Erick Aybar

The Time Has Come For DK

Crippy Baseball, Detroit Tigers , , ,

As we are approaching the mid-way point of the 2013 season, it should be apparent that all is not well in Tiger Town.

Right now, the Tigers are 42-35 with a 3 game lead on the Cleveland Indians but something needs to be done with the Tigers if the this 29 year World Series drought is going to end.

The Tigers are getting no production from the 5th spot in their lineup.  I wanted to give Victor the benefit of the doubt but we are running out of time.  In addition to hitting a paltry .228, his on base percentage is .286.  This is ridiculous.

If there is no appetite for a trade or a trade to be made, the Tigers need to try something new, something unconventional.  I don’t want to tinker with the slots Peralta and Infante are hitting in, because if something is not broken, don’t fix it.   But the 5 slot is broken and must be fixed.

I offer you my solution, Don Kelly, DK.  I know what you are thinking, DK?  He’s not an everyday player, he doesn’t have the power.  These things may be true but is he going to do any worse?  In only 92 at bats DK is hitting .228 the same as Martinez.  DK’s OPB is .333 compared to Victor’s .286.  DK is slugging .380 to Victor’s .337.  And what is even more important, DK busts his ass down the line where VMART acts like he’s skipping through a flower bed.

Some may say, VMART can’t run, he’s knees are shot.  I say, I can tolerate that if you’re hitting over .250 with power but not when you’re hitting .228 and slugging .337.  The Tiger’s need to find a different way, a new alternative, to the conventional thinking of the last 29 years.  DK might not be a classic 5 hitter, and he might not even work out, but at this point Victor is not working out either and the Tigers just finished a 10 game home stand 4-6.

To add insult to injury the Tigers just got swept, in the 6 game season series, by an Angels team that BLOWS.  This is the same Angels team that got swept in a four game series, at home, by the Houston Astros.  And to really rub salt in the wound, game two was decided by a two run homer by that sawed off, little, jerk, Erick Aybar after a visit to the mound by pitching coach Jeff Jones.

And here’s some advice for Jeff Jones, next time you get a good idea, like the one you had before the Aybar at bat, sit back down and chew on tin foil, you Dummy!

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

I HATE THE ANGELS…AND

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

The Tigers are on the verge of makin’ me MAD!

The Angels made it eight in a row over the Tigers today with a 7-4 win.  Spot starter, Jose Alvarez did an ok job going 5 and 2/3 surrendering 4 earned.  Things looked ok in the top of the 6th.  The Tigers had a 3-2 lead.  With two outs Chris Iannetta singled.  This brought out pitching coach Jeff Jones for a visit with Alvarez.  Whatever Jones said, he should have kept it to himself because on the next pitch, that sawed-off, little, jerk Erick Aybar, hit his third home run of the season, giving the Angels a 4-3 lead.  Drew Smyly came in to relieve Alvarez and struck out Brenden Harris to end the inning.

Smyly came out for the top of the 7th and it was his turn to take a shit.  He walked the lead off batter, Shuck and Mike Trout followed with a bloop double.  Before the top of the 7th was over, the Angels were ahead 7-3.

The offense was pathetic today as well, grounding into three double plays, with Fielder the only one hustling down the line to try to beat the relay.

It’s time to do something about the 5th spot in the Tiger lineup.  Victor Martinez is not doing the job and is really irritating me with his lack of hustle.  He never busts his ass down the first base line, in fact, most of the time he looks like he’s skipping.

This team is looking a lot like last year’s team, if the starting pitching has an off day, the bullpen or the offense doesn’t seem able to bail them out.  With the way Verlander has pitched the last two months and Dotel still hurt, I’m getting less optimistic by the day.

The last two games have been an embarrassment and now the best the Tigers can do on this home-stand is go .500, but they have to beat the Angels and Jeff Weaver tomorrow afternoon to do it.

One bright spot has been Bryan Pena.  He had two hits tonight and is hitting .297 on the season.

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