OT- Tigers vs Astros series May 5th to May 8th
I know people had complained in the past about a Tigers thread everyday and such, but they've also become nonexistent unless it's a series against Chicago or Cleveland, so here's my solution: i'll attempt to create a thread for the entire series and as it moves along I can update it to bump it up the board.
Pitching Matchup 5-7-14
Detroit
- Rick Porcello
- 4-1with 32 IP and sporting a 3.66 ERA
- FIP of 3.33
- K/9: 6.19
- BB/9: 1.13
Houston
- Brad Peacock
- 0-2 through 25.2 IP and a 5.26ERA
- FIP: 4.59
- K/9: 8.42
- BB/9: 7.01 (holy hell that's high)
Lineups:
| NO. | Houston | Detroit |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | J. Altuve, 2B | I. Kinsler, 2B |
| 2. | D. Fowler, CF | T. Hunter, RF |
| 3. | J. Castro, C | M. Cabrera, 1B |
| 4. | C. Carter, DH | V. Martinez, DH |
| 5. | A. Presley, LF | D. Kelly, CF |
| 6. | G. Springer, RF | N. Castellanos, 3B |
| 7. | M. Krauss, 1B | A. Avila, C |
| 8. | M. Dominguez, 3B | A. Romine, SS |
| 9. | M. Gonzalez, SS | R. Davis, LF |
The Tigers took the first 2 games of the series and look to continue their pitching dominance over the lowly Astros. I'll post the lineups when I see them announced
Throw Miggy another change-up. DO IT.
way more than normal. Still isn't where he should be.
Welp, now the small-ball game is neutral again.
Haha, that was a much better position to take a chance though.
At least we're not giving away outs by bunting, even though some of the talk-radio slappies loooove to give up an out to advance a runner.
This Tigers team is very good, better than Leyland's teams. Its like they learned how to play baseball: Stealing bases, Bunting, Good Fielding, Good at Bats etc. DD turned over the roster and made it more athletic, quite nicely....
I would give up the out of whoever were playing at SS every time around the order to advance a runner.
first 5 innings for Robbie Ray. I know it's just the Astros, possibly the worst team in the American League, but Ray seems to be in control, especially for his first-ever MLB start.
3-hitter thru 5, 76 pitches so far, I would bet this is his last inning. God save us, if its just a 4-run lead when handing it to middle relievers!
Should have caught it, but he also should have been called off by Hunter. Yes, it's a play that is made by a MLB second basemen, but it's still a much easier player for the outfielder.
Here is to hoping the bullpen doesnt let the kid down now. Keep Coke fastened to the pine please.
Ian Kinsler is a good player...however he makes a lot of dumb mistakes with the errors and his baserunning.
The kid pitched a tremendous game.
Oh look. After 7 innings, the Tigers have scored half of their 6 runs on sacrifice flies. The day before in a classic pitchers' duel, they scored the game winning run on an error, followed by a walk, followed by an RBI single.
Balanced offense, I love it. If you rely exclusively on the 3 run homer, you will die when you don't get the three run homer (again and again and again). This year's team is much more fun to watch and much more dangerous than last year's team.
but keep in mind ( as MadMatt already posted) that 3 of the first 6 Tiger runs were scored on Sac Flies. I love big innings, but this kind of baseball excites me, too. No more do-or-die depending-on-the-long-ball baseball Jim Leyland-style, but a team that has multiple ways to score runs.
Sorry if I'm this guy:
...by asking this, but the Tigers are about to go 19-9 despite having a leaky bullpen. Does anybody honestly believe we'd be looking at 10 games over .500 right now if old Smokey was still managing?
different roster, as this team now can run rather than be forced to play station-to-station baseball. Leyland really couldn't do more than only occasionally dabble in "small ball" with his offensive rosters over the last several seasons because there was practically no speed on the basepaths. Not everyone now on the roster can run, but all not named Cabrerra or Avila seem to be threats to run, and that's a huge difference in philosophy. Leyland's philosophy offensively has rarely included the running game.
What impresses me most, though, about the job of managing Ausmus has been doing is in handling the pitching staff. I'm not going to sugar-coat it, we still have a shaky bullpen other than Jaba (who has been a huge surprise) and Joe Nathan., It's the way Ausmus has negotiated thru the minefields that impresses me. He really hasn't used anyone other than the hot-or-cold Al Alburquerque, Ian Krol, Jaba and Nathan in any situation that was remotely close. Even Miller and Reed have been kept out of close games. Everyone else, especially Coke, has been used ONLY in out-of-reach ballgames. That way Ausmus hasn't allowed winnable games to get away, while not wearing out any of his valuable starters and the more dependable guys in the pen. The firestarters (Coke, etc.) have only been allowed to eat harmless innings. Leyland's history suggests that Coke and Co. would have pitched a lot more in dangerous situations.
Sooner rather than later, though, Coke has to go. Ortega and Putkonen have already failed and been sent back down to the minors. When Coke goes, though, it needs to be soon and it needs to be permanant. Release him, not send him down to the minors.
The Tigers are now 19-9, 5 1/2 games up on the Twins and Sox, on pace to win 110, (though i'm not about to predict that many wins). But in this weak Central Division, 100 wins should happen. Easily. Miggy's bat is only starting to wake up.
100 wins is pretty hard to come by these days. Possible, yes, but I don't think anybody accomplishes that easily any more.
Ausmus's management of the bullpen has been good but he's also enjoyed the luxury of having a team that's scored a bunch of runs and and thus afford the back-end of bullpen giving up a lot of runs too. The Tigers would probably have the best run differential in the bigs right now if the bullpen wasn't such a sieve at times.
it may be safe to bring in Coke.
Ray pitched well; offense cruising. Nothing for people to complain about. Tigers win their 7th game in arow.
as the bullpen fodder gave up 3, but Tigers get the win 11-4.
7 IN A ROW!
I don't have too much confidence in Reed, Miller or Krohl at this point. And not just because of the finish to last night's game. Miller hasn't seen much action and Reed is just nothing special. Krohl has looked okay at times, but I just don't know. I'd prefer to see as little of them as possible. I believe they are nothing more at this point then inning eaters. Hopefully Hanharan(?) can come aboard and provide some quality depth.
Updated with today's pitching matchup and the Tigers lineup, hopefully the rain holds off and they can get the game in.
do that?
Hey mods---I'm looking at you!
No need to bother them with something so meaningless, but by commenting on this post it bumps it up the board if you search by the, "recent" tab instead of the, "new" portion. So like I said as long as I comment or someone does before gametime it can stay somewhat relevant.
again!!!!!
how I miss that RF Porch at Tiger Stadium!
My favorite place to watch a game there. If they ever do a major remodel at Comerica, I'm gonna start a campaign to build a genuine rightfield overhang . Don't the Rangers have one at their new ballpark?
Oh how I miss the old block building on Trumbull and Michigan Ave. I was lucky as a kid as we not only had Michigan season tickets but through my Dad's work we got discounted Tigers tickets, as the team was so bad at that point that they were basically giving them away.
So growing up watching bad baseball throughout the 90's has made me appreciate the product that Dombrowski and Illitch have put on the field since '05. People need to sit back and enjoy the greatness we get to watch daily in Miguel Cabrera and to an extent Justin Verlander, these talents don't come around too often.
To answer your question though, yes the ballpark in Arlington still has the right field overhang. What made Tiger stadium so unique is that the overhang went all the way around the stadium, so you truly did feel like you were playing in a dark box.
He looked safe but you never know.
when they are not on page one to the right. I don't know how many use the recent posts tab on the left. I always look at that.
Was going to log in earlier, damn phone calls...
Anyway, VMart went yard a few minutes ago, now 3-1 Bengals.
...to participate much more during the afternoon games. Evening games (hours betwee 7-10pm), it just always seems like I've got something going on and can barely catch the score let alone log in to post commentary.
I've got a hunch that I'm not alone in that.
Nice HR for Victor
Fight On for Western...
Martinez goes yard!
The bullpen needs to follow through.
Starting to come around with a few exceptions but the back end is shaping up.
is continuing to surprise me. Just threw a 1-2-3 8th inning---all on K's.
He's one of the bigger pleasant surprises on this year's Tiger team, along with Davis and Romine.
has been good from the start, but especially over the last two weeks. And doing it without Sanchez, who for a long stretch of last season was pitching as well as Max.
Good game by Porcello. I've always been a fan and glad the rumored trades involving him haven't happened. Kid has proven to be durable and, though he still occasionally struggles, has become more consistantly good.
Rick has continued to get better since being rushed to the show in 2009. The metrics always pointed to what kind of guy he could be if surrounded by a good defense, and to his credit he's also developed a curveball so lefties can't sit on the sinker any longer. What's even nicer is that he's still only 25 and has improved his fastball velocity over the last few seasons. The ceiling continues to climb for Mr. Porcello.
Weird ninth, but Nathan finally nails it down.
3-2 Tigers.
20-9!
They are playing great baseball.
I have to say Dombrowski is looking brilliant right now.