Make it seven losses in a row. Again, the bullpen couldn’t hold a lead. And again, Mark Lowe is doing his best Joba Chamberlain imitation. I think it’s time to try someone other than Lowe.
From what I’ve seen so far, the 2016 season is looking like a disaster. The starters aren’t pitching late into the game and the bullpen is, well, an abomination. Hmmmm, this sounds familiar.
It would be nice if the Tigers could finally get a closer. Or, how about someone that doesn’t throw batting practice in the 9th inning? I hate to say it, but I’ve seen enough of K-Rod aka HR-Rod.
Is Joba still available? Just kidding.
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.
How do you take an 8-0 lead and a no-hitter through 7.1 and turn it into a nail biter? Turn it over to the Tigers bullpen.
With Joba Chamberlain and Tom Gorzelanny designated for assignment earlier in the day, it was Alex Wilson’s and Bruce Rondon’s turn to pitch the eighth. They performed slightly better than Joba did on Wednesday night against the Pirates.
Houston, we have a problem. Did I mention Miggy is on the 15 day DL?
I really feel bad for Anibal. He’s final line looks pedestrian after not allowing a Blue Jay hit for seven and a third. To add insult to injury, his no-no was broken up by a former teammate whose base hit in the eighth equaled his hit total with the Tigers all of last season.
I have to give BA credit for trying out a new lineup. For one day it looked pretty good but now with Miggy hurt all bets are off.
Side note: I heard Rod Allen on MLB radio yesterday. It is no secret I really like Rod. I’ve often said that the best part of the 2003 season was Rod Allen coming to the Tigers broadcast. Anyway, he was asked who the Tigers MVP is. He said that hands down it is Jose Miguel Cabrera. He said J.D. should be an All-Star but everything runs through Miggy. I agree with him and that’s why I think this injury just about puts to rest any idea the Tigers had of competing for a playoff spot this season.
So I’m listening to MLB radio and they reported the Joba has been DFAd.
Did I mention in a previous post, that “beat him into a conniption”, would describe accurately enough what the Pirates did to him in the eighth inning of Wednesday’s game?
Perhaps Dave Dombrowski couldn’t find the word’s either.
Update: Add Tom Gorzelanny to the DFA list.
After the 14 inning affair Tuesday night the Tigers needed innings on Wednesday from Alfredo Simon. They got 5.2. To be fair, it wasn’t all his fault. The defense made two errors behind him but Simon was up in the strike zone all night and surrendered six earned runs on 15 hits.
Basically, the Pirates beat Simon into a conniption and I don’t have the adjective to describe what they did to Joba. I don’t think “conniption” accurately describes the type of beating they put on him. Try to remember the beating Freeway Ricky put on Youk in Fenway a few years ago. Or perhaps think of the whooping Nolan Ryan put on current White Sox’s manager, Robin Ventura, you know, the Dumbest Manager In Baseball. If you take those two beatings, multiply them by 1000, you may begin to get an idea of what the Pirates did you Joba last night. When Joba left the mound he didn’t know whether to crap his pants or wind his watch.
DD needs to trade David Price soon He’s not re-singing here. This team is not making the playoffs. They need to get something for him. This rotation is a mess. When you subtract Price, you don’t have much left. Is it too early to start thinking about next year? I’m not so sure.
This game had to end this way. How could it end any other? When a mistake is so egregious, so odious, karmic law requires that the committer of said infraction is harmed by his own misdeed. That’s exactly what Brad Ausmus and the Tigers got today.
I’m a believer in liberty and the free flow of information. However, if there is a “book” that told Brad Ausmus he needed to pinch run for Victor Martinez, in the bottom of the ninth inning, when he was on first base, with two outs, that “book” is the first one in history that I want burned. Please. Every copy needs to be collected. Placed into a fire place. Doused with gasoline and set ablaze.
Brad. Didn’t you go to Dartmouth? Isn’t Dartmouth an Ivy League School? Aren’t we told that Ivy League Schools are elite (eyeleat) institutions? Don’t you have to be smart to get into those schools?
There was less than a 31% chance that Cespedes was going to hit safely? Much less than a 31% chance that he was going to hit for extra bases.
Where did you learn your trade?
For as mad as I am at Ausmus, did anyone hear Kinsler’s comments after the game? The little baby doesn’t like the fans booing the team. Generally, I’d agree with him, but it comes with the territory. Fans pay a lot of money to watch jackasses like him play. While I chose not to boo, because I think it is rude, it is classless for babies like him to complain about it. He should take lessons from Ryan Rayburn. Rayburn took a lot of crap when he was here and he took it with class. I’ll always have respect for him. Kinsler, on the other hand, is on the Joe Nathan list. Get your head out of your ass jackass, hit better than .257, come up with a clutch hit once in a while, the 10th inning today would have been nice, and maybe you won’t get booed. – Jackass!
This video is for Brad Ausmus and Ian “Diaper Boy” Kinsler.
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.
Hmmm, I’m sitting there thinking, in the bottom of the 11th, ‘isn’t it time for Miggy to get a clutch hit’? I guess I always blame him when things go wrong. But, then for the second straight game, an un-expected hero emerged, this time it was James McCann. He hit a solo shot to end the game in the 11th after the Tigers blew a five run lead.
By the way, where is Alex Avila playing when he gets back?
This is going to sound strange coming from my fingers but this pen is smokin balls. Especially, Alex Wilson and Blaine Hardy. The only weak link is Joba and I’m not going to jump on Soria, it is one blown save.
For the record, I like the five and six run Tigers much better than the two-run Tigers.
Perhaps Brad Ausmus is trying to unseat Robin Ventura as the dumbest manager in baseball. I can think of no other reason for leaving Joba in the game to give up the go-ahead run in the 8th. I can’t fault him for the bomb off the bat of Melky Cabrera. He should have been out of the inning. I’m not sure how the official scorer gave Eaton a hit on the ball that went through Castellanos’ glove but he bottom line is Chamberlain should have been in the dugout with a three run lead.
Speaking of Castellanos, what happened to late inning defensive replacements? Andrew Romine?
This was another sub par performance from Alfedo Simon. Like Shane Greene yesterday, he had little control. It looks like the three and four spots in the rotation are going to be problems.
There is more blame to go around. Although the offense scored six runs they left 12 men on base, Miggy looks horrible and they ran themselves out of the ninth.
Hmmm, has anybody noticed the runs the Twins are scoring.
On the bright side, the bullpen has looked good lately with the exception of The Amazing, Everyday Al and Joba. Also, Victor drove in four runs and hit his first homer today.
Lober tomorrow to salvage one.
Flashin' Leather 