Corey Kluber

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 8 Indians 1

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The Tigers didn’t exactly get to Corey Kluber but they touched him for two runs, including another monster blast from Jose Miguel Cabrera, and the rain did the rest. Both starters, Kluber and Simon, only lasted five innings thanks to a two hour rain delay.  The Tigers then beat the Indians pen into a conniption.

J.D. Martinez got some redemption with a three run homer to break the game open after the rain delay that extended the Tigers lead to 5-0.

It is one game, one series, but we’ll take it.

The Reds come to town tomorrow and we’ll welcome Nebraska back.

Still Perfect But…

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not pretty.

The weakness preventing the Tigers from winning a World Series in the last five years has been the bullpen.  After last season, I didn’t think the pen could get any worse, and with Joe Nathan’s early absence I was optimistic. I was wrong.

My biggest issue with David Price last year was that he rarely, if ever, but together two consecutive solid starts.  It was generally one superb outing followed by garbage.  I’m reserving judgement because today’s start was skewed by his own throwing error that allowed three unearned runs. Seriously, what is the issue with Tigers pitchers throwing to bases? That being said, Price only lasted five and two thirds.  That’s a problem because, I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned this before, the pen is a Carnival of Asses and the Soria experiment might need to be over.  I know we are only five games in but his leash is as short as Nathan’s.  At least Shit Bird Nathan had the decency to go on the DL.

The offense is SMOKIN BALLS!  Getting two runs off of Kluber was impressive but continuing to come back after losing the lead or having the lead shortened was even more so.  In fact, even though they struck out 10 times against him they were able chase Kluber after 6.2. Hey, I just thought of something, the Indians pen is worse than the Tigers.

One more thing, I’ve had it with Ausmus’s stupid late game substitutions.  This is an asinine habit he picked up from Jim Leyland or Gene Lamont or both.  Look we know you went to Dartmouth but you are making things more complicated than they need to be, and you don’t have Ryan Rayburn and Clete Thomas, defensive specialists, sitting on the bench. Remember Occam’s Razor.  More to the point, knock off the college boy antics jackass.

I’ll take 5-0.

So Far, So Good

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The Tigers thumped the Indians this afternoon 8-4 and moved their 2015 record to 4-0.

Alfredo Simon looked pretty good for the first four innings. He struggled in the fifth and was ultimately able to last 5.1.

No surprises, the bullpen didn’t look that great but didn’t look horrible either.  We know the pen is a chink in the armor so there is no sense kicking a dead horse.  🙂

There are two things that struck me about this game.  First, the offense didn’t go in into hibernation after putting up big numbers in the two of the first three games. Also, after the Indians made it it 5-3 they came right back in the top of the 7th and got the runs back. Second, they won their first road game in Cleveland.  Remember what happened when they went into Cleveland, I believe for the first time, last year?

I’m excited for the tomorrow’s match-up, Price v. Kluber.  I’m not expecting the Tigers to dominate Kluber but I’d like to see some good at-bats and a least a run or two.

Did anyone see Babcock’s interview after last nights loss? Check it out, http://video.redwings.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=885&navid=DL|DET|home

TIGERS COMPLETE SWEEP…

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Thrash Red Sox 6-2.

Other than the two errors, one by Avila and one by DK, that should have been charged to Avila, this was a thorough ass kicking.  The Tigers strolled into Fenway Park and beat the Sox into a conniption in every facet of each game.

The beating couldn’t have been administered to a nicer bunch of shit dogs.

Off to Cleveland tomorrow with Smyly against Kluber.

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

A SQUARED MONEY!

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Things weren’t looking good for the Tigers.  This was a pitcher’s dual but going into the 9th inning the Indians had managed to scratch out 2 runs against Anibal Sanchez and led the first game of this crucial, 4 game, series 2-1.

The Tigers had some base runners in the first two innings but couldn’t push across any runs.  From then on, they were dominated by Indians starter Corey Kluber.  Kluber pitched 7 and 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing 6 hits, striking out 6 and walking one.  He was ahead of Tigers hitters all night.

The Tigers ran themselves out an inning in the 8th when Austin Jackson got thrown out at second.  After Torii Hunter singled, Ramon Santiago was held at third by Tom Brookens.  Apparently, Jackson didn’t see Santiago getting held up and rounded second.  Right fielder, Drew Stubbs threw behind Jackson and instead of the bases loaded with 1 out, the Tigers had runners and first and third with two out.  Miggy grounded to second to end the inning.

The Indians brought in closer Chris Perez to pitch the 9th and the Tigers pounded him.  He gave up all four Tiger runs and didn’t record an out.  The big hit was a three-run homer off of the bat of Alex “A Squared Money” Avila.  Alex has had a tough year at the plate but he’s had some big hits.  None bigger, at this point, than this homer.

Anibal Sanchez pitched well today. He went 7 and 2/3, gave up 2 earned on 4 hits, struck out 11 and walked two.  Although he didn’t get the win, it is fantastic that this performance wasn’t wasted.

The Indians Jason Kipnis was flashin leather tonight.  He robbed Dirks and Iggy of base hits.

Coincidentally, it was a year ago to the day, August 5th, 2012, that Indians closer, Chris Perez, had a meltdown in a Sunday, afternoon, game at Comerica Park.  Last year, Miggy hit a big home run off of him.  Tonight, it was A Squared Money!  Perhaps he should take the 5th of August off in the future.

IMHO, Miggy looks like he’s still not 100%.  It might be a good idea to put him on the 15 day DL and get him nice and healthy for the final stretch?  I’m not sayin’.  I’m just sayin’,

JV is on the hill tomorrow.  Tomorrow would be a nice time for him to return to his form of the last two years.

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