Detroit Tigers

Tigers 7 White Sox 4

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Behind six good innings from 2013 Cy Young winner, Max Scherzer, the Tigers earned a split with the White Sox in this four game series.

The only thing I don’t like about Max’s line, while it is hard to complain when he strikes out 10, is that he only lasted six innings.  Max needed 110 pitches to get through six complete.

The Good:

  • The Tigers won.
  • The Tigers scored in five different innings, the second, third, fifth, seventh, and eighth.
  • The Tigers put up seven runs.
  • Max struck out 10 and walked only one.
  • Miggy had three RBIs.
  • Castellanos and Holaday had two hits.
  • Rajai Davis had three hits and two RBIs.
  • Joe Nathan earned his 4th save without surrendering a run.

The Bad:

  • Joba got roughed up today. He allowed two earned runs on three hits in one inning of work.

The Ugly:

  • Nothing today.

The Tigers go to Target Field for a weekend series with the Twins.  Freeway Rick Porcello is on the mound in Minnesota tomorrow.

 

 

White Sox 6 Tigers 4

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I didn’t see the game but it looks like Smyly turned a 4-2 lead over to the bullpen and the pen couldn’t hold it.

Smyly’s line looks pretty good.  He went six complete allowing two earned runs on six hits.  He struck out seven and walked one.

The Good:

  • Four runs should be good enough to win with good pitching.
  • Ajax was was 1-3 with a two run homer.
  • Victor had two hits.
  • J.D. Martinez had a hit and two RBIs.
  • Justin Miller pitched two scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and striking out two.

The Bad:

  • The Tigers lost the game and will have to win tomorrow afternoon to split the series
  • The bullpen gave up four earned runs.
  • The Tigers only scored in one inning, the fourth.

The Ugly:

  • Even Reed allowed three earned runs in a third of an inning.
  • Ian Krol gave up a grand slam in the seventh to Marcus Semien.

The Tigers need a shut down game from Max tomorrow to split the series.

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

 

Tigers 8 White Sox 6

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The Tigers bats, Miggy’s especially, came to life and put up eight runs.  Thanks to Phil Coke, they needed seven of them to get past the White Sox 8-6.

JV was pretty good.  He pitched seven complete.  He allowed two earned runs on eight hits.  He struck out seven and walked two.

The Good:

  • The Tigers offense came to life.
  • Miggy was 3-5 with three RBIs.
  • Alex Avila was 3-4 and didn’t strike out.
  • The Tigers didn’t make an error.

The Bad:

  • JV needed 119 pitches to get through seven innings and his eight hits allowed are a little high.
  • The bullpen gave up four runs.

The Ugly:

  • The White Sox took Phil Coke behind the woodshed and beat him into a conniption.  He lasted 2/3 of an inning and gave up three earned runs, two on a two run shot by Adam Dunn.  This is really ugly considering Dunn in a lefty.

In the end, a win is a win, and I’m glad to have this one.  I hope Miggy is back to being Miggy.

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

 

 

 

White Sox 3 Tigers 1

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This is looking like an old, familiar, theme.  All pitching and no offense.  Like most of the last few years, if the Tigers don’t get shut down pitching, they aren’t going to win.

Anibal wasn’t great, but holding the opposition to three runs, ain’t bad either. Unfortunately, the Tigers could only manage one run.

The Good:

  • He only lasted 6 and 1/3 but Sanchez’s outing should have been good enough.
  • The bullpen. Ian Krol, Even Reed and Justin Miller shut the Sox out for 2 and 2/3.

The Bad:

  • This offense is embarrassing.  The Tigers managed only one run on five hits.
  • The defense, two more errors today.

The Ugly:

  • Miggy took another ofer and is now hitting .206

I know we’re only three weeks in but, THEY’RE MAKIN’ ME MAD!!!

On another note, I just finished Bob Feller’s Little Black Book of Baseball Wisdom, and found another great quote.  Feller said trying to throw a fastball by Teddy Ballgame was like trying to get a ray of sunlight past a rooster at 4:30 am.

 

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

Behind Feeway Rick, Tigers take series 2-1

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This was a big win.  Not only did the Tigers win the game but they won the series with the Angels, 2-1.  Prior to yesterday’s game, the Tigers had dropped 10 in a row to the Angels.

The Tigers got seven strong innings from Ricky then turned it over to the pen.  Ian Krol, the Amazing Al, and Joe Nathan finished out the game and series.

The Good:

  • Freeway Rick
  • The Bullpen
  • Alex Avila threw out Howie Kendrick at second in the fourth inning.

The Bad:

  • The offense was horrible.  They managed only five hits and two runs and were aided by four Angels errors.

The Ugly:

  • Alex Avila was 0-3 with two backwards Ks.
  • Miggy was 0-3 with two backwards Ks
  • The Tigers as a team left 18 runners on base.

Chisox come to town tomorrow.

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

Tigers Finally Beat Halos…

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with a little help from an old friend.

In the bottom of the third, Miggy lead off with a routine fly ball to right field.  Former Tiger, Brennan “B Squared Money” Boesch, dropped the ball.  Miggy eventually came around to score what proved to be the winning run.

The bigger story of course, is for the first time in 11 games, the Tigers were able to defeat the Angels, 5-2.

After surrendering a lead off home run, Max Scherzer was “smokin’ balls”.  He pitched seven complete, walked two and struck out nine.

The Good:

  • Max Scherzer had a nice outing and the Tigers needed it.
  • Joba Chamberlain was good again pitching a clean 8th inning and striking out two.
  • Nick Castellanos hit his second home run of the year to put the Tigers in the lead 2-1.
  • Victor and AJax each had two hits

The Bad:

  • I’m beginning to worry about Castellanos at third.  He bobbled a ground ball that was hit right to him.  He got the guy at first but should have been able to turn a double play.
  • Joe Nathan, although getting the save, gave up a homer to Albert Pujols.

The Ugly:

  • Brennan Boesch was not good.  I’m glad he’s with the Angels.  🙂

It would be nice to take the series tomorrow.  We need a big game from Freeway Rick.

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

 

Angels Dust Tigers…Again!

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Make it 10 in a row for the Angels over the Tigers and this one wasn’t even close.

The Tigers fell behind 11-1 before scoring five runs to make the final score somewhat respectable.

Drew Smyly’s first start was horrible.  He needed 82 pitches to get through three innings and gave up four earned runs. Luke Putkonen came in for long relief and was worse.  Putkonen was charged with seven earned.

I can’t do a Good, Bad and Ugly on this game for two reasons.  First, the entire game was an abomination.  Second, I woke up late and am getting ready go down to game two of this series.

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

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

Trust in Dave Dombrowski

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From Grantland.com. Hat Tip Nebraska

One of the most difficult things to do in baseball — right after “squarely hit a round ball with a round bat” — is to achieve a consensus. Baseball men rarely all agree, which is why, more than 40 years after the designated hitter was first instituted, one league uses the DH and one league doesn’t. Pick a topic — bunting, Pete Rose, Bull Durham vs. Major League — and you’ll find people lining up on both sides.

Once in a while, however, everyone will agree. It happened this winter, when every front-office type, journalist, and peanut vendor shared the same reaction at the same time: “The Tigers traded Doug Fister for what?” A few months later, the same choir sang a different chorus: “The Tigers gave Miguel Cabrera how much money?” If you judge a team’s moves by the industry’s reaction, you probably think the Tigers had the worst offseason in baseball.

Trust in Dave Dombrowski.

I have to admit, I’ve been skeptical of Double D.  But Grantland says I’m wrong.

It won’t be the first time.

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