Dailies

Tigers win ugly, beat Tribe 7-5

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This was another ugly game.  There was a combined five errors by both teams.  The Tigers committed 3.

Justin Verlander lasted only five innings, walking four, fanning seven while allowing 3 runs, ALL UNEARNED.

The Good:

  • A win is a win.
  • Ian Kinsler continues his torrid month of April. He was 2-5 with a homer, four RBIs and a stolen base.
  • Joba and Joe Nathan were good out of the bullpen.
  • Miggy and Rajai Davis had two hits

The Bad:

  • The Amazing Al allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning pitched
  • Ian Krol surrendered a home run

The Ugly:

  • The Tigers made three errors and allowed three unearned runs.  They are living dangerously.

The Angels are in town tomorrow.  When’s the last time the Tigers beat the Angels?  Anybody know?

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

Tigers fall to Tribe 3-2

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The Tigers managed only two runs on nine hits and lost to Cleveland 3-2.

Anibal Sanchez lasted only five innings, walking 4 and striking out 8.  He allowed only two earned runs but needed 104 pitches to get through five complete.

The Good:

  • The bullpen – Evan Reed, Ian Krol, The Amazing Al, and Joba pitched four combined scoreless innings to pick up a relatively short outing for Anibal.
  • Kinsler, VMart, AJax, and A Squared Money each had two hits.

The Bad:

  • The offense could only score two runs
  • Miggy’s error in the second led to an unearned run that was ultimately the difference in the game.

The Ugly:

  • The Tigers blew chances in the eighth and ninth to tie or go ahead.
  • The ninth was especially ugly.  A Squared Money was at third with one out but DK struck out and Rajai Davis grounded out to end the game leaving the tying run at third.

This ship needs be righted.  They’ve lost four of their last six.  I know it’s early but they need a big home stand.  Have I mentioned the 30 year World Series Championship drought?

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

Tigers even series with Padres, 6-2

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After the first inning, JV was smokin’ balls!  He needed 31 pitches to get out of the first but lasted seven complete.  He struck out eight, walked one, and allowed two earned runs.

I thought the home plate umpire, Seth Buckminster, was squeezing Justin for the first five innings but seemed to give him calls in the 6th and 7th.

The Good:

  • Justin Verlander second through seventh inning
  • JV’s first two career base hits.
  • Austin Jackson’s big two run double in the ninth
  • Ian Krol out of the pen
  • Joe Nathan pitched the 9th without giving up a run
  • Rajai Davis was 2-4 with three runs scored
  • Ian Kinsler was 2-4 with two runs scored and an RBI

The Bad:

  • Nick Castellanos getting picked off of second base in the 8th
  • Despite his double, Miggy is still struggling.

The Ugly:

  • Justin Verlander’s first inning
  • All four of Alex Avila’s at-bats including the last one that resulted in a single

Max is on the mound tomorrow for the rubber game.

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

Cashner Dominates; Tigers fall 6-0 to Padres

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Andrew Cashner was lights out.  Ricky was up in the zone.  The Tigers got dusted.

Cashner threw a complete game, one hitter, and struck out 11.

Freeway Rick gave up five runs on 10 hits and lasted 6 1/3 but it could have been much worse.  He had the benefit of more than a few atom balls.

The Good:

  • Other than another two more stolen bases for Rajai Davis, nothing.

The Bad:

  • None

The Ugly:

  • The entire game.  The Tigers got dominated.

8:40 pm start tomorrow.

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

Thank You Victor!

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Victor hit a solo shot in the 10th to bail out Tigers closer, Joe Nathan, and give the Tigers a split of the two game series with the Dodgers, 7-6.

After blowing his second save in a Tigers uniform, Tigers closer Joe Nathan, picked up a bat and headed to the on deck circle in the top of the 10th.  As he was heading up the stairs of the dugout he had a short conversation with Tigers skipper Brad Ausmus.

Ausmus: What are you doing?
Nathan: Getting ready to hit.
Ausmus: Sit down.  You’ve done enough.

Early on, I was afraid Ausmus was going to let Anibal go too long so he could qualify for the win. I thought he should have come out after Crawford’s double with two out in the 5th. But, Sanchez was able to get out of it.  He was shaky at first, throwing 63 pitches in the first two innings, but settled down to retire nine in a row before Crawford’s aforementioned double.

Ausmus probably wanted to save Smyly, who was warming up, for the Dodgers left handers coming up.  Whatever the case, it worked out, although Sanchez didn’t get the win.

Thanks Joe!

Despite Nathan’s heroics, there was a lot to like in this game, not the least of which was Victor’s game winning solo shot in the 10th.

The Good:

  • The Tigers manufactured a run with steals in the first.
  • Sanchez had a nice, unexpected double in the second.
  • Dee Gordon’s costly error to extended the second inning.
  • The Dodgers squeeze play in 2nd with a 3-2 count on Beckett, while not good for for the Tigers, was still a pretty sweet play.
  • Nick Castellanos hit a three run shot in the third, his first MLB homer.
  • The Tigers stole three bases.
  • Ajax had a big sac fly in the 7th to increase the Tigers lead to 6-3.
  • Tyler Collins got is first MLB hit in the 8th and added his second in the 10th.
  • Drew Smyly and Ian Krol were smokin’ balls out of the pen. Smyly pitched three complete, allowing only one hit in relief of Sanchez.   Krol came on to relieve Joba in the 10th and struck out Adrian Gonzalez and Andre Eithier.
  • The Amazing Al came into relieve Krol and got the final out.

The Bad:

  • Anibal Sanchez was shaky in the first two innings throwing 63 pitches.
  • The Tigers bounced into three double plays.
  • Joe Nathan.
  • Joe Nathan got the win.

The Ugly:

  • Joe Nathan blew another save by giving up three runs in the 9th.  I don’t have the words.  He was horrible.

Quietly, Ian Kinsler seems to be a nice addition to the Tigers.  Whether it is hitting, fielding or running, he seems to do something good to help the Tigers win.  However, the best part about the Kinsler acquisition is that Prince in not in a Tigers uniform anymore.

Trivia: The Dodgers have now played longer in LA than they did in Brooklyn. (H/T Shannon Hogan)

Tigers, JV lose first game of 2014 3-1 to Orioles

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Justin Verlander deserved a better fate.  He suffered his, and the Tigers, first loss of the season, but he pitched very well.

The Good:

  • JV looked like the Cy Young and end of 2014 JV.  He pitched eight innings, allowed five hits, and two earned runs.

The Bad:

  • The Tigers only managed one run, however after scoring 17 runs in the first two games, I can’t complain too much.
  • JV only struck on three while walking two but saying this is bad is a little bit of a stretch
  • Torii Hunter hit his third home run in as many games accounting for the only Tigers run.

The Ugly:

  • The Amazing Al surrendered another run and currently has 6.00 ERA.

All things considered, it was a good home stand, and even I, didn’t expect the Tigers to go 162-0. 🙂

Off to Los Angeles for a meeting with the Dodgers.

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

Tigers 7 Orioles 6

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Sorry, I’m a little late with this post, tax season, hopefully is finally over.

The Tigers moved to 4-0 and followed a 10 run game by putting up another 7.  And in the end, they needed every one of them.

The Good:

  • The Tigers had another great offense outburst.
  • Kinsler, Hunter, and Ajax had two hits each and my man Donny Baseball was 3-4 with a RBI and two runs scored.
  • Freeway Ricky Porcello was dealing in his first start.  He went 6 2/3 allowing only one run on three hits.  He struck out three and walked two.
  • Torii Hunter blasted his second home run in as many games.
  • Evan Reed pitched an inning and a third, allowed zero runs, two hits, and one strike out.

The Bad:

  • The bullpen.  Combined, the pen surrendered five runs on seven hits in 2 1/3 innings.
  • The Amazing Al pitched to only one hitter in the 9th and allowed a single to Matt Wieters.
  • Joe Nathan, while recording his first save, allowed a run on two hits.

The Ugly:

  • Phil Coke.  Unfortunately, Phil is starting where he left off in 2013. He recorded only one out and surrendered three runs on two hits.  I’m pulling for you Phil, but the clock is ticking.

When it’s all said and done though the Tigers moved to 4-0 and the offense has looked pretty good the last few game.

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

 

 

 

 

 

Tigers 10 Orioles 4

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It was nice to see the Tigers offense explode for 10 runs.  I just hope this isn’t the continuation of a familiar pattern, 10 runs one game, then nothing for the next few.

The Good:

  • The Tigers moved to 3-0.
  • The Mighty Miggy went 4-5 including his 2,000th hit, a two run bomb in the 8th.
  • Drew Smyly came in to relieve Anibal Sanichez after the rain delay.  He pitched 3 innings, struck out 3, walked 1 and didn’t allow a run.
  • Nice defensive play by Andrew Romine in the 6th.

The Bad:

  • Joba Chamberlain.  WTF?

The Ugly:

  • The weather was horrible.  I hate cold, rainy, days.
  • Romine got charged with an error in the 5th.  From all the angels I saw, it looked like he recorded the out at second and dropped the ball on the transfer.  What made this ugly is that the umpires reviewed the play and upheld the call on the field.  My only response is WTF?

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

 

 

 

Tiger 2 Royals 1

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The Tigers are 2-0 on this young season and the first two wins have come at the expense of the Royals, who usually seem to give the Tigers trouble.

The Good:

  • The Tigers won and were able to come back after new closer, Joe Nathan, blew the save.
  • Ian Kinsler was 3-5 with two RBIs including his first home run as a Tiger, a solo shot to lead off the 4th.
  • 2013 Cy Young winner, Max Scherzer, looks to be picking up where he left off.  He pitched eight scoreless innings striking out 7 and walking only one.
  • The Tigers got two plays overturned with replay.

The Bad:

  • Joe Nathan blew his first save opportunity as a member of the Tigers.
  • Miguel Cabrera took an ofer and struck out twice.  He also missed an “easy” RBI chance in the 6th, grounding into a fielder’s choice with runners at the corners and one out.  I’m sure Miggy will ok but this was still bad.
  • Alex Avila struck out twice.

The Ugly:

The Tigers managed only two runs.  Despite the skewed numbers from the 2013 regular season, the Tigers have struggled to score consistently for the past two years, putting too much pressure on their pitching staff.  It’s only two game so I won’t sound the alarm for 2014, yet.

Back at it tomorrow.

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

 

Tigers open 2014 with a win

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It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win.  The Tigers prevailed 4-3, over the Royals in the 2014 season opener.

JV looked pretty good.  He gave up only 2 earned runs and lasted  six innings.  He could have lasted longer but the defense behind him was, not good.  Torii Hunter dropped a routine fly ball in the second, shortstop Alex Gonzalez made an error in the fourth and Nick Castellanos, although he wasn’t charged with an error, failed to catch a ball in foul territory.

I was very pleased with the way the Tigers battled back in the late innings after trailing 3-1.

Also notable: A Squared money was 1 for 2 with 2 BB.  Victor hit a solo shot.  Castellanos and Gonzalez each had two hits.

 

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