JV

Indians 5 Tigers 4

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Well,  I guess the Tigers can’t win them all and truthfully, last night, the Tigers didn’t pitch well enough to win.  I know they only gave up five runs but that was mostly due to the Indian’s inept hitting. (Sound eerily familiar?)

Between a combined six base on balls, five by starter Drew Smyly, and 14 Indians hits there was traffic on the base paths all night and it seemed like the Tigers were pitching out of trouble all night.

When J.D. Martinez hit the game tying shot in the bottom of the ninth, visions of 1984 raced through my brain.  However, when Rod Allen said, in the bottom of the 10th, that The Amazing Al couldn’t let Michael Brantley beat them, I knew it was over.  And it was.

Let’s hope for a good outing from JV tonight.

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

 

Tigers Sweep Orioles with 7-5 Victory,,,

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which is a good thing.  I’ve been delinquent with my game analysis because I’m suffering from debilitating back pain. It makes it very hard for me to sit behind my computer for more than a few minutes at a time.  In fact, I had a major ordeal just getting back home so I can see a doctor..

That being said,  I have been able to listen to the games on my iPhone, my third favorite gadget behind my iPad and satellites radio, and JV is starting to piss me off.  He gave up five runs today and from what I can tell the majority of the runs came off of hanging breaking balls.  If he can’t throw that pitch decently, perhaps he needs to scrap it or throw it less; MUCH LESS.

On another note, JV’s real trouble started with two out in the fifth.  With David Lough at first it looked, and sounded like, Verlander struck out Machado and the inning should have been over. Unfortunately, home plate umpire, John Tumpane, decided to change the strike zone.  JV walked Machado on what had been a strike all day long, and before we knew it, the O’s had put five on the board.

OK, I’m in a pissy mood but if a pitch is getting hammered why keep throwing it?  Is it just hubris?  It didn’t cost the Tigers today but JV better get his head out of his ass before it becomes costly.

Like I said, I’m in pain and in a mood but I’m happy for the win!

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

 

Twins 4 Tigers 3

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The Tigers snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.

The Tigers wasted a nice pitching performance from Robby Ray. Ray pitched six innings allowed four hits, no runs, struck out two and walked one. He turned three a run lead over to the bullpen but the pen couldn’t hold it.

The Tigers ended the home stand on a down note.  They lost two of three to the Twins and wasted good pitching performances from JV and R Squared.

Joba and Krol were not good today.

Well, let’s lick out wounds and get on back on track in Baltimore tomorrow with Freeway Rick on the hill.

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

Tigers 9 Royals 4

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The Tigers swept the weekend series with the Royals.  They got good starting pitching and the offense exploded, scoring 26 runs in three games.

I really like this new look offense.  I know it’s early but we really aren’t seeing the huge swings like we have the last few years.  The ability to, as Nebraska says, getem on, getem over and getem in is nice to watch.

Ok, so I have to complain a little.  JV got the win but I don’t like the three earned runs surrendered in seven innings. Extrapolated over nine innings, that’s a 3.86 ERA, which is good, but not for Justin Verlander.

The Good:

  • The offense is smokin balls!, Davis, Hunter and Romine each had three hits. Could Romine be the solution at short?  He looks like it. Again, it’s early.
  • Hunter and Romine had three RBIs each and Miggy had two.
  • Castellanos had a home run on his only hit.  I like what I see so far out of Castellanos but I’d like to see his average over .250.
  • 16 hits
  • No errors.

The Bad:

  • The Amazing Al gave up a run on two hits in the ninth.
  • OK, I’m nitpicking, but the three runs given up by JV I’m classifying as not good.

The Ugly:

  • Nothing ugly most of this series

Houston comes to Comerica tonight with Max on the hill.

I’ll be in Vegas this weekend so if you want any bets, you know how to get in touch with me.

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

Tigers 4 White Sox 3

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This was a nice come from behind win.  After the Sox put up three on JV in the third the Tigers battled back to tie.

In the top of the ninth, with two out and AJax on third, Bryan Holaday put down a bunt single that scored Jackson and gave the Tigers the lead for good.  Holaday’s bunt looked like the final inning scene from Major Leagues.

The Good:

  • The Tigers fought back after falling behind and found a way to win.
  • The Tigers scored the winning run on an unconventional play rarely seen by a Tigers team in recent history.
  • Joba Chamberlain continues to get it done out of the bullpen.
  • Joe Nathan recorded his fifth save.

The Bad:

  • Not too much today.

The Ugly:

  • Rajai Davis took the golden sombrero, striking out four times and generally looking off balance all night.

Max is on the hill for tomorrow’s finale, a 2:10 EST start.

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

 

 

Tigers 8 White Sox 6

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The Tigers bats, Miggy’s especially, came to life and put up eight runs.  Thanks to Phil Coke, they needed seven of them to get past the White Sox 8-6.

JV was pretty good.  He pitched seven complete.  He allowed two earned runs on eight hits.  He struck out seven and walked two.

The Good:

  • The Tigers offense came to life.
  • Miggy was 3-5 with three RBIs.
  • Alex Avila was 3-4 and didn’t strike out.
  • The Tigers didn’t make an error.

The Bad:

  • JV needed 119 pitches to get through seven innings and his eight hits allowed are a little high.
  • The bullpen gave up four runs.

The Ugly:

  • The White Sox took Phil Coke behind the woodshed and beat him into a conniption.  He lasted 2/3 of an inning and gave up three earned runs, two on a two run shot by Adam Dunn.  This is really ugly considering Dunn in a lefty.

In the end, a win is a win, and I’m glad to have this one.  I hope Miggy is back to being Miggy.

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

 

 

 

Tigers win ugly, beat Tribe 7-5

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This was another ugly game.  There was a combined five errors by both teams.  The Tigers committed 3.

Justin Verlander lasted only five innings, walking four, fanning seven while allowing 3 runs, ALL UNEARNED.

The Good:

  • A win is a win.
  • Ian Kinsler continues his torrid month of April. He was 2-5 with a homer, four RBIs and a stolen base.
  • Joba and Joe Nathan were good out of the bullpen.
  • Miggy and Rajai Davis had two hits

The Bad:

  • The Amazing Al allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning pitched
  • Ian Krol surrendered a home run

The Ugly:

  • The Tigers made three errors and allowed three unearned runs.  They are living dangerously.

The Angels are in town tomorrow.  When’s the last time the Tigers beat the Angels?  Anybody know?

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

A’s 1 Tigers 0

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The A’s tied the series tonight courtesy of a 1-0 win handing the Tigers their 13th shutout of the season.

There was nothing new to see here.  The Tigers got tremendous pitching and no offense.

I was listening to the post game show on the radio and Dan Dickerson said that the Tigers have scored in only 5 of their last 54 innings going back to the last week of the season.

Miguel Cabrera has carried this team for years.  Now he’s hurt and there is nobody there to pick him up.

Austin Jackson was embarrassing. He went 0-4 with 4 strikeouts.  He took fast balls down the middle and then swung at every other piece of garbage Sonny Gray threw to him.

Torii Hunter was 0-4 with 2 Ks.

Prince Fielder was 0-4.

In fact, the Tigers only managed 4 hits.  Cabrera had one, DK had 2 and Iggy had the other one.

Speaking of DK, he got the start in left tonight.  I wonder if Puppet Master, Jim Leyland, read last night’s game post. 🙂

The pitching left nothing to complain about.  The only thing I might have done differently would have been to bring Ricky in after the lead off hit by Cespedes in the 9th.  But really, how can I complain about a game where the pitching staff surrendered 1 run and lost.  Everything can be second guessed.

Monday is a 1:00 pm start at Comerica Park.  The Tigers will need a big start from Sanchez.  What’s new?

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

Mariners 8 Tigers 0

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The Tigers scored 6 runs yesterday so I hope you weren’t expecting much today because not much is just what you got.

Hisashi Iwakuma completely dominated the pathetic Tigers offense.  He breezed through, statistically, the second best offense in baseball, and I can’t imagine he broke a sweat.  Iwakuma needed just 105 pitches to get through 8 complete innings.  He allowed four hits, walked 2 and struck out 6.  I’d like to say ‘tip your cap to a great pitcher’, but it seems like the Tigers make anybody look like a great pitcher.

On the flip side, the offense did absolutely nothing.  They didn’t have good at bats, they didn’t drive the pitch count up, and when they had runners on couldn’t get a clutch hit.

JV was JV vintage 2013.  He allowed 3 run in 7 innings of work.  He gave up 4 hits, walked 3 and struck out 6.  If the Tigers plan on winning any future games JV starts, they better plan on scoring 4 runs or more.  Tonight is what the Tigers should expect from Verlander.  That being said, this offense makes every pitch and every inning a stressful one.  As I’ve state several times previously, it seems any deficit is too much to overcome.

I could sit here and tell you Phil Coke is done, but then if you’ve been watching this team, you probably already figured that out.  Coke wasn’t good today but I don’t think he was expected to be.  When he came out to pitch the 8th inning it was actually Jim Leyland waving the white flag and conceding the game.  Coke wasn’t good yesterday, he hasn’t been good all season, so why would the Tigers expect anything different today.  They didn’t and they weren’t disappointed.  Coke actually retired two of the first three batters he faced.  By the time the switch hitting Kendrys Morales came to the plate Coke had thrown 7 pitches all for strikes.  Not bad for a guy who has had trouble finding the strike zone.  So what was the Tigers’ next move, they decided to have him intentionally walk Morales.  This might not have been a bad plan if they planned on relieving Coke, but they left Phil out there to completely implode, and that’s exactly what he did.  After the IBB to Morales, he surrendered a single to Justin Smoak, a double to Michael Saunders and then intentionally walked the .216 hitting Nick Franklin.

The Amazing Al finally relieved Coke and after giving up a wild pitch and making an error on a throw from Avila while covering the plate, he mercifully got Henry Blanco to fly out to end the inning.

If the game wasn’t over when the top of the 8th started, it was by the time it ended.

For as bad as Coke was, the pitching is not the issue. This offense blows and they can’t expect the pitching staff to shut down every team in every game.

Fister is on the hill for the finale.

God, I love baseball.” – Roy Hobbs | The Natural

Tigers Drop Both Ends of Double Header

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There’s not much to say about either of the games today.  The Tigers only surrendered 5 runs but could only muster 1.

The pitching in both games was good.  Even Coke and the Amazing Al pitched well but you’re not going to win many games, or series for that matter, by only scoring 1 run in two games.

In game one, JV was JV.  He pitched 8 innings, allowed 2 earned, on 7 hits.  He struck out 6 and walked 2.  But it’s hard to win when you don’t score any runs.  The Tigers were no-hit through the first 5 and 2/3.  Miggy broke up the no-no with a two out bullet down the third base line.  Royals’ Emilio Bonifacio got his glove on it but it was hit so hard it still rolled into left field.

Danny Duffy was brilliant for the Royals. He allowed no runs, only the Miggy single, walked three and struck out three.

The only run the Tigers got was a solo shot from Ramon Santiago in the 8th.

In game 2, Alvarez, Bonderman, Coke, and Alburquerque allowed only 8 hits.  Alavarez gave up the two earned his 5 and 2/3.  Bonderman gave up one unearned run aided by his wide pick off throw to first.

In game two the Tigers hit the ball hard but always in the wrong spots. After getting just two hit in the first game, they managed only 4 in the second.  So that makes 1 run and 6 hits in 18 innings.  That won’t get it done.

The only thing I can think of is that during their 12 game winning streak everything seemed to be going the Tigers’ way.  Since they went to New York, things have started to even out, and they’re not getting the breaks.

The good news is that there is still time to win this series, but they’ll wins tomorrow and Sunday to make it happen.

The bats have to wake up and the Tigers have to figure out a way to slow down the running game.  The Royals, like just about everyone else, are running on the Tigers at will.

Back at it tomorrow.

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