Miguel Cabrera

Tigers fall to Dodgers 3-2 in 10

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Max pitched well.  He got through seven innings, surrendering only two runs but seemed to pitch out of trouble all night, evidenced by the eight hits he surrendered.

Unfortunately, lead off walks and wasted opportunities were the Tigers undoing.

The Good:

  • A Squared Money picked off Crawford in the first
  • Victor came up big with a two out RBI in the 9th to tie the game after DK and Miggy failed to advance Kinsler after his lead off double
  • Joba struck out the side in the 9th
  • Nice steal by Davis in the first
  • Ajax homer in second
  • Romine, Jackson, Kinsler and Victor all flashed leather

The Bad:

  • Hunter couldn’t get the run in from third with one out in the first
  • Even though he got a hit, and swiped second to lead off the game, I didn’t like Rajai Davis swinging on 3-0,  especially to lead off the game

The Ugly:

  • Miggy hit three of the softest ground balls I’ve ever seen off of his bat and struck out in the 9th with the tying run on second.
  • Jackson’s throw to the plate in the 7th that Kemp scored on was an abomination.
  • Kelly grounded softly to third in the 9th with Kinsler on second after a lead off double.  Horrible!
  • Phil Coke gave up the game winning hit.  Although, in a mild defense, he inherited a lead off walk from Joba.

Back at it tomorrow for the last game of a short, two game, series with the Dodgers.

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

Tigers 10 Orioles 4

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It was nice to see the Tigers offense explode for 10 runs.  I just hope this isn’t the continuation of a familiar pattern, 10 runs one game, then nothing for the next few.

The Good:

  • The Tigers moved to 3-0.
  • The Mighty Miggy went 4-5 including his 2,000th hit, a two run bomb in the 8th.
  • Drew Smyly came in to relieve Anibal Sanichez after the rain delay.  He pitched 3 innings, struck out 3, walked 1 and didn’t allow a run.
  • Nice defensive play by Andrew Romine in the 6th.

The Bad:

  • Joba Chamberlain.  WTF?

The Ugly:

  • The weather was horrible.  I hate cold, rainy, days.
  • Romine got charged with an error in the 5th.  From all the angels I saw, it looked like he recorded the out at second and dropped the ball on the transfer.  What made this ugly is that the umpires reviewed the play and upheld the call on the field.  My only response is WTF?

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

 

 

 

Tiger 2 Royals 1

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The Tigers are 2-0 on this young season and the first two wins have come at the expense of the Royals, who usually seem to give the Tigers trouble.

The Good:

  • The Tigers won and were able to come back after new closer, Joe Nathan, blew the save.
  • Ian Kinsler was 3-5 with two RBIs including his first home run as a Tiger, a solo shot to lead off the 4th.
  • 2013 Cy Young winner, Max Scherzer, looks to be picking up where he left off.  He pitched eight scoreless innings striking out 7 and walking only one.
  • The Tigers got two plays overturned with replay.

The Bad:

  • Joe Nathan blew his first save opportunity as a member of the Tigers.
  • Miguel Cabrera took an ofer and struck out twice.  He also missed an “easy” RBI chance in the 6th, grounding into a fielder’s choice with runners at the corners and one out.  I’m sure Miggy will ok but this was still bad.
  • Alex Avila struck out twice.

The Ugly:

The Tigers managed only two runs.  Despite the skewed numbers from the 2013 regular season, the Tigers have struggled to score consistently for the past two years, putting too much pressure on their pitching staff.  It’s only two game so I won’t sound the alarm for 2014, yet.

Back at it tomorrow.

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

 

I don’t like it!

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The Miguel Cabrera contract, that is.  By now, I’m sure you’ve all heard that the Tigers and Cabrera have agreed to a 10 year $292 million contract extension.

That being said, Cabrera is the best hitter in baseball and one of the best hitters I’ve ever seen.  But 10 years for a guy that is already 30 years old?  I think it will work out fine for four or five years but will then hang upon the neck of the Tigers organizations like a South African necklace.

Oh well, it is not my money.  All I want is a World Series.  It has been 30 years.

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

Tigers Trade Fielder…

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to Texas for Ian Kinsler!

According to this post at CBSSports dot com, the Tigers have moved Prince Fielder.

The Rangers and Tigers have agreed on a blockbuster deal to send Prince Fielder to Texas for Ian Kinsler, pending physicals and the approval of at least Fielder, CBSSports.com has learned.

There was no word yet of any other players being involved, so it may just be a one-for-one swap of stars. Fielder’s salary is much larger, and it is believed money will got Texas in the deal it wasn’t certain how much.

I like Prince Fielder but I think the Tigers made the right move.  I know overall, Prince’s numbers with the Tigers, looked pretty good.  But as Mark Twain once said, “there are lies, damned lies and statistics.”

I’m not sure why but it just didn’t seem like Prince was a good fit here.  He really couldn’t come through when Cabrera struggled, which was rarely, and Prince’s performance in the post season was nothing short of an abomination.  He could have been charged with two errors in the 9th inning of game 2 of the ALCS,  he got picked off at third in game 6 of the ALCS, and he didn’t drive in a post season run since game 2 of the 2012 ALDS against Oakland.  That being said, I like Prince, he just didn’t fit in here.  With all of his personal problems perhaps a change of scenery is just what the doctor ordered for Prince and the Tigers.

With Kinsler’s acquisition, it looks like Ian will go to second, Miggy will go to first, and Castellanos, though I ‘m not sold on him yet, goes to third.  Kinlser can fill the lead off slot in the lineup and let Ausmus move Austin Jackson down to the 7th or 8th spot.

Perhaps, even more importantly, the Tigers may have freed up enough money to sign Cy Young winner Max Scherzer.

Now for left field.  I hope Ausmus didn’t inhert Dirksburger syndrome.  He’s not the answer.

Hat tip to Nebraska, Vart, Sark and Mickey for giving me the news.

Also, a belated congratulations, from Flashin’ Leather to Miggy and Max!

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

Red Sox 4 Tigers 3

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An error, a wild pitch, and three double plays proved to be the undoing of the Tigers tonight.

Neither starter, Sanchez or Lester, were great, but they both pitched decently.

Both bullpens were good.  I was very impressed with Coke Veras, and Alburquerque.

After falling behind 4-0, the Tigers showed some fight, battling back with single runs in the 5th, 6th, and 7th, to make it a one run game.  In the end they just couldn’t get it done.

If the Tigers are going to end their 29 year World Series drought they’re going to have to win two in a row at Fenway Park, no easy task.

The Tigers will have Scherzer pitching in game 6 and Verlander pitching the finale, if it goes to 7.  If they can turn in performances close to their first outings, the Tigers may have an outside chance but they’re going to need some clutch hitting.  What else is new?

The Tigers had a great chance to tie the game in the 7th.  Down 4-2, with one out and runners on first and third, Cabrera stepped to the plate but grounded into a double play.  The third run scored on the play but the double play effectively killed the rally.

The Tigers are getting nothing from Prince Fielder, except for the occasional single.  It’s not good enough.  He hasn’t driven in a post season run since game two of the 2012 ALDS.  What makes matters worse is that he is having horrible at bats.  Most of the time he falls behind 0-1 and ends up grounding into the defensive shift.  He’s pretty much become an automatic out.

I’m also not thrilled with Torii Hunter’s performance in the lead off position but I guess there aren’t many other options.

Saturday it, once again, it’s time to “F*** or walk”.

We’ll have to wait and see.

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

Red Sox 1 Tigers 0

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How much more can the Tigers ask from their pitching staff?  It has gotten to the point where the staff can’t afford to surrender a single run.

JV was “smokin balls” again today.  He had one mistake in 8 innings and it cost the Tigers a game and allowed the Red Sox to reclaim home field advantage.

I believe this is the 5th or 6th time since the beginning of September that the offense have failed to give JV a single run.

Pathetic.

Just when I think I’ve seen it all the Tigers offense reaches new heights of futility.

I understand they are facing good pitching but the hitters have to find a way to scratch out runs.  This Tigers team has proven over and over again that they not capable.

The Tigers had chances.  They had a runner on third with less than two outs twice and couldn’t manufacture a run.

In the 5th, Peralta led off with a double and went to third on an Alex Avila ground out.  Omar Infante, who is now hitting .100, struck out. Dirks followed with a ground out.

The Tigers failed to score.

In the 8th, after an Iglesias K, Jackson walked and went to third on a Torii Hunter single.  Runners and first and third with one out and the Tigers still trailing 1-0.  Things looked good with Cabrera and Fielder coming to the dish.  But Miggy struck out on 4 pitches and Fielder one-upped him with a K on 3 pitches.

The Tigers failed to score.

Pathetic.

It is impossible to win when you don’t score.

Fister vs Peavy tomorrow.

Your guess is as good as mine.

I wasn’t at the game but a frequent reader of this blog said the crowd sucked. However, I didn’t see much to get excited about.

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

Tigers 8 A’s 6

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Finally, the bats came to life and bailed out the pitching staff which, for the second straight game, was less than stellar.

Doug Fister put in a quality start but I thought it was going to take something spectacular to win this game.

The offense continued its ineptitude through four innings.  However, in the bottom of the 5th and trailing 3-0, the Tigers bats showed signs of life and tied it up on a three run homer from Jhonny Peralta.

After the 5th, the Tigers bats did something they haven’t done in a long time, score in another inning.  In fact the Tigers continued to score with two in the 7tth and three more in the 8th,.  And they needed them.

Max Scherzer relieved Fister in the 7th and got the win.  Max has to get a lot of credit for pitching out of a bases loaded, no out, jam in the 8th to preserve a one run Tiger lead but the jam was his own making.  He walked the lead-off man in the 8th, a no-no in any situation, but even a bigger problem late in an elimination game.

Peralta and Martinez each had big home runs but the biggest hits came from Austin Jackson and Omar Infante.

Jackson, who is in one of the worst funks I’ve ever seen big league hitter in, came through with a single in the 7th to drive in a run and give the Tigers a 5-4 lead.  Prior to his single, Jackson had struck out three more times making it 9 Ks in his last 10 at bats.  Jackson didn’t hit a rocket but it was a much needed hit both personally and for the Tigers as a team.

The Tigers scored their 6th run on a wild pitch in the 8th then Omar delivered a two run double extending the Tigers lead to 8-4.

Joaquin Benoit came in to pitch the 9th and didn’t have his A game.  He made it interesting.  He allowed two runs and stranded the tying runs on base.

I’m a little worried about Joaquin.

I know Miggy is hurt but I’m disappointed in his at bat to lead off the bottom of the 8th.  Miggy swung at a 3-0 pitch and grounded out to third.  I know he can’t run but I was hoping he’d take a pitch or two to see if he could get a free pass.  With the way the Tigers offense has been struggling they can use all of the base runners they can get.

There were a few substitutions that worried me.  In the bottom of the 7th Peralta doubled but was pinch run for by Andy Dirks.  In bottom of the 8th Victor singled and went to second when Andy Dirks walked.  Hernan Perez then pinch ran for Victor.  At this point the Tigers were only up 5-4 and with the substitutions, their two hottest hitters would not bat again if the game went to extra innings.

The moves ended up working out OK.  Perez scored the 6th run on a wild pitch and it is doubtful if Victor would have scored in that situation.

In any case, everything worked out today and game five is Thursday with JV on the mound.  I’m done with predictions, I’ll just have to wait and see.

It’s still “F*** or walk”.

I’m hoping for the best.

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

A’s 6 Tigers 3

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Well it all comes down to tomorrow’s game.

The Tigers have scored a combined 6 runs in the first 3 games of this series.  If the offense is ever going to do something tomorrow would be a good day to start.

Anibal Sanchez was not good today and the offense couldn’t bail him out.

Austin Jacskson struck out 2 more times today making it 6 Ks in 2 games.  I hate to pick on AJax because he has plenty of company but he’s the lead-off man.  He’s supposed to be the offensive catalyst and he’s not even having good at bats.  But again, nobody else is doing anything either.

I hate to even think this but does anybody think putting Dirks in the lead-off spot might help?  He batted lead-off around 6 week ago and went 4-4.  I know this is a stretch but I’m looking for anything at this point.  The offense has to start earning its keep.  This is ridiculous!

This is what I’m thinking, have Dirks bat lead-off and play left. Have Peralta DH and have Victor catch.  Alex will have to sit.

This lineup might seem like a drastic change but tomorrow is time to “F*** or walk” to steal a line from Glengarry Glen Ross.

The only starter in today’s lineup batting .300 or better is Omar Infante.

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