Well, It looks like the Tigers just can’t beat the Indians. The tables have turned from recent years.
The game ended on one of the oddest double plays I’ve ever seen. I guess it was only odd because I thought Rajai Davis dropped the ball
Rajai Davis
Tigers 6 Twins 4
It looks like the Tigers are going to be the spoiler – whether they deserve it or not. They pulled last night’s game off, somehow, finding a way to win, when they didn’t deserve it. They overcame three infield errors and a sacrifice fly to second base to beat the Twins 6-4.
With one more win the Tigers can avoid a 90 loss season.
Rajai Davis came through with a big two out, two strike, two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth and Neftali Feliz closed it out.
Davis’s homer came after Nick Castellanos lead off the eighth with a double but both James McCann and Dixon Machado took third strikes, failing not only to score Castellanos, but even to advance him to third. These are the situations that I start doubting the competence of Brad Ausmus. It is the bottom of the eighth in a tie game. Your #6 hitter just lead off with a double. Why aren’t you having McCann bunt him over to third? You only need one run and it is late in the game.
Tigers 8 Rays 7
Yesterday, I said the Tigers deserved to be in last place.
Last night, the Tigers deserved to lose. They didn’t.
The Tigers, circa 2015, showed me a stubbornness that you usually find in contenders. That’s not to say this was a Russian Symphony. Nope. This was still my seventh grade band class. This was still a cacophony of nonsense.
However, it is early September. The season has been an abomination. The park was empty, by Tigers’ standards, and there were plenty of excuses to pack this one in and go home but they didn’t. They wouldn’t. That says something about these players and that says something about Brad Ausmus.
For this post, I have to break it down to the good, the bad, and the ugly.
The Good, nothing new here:
- J.D Martinez. There is not much more to add.
- Jose Miguel Cabrera
- Brad Ausmus for not pinch running for JMC in the 10th. I know it didn’t matter in the final outcome but it did to me.
- Drew Verhagen. He looks good out of the pen.
The Bad:
- Rajai Davis’ outfield play
- Bruce Rondon
The Ugly:
- Nick Castellanos gets caught looking three times in a row, the last with the bases loaded. Get your head out of your arse. You’re not a rookie anymore.
- The Amazing Al. This experiment needs to be over.
Nebraska – God Speed!
Red Sox 7 Tigers 2
Well JV looked pretty good although his pitch count was too high and he had to turn it over to the pen and we all know how that turns out more times than not.
I didn’t see the end of the game but it looked like Krol imploded.
What is the story with giving up home runs and waking number nine hitters? Especially number nine hitters batting under .200?
For me not scoring runners at third with less than two outs is an abomination. In the third, I know Davis eventually scored, but it took a two out hit by Victor, but Iggy and Kinsler had horrible at-bats. They have to find a way to hit a ground ball to shirt or second. Boston was conceding the run and they refused to take it. They can’t just tip their cap to the pitcher game after game.
Another series loss to a bad team.
Angles 2 Tigers 0
Have I mentioned how much I hate attempted steals of third base? In the case of Rajai Davis, however, I can’t complain. Somebody, has to try something. Had he been successful, I couldn’t have complained had he tried to steal home. There is no sense waiting around for something that rarely comes, clutch, a run producing hit.
Watching Yoenis Cespedes hit in the clutch reminds of the Tigers – A’s playoff series. He did nothing against the Tigers then and he’s doing nothing for the Tigers now. He swings as hard as he can on every pitch, every at bat, and hopes he connects. Hope is not a strategy. Kinsler nothing. Castellanos takes strikes and swings at garbage. Even though Miggy is not as good as his numbers, nobody is going to pitch to him. Why would they? There is nobody else that is even going to have a good at bat.
Five road games, six runs scored.
Sanchez look good for a change. But pitching isn’t the problem is it.
Angels 12 Tigers 2
I’m not sure what to say other than, I hate them. I’m tired of watching them. They have scored six runs in four games on this road trip. Granted they weren’t going to win this game giving up 12 runs but six runs scored in four games? Here are some observations:
Miggy doesn’t look as good as his numbers suggest. He rarely seems to drive in meaningful runs, with two-outs and the game close.
Nobody else, besides, Gose and Davis seem like they have a chance of reaching base.
Cespedes didn’t hustle after the ball hit in the corner in the fifth.
For a few innings I thought Farmer was going to settle in.
It has become very hard to watch this team every day. They seem like they don’t care. I need a few weeks off.
Tigers 4 Indians 1
Alfredo Simon, Rajai Davis, and Victor Martinez put a stop to the madness we saw at Comerica Park the past four games. Simon pitched 6.2 innings allowing only one earned run. Rajai scored three and Victor drove in three.
Indians manager Terry Francona walked Miggy every time he had first base open and Victor made him pay but I understand the strategy.
Forgive me if I’m not elated.
Lobstein pitches today.
Twins 11 Tigers 4
Uh oh!
This game was over before it started. I don’t know what is up with Freeway Ricky but he has been horrible lately. Not only is he giving up hits but the extra base hits, double and home-runs, is very concerning. That being said, he didn’t get much help from Rajai Davis or Nick Castellanos.
On the first pitch of the game, Danny Santana hit a long fly ball to straight-away center field. Davis came in, then went back, then turned the wrong way. Santana ended up on second. A good center fielder would have made the catch.
If the Tigers make it past the wild-card game, Castellanos cannot start at third. He is an abomination. He is directly responsible for four of the Twins’ eleven runs yesterday. He isn’t doing anything at the plate either. In fact, the Tigers aren’t getting much from the 6,7 or 8 hitters.
I have a bad feeling the Tigers’ season is going to be over Tuesday. The Royals are not going to lose to the White Sox and I’m not sure the Tigers will win the last two against the Twins.
I hope I’m wrong.
Tigers 6 White Sox 1
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.
Tigers 3 Yankees 2
It would have been criminal to lose this game. After the last two call-up starts by Ray and Farmer, Lobstein comes in and gives you six innings and one earned run, you better win.
For a while it looked like the shitty offense wouldn’t come through but key hits from unexpected places, Avila and Davis, were enough to pull this one out in the ninth. Avila actually drove in two of the three runs. In the ninth, it looked like he was looking for the slider on the first pitch.
Is it as painful for anyone else, as it is for me, to watch Miggy this year? I feel bad for him. He’s just not his old self.
The substitutions have become a farce. BA pretty much emptied the bench today. I’m not sure what he would have done if the game went extra innings. Perhaps he would have had the turd catch. In any event, like Sark said, all these moves are just silly.
I’ll take the W.
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Flashin' Leather 