Miguel Cabrera

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

World Series Thoughts…

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After three games of the 2014 World Series the Kansas City Royals are two wins away from their second World Series crown in franchise history and first since 1985.

I know they are the Tigers’ Central Division rivals but I’m pulling for them.

I respect the Giants but they’ve won two of the last four World Series. It is time for new blood, new champions.

Watching these games I can’t help pondering the following:

  • Perhaps speed and defense trump power? Maybe “Money Ball” is good for regular seasons but the A’s haven’t won a World Series in the Billy Beane era.  Someone once said, ‘speed doesn’t go into a slump.
  • Sark was correct, James Shields doesn’t deserve the “Big Game” moniker. In my opinion, he’s the weak link in the Royals staff.
  • Maybe Ned Yost is good manager?
  • Miggy had bone chips removed from his ankle and a stress fracture repaired.  Basically, he was playing with a broken ankle.  I’m sorry I ever complained about him.
  • Does Joe Maddon’s free agency mean anything for the Tigers?
  • Maybe Earl Weaver’s philosophy was right, ‘pitching, defense and three-run homers.’  The Royals are using pitching and defense.  Actually, they’ve hit their share of homers this post season too.
  • The Royals don’t strike out too much.

Anyway, these are just my most recent musings.

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

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.