Jose Miguel Cabrera

Tigers 4 Indians 0

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With two on and one out in the bottom of the sixth inning of a scoreless game at Comerica Park, we saw something that we used to see fairly frequently, but haven’t seen much of this year.  Jose Miguel Cabrera beat the first pitch he saw from Indians pitcher Danny Salazar into an absolute conniption.  The ball went into the camera well that hovers above and behind the center field wall.  It had to travel at least 450 feet from home plate.

Miggy’s monster mash was huge for several reasons, not the least of which was that it came when the Tigers needed it most.  Up until that time they really hadn’t done much off of Salazar.  Second, it came in a night game and for whatever reason, he hasn’t been hitting well at night this year.  Third, he hit the first pitch of the at-bat.  He usually jumps on first pitches but not so much this season. I know it is one game and one at-bat but we haven’t seen a lot of vintage Miggy this year.

David Price pitched his second consecutive complete game shutout.  I was surprised when Dan Dickerson said this was only the third shutout of this career.  In any case, I believe our old friend Freeway Ricky had back to back complete game shutouts last year.

I realized something else today, I like when the Tigers turn double plays a lot better than when they hit into them. I believe the Tigers turned four to the Indians one this evening.

One last thing, Iggy, Kinsler and Miggy have been flashin leather and really look like a good double play combination.  Don’t shove it down my throat tomorrow guys.

Tigers 7 White Sox 1

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I’m not jumping back on the band wagon but it’s nice to score some runs and end the eight game losing streak.  Given this team’s history, I’m not expecting much offense for another couple of weeks, but at this point I’ll take what I can get.

The Tigers had 18 hits and everybody got in on the fun, including Kinsler who had two.

Price had an impressive night, pitching a complete game and striking out 11.

It’s only one game and for now the Tigers are a game over .500.  Let’s see what happens tomorrow.

Angles 2 Tigers 0

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Have I mentioned how much I hate attempted steals of third base?  In the case of Rajai Davis, however, I can’t complain.  Somebody, has to try something. Had he been successful, I couldn’t have complained had he tried to steal home.  There is no sense waiting around for something that rarely comes, clutch, a run producing hit.

Watching Yoenis Cespedes hit in the clutch reminds of the Tigers – A’s playoff series.  He did nothing against the Tigers then and he’s doing nothing for the Tigers now. He swings as hard as he can on every pitch, every at bat, and hopes he connects.  Hope is not a strategy.  Kinsler nothing. Castellanos takes strikes and swings at garbage.  Even though Miggy is not as good as his numbers, nobody is going to pitch to him.  Why would they?  There is nobody else that is even going to have a good at bat.

Five road games, six runs scored.

Sanchez look good for a change. But pitching isn’t the problem is it.

Angels 12 Tigers 2

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I’m not sure what to say other than, I hate them. I’m tired of watching them. They have scored six runs in four games on this road trip. Granted they weren’t going to win this game giving up 12 runs but six runs scored in four games? Here are some observations:

Miggy doesn’t look as good as his numbers suggest. He rarely seems to drive in meaningful runs, with two-outs and the game close.

Nobody else, besides, Gose and Davis seem like they have a chance of reaching base.

Cespedes didn’t hustle after the ball hit in the corner in the fifth.

For a few innings I thought Farmer was going to settle in.

It has become very hard to watch this team every day.  They seem like they don’t care.  I need a few weeks off.

Tigers 6 Astros 5

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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.

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.

Cardinals 2 Tigers 1

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A sweep would have been nice but I’ll take 2 out of 3, on the road, against the Cardinals, any time.  Although there wasn’t much offense to speak of Yoenis Cespedes flashed some leather.  He made a nice running catch in the second.  In the seventh, the made a good, one hop, throw to the plate to cut down Jhonny Peralta to keep the game tied.  On the back end of the throw, James McCann made an excellent pick and tag.  After the play I couldn’t help wondering if Avila would have made the play.  Speaking of A Squared Money, does he still have a job?

Am I the only one that found John Kruk and Curt Schilling’s incessant Miggy worshipping too much to take?  It was making his at-bats hard to watch.  JMC is probably the best right handed hitter I’ve ever seen but enough already.  They were acting like fifteen year old girls, in the 80’s, at a Rick Springfield concert.  Hmmm, I’m showing my age.

White Sox 7 Tigers 6

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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.

White Sox 5 Tigers 2

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The Tigers have a problem in Shane Greene.  He started off ok but I think this is four bad starts in a row.  He didn’t make it out of the third today.  He couldn’t find the plate at all. That being said, the Tigers had chances.

The top of line up set the table but the middle of the lineup was atrocious.  They are going to need Jose Miguel Cabrera to get some clutch, two out, RBIs if they are ever going to beat good pitching.  This was a very disappointing game .  They lost to the dumbest manager in the game.

Not this garbage again.

Royals 4 Tigers 1

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Despite giving up four runs and 10 hits in 7.1 innings, I thought Kyle Lobstein pitched very well.  We has the victim of Eric Hosmer beating “the shift” with a bunt and a few seeing eye base hits.  I guess that’s what happens when you put the ball in play.  For a fifth starter, I’m not sure you can ask for more than Lobstein has given the Tigers this season.

The offense is maddening.  I know statistically they are in the top of every category but it is the same song and dance every year, inconstancy. Ten runs one game then nothing for a week.  Even tonight when they didn’t get a hit until the eighth inning, they had base runners courtesy of walks but couldn’t even put the ball in play to plate a run.  This team is striking out at an alarming rate.  The strikeouts combined with the double plays does not bode well for winning close games.  Again, it is the same old story.  Nothing changes.  I think it is time to clean house from Dombrowski all the way down. This formula is has not, is not, and in my humble opinion, will not work.

What is the story with hitting Chris Young?  Miggy is hitting under .200 for his career against him.  Ok, perhaps he’s got Miggy’s number but what about everybody else?  Is he suddenly Greg Maddux?  WTF?