J.D. Martinez

Tigers 10 Cubs 8

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I was listening to MLB radio yesterday afternoon, I guess like every afternoon, and they were discussing what went wrong with the Tigers in 2015.  One host said that basically it is starting pitching. It isn’t the bullpen because they have never had a bullpen. The difference between this year and the past few years is starting pitching.  I guess you don’t have to be a genius to figure that out. When you don’t have good starting pitching it taxes your bullpen even more, not good, especially when it’s weak, and it demands that your offense produce everyday, and produce a lot.  Tuesday night, the Tigers’ offense, despite a two hour and sixteen minute rain delay, produced a harvest and the pitching staff needed it.

Kinsler had five hits, Iggy had two and J.D. had a conniption shot in the first.  Kinsler has really turned a miserable season around.  Too bad it isn’t in the middle of a playoff run.

Can the Tigers afford J.D. now?

Tigers 2 Royals 1

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The bi-polar Tigers, behind new acquisition Matt Boyd, put in a masterful performance tonight and downed the Kansas City Royals 2-1 tonight at Comerica Park.

This game was the complete opposite of last night’s game. They got great starting pitching, executed on offense and flashed leather on defense.

Speaking of Flashin’ Leather, J.D. Martinez doesn’t get enough credit for the way he plays right field.  He made a catch in the ninth inning that looked like it was headed for the gap.  Physically, he doesn’t look like he should be a good fielder but he always seems to make nice, if not incredible, catches.

http://m.mlb.com/det/video/topic/8877502/v336051883/?c_id=det

It’s either J.D. or Alex Wilson for team M.V.P. (Blaine Hardy could be a close third.)

How about Matt Boyd?  He out duels Johnny Cueto in his third career start going seven innings allowing only one run and walking ZERO!  Walking ZERO is the most impressive stat in my humble opinion.

Anthony Gose gets an honorable Flashin Leather mention for his catch in the ninth as well.

Two of the last three games the Tigers have sent rookies to the hill and they’ve delivered gems.  Let’s hope they can continue because I’m not sure what to expect from Sanchez, Simon, and Verlander.

I can’t say BIG win any more so I’ll say NICE win.

What do you think about the new site theme?

Mariners 11 Tigers 9

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If there was any hope for the Tigers left in the 2015 season Franklin Gutierrez ended it in the eighth inning last night.  His pinch hit grand slam off of Neftali Feliz should make it clear to the Tigers brass that 2016 is what they need to start concentrating on.  For all intents and purposes, 2015 is over.

Lost is this debacle was a mammoth home run by J.D. Martinez. J.D. continued his impressive season with an absolute CONNIPTION shot to straight away center field to give the Tigers signs of life in the third inning.  If Miggy can’t come back it should be fun watching J.D. the rest of the way.

Tigers 7 Orioles 3

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During his first two at-bats I thought J.D. Martinez was going into another funk. He was swinging at bad first pitches and immediately finding himself in 0-2 holes.   He changed that in his third at-bat by hitting his 26th home run.

J.D. also flashed some leather robbing Chris Davis of a home run with a a nice catch at the wall in right.  This is slowly becoming the J.D. Martinez show.

They got enough pitching from Anibal and the pen, although, Soria scares me, to piece this one together. It’s nice to start the “second half” off with a win.

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.

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

Pirates 5 Tigers 4

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Well 5-4 seems to a popular score.  While I don’t like coming out on the losing end, the four-run Tigers are much better than the two-run Tigers.  I’m impressed that the Tigers have been finding ways to claw their way back from deficits, especially late in games. J.D. came up with another big homer home run last night to even the score, his 20th.

I’m not sure what to make of J.V. Perhaps it’s too early to tell. This could basically be his spring training.  He only allowed two earned in 6 plus but he did allow twelve base runners.  I guess when push comes to shove, the Tigers are 39-37, basically right around a .500 team.  I has hoping for more, but ‘hope is not a strategy’, and this is probably what we are going to get.

Indians 8 Tigers 2

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So the brief winning streak is over.  Buck Farmer doesn’t seem ready for the big leagues.  Hmm, I’m not sure JV is ready either. The only good thing is that J.D. stayed hot with another home run.

I’m beginning to worry about Justin Verlander and wonder what the Tigers can expect from him the rest of way on his contract. It could be ugly.  He shows no signs of paying any dividends in the near future.

When Price leaves, this once vaunted rotation will look rather modest. (He’s going to the Cubs.) I’m not sure what to make of Simon.  One start he looks great the next he looks like he’s throwing batting practice.  Sanchez is great when he’s on and not balking and not hurt.  I’m not sure what’s going on with Greene and Lobstein.  A lot of ifs and maybes and mights and Idontknows.  I’m rambling.

Let’s see what happens this weekend.

Tigers 6 Reds 0

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Our old friend, Brennan “B Squared Money” Boesch, just keeps showing up and I’m not sure why. Not that have any ill will towards him, or anyone else for that matter, but I just can’t figure out why teams keep having a look at him.  Perhaps there is little risk and the price is right?  Granted, he did win the Pacific Coast League batting title last year but he looks like the same old B Squared Money to me.

When Boesch first came up, you’ll remember, he was on fire for two months, exactly 30 days longer than Chris “Red Pop” Sheldon.  In fact, B Squared Money, almost hit himself onto the all-star team. Unlike, Red Pop, who I knew was going to to cool off, I wasn’t sure about Boesch.  I didn’t like his lack of plate discipline but he was making a lot of hard contact.  I thought, he’s either a left handed Vladimir Guerrero or a left handed Red Pop.  He was the latter.  Did I mention he plays the outfield like I do?  (I’m fat, have a bad back, and haven’t played since 8th grade. )  I guess my question for major league organizations is, haven’t you seen enough?

Getting to the game, Anibal pitched a gem and Miggy and J.D. might be heating up. Now add to that, Victor, JV and Rondon coming back and perhaps I had started on the obit prematurely?  I’ve been told I have a tendency to fly off the handle?

Have I mentioned that I sat through about 50 home games in 2003?  Remember, the year they lost 119 games?

I’m not hating this team that much right now.  Funny, winning does that to me.