J.D. Martinez

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.

Angels 8 Tigers 6

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Well a loss is a loss. But the Tigers didn’t quit after Shane Green threw batting practice for an inning a two thirds.  They chipped away and made a game of it  And they did manage a week’s worth of offense, six runs on 13 hits, including Kinsler’s first home run of the year. They still couldn’t get the big hit or the big inning but six runs matched what they produced in the previous five games.

Let’s see if they can salvage one tomorrow.

Alex Wilson was smokin balls out of the pen.

Astros 3 Tigers 2

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Ian Kinsler has had two games which can only be described as a nightmare.  Yesterday, he made an error that cost the Tigers two unearned runs and took an 0-4. Fortunately, J.D Martinez was able to bail him out. This afternoon, he wasn’t so lucky. He made a nice defensive play early but then completely demoralized the team by grounding into a game killing triple play in the fifth.  That’s right.  A TRIPLE PLAY!

Kinsler has been very disappointing this year.  It is time for the big money guys to start earning their money.

Speaking of big money, where in the sam hell is Verlander? How pissed would you be if you were paying a guy $30 million a year to do nothing? Every time I see hime in the dugout I want to puke.

It is time for me to tip my hat to the Amazing, Everyday Al. Nobody has been harder on him than me.  But he has been fantastic lately. He pitched an inning an two thirds and struck out four.

The pen is smokin’ balls!

It would be nice to get a series win tomorrow.

Tigers 6 Astros 2

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For the the third game in a row, a third clutch hit, a third unexpected, clutch performer. Tonight it was J.D. Martinez who hit a three-run homer to put the Tigers in the lead and bail Ian Kinsler out whose error in the top of the third lead to two unearned runs.

Kinsler had a bad night.  He was 0-4 to go along with his error.

Alfredo Simon picked up his fifth win and pitched well allowing no earned runs in seven complete.

Joba didn’t even look too bad today.

Somehow I’m feeling better than I did a few days ago although I’d feel a lot better if Miggy would start getting some clutch, two-out, RBIs.  But compared to where this team was on Wednesday, I’ll take it.

They still hit into to too many double plays.

Brewers 3 Tigers 2

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They’re back!  After a brief hiatus, the two-run Tigers, returned to Comerica Park.  The Lobber was fine.  The bullpen was fine.  The bats were an abomination.  There is no excuse for offensive production, or lack there of, of this magnitude.  Victor needs to sit down for a month.  He can’t hit left handed.  He can’t run, although I thought he was safe at first.  I sound like a broken record but you can’t ask a pitching staff to hold other teams to two runs or less every night. Somebody has to step up and get a clutch, two-out, run producing, base hit, like Iggy had a few nights ago.

I’m as guilty of this as anyone, I’m always looking to Miggy, but it doesn’t look like anybody is going to pitch to him even if his numbers aren’t great in night games; not with Victor hitting .216.  J.D. seems to be coming out his funk but he’s not driving in a lot of runs and I’m not exactly sure what Castellanos is doing. The middle of this lineup looks bad.

Tigers 8 Indians 6

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At the time,  I thought J.D. Martinez’s 5th inning at-bat was the the decision point of the game.  He came up with a big two out hit that drove in two runs extending the Tigers lead to 5-2 after Miggy had struck out.

I thought Miggy’s subsequent sixth inning, two-run homer further extending the Tigers lead to 7-2 was insignificant, window dressing.  For a brief, delusional, moment, I forgot what was lurking in the Tigers bullpen.  They would need the additional runs.

Kyle Lobstein started and gave the Tigers a quality start plus.  He gave up three runs in seven innings. Nesbitt came in for the the eighth and gave up two runs in one third of an inning but was bailed out by Blaine Hardy. Soria came in to close the ninth and was shaky.  He gave up a run and was bailed out on a spectacular, back to the infield, basket catch, in shallow left field by Jose “Iggy” Iglesias.  Iggy’s catch salvaged the game and the series.  The Indians were coming and there was nobody to put out the fire.

I’ll take it.

Yankees 2 Tigers 1

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I’m not tipping my hat to Tanaka or the Yankees bullpen.  Sanchez and the Tigers pen pitched fine.  The offense has to do something other than bounce into double plays and hit weak fly balls.

Miggy’s last at-bat to lead off the ninth was a microcosm of the Tigers offensive performance this entire series.  He took to fastballs down the middle and swung and some piece of garbage for strike three.  In fact, the Might Miggy was a one man wrecking crew today.  He contributed nothing offensively and couldn’t field McCann’s ground ball cleanly enough to turn two in the eight to keep the game tied.

This team makes me sick.  The only two that didn’t have their heads up their respective asses were Gose and J.D. Martinez.

Tigers 9 White Sox 1

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The Tigers took the rubber game of a big early season series this afternoon by beating White Sox starter Jose Quintana into a conniption.

Yoenis Cespedes had a monster day.  He had six RBIs on a grand slam and a two run homer.  Today’s game was a mirror image of yesterday’s game, it was over by the time the Sox came to bat in the top of the fourth.

Shane Greene got his third win.  The Tigers are 10-2 and right now I don’t hate them.

Here are a few early season observations:

  • Iggy looks great at short and even though he swings at a lot of pitches he’s pretty good at making contact.
  • Miggy looks very good, defensively, at first base.
  • Nick Castellanos has been flashin’ leather at third.
  • Despite his miscue today, J.D. Martinez plays a pretty good right field.
  • Doesn’t Miggy usually start seasons slowly?
  • Victor is still hurt.

Yankee are in town tomorrow.

Tigers 2 Pirates 0

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After almost two times through the rotation, Shane Greene is the ace of the Tigers staff.  He dispatched the Pirates lineup with the precision and efficiency of a Swiss timepiece. I really wanted him to get a chance to complete the game but I sort of understand the move to bring Victor in.  Speaking of Victor, he doesn’t like right to me.  Anyway, Greene needed only 81 pitches to get through 8 complete, scoreless, innings, a virtual masterpiece, albeit unfinished.

J.D. Martinez, Ian Kinsler, and Jose Iglesias all flashed some leather today and the Tigers got a win in a place where they don’t get many.

The offense left 10 men on base but we can cut them some slack. They scored enough for the W.

It would be nice for a series win tomorrow.

I like 7-1.