Miguel Cabrera

Angels 2 Tigers1

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You can’t pitch or play defense well enough to win when your high priced offense can only manage 2 runs in 3 games.

Freeway Ricky was smokin balls. You could blame the loss on Joba who gave up the go ahead homer in the eighth, but the offense only scored ONE run.

Here’s a team rule that needs to be instituted immediately if not sooner. No Tigers pitcher should be allowed to throw to any base other than first. For whatever reason, starting with the 2006 World Series, when pitchers put on a Tigers uniform, they can’t throw to second or third.

The unearned run tied the game, but again, the offense scored one run.

WTF is going on with Miggy. All of the sudden the can’t take a walk anymore? In an average season he walks 77 times. Through 101 games he has taken 37 BBs.  This year he’s on pace to walk just 59 times, which is why is hitting .309, which is good, but not $30 million good.

I know a lot of people don’t care about batting average but I do. A high batting average and OBP means that even when you don’t have a chance to drive in runs, you are still getting on base for someone else to drive you in. I know that’s not saying much on this team, but that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

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

Tigers 11 Diamondbacks 5

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Despite not getting a quality start from Anibal Sanchez the Tigers were able to take the rubber game of their three game set in Phoenix.

Joba bailed Anibal out in the seventh by getting a double play on the only pitch he threw. At the time, the Diamondbacks had cut a 7-0 Tigers lead to 7-5 and had runners on first and second, with one out.

Blaine Hardy pitched scoreless eighth and ninth innings.

Eleven runs is an offensive explosion I just hope they don’t go another five games with two runs or less.

Miggy had two hits including his 15th home run and RBIs, 78, 79, and 80.

Congratulations to Alex Avila on his 100th double. I still don’t think he should be playing every day. He struck out three more time today giving him a total of 95 for the season. Ninety-eight games into the season and Alex Avila has Kd 95 times. I hate to say this because I was his biggest supporter, he needs to relegated to the backup role. I’m not saying Holaday is the answer, but how much worse can he do?

Austin Ajax Jackson had two more hits and three RBIs this afternoon. He has quietly brought his batting average up to .270.

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

Royals 5 Tigers 2

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There goes the ’84 feeling.

JV looked pretty good for six innings then blew up in the seventh.  He’s just running bad.  And when you’re running bad everything seems to go against you.  That’s what happened to JV.

In his defense, he only gave up one hard hit ball and didn’t get much help from his friends in the pen.  Ian Krol recorded the second out but Everyday Al gave up a two run single to Omar Infante.

I really need to look up the Tigers bullpen record on stranding runs.  The eye-test says they’re an abomination.  I wonder what the numbers say?

OK, Miggy is worrying me.  He took another ofer today.  He got a bunch of hits in the first game, as did everyone else, then I don’t think he got a hit in the final three games.  This seems to be a reoccurring theme, one game he gets 3 or 4 hits then disappears for a few games.  This is not what I expect for $30 million a year.

Between Verlander and Cabrera, the Tigers are getting $60 million worth of , not good enough. “For everyone to whom much is given, from him much will be required; and to whom much has been committed, of him they will ask the more.” Luke 12:48(KJV)

This is the worst week of the summer.  After the ASG, not baseball for two days.

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

 

Tigers 4 Dodgers 1

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Impressive, is the best way to describe this win.  Not only did Max break the string of crappy starts, the Tigers beat a pitcher that has dominated them, Zach Greinke.

In yesterday’s post, I asked for at least seven innings with no more that two runs allowed.  Max did one better.  He pitched seven completed and allowed only one run.

Another thing that makes this win impressive is that neither Miggy nor Victor were in the lineup.  Victor still has an issue with his side and apparently, Miggy was just given a day off.

Nebraska told me that Brad Ausmus wanted to get DK in the lineup because he has hit Greinke well.  Coming into the game DK was 3-8 against Greinke, hardly a large enough sample, but Donny went 2-3 with a big RBI.

What I’m happiest about today is the pitching.  Max was great and Joba and Nathan were lights out.  If Tigers starters can go seven innings a lot of the deficiencies can be covered up.

The Tigers go to Kansas City for weekend set-to with Royals. Depending on what team shows, the Tigers could have a nice lead going into the break.

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

Rays 7 Tigers 2

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Anibal was bad. The offense was worse. The result was a second straight loss to the Rays.

Sanchez was cruising through four innings, then blew up in the fifth, and didn’t make it out of the sixth.

The offense, except Avila and J.D. Martinez, was a joke. Starting the ninth inning, Rays pitcher Chris Archer, had only thrown 87 pitches. The good at bats were few and far between. That being said, it’s hard to win when the starter gives up seven runs.

I just saw a note on the MLB network. Miggy is hitting .187, in his last nine games.

Freeway Ricky will try to salvage a series split tomorrow.

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

Sent from my iPad

Rays 6 Tigers 3

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The Tigers fell to the Rays tonight, 6 to 3, evening the weekend series at one apiece.

The Tigers couldn’t overcome another bad start from Drew Smyly.  Add to the bad starting pitching, two rally killing double plays, and you have a recipe for a loss. That’s exactly what the Tigers got.

I’m a little worried about Miggy.  His batting average is .313, low for what we’ve been accustomed to from him, and he seems to be more streaky this year than in the past.  He’ll have a three or four hit game then go hitless for a few games.  I don’t think the Tigers are seeing the consistency at the plate that we’ve seen in the past.  That being said, he is still one of the best hitters in the game.

Also, Victor left the game in the 8th.  Preliminary reports say that he aggravated a strained back.  Let’s hope he’s not out for too long.

Sanchez is on the hill tomorrow against Chris Archer.

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

Tigers Continue To Roll…

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dust Rays in weekend opener 9-2.

Max was lights out.  In fact, I thought he was going to get a chance to get his second career complete game. But, with a big lead, BA decided to pull him after eight complete innings and 106 pitches thrown.

Six of the nine starters had multiple hit games.  Miggy lead the way with a 3-4 night plus a walk and four runs scored.  The line seems kind of odd showing Miggy scoring 4 runs and not driving any in.  But, hey, we’ll take it.

Has anybody noticed how great the bullpen has looked lately?  Pun intended.  🙂

I’m going to the game on Saturday with Nebraska.  This is only my second game all season due to my bad back.  I’m looking forward to it.

Happy Independence Day!!

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

 

Astros 6 Tigers 4

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It’s hard to complain about a 7-2 road trip.

The Tigers didn’t have the winning recipe today. Smyly was bad and Miggy and Victor were worse.

In fact, Miggy and Vmart were a combined 1-25 for the series. This is worst three game stretch I’ve ever seen from Miggy. The Tigers won’t be playing in November if he goes through too many stretches like this.

I hope it is just a short lived spell.

Don’t look now but Oakland is in town.

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

Tigers Sweep Tribe 10-4

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I’m not going to get too excited about the sweep and the four game winning streak.

I’m not really sure what to make of this team.  This is the same team that was 9-20 in their last 29 games before winning the last four.

The difference, I guess, is the starting pitching.  They’ve been getting quality starts, scoring enough runs, and winning in spite of their bullpen.

I think one of things I’ve noticed in the last few games, is that Miggy has starting coming up big again with both his glove and his bat.  Although, he was never one the Tigers really had to worry about, when he would strike out, ground into a double play, or hit a rocket right at someone, it was magnified because the team was running so bad.

I’m not so sure the bad run is behind the Tigers but Miggy has been flashin leather and getting big hits.

On another note, I’m a little surprised that Alex Avila got two starts in a row.  Perhaps it was wishful thinking but I kind of got the impression that Avila was going to be the defacto backup while Ausmus rode Holiday while he was going well. I can see giving Holiday a day off, but two starts in a row for A Squared Money?  He is hitting .218.

Anyway, needless to say, I’m glad to be talking about a four game winning streak, than the nightmare run we endured for the month prior.

On another note, did you know that the Tigers own Freeway Ricky Porcello’s maternal, grandfather, Sam Dente played in the 1954 World Series for the Cleveland Indians? H/T – My Sister

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