OT: 4 games left
September 29th, 2012 at 7:43 PM ^
Excite.
September 29th, 2012 at 7:48 PM ^
Our setup and closer are the reason that we can't have nice things. I think they are seriously trying to see how close they can get to giving away games without actually doing it.
September 29th, 2012 at 7:49 PM ^
i think the fact we can't turn a DP is always a factor into this race being as close as it is right now.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:37 PM ^
Our "Loogey" (HT Blessyouboys.com) reliever has been killing us for months now.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:53 PM ^
Not yet the season, but the game. After Smyly pitched a few shut-out innings of his own? While Chicago won? And did I hear correctly that Verlander, after 7 shut-out innings, left the dug-out after Benoit gave up the grand slam?
Maybe he just went into the locker room in search of nice things.
September 29th, 2012 at 7:57 PM ^
Or the fact that Leyland keeps pulling starting pitchers too early. It cost them last night and nearly again today. Leyland is trying to manage the last 2 series like he did in 2006 and 2009. Hopefully the 3rd time is a charm.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:14 PM ^
September 29th, 2012 at 8:40 PM ^
I don't think anybody would have sent JV out for the 8th inning up 6-0, and JV having thrown 117 pitches.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:47 PM ^
September 30th, 2012 at 2:08 AM ^
I understand that JV is a special pitcher... but he is on pace to finish first in all of baseball in innings pitched, by a healthy margin, for the second season in a row. Not only that, Verlander has thrown 200+ innings for the 6th season in a row, and has averaged 224.88 innings in that span - more than any other pitcher in baseball. Not only that, but typically it seems like when Jim pulls him early, it's following a 120+ pitch start. You just can't do that every time he pitches or his arm will fall off.
September 30th, 2012 at 2:55 AM ^
In all fairness, that's partially because he has so many lights out innings. I'd bet that if you look at pitch count over the seasons he'd still be near the top, but i would not be nearly as lobsided.
October 1st, 2012 at 8:55 AM ^
I take that back. He seems to have the most games started (33, next highest is 32) and the most pitches per game (114, next highest is 109, 101-103 seems most common) among top pitchers. That puts him at almost 3800 pitches with most starting pitchers having 3100-3300 and the next highest having 3500, a full two 130-pitch games behind Verlander.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:40 PM ^
Come on, they were up 6-0 after seven innings. Do you really want to ride Verlander to the end in a game like that?
The luxury of a six-run lead is that your bullpen can suck and it usually won't matter.
September 29th, 2012 at 7:57 PM ^
...multiple issues. I'm not even gonna begin listing them, as we know they can NOT stand pat with the current roster in the off-season.
Any other division other than the AL Central, they would have been out of the race a while ago. Even if they survive their own deficiencies and road ineptitute over these last 4 games, it's not good to get our hopes up in the post-season.
They're still my team, though, so....GO TIGERS!
September 29th, 2012 at 8:15 PM ^
He's kind of stuck in between a rock and a hard place. Our pitchers have generally been good until they aren't and they don't recover, so if you wait until they aren't, you are guaranteeing the opponent scores. If you try to pull them early then you are rolling the dice (almost guaranteeing the opponent scores) with the bullpen.
That said, he pulled Smyly too early last night and I'd much rather have Verlander get to 130 and finish the 8th than trust Benoit and Valverde. Hell, leave Verlander in and then bring in someone else to see how they close in the 9th. We are going to need a new closer next year.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:28 PM ^
September 30th, 2012 at 12:20 PM ^
I think you have to pull Verlander there in case you need to bring him back to start on Wed in the season finale.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:24 PM ^
September 29th, 2012 at 9:50 PM ^
September 29th, 2012 at 10:35 PM ^
September 29th, 2012 at 10:07 PM ^
true hopefully vmart returns to form after his injury. I remember earlier there was talk of him coming back in september but its probably for the best they shut him down for the year and let him completely heal
September 29th, 2012 at 10:11 PM ^
Is Martinez definitely back for the playoffs?
September 29th, 2012 at 10:36 PM ^
September 30th, 2012 at 8:38 AM ^
September 29th, 2012 at 8:18 PM ^
me some Tigers but with that defense and that bullpen, the playoffs could be over in a hurry for us.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:19 PM ^
I just wish he would have pulled Benoit earlier. He obviously was struggling today.
September 29th, 2012 at 8:46 PM ^
September 29th, 2012 at 9:39 PM ^
He is to relief pitching what libyan security guards are to our old embassy....
September 30th, 2012 at 6:56 PM ^
in 2 years, and has the fewest blown saves in the league the last 3 years. Valverde has not a very good year by his standards, and his stuff seems to be dimishing , but let's keep things in perspective before we trash the guy.
September 29th, 2012 at 9:48 PM ^
It was a scary win, but a win none the less. There is a real chance that the Tigers will be up 3 with 3 to go, which would be amazing. Chicago must be kicking itself for not getting farther ahead of Detroit before they played TB and LA.
October 1st, 2012 at 9:44 AM ^
We need a sweep of Texas to win the division - let's go!