Rajai Davis

Tigers 4 Rockies 0

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There was a lot to like about this game and series.

  • The Tigers won three in a row and swept the series at home, a place they’ve struggled all year.
  • All three pitchers, Verlander, Porcello, and Sanchez had good outings.
  • The offense was good.
  • Sanchez made it through seven complete today and didn’t surrender a run.
  • Miggy and Vmart look like they are getting their power back.
  • Davis is looking good at leadoff.

Keep in mind, this series was a small sample, against a bad, depleted team but there really wasn’t much to complain about all weekend. I hope they can keep it up.

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

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Huge Win!

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This might be the best win, by far, of the season!

After falling Behind 4-1, Rajai Davis, hit a walk off grand slam in the bottom of the 9th.

This is big for a few reasons. First, the Tigers haven’t played well at home. Second, they got to a closer who has been lights out this year. Third, it was against the A’s, probably the best team in the AL this year. Fourth, Rajai has kind of sucked recently. Fifth, BIG WIN!

On another note, Eugenio Suarez better go on a Miggy like tear for the rest of the season because he plays short like Tommy Brookens coached third.

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

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Tigers 4 Orioles 1

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The story of this game should have been another ball smokin performance from Freeway Rick and timely hitting but there is more to the story.

Freeway Rick was cruising along.  He pitched six complete, allowed one run on five hits, he struck out two and walked none.

In fact, the entire Tigers staff didn’t walk a batter.

The first part to the story is why Ricky was pulled after six innings.  He had only thrown 83 pitches so I was rather surprised that he didn’t come out for the seventh.  I hope there’s not something wrong.

The secondary story of the game was Torii Hunter getting drilled in the ribs in the eighth by that sawed off little jerk, Bud Norris, after Kinsler took him deep for a two run homer to extend the Tigers lead to 4-1.  The benches emptied but there was no punches thrown.  Norris was tossed but seemed to keep jawing at Hunter even after he was in the dugout.  I’m not sure if there is any history between the two but someone on the O’s has to get it tomorrow.

The Good:

  • This was a nice bounce back win for the Tigers after blowing a three run lead yesterday.
  • Freeway Rick improved to 6-0.
  • While not dynamic, the offense got the job done.
  • Tigers pitchers did not walk a batter.
  • The Amazing Al, pitching in his fourth consecutive game was smokin balls.  He pitched a complete inning and struck out two.
  • Joe Nathan recorded his eighth save on only six pitches.

The Bad:

  • The Orioles scored their run in the bottom of the first on a ball that looked like Rajai Davis should have caught.

The Ugly:

  • Other than the play by Davis in the first and Romine’s error in the second, nothing too egregious today.

Smyly pitches tomorrow and somebody on the Orioles has to answer for Hunter.

Remember when Freeway Ricky beat Youk into a conniption?

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

Make it 8 in a row Tigers beat Astros 3-2

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Pitching and home runs gave the Tigers a 3-2 win over the Houston Astros and made it eight in a row for the TIgers.

Freeway Rick pitched 6 and 2/3.  He allowed two earned runs on seven hits, a little high, he struck out five and walked two.

Ricky turned the game over Joba Chamberlain and Joe Nathan to close the game out.

What can I say about Joba, he continues to get it done, striking out the side in the 8th.

Joba is SMOKIN BALLS!

The Good:

  • The Tigers got their eight in a row and 20th win of the season.
  • Ricky put in another good outing.
  • Joe Nathan got his seventh save.
  • Joba continues to smoke balls!
  • Miggy and Victor went deep.
  • Rajai Davis stole his 12th base of the season and Don “DK” Kelly stole a base and got two hits.

The Bad:

  • The Tigers managed only five hits but the Houston pitcher, Brad Peacock, had a lot to say about that.  He pitched well for a bad team.
  • Joe Nathan walked a runner with two outs and allowed two stolen bases but was able to strand the tying run at third.

The Ugly:

  • Not much today or lately.  The Tigers have been playing pretty clean and came away with another win in a close game.

Don’t look now but Freeway Rick is 5-1 on the season.  Now if he can lower his ERA by a run he might make me look like Nostradamus.

Also, I liked Miggy’s homer the opposite way, he might be rounding into his MVP form.

Smyly pitches tomorrow afternoon as the Tigers for a four game sweep and ninth in a row.

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

 

 

Tigers 9 Royals 4

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The Tigers swept the weekend series with the Royals.  They got good starting pitching and the offense exploded, scoring 26 runs in three games.

I really like this new look offense.  I know it’s early but we really aren’t seeing the huge swings like we have the last few years.  The ability to, as Nebraska says, getem on, getem over and getem in is nice to watch.

Ok, so I have to complain a little.  JV got the win but I don’t like the three earned runs surrendered in seven innings. Extrapolated over nine innings, that’s a 3.86 ERA, which is good, but not for Justin Verlander.

The Good:

  • The offense is smokin balls!, Davis, Hunter and Romine each had three hits. Could Romine be the solution at short?  He looks like it. Again, it’s early.
  • Hunter and Romine had three RBIs each and Miggy had two.
  • Castellanos had a home run on his only hit.  I like what I see so far out of Castellanos but I’d like to see his average over .250.
  • 16 hits
  • No errors.

The Bad:

  • The Amazing Al gave up a run on two hits in the ninth.
  • OK, I’m nitpicking, but the three runs given up by JV I’m classifying as not good.

The Ugly:

  • Nothing ugly most of this series

Houston comes to Comerica tonight with Max on the hill.

I’ll be in Vegas this weekend so if you want any bets, you know how to get in touch with me.

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

Tigers 4 White Sox 3

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This was a nice come from behind win.  After the Sox put up three on JV in the third the Tigers battled back to tie.

In the top of the ninth, with two out and AJax on third, Bryan Holaday put down a bunt single that scored Jackson and gave the Tigers the lead for good.  Holaday’s bunt looked like the final inning scene from Major Leagues.

The Good:

  • The Tigers fought back after falling behind and found a way to win.
  • The Tigers scored the winning run on an unconventional play rarely seen by a Tigers team in recent history.
  • Joba Chamberlain continues to get it done out of the bullpen.
  • Joe Nathan recorded his fifth save.

The Bad:

  • Not too much today.

The Ugly:

  • Rajai Davis took the golden sombrero, striking out four times and generally looking off balance all night.

Max is on the hill for tomorrow’s finale, a 2:10 EST start.

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

 

 

Tigers 7 White Sox 4

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Behind six good innings from 2013 Cy Young winner, Max Scherzer, the Tigers earned a split with the White Sox in this four game series.

The only thing I don’t like about Max’s line, while it is hard to complain when he strikes out 10, is that he only lasted six innings.  Max needed 110 pitches to get through six complete.

The Good:

  • The Tigers won.
  • The Tigers scored in five different innings, the second, third, fifth, seventh, and eighth.
  • The Tigers put up seven runs.
  • Max struck out 10 and walked only one.
  • Miggy had three RBIs.
  • Castellanos and Holaday had two hits.
  • Rajai Davis had three hits and two RBIs.
  • Joe Nathan earned his 4th save without surrendering a run.

The Bad:

  • Joba got roughed up today. He allowed two earned runs on three hits in one inning of work.

The Ugly:

  • Nothing today.

The Tigers go to Target Field for a weekend series with the Twins.  Freeway Rick Porcello is on the mound in Minnesota tomorrow.

 

 

Tigers win ugly, beat Tribe 7-5

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This was another ugly game.  There was a combined five errors by both teams.  The Tigers committed 3.

Justin Verlander lasted only five innings, walking four, fanning seven while allowing 3 runs, ALL UNEARNED.

The Good:

  • A win is a win.
  • Ian Kinsler continues his torrid month of April. He was 2-5 with a homer, four RBIs and a stolen base.
  • Joba and Joe Nathan were good out of the bullpen.
  • Miggy and Rajai Davis had two hits

The Bad:

  • The Amazing Al allowed a run in 2/3 of an inning pitched
  • Ian Krol surrendered a home run

The Ugly:

  • The Tigers made three errors and allowed three unearned runs.  They are living dangerously.

The Angels are in town tomorrow.  When’s the last time the Tigers beat the Angels?  Anybody know?

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

Tigers fall to Tribe 3-2

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The Tigers managed only two runs on nine hits and lost to Cleveland 3-2.

Anibal Sanchez lasted only five innings, walking 4 and striking out 8.  He allowed only two earned runs but needed 104 pitches to get through five complete.

The Good:

  • The bullpen – Evan Reed, Ian Krol, The Amazing Al, and Joba pitched four combined scoreless innings to pick up a relatively short outing for Anibal.
  • Kinsler, VMart, AJax, and A Squared Money each had two hits.

The Bad:

  • The offense could only score two runs
  • Miggy’s error in the second led to an unearned run that was ultimately the difference in the game.

The Ugly:

  • The Tigers blew chances in the eighth and ninth to tie or go ahead.
  • The ninth was especially ugly.  A Squared Money was at third with one out but DK struck out and Rajai Davis grounded out to end the game leaving the tying run at third.

This ship needs be righted.  They’ve lost four of their last six.  I know it’s early but they need a big home stand.  Have I mentioned the 30 year World Series Championship drought?

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

Not Good! Tigers Fall to Padres 5-1, lose series

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The supposedly light hitting Padres got to Max for four earned and beat the Tigers 5-1 this afternoon.

Despite striking out 10, Scherzer only lasted five innings then turned it over to the bullpen.

Max didn’t get much help from the offense either.

The Good:

  • Max struck out 10
  • Phil Coke pitched a clean, 1-2-3 sixth inning.
  • Rajai Davis had two more hits.
  • The Amazing Al struck out Chris Denorfia, the only batter he faced, to end the 7th.
  • Joba Chamberlain pitched a scoreless 8th striking out 2.

The Bad:

  • Miggy was 0-4
  • Ajax was 0-3 with three strikeouts
  • The Tigers could only push across one run

The Ugly:

  • Miggy grounded into a double play in the 8th after Torii Hunter lead of with a walk.
  • Miggy is struggling, big time
  • The Tigers lost the series and finished the road trip 2-3.

The Tigers come home this week to meet the Tribe and the Angels.  I hope they can turn around their struggles against the Angels.  They need a big home stand.

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