Blaine Hardy gets a pass, he has been excellent all season but why is Feliz still around? He wasn’t good in Texas. He has been worse here. Why not go through growing pains with someone else?

Big Nice series win.

Tigers 2 Royals 1

Crippy Baseball, Dailies, Detroit Tigers , , , , , , ,

The bi-polar Tigers, behind new acquisition Matt Boyd, put in a masterful performance tonight and downed the Kansas City Royals 2-1 tonight at Comerica Park.

This game was the complete opposite of last night’s game. They got great starting pitching, executed on offense and flashed leather on defense.

Speaking of Flashin’ Leather, J.D. Martinez doesn’t get enough credit for the way he plays right field.  He made a catch in the ninth inning that looked like it was headed for the gap.  Physically, he doesn’t look like he should be a good fielder but he always seems to make nice, if not incredible, catches.

http://m.mlb.com/det/video/topic/8877502/v336051883/?c_id=det

It’s either J.D. or Alex Wilson for team M.V.P. (Blaine Hardy could be a close third.)

How about Matt Boyd?  He out duels Johnny Cueto in his third career start going seven innings allowing only one run and walking ZERO!  Walking ZERO is the most impressive stat in my humble opinion.

Anthony Gose gets an honorable Flashin Leather mention for his catch in the ninth as well.

Two of the last three games the Tigers have sent rookies to the hill and they’ve delivered gems.  Let’s hope they can continue because I’m not sure what to expect from Sanchez, Simon, and Verlander.

I can’t say BIG win any more so I’ll say NICE win.

What do you think about the new site theme?

Royals 5 Tigers 1

Crippy Baseball, Dailies, Detroit Tigers , , , , ,

Well this game was a cacophony of nonsense.  Verlander was just short of terrible.  The hitting was horrible. The fielding was sub-par and the base running was embarrassing.  The Tigers, tonight, were hard to watch.

The big news, however, was the release of general manager Dave Dombrowski.  I wasn’t completely surprised.  I figured that since he hadn’t been extended he was probably gone.  I just didn’t expect it to be now.

I don’t know much about Al Avila but I was hoping Dombrowski’s replacement would be an advanced metrics person. Perhaps the former Angels’ GM?  I’m sick and tired of the same old thing. I want to see something new; a change of direction. I want to see new ideas.  I’m afraid we are going to get more of the same.

Or perhaps the Tigers could get a real old school GM that believes in good base running, moving runners over, scoring runners at third with less than two outs, not bouncing into five double plays a game. I want to see something other than the garbage I’ve watched this season.  I want to see another World Series champion.