Miggy

Tigers 3 Twins 0

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It took 162 games but the Tigers clinched their fourth consecutive America League Central Division title.

This game was won by Price and Kinsler.

The Tigers needed a big start and they got it. Price was smokin’ balls. He pitched 7.1 innings of shutout baseball.

The atmosphere at Comerica Park was extremely tense. Very few batters had good at-bats but Kinsler was 3-4 and drove in two of the three runs.

Miggy’s first two at-bats were two of the worst I’ve every seen from him.

This season wasn’t pretty but the Tigers, flaws and all, are in the post-season. I’m not sure what to expect but I guess anything can happen.

I hope the A’s beat the Royals into a conniption. I’ve developed a deep dislike for KC and the Twins. And the White Sox for that matter.

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 9 Royals 5

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The Tigers survived JV and Joba Chamberlain and came away with a 9-5 win over the Royals.

Let’s face it, JV is bad. There is no way to sugar coat it. I know this is crazy because the bullpen is an abomination, but if Verlander is going to continue to start, he needs to be pulled after six innings, if he makes it that far. I’ve heard all kinds of stats about how a pitcher’s ERA explodes in the 6th year when logging so many innings and Verlander falls into this statistic. If his arm has too many innings on it, then it is time to limit the number going forward. Keeping him out there into the seventh is not doing anybody any good.

The inning that really annoyed me today was the third. The Tigers put two runs on the board in the bottom of the second then JV comes out in the third and gives them back? HORRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hat’s off to the offense. They put up nine runs today. Castellanos let the way with two RBIs and Hunter had three hits. Miggy was 2-5 and got is 101st RBI.

I’ll take the win but this pitching situation has to be sorted out.

Tigers 6 Giants 1

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Where would the Tigers be without Kyle Lobstein? He’s only made three starts but they have come at critical times and he has come through strong each time. I wish some of the regular starters were as consistent.

Behind Lobstein the Tigers were able to avoid another sweep at the hands of the Giants.

What’s up with Miggy? He has five home-runs in the last week. I can’t believe he’s feeling that much better but I’d rather not look a gift horse in the mouth.

I’ll take the W.

Tigers 11 Indians 4

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Remember the post a few days ago saying Miggy is back. Forget it. Although he had a double in the 10th tonight, he looked horrible in his previous at-bats. Not having power I can understand but what’s up with the terrible pitches he swings at? In fact, he got a nice call from the umpires that saved his last trip to the plate.

OK, the defense has become worse than horrible. What in the sam hell is going on out there? The Tigers have made 91 errors this year, good for 7th worst in all of MLB. Besides giving the opposition extra outs, how much more stress does it put on the pitchers?

Let’s see, errors give opposing teams extra outs. Extra outs cause pitchers to throw more pitches. More pitches from the starters means shorter outings. Shorter outings means getting into the bullpen faster. The bullpen is an abomination. Hmmmm, sounds like a recipe for disaster.

Nebraska, you’re right, “to many leaks in this dam to float this boat to the playoffs.”

Did I mention the Tigers won with a seven run 11th?

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 7 White Sox 1

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JV lasted seven innings and gave up only one run. He was in trouble early in the game but managed to escape relatively unscathed.

I can’t complain about the offense. They scored seven runs and did it with no help from Miggy. Miggy was 0-5 and his batting average is down to .301. Isn’t it time to give him some time off? I hate to say it, but he’s not really doing anything to help the team win, so put him on the 15 day DL and see if he can get healthier. As far as I’m concerned, the Tigers don’t have much to lose.

For what it’s worth, I wonder if JV can get his ERA under four by the end of the year. It sits at 4.68 right now. He’ll need another September like he had last year. I’m not sure if he still has it in him but we’ll see.

The Royals lost to the Indians. The Tigers are only a half game out.

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.

Tigers 6 Rays 0

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They call him Freeway Ricky and he was smokin balls tonight.

Well, actually, I’m the only one that calls him Freeway Ricky but he did smoke balls tonight. Porcello threw the fourth complete game of his career and his third complete game shutout this season. He allowed only three base runners and at one point retired 20 straight. The most impressive stat, however, is that Freeway Ricky needed only 104 pitches to get the job done.

On the offensive side, Victor drove in five of the six Tigers runs, four on a grand slam in the seventh. He looked terrible yesterday but Vmart looked good tonight.

Ok, Miggy is hurt and he has almost no power. That’s fine. I don’t expect him to find his power this year and perhaps he’ll never have the kind of power we saw from him in the past. But the thing that was driving me crazy about him was the strike outs and lack of walks. It looks like he’s figured the walk part out. There is a lot to be said for getting on base.

Finally, this was the best I’ve seen the bullpen pitch since Ricky’s last complete game. If they keep it up the biggest hole in the SS Tigers has been plugged.

One more thing, up yours Nathan you shit bird!

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