JD Martinez is a machine.
Bullpen is it's usual self. No matter who they stick in there they can't get it done. It's like watching a house fire. There's nothing you can do about it but you continue to watch.
edit: Or maybe a power plant fire
I will say that when a great majority of your team's pitching stats sit considerably above MLB mean, you have to wonder if indeed that video is not exactly what is happening to the staff as a whole sometimes.
That being said, Kinsler just showed us a bit of the spunk that keeps the Tigers' offensive stats in relatively good shape despite the appearance of the last few weeks, so we do have that. This would be a nice confidence boost, I believe, if they can silence Cleveland here.
They are 24th in ERA, so it's safe to say pitching has been the major problem. 11th in quality starts suggests the bullpen is an issue, not to mention the fact that the $9 million closer has a 6 ERA.
Regardless, this team is about where they should be at this point. Six games over .500, half-game up in a weak division. If the pitching settles down they should still win the division and once you're in the playoffs anything can happen. That's all you can ask for. They were cursed by running so hot to start the year, but on balance this is about what we expected. It's a good opportunity for the bandwagoners to jump off, which is welcome.
seems to be a streaky hitter who's on the hottest of streaks right now. IIRC, when he was brought up from Toledo several weeks ago, he had just hit 4 HRs in a doubleheader, then continued hitting pretty well for several games before cooling way off. But in the last week or so of games, wow, his bat has been en fuego' !
Why doesn't Ausmus put Joba in? Krol's given up two singles and two HRs in this inning.
Went to take a dump... 1 pt game...Im gonna start taking longer shits...
I don't wanna be that guy.. but.. come on. There are no points in baseball. You are starting to sound like my wife.
sounds like you need to start taking shorter shits!
I'm not ready to give up on Ray... He can take Krol, though.
That.
You can get with ****, or you can get with that. You can get with ****, or you could get with that.
What? Is "This." an RCMB thing? I'm pretty sure it's just an internet thing.
Yes, I understand the concept of "This." Maybe if reading their message board bothers you so much, you could try not reading it?
is having the finest week since Alexander Graham Bell invented both the telephone and the doggystyle position back in March of 1876....
Isn't that what Tigers fans wanted. They always bitched about that with Leyland. I have yet to see a manager who gets it right all the time.
We need this game for confidence more than anything... If Nathan can shut the door in the ninth, he will have two consecutive one run saves which could be huge for him... As for the rest of the bullpen, well... I don't know... Ship them all except for Joba and Al.
RBI right there by Kinsler. Now 6-4 Tigers with Kinsler on 2nd, lets get some MOAR runs!
Nothing would make me happier than if the MLB banned that drum.
How about Miggy putting a line drive through that drum?
Also Ausmus put Nathan in too many times when he wasn't doing well. That costed us a lot of games.
Yay, a back to back win for the second time in like 5 weeks...
let it get interesting as the Indians got the potential tying run to the plate, but finally nailed it down.
Now need KC to lose, they were down by 2 in the 6th last time Rod and Mario gave an update.
Seeing eye bloop hit, i'll take that result from Joe Nathan any day of the week. He's looked sharp the past 2 days, need more to feel comfortable again but he's getting swinging strikes again....and that's encouraging.
Encouraging games from Nathan on back-to-back days. He's getting swinging strikes and locating. I'm not going to say he's back yet, but it would be huge if he continues to show this improvement.
What do you guys think is wrong with Verlander?
/ducks
but it might be worthy of its' own thread or three.
/ducks and runs for cover
Also, I love what JD Martinez has brought to the team. It should be interesting to see how the outfield situation plays out if Dirks comes back and does well. I know Torii is a clubhouse leader and a veteran, but he has left a lot to be desired at the plate and on the field.
Eh... We said the same thing about Dirks, Boesch, and Avila after their rookie seasons... It's encouraging, but let's not get too ahead of ourselves.
martinez' OPS is 900+.
anyone think he's at all legit or just boesch 2.0?
ausmus thinks he's got something, based on playing time + where hes hitting.
as for the rest of the team, hoping we might be out of that funk, but not expecting so.
the bullpen is a disaster, exacerbated by the starters all going off track. funny to hear criticism of pitching coach jeff jones - how is he supposed to put out 12 fires at once?
if the starters can get it together the bullpen will look alot better.
he's better than Boesch, as he's got a quicker, shorter swing, is better defensively, and has a little more speed.
I took a quick look at JD Martinez's minor league and MLB stats on a website of two when the Tigers brought him up from Toledo and was fairly impressed. At best, he might end up being a Larry Herndon-level player, IMO, if long-term he can produce against both righties and lefties.
good point. when boesch came up, i think he hit 350 his first 2 months with like 40 rbis. but after that his long swing that was filled with holes plus terrible swing selection made him borderline worthless.
we'll see if pitchers find holes in his swing, but you are absolutely right that at least in the mechanics of it, martinez is nothing like boesch.