OT: Tigers vs. Twins - win division with win or Cleveland loss
Not sure what happened to the other open thread, but I didn't see anything in the mod action sticky.
Tigers up 1-0, bottom of the second. Scherzer on the mound for us.
Cleveland up 4-1 on the White Sox in the 5th.
September 25th, 2013 at 8:55 PM ^
Max looking very solid through 2 innings. 5 k's.
Btw, does anybody know if MLB.tv offers postseason packages?
September 25th, 2013 at 8:59 PM ^
This is correct, all games will be nationally broadcast on either TBS, Fox, or ESPN.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:03 PM ^
And mlbn has a couple of the overflow games
September 25th, 2013 at 9:15 PM ^
If I recall it was only 1 or 2 games that MLBN had a hold of, and they were only in the divisional series.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:05 PM ^
Weren't some on MLB Network last year? Did they commit to not doing that again?
September 25th, 2013 at 9:11 PM ^
Scherzer's straight dealing through 3.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:15 PM ^
Tribe will win tonight, but with the way Scherzer is pitching tonight, I still think tonight is Clinchmas.
*knocks on wood*
September 25th, 2013 at 9:22 PM ^
I'm not sure what is wrong with the team offensively* right now, but they don't look like a team getting ready for the playoffs.
Scherzer is balls-on tonight, though!
*edit [offensively]
September 25th, 2013 at 9:22 PM ^
They've played alot of low scoring games lately but they've also won quite of few of them.
It doesn't really matter if your hot or cold when you clinch because there's a week break before the divisional series starts so everybody is basically back at equal footing.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:32 PM ^
I guess I am a little envious of Cleveland's finish, as much as it pains me to write those words.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:33 PM ^
I'm less worried about the low scoring games than I am about the fact that both Oakland and (barring an upset) Boston will have home field advantage. The Tigers have been very good at home this year but fairly mediocre on the road.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:43 PM ^
Meh... Tigers are only 1 game worse on the road than both Boston and Oakland. Tigers are 5 games above .500 on the road, A's and Sox are 7 games above .500 on the road.
All three teams have had almost identical years, except 1-3 games going the bad way for the Tigers. Unfortunately, that's enough to give the other two teams HFA when all teams are equally good at home.
As much as this last stretch has been annoying, I'm starting to feel good again about our chances. We still have the best rotation in MLB and that can carry you.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:48 PM ^
I don't think the point is that they have similar home/away splits. All 3 teams are about equal at home and on the road; that is, they're all significantly better at home than on the road, and it looks like Detroit will not be getting home field advantage.
September 25th, 2013 at 10:01 PM ^
Yes this was my point. The Tigers have drawn the short straw in this situation. I'm not saying they can't overcome it but it'll be a challenge.
September 26th, 2013 at 6:50 AM ^
Yeah, I definitely understood. I was just pointing out that, really, the Tigers are relatively at or near the top of the pack as far as away record goes. Not really a mediocre away team as far as MLB goes. But that, unfortunately, is a significant swing from home games. Hopefully we get past Oakland.
September 26th, 2013 at 8:51 AM ^
and it looks like Detroit will not be getting home field advantage.
NSFMF. We're only a game back of Oakland and we have three games against a quad-A ballclub that hates their owner. Oakland is in Seattle, which isn't a great team either, but there is nothing safe about Oakland's lead at all. I like our chances for at least some home cooking in the ALDS, and then of course anything can happen in the other series.
September 26th, 2013 at 10:58 AM ^
Oakland has the tie-breaker, so you'd need some serious mischief to happen, especially since Miggy will probably sit or be mildly active over the next 3 games.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:52 PM ^
I despise the enormous foul territory in Oakland, and you just never know what can/will happen in Fenway.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:29 PM ^
and they are a great team (Bert Blyleven and Dick Bremer), very complimentary to the Tigers.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:37 PM ^
Scherzer looking good tonight. 7 Ks.
September 25th, 2013 at 9:47 PM ^
strike 'em out, throw 'em out double play!
September 25th, 2013 at 9:47 PM ^
double post
September 25th, 2013 at 10:03 PM ^
but they need to sit him down now. He's not even a shadow of himself right now, the opposite of helping them win in the moment, & they need him as healthy as they can get him for playoffs. I hate seeing his awesome season splutter to an end like this, but that's what it is now: spluttering. Sit him & hope for some recovery by start playoffs. "Lose his rhythm", you say: no rhythm right now to lose. Please: rest him
September 25th, 2013 at 10:17 PM ^
IDK about rythm, he's not that lost with that, I think his injury is still hampering him, he runs like he's dragging a piano around the bases and is having trouble adjusting to pitches inside, but I think that's due to his injury still nagging him and preventing him to make the quick adjust without pain, I still agree with you, they need to rest him if only to hope he'll recovery faster that way.
September 25th, 2013 at 10:20 PM ^
that the current struggles are totally injury-induced. I wasn't saying that he lost his rhythm & that's why the slump. I was repeating the argument I hear about not wanting to bench him b/c he'll come back with rust to knock off if you do. That's least of our worries right now.
September 25th, 2013 at 10:17 PM ^
He only has 2 extra base hits since 8/26. He HAS to be right if they are going to make a deep run.
September 25th, 2013 at 10:23 PM ^
We NEED him right, or it's a short playoff run most likely.
You know a funny thing: that -- that their chances drop so dramatically without him -- goes to prove he's MVP, except that the slump has probably instead killed his MVP chances!
September 25th, 2013 at 10:28 PM ^
You know, you say that, and I would tend to agree, but if you look at his stats from last postseason, he wasn't that great: 2012 postseason stats. Regardless, I hope we're able to get him some rest so that he's ready to go for the playoffs. We definitely need him.
September 25th, 2013 at 10:16 PM ^
Indians won. Let's wake this offense up. I doubt we'll see Scherzer back out for the 7th.
September 25th, 2013 at 10:24 PM ^
Good execution on the sac bunt there. Scherzer's in a bit of a pickle now. Another strikeout would be nice.
September 25th, 2013 at 10:26 PM ^
Max is his own worst enemy tonight walking 6 but he's only an out away of 7 shutout innings, pretty ridiculous scorecard for him tonight.
September 25th, 2013 at 10:35 PM ^
Nice. Wow, I'm surprised he stayed in for the whole inning, but good job. And I agree WMU, not often you see someone walk that many and not give up any runs. I'm guessing we'll see Smyly for the 8th? Veras has been shaky lately.
Edit: Actually, not as shaky as I thought. He had a rough outing his last time out, but it's mostly been one-batter outings for him lately, and seems like he's gotten the job done. That said, I still think we'll see Smyly.
September 25th, 2013 at 10:47 PM ^
Leyland is going to match up Veras and Smyly here in the 8th and attempt to use Benoit for a third straight night, a bit of a risky strategy.
September 25th, 2013 at 11:04 PM ^
He'll bring Smyly back out for the 9th?
September 25th, 2013 at 11:07 PM ^
If a lefty leads off the inning it's certainly possible, but Jim is so into his roles for pitchers that I doubt he'll go back to Smyly.
September 25th, 2013 at 11:01 PM ^
Hey, the Yankees are out of the playoffs, almost as good as an OSU loss!
September 25th, 2013 at 11:08 PM ^
I'm wrong again.
September 25th, 2013 at 11:18 PM ^
Central Champs!
September 25th, 2013 at 11:18 PM ^
Division champs baby!
September 25th, 2013 at 11:19 PM ^
Fuck ya, way to go Tigers!
September 25th, 2013 at 11:20 PM ^
Woohoo!
September 25th, 2013 at 11:20 PM ^
K's two to end 9th!
21 for Scherzer
23/24 for Benoit (?)
September 25th, 2013 at 11:22 PM ^
So awesome. Three straight division titles. Glad DD never fired Leyland! Eat 'em up Tigers!
September 25th, 2013 at 11:29 PM ^
People might not want to admit it, but Leyland might be the best manager the Tigers have ever had. 4 playoff appearances and 3 division titles in 8 years, he's much better than people give him credit for.
September 25th, 2013 at 11:43 PM ^
I don't necessarily disagree with you, but devil's advocate: he does have one of the best rosters in the MLB, if not the best.
September 25th, 2013 at 11:48 PM ^
Oh of course but they also have to win the games. On paper the Angels look like a juggernaut, so do the Blue Jays but they're not anywhere close to the playoffs. Baseball is a funny game and you need a steady manager to ride the 162 game roller coaster.
September 26th, 2013 at 9:06 AM ^
I would have to at least call Sparky and Hughie Jennings very stiff competition in the "best ever" contest for the Tigers, but I would never take any credit away from Leyland either. It's very plain to see the team would run through a brick wall for that guy, and I don't look forward to the day he retires.
September 26th, 2013 at 11:15 AM ^
took the Tigers to the World Series 3 different times. The first time was in 2006 which is full of journeyman players and players who weren't good who played above their ability level. The second time, he took a team that has 2 superstar plus one star and a roster that has holes everywhere like Delmon Young at LF who is a blackhole defensively.
This season is the first time that you can say the Tigers have the best roster in the league. They played like one of the best team in the league.
Got to give Leyland credit for managing his team and playing up to if not above their ability level. He's an old school manager but is definitely a player's manager. You can tell by their interaction with Jim. They loved playing for him and will run through the wall for him.