Record Setting Indians Pitching Staff

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From ESPN:

Trevor Bauer struck out nine Astros batters on Wednesday to run his season strikeout total to 102, and joining Corey Kluber, Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar as Indians pitchers in triple digits. No other team in major-league history has had four players with 100 or more strikeouts as few as 84 games into a season. Prior to this year, the fewest games that any team needed to have four pitchers accumulate 100 strikeouts was 89, by the Dodgers in 1960 (Don Drysdale, Sandy Koufax, Johnny Podres and Stan Williams)

Right now the Indians are 40-44, three games behind the Tigers.  Hmmm, I wonder if the Tigers need to watch out below?

Tigers 5 Mariners 4

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The Tigers won the series finale and took two out of three from the Mariners with a big 5-4 win this afternoon.

Anibal Sanchez didn’t pitch great, but well enough to give the bullpen a bit of break.  He lasted 6.1 innings, allowing four runs, three earned on five hits.  I guess it qualifies as a quality starts but his walks were high, five, and he continues to give up home runs. However, given the starts they got from Ryan and Simon and the way the offense is to click, this looked like a gym.

What is the story with Jose Iglesias wearing his sunglasses on his hat instead of over his eyes.  He made one error and almost made another one.  With the struggles the pitching staff is having the last thing they need is to have to throw extra pitches and get extra outs.  If it’s sunny enough to get your sunglasses out why not put them over your eyes?

Off to Minnesota.

Mariners 7 Tigers 6

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In yesterday’s post I mentioned that the Tigers have no answer for the 3-5 starting slots and unfortunately Kyle Ryan doesn’t provide one.  The offense staked him to an early three run lead that he promptly squandered.

Ryan couldn’t complete three innings and he departed the Tigers were down 5-3.

All things considered the pen did a good job. They were called on to pitch 7.2 innings, allowing 9 hits, 2 earned runs, 3 walks, and struck out seven.  If that were the starters line the outcome would have probably been different.

Alex Wilson pitched another 2.1 strong innings last night and, ‘where would the Tigers be without him’? How many more times can they call on him and ask him to pitch multiple innings?

I’ve been very critical of Nick “The Quick” Castellanos. Last night, he followed up the first four hit game of this career with a two run shot.  I hope he stays hot and consistent. I really don’t want to see him traded.  I’d like to see some home grown talent on this team.

Tigers 12 Mariners 5

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If my memory serves me correctly, the only two places the Tigers play worse than Seattle are Anaheim and Yankee Stadium, so it was nice to start this road trip off with a win.

Alfredo Simon continues to be a mess. He allowed five runs in five and two thirds  Luckily, the bullpen showed up tonight with good performance from Blaine Hardy, Ian Krol and Bruce Rondon.

Everyone got in on the 12 run, 19 hit parade except Ian Kinsler who was an absolute abomination at the plate. He went 0-5 and hit into two double plays.

Don’t look now but Nick Castellanos has started to hit the last few games.  He had four hits tonight including a home run,

All-Star J.D. Martinez had three hits and raised his average to .290 with another homer and three more hits.  He is basically on Miggy like tear right now.  I hope he continues this pace.  With JMC on the shelf, the Tigers are going to need it.

Victor seems to finding his form again. At the risk of sending this offense into a tailspin with the my fingers and keyboard, this offense is firing on all cylinders, the only problem is the Tigers only have two starting pitchers.  After Price and Sanchez I’m not sure where they turn for the 3-5 starting slots.  I guess if they score 5+ runs a game they might be able to squeak by for a while.

Doesn’t it seem like this is 180 degrees opposite of the first two months of the season?

I’ll the take W any way they can get them.

Blue Jays 10 Tigers 5

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The Blue Jays avoided a sweep by putting 10 runs on the Tigers pitching staff, seven off of former Cy Young winner, Justin Verlander. For four innings JV looked pretty good. He surrendered only one run in the first off of a bloop double and a ground ball single then retired 13 straight.  He got into trouble in the fifth and that was all she wrote.

Ausmus found no relief in the pen either. VerHagen, Wilson, Hardy and Farrell didn’t look very sharp collectively. That being said, when a team scores seven off the starter you probably aren’t going to win too many of those games.

I was really impressed with former Tigers prospect and current Jays second baseman Devon Travis.  It is a small sample size but he looks like a keeper. I’m not sure if you saw Mike’s comment, from Minoring in Baseball, from yesterday’s post.  Yesterday when McCann picked off Travis at first it was an “all Whitecaps play, McCann to Avila, picking off Travis.”  There is something nice about homegrown talent.  Unfortunately there is not a lot of it on the Tigers.  Which brings me to another thing I’ve been thinking about.

Dave Dombrowski’s philosophy seems to be draft power arms then trade them for what you need to fill out the roster.  It is hard to argue with the success he’s had with the trades he’s made.  The Tigers have gotten the better end of the vast majority of his deals.  However, shouldn’t baseball be littered with former Tigers pitchers?  The only one I can think of that is still around is Andrew Miller?  Is the scouting that bad that nobody the Tigers scout and draft ever pans out anywhere?  I guess Cameron Maybin looks like he’s turned things around but he’s not a pitcher, but who else?

Tigers 8 Blue Jays 3

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Make it two in a row over the Blue Jays and two in a row scoring eight runs.  The highlight of the game however, was a fantastic catch by Alex “A Squared Money” Avila who played his first game at first base filling if for the injured Jose Miguel Cabrera.

Avila was 1-3 at the plate with a walk and a K and didn’t exactly tear the cover off of the ball but I think there is an outside chance the his bat could come alive if he continues to play first base.  There is no chance he is going to hit playing catcher but a first there may be a glimmer of hope.

Home run derby contestants, fear not, you don’t have to be on a major league roster to pitch.  If you remember, a few years ago Bryce Harper’s father pitched to him in HRD so I’m pretty Joba is still available.

Alex Avila 7/4/2015
Alex Avila 7/4/2015

Tigers 8 Blue Jays 6

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How do you take an 8-0 lead and a no-hitter through 7.1 and turn it into a nail biter?  Turn it over to the Tigers bullpen.

With Joba Chamberlain and Tom Gorzelanny designated for assignment earlier in the day, it was Alex Wilson’s and Bruce Rondon’s turn to pitch the eighth.  They performed slightly better than Joba did on Wednesday night against the Pirates.

Houston, we have a problem.  Did I mention Miggy is on the 15 day DL?

I really feel bad for Anibal.  He’s final line looks pedestrian after not allowing a Blue Jay hit for seven and a third. To add insult to injury, his no-no was broken up by a former teammate whose base hit in the eighth equaled his hit total with the Tigers all of last season.

I have to give BA credit for trying out a new lineup.  For one day it looked pretty good but now with Miggy hurt all bets are off.

Side note:  I heard Rod Allen on MLB radio yesterday.  It is no secret I really like Rod.  I’ve often said that the best part of the 2003 season was Rod Allen coming to the Tigers broadcast.  Anyway, he was asked who the Tigers MVP is.  He said that hands down it is Jose Miguel Cabrera.  He said J.D. should be an All-Star but everything runs through Miggy. I agree with him and that’s why I think this injury just about puts to rest any idea the Tigers had of competing for a playoff spot this season.

Joba Designated For Assignment…

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So I’m listening to MLB radio and they reported the Joba has been DFAd.

Did I mention in a previous post, that “beat him into a conniption”, would describe accurately enough what the Pirates did to him in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s game?

Perhaps Dave Dombrowski couldn’t find the word’s either.

Update: Add Tom Gorzelanny to the DFA list.