Michigasling

March 31st, 2011 at 1:21 PM ^

Shows rain holding off until about 6:00 pm.  (It was pouring this morning.)  Office mate says they'll get it in.

Have tix for Saturday's game, from another alum.  First time ever seeing Tigers live!  (And first time in new Yankees Stadium, but it's only the Tigers that're drawing me there.)

Blue boy johnson

March 31st, 2011 at 1:25 PM ^

I would pledge a billion dollars to hear George Kell say, " Thanks Larry, and good afternoon everyone, it's time for another TIGER baseball game"

Or; "Tiger first innings have been like a rollycoaster ride"

chitownblue2

March 31st, 2011 at 3:23 PM ^

Because Pudge didnt' allow a single steal of 3B ever.

What catcher do they have to replace him? Martinez is a miserable defensive catcher (that's why he almost never plays it, and his team have avoided playing him there for half a decade), and his bat is too valuable to waste there anyway. I'm sure he'll catch SOME games, but who do you want to catch the other 110 or so?

chitownblue2

March 31st, 2011 at 3:25 PM ^

Martinez is a miserable defensive catcher - both the Indians and Red Sox avoided him having play the position as much as possible - the Red Sox exhumed the remains of Jason Varitek to avoid it.

Boesch's bat isn't major league quality - he's strike out 260 times a year if he were up.

What else you got.

chitownblue2

March 31st, 2011 at 5:13 PM ^

Boesch's K/BB ratio's suggest someone that doesn't a fleeting clue of the strike-zone - more than 3:1 in his professional career.

His transition to "pumpkin" after his first trip through the league (.194/.223/.261)  and declining K/BB ratio during that stretch (around 4:1) sort of confirm that.

His first 100 AB's were out of character with any performance he has exhibited in college, or the minor leagues.

chitownblue2

March 31st, 2011 at 3:20 PM ^

Man, Avila gets once game.

After all of you complained non-stop about Laird for two years.

Jesus you people are fucking fickle.

MaizeAndBlueWahoo

March 31st, 2011 at 4:24 PM ^

You know what?  I'll still take Martinez and his "miserable" defense.  What's so much better about Avila's defensive abilities?  We just saw him let two balls get to the backstop that shouldn't have been there.  He was -6 runs per 1,200 innings last year at catcher.  Martinez was -9.  That kind of defense is worth keeping his hitting in the lineup?  Yes, I will take Boesch in the lineup over Avila.  Any day.

chitownblue2

March 31st, 2011 at 5:19 PM ^

Are you under the impression that playing a 33 year old you just $56 million to over four years (an age that most catchers knees explode) 120 game at catcher is a good way to protect your investment?

I assume you don't, because, I assume that you know, like most that follow the team, that they ARE planning on playing Martinez at catchers sometimes, but not as much as "regular" catchers in an attempt to preserve him, as his bat is vital.

So, who do you propose plays catcher when Martinez doesn't, like today?

chitownblue2

April 1st, 2011 at 12:34 AM ^

I'm just curious - are you aware that Victor Martinez, as a free agent, made it publicly known that he desired to not be a primary catcher? That primarily being a 1B or DH was part of his criteria for choosing a team? That both Dumbrowski and Leyland have publicly said that Martinez will NOT primarily be a Catcher?

Because all these things happened.

Mannix

March 31st, 2011 at 5:09 PM ^

I'm ready for him to be gone, too. Terrible over react after day one, but he's not the answer back there and he's Laird 2.0 (well, really .189). The ball that Perry threw was tough but Avila tried to catch squared up instead of doing the easy backhand.

Oh, well, 161 games to over react as well.