J.D. Martinez

Tiger 4 Twins 0

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Well, this was almost a perfect game to start off the 2015 season.

David Price pitched 8.2 shutout innings and Joe Nathan got the final out, striking out Torii Hunter.

J.D. Martinez and Alex A Squared Money Avila went deep and Yoenis Cespedes was two for three with a double and a triple.

The Tigers flashed plenty of leather today as well. Cespedes, Iglesias, Kinzler Castellanos, and Miggy all had nice plays defensively.

I hope this is a harbinger of things to come for the 2015 Tigers but I can’t help wondering if Price and Cespedes are only here for half a season.

We’ll see.

Here we go…

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I can barely contain myself. Baseball starts Sunday. The Tigers open Monday and the hockey playoffs are right around the corner.  The only downside is that I’ll be so busy watching or listening to baseball and hockey that I won’t get much reading done.

OK, I don’t expect much from the Tigers this year.  As Nebraska says, “too many ifs”.

The Tigers could contend “if”:

  • Verlander returns to form.
  • Miggy and Victor are healthy.
  • Someone can get on base in front of Miggy.
  • Joba pitches like he did in the first half of last year.
  • Nathan stays on the team past May.
  • J.D. is what he appeared to be last year.

Too many “ifs” and hope is not a strategy.  But there is always a chance.  The stars could align for the Tigers like they did for the Red Sox in 2013.

I’m excited but proceeding with caution.

Also, I recommend readers check out another site, Minoring In Baseball.  I’ve been reading this blog for the last few years and absolutely love it.

Have a blessed Easter and LET’S PLAY BALL.

FYI: I’m on the verge of hating the Red Wings.

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

Orioles 2 Tigers 1

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A very disappointing season comes to an end. This three-game demise was a team effort. The flaws of the 2014 Tigers were too much to overcome.

Bad defense and a horrible bullpen lost game one.

Ditto, in spades, for game two.

In game three it was an inconsistent offense that could muster only 4 hits, 2 off of “future hall of famer” Bud Norris.

Did I mention, the fielding sucked today too? Although no errors were awarded, Castellanos and Kinsler should have gotten one each.

David Price was fantastic. He lasted 8 innings and made only one mistake, a two run, opposite field, home-run to Nelson Cruz. (Perhaps, if they ever meet again, the Tigers should pitch around Cruz. I’m not sayin. I’m just sayin.)

Basically, all season long, the Tigers have had three reliable hitters, Cabrera, Martinez and Martinez. Before and after that trio, nobody contributed much. You can’t have 1 and 2 slot hitters that don’t get on base.

If not for the starting pitching the 2014 Tigers may have finished near the bottom of the Central. I don’t think spotty hitting, bad defense, and a horrible bullpen will take a team too far.

The most disheartening thing is that I don’t see a way to fix this team without spending a ton of money. They need two outfielders, a lead-off hitter, a shortstop*, a catcher**, and an entire bullpen.

*I’m not very optimistic about Iggy coming back. Even if he does come back how much is going to be able to play and contribute.
**AA left the game today after being rocked by a foul ball. He has taken so many shots I don’t think the Tigers should let him catch anymore.

My prediction is that the Royals and Giants will meet in the World Series. Everything just seems to be falling into place for both of those team.

I’m not sure if I’ll ever see another Tigers World Series win.

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

Tigers 6 White Sox 1

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That’s why they play the games. I had this chalked up as a loss when I saw the pitching match-up. That shows how much I know.

I have not said this very often in the last two years; JV was smokin balls. I thought I was time warped back to 2011. He out pitched that sack of garbage Chris Sale.

Until the sixth inning, I was a Sale for CY Young booster, but anybody that can be that stupid doesn’t deserve to win it.

Like Nebraska says, ‘you can’t fix stupid.”

Just when I think Miggy is back he K’s four times. WTF?

Hat tip to J.D. and Rajai, they led the offensive charge this afternoon.

The Tigers are in first for another day.

Twins tomorrow.

Twins 4 Tigers 3

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After absolutely sucking for eight innings, the Tigers offense, behind J.D. Martinez’s three run homer, rallied to take the lead in the ninth.

The turd came on in the ninth and blew the game but did he? Readers know how little I think of Joe Nathan, and he deserves to be chastised for giving up a one out walk in the ninth, but WTF Ezequiel Carrera? If he holds Suzuki to a single there’s a chance the Twins don’t score at all.

I think this loss is the chickens coming home to roost. The turd has been getting away with walks and bad pitching for about a month. It had to catch up with him. Also, Brad Ausmus’s stupid substitutions came back to bite him as well.

I understand pinch running for Miggy but Carrera didn’t have to go in for defense. But BA insists on emptying his bench at the first opportunity.

And why take J.D. out of the game? You have a one run lead going into the ninth and you take two of your three best hitters out of the game? Are you that confident in Nathan? If you are, you’re the only one.

FYI: Since the all-star break, Freeway Ricky has a sub three ERA and a 3-6 record.

Tigers 6 Indians 4

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Another come from behind win gave the Tigers the weekend sweep of the Tribe.

JV was ok, not terrible, not good. He gave up three earned runs in five and two thirds. However, he didn’t get any help from Blaine Hardy who came in to relieve him. Hardy, allowed both inherited runners to score.

They need to limit JV to 90 pitches.

BTW: Hardy has walked six runners in his last three innings.

Speaking of walks, the turd got another save but didn’t look good doing it. He was given an three run lead. He ended up allowing a run on two hits and another WALK! I don’t think Nathan has figured anything out I think he’s just on a good run of cards. He blows! Interestingly, BA had Soria warming up when Nathan started sucking in the ninth, which was pretty much immediately.

Kinlser and J.D. Martinez led the way offensively with two RBIs each. Kinsler finally had a big hit and J.D. continues to get it done.

The Royals lost the Red Sox so the Tigers lead is one and a half games.

Tigers 7 Indians 2

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I was wrong.

When J.D. Martinez started to struggle around the All-Star break, I thought he was proving to be the latest incarnation of Chris “Red Pop” Shelton and Brennan “B Squared Money” Boesch. I figured he had a few months in the sun but was the player the Astros cut.

I was wrong.

Besides his two-run homer and four RBIs tonight, where would the Tigers be without him?

In 107 games and 383 at-bats, Martinez is hitting .305 with 21 home runs and 69 RBIs. At times, he has carried the offense, especially against the Indians.

The Royals lost for the second time in a row and Tigers have moved into first place by .5 game.

I was wrong about J.D. and glad for it.

Tigers 4 Indians 2

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The Tigers had chance after chance to blow this game wide open. Only in the first inning did the Tigers go out 1-2-3 but couldn’t get the big hit.

Until the 9th. Hats off to Torii Hunter. He doesn’t walk much but worked a lead-off walk in the 9th that seemed to get things started. “Fear His Awesomeness” followed with his third hard hit ball of the night ( This DH thing might be just what the Dr. ordered?). After Victor flied out, J.D. crushed a three-run homer to give the Tigers the lead for good. I think J.D. was still fuming from the bad third strike call that ended his previous at-bat. Whatever the case, the Tigers needed a big hit, and J.D. delivered.

WTF, Kyle Lobstein? He looked good in his first outing against the Yankees but didn’t strike anybody out. In fact, according to Dan Dickerson and Jim Price, he had only one swing and miss. Yesterday was a different story. He struck out 10 Indians in 5.1 and allowed only two runs. Its amazing how much better a few wins makes me feel.

Tigers 5 Yankees 2 – All Hail Freeway Ricky

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The Freewayman was smokin balls again tonight. He picked up his 15th win of the season. He didn’t go the distance but he lasted eight complete. The only blemishes are the two home runs he gave up Ellsbury.

J.D. and Torii led the way offensively.

Quietly, Castellanos and Suarez have started to look a lot better at the plate.

I don’t understand the defensive replacement tonight. DK in for J.D.? J.D. provided much needed offense, including a two out RBI. Additionally, a three run lead is hardly safe with the turd in to close.

I’ll take the win.

Sent from my iPad

Tigers 8 Twins 6

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The Tigers survived a bad start from Verlander, a bad game from Miggy, and Joe Nathan to get a badly needed win. I’m not saying this is a turning point but it’s nice to not have to write about another loss.

Even though Miggy was bad, enough of the other guys stepped up to put eight runs on the board.

The key play in this game came in the top of the sixth when Eugenio Saurez got a one out hit that drove in the tying and go-ahead runs. It is the kind of hit, although with only one out, that this team has failed to come up with.

Torri, Victor, J.D, Costellanos, Suarez and Bryan Holaday also had good nights offensively. When six of the players in the lineup have good nights, they can overcome a night where Miggy was slightly better than horrible.

When Miggy got his hit and RBI in the eighth, he looked like he was limping when he got to first base. I think he’s hurt a lot worse than I know or even suspected. If he is, I tip my hat for playing everyday.

I’m not sure what to make of JV. His velocity seemed pretty good but I’m not sure about his pitch selection. It looked like when he shook Holaday off, he paid for it.

Oh, well, I’ll take the W.