Monthly Archives: August 2011

2011 Season, Minors

Minor League Wrap 8.14.2011

Toledo 1, Lehigh Valley 2 (Phillies)

Enrique Gonzalez gave up a solo walk-off homer to drop to 4-4 on the season. This was a bullpen start and the ‘Hens fared well through 8 as Weber, Villareal, and Purcey combined to hold Lehigh Valley to 1 unearned run before Mr. Gonzalez ruined the night.

Inge went 0-4 on the night with a strikeout. Salazar (CF) drove in the only Toledo RBI on the night and went 1-4 with a double.

Erie 5, Portland 9 (Red Sox)

Casey Crosby (LHP) lasted 5 innings and did not factor in the decision. He allowed 3 runs (2 earned) on 2 hits and 3 walks while striking out 6. Tyler Stohr (RHP) relieved Crosby and dropped to 1-1 after allowing 4 ER on 4 hits and a walk over 1.2 innings.

Audy Ciriaco (SS) was 2-4 with a double, triple, RBI, and a run scored. Four other Erie batters drove in one run apiece.

Lakeland 6, Brevard County 2 (Brewers)

Trevor Feeney (RHP) earned his 8th win of the season after he tossed 6 innings of 2-run ball. He gave up 7 hits with no walks and 6 strike outs. Little pitched a scoreless 7th to conclude the game.

Tony Plagman (1B) was the high-RBI man as he drove in 3 on a HR in the 5th. Rob Brantly (C) drove in 2 and was 2-3 from the dish.

West Michigan 3, Great Lakes 2 (Dodgers)

Ryan Hamme (DH) hit an RBI single in the top of the 9th to give WM the 3-2 lead, which they did not relinquish. Jeff Rowland (OF) had the other 2 Whitecap RBIs on a 2-run homer in the 5th.

Alex Burgos (LHP) didn’t factor in the decision but posted a quality start: 6 IP, 5 H, 1 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. Kevan Hess (RHP) gave up an ER in 2 innings but still got his 1st win of the season.

2011 Season, Game Post

Game 2011.120: Tigers at Orioles

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Six consecutive two out hits last night, including Cabrera’s first HR since July 28th, turned the tables on Cy Guthrie and got the boys to a season high 9 games over .500.  Weather permitting (there is a 100% chance of rain in Baltimore today), the Tigers will look to go 10 games over .500.

Kudos to the pitching staff…despite severe troubles at the plate, the Tigers are 8-4 over their last 12, though only scoring 3.5 runs per game.  I did not know that it was this bad.  The Tigers look for their first win in over two weeks by more than a run.

Neat article in today’s Freep about Inge’s time at Toledo.  Though I don’t think the article will help him to hit a big league fastball.

Guillen to the DL.  Not necessarily a bad thing.  He’s not helping any in the lineup.  Rhymes up, Santiago to start today.

As Peralta, Avila and Betemit mash the ball today, just remind yourself, “Austin Jackson and his 85 OPS+ will get one additional potentially crucial AB in the 8th or 9th that these .300 hitters will not get.”

1. Austin Jackson, CF
2. Andy Dirks, LF
3. Magglio Ordonez, RF
4. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
5. Victor Martinez, DH
6. Jhonny Peralta, SS
7. Ryan Raburn, 3B
8. Alex Avila, C
9. Ramon Santiago, 2B

 

2011 Season, Game Post

Game 2011.119: Tigers at Orioles

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The Tigers managed only 5 runs despite 19 base runners in 42 PAs, and a respectable 4-12 RISP.  Benoit to Valverde has been nails as of late.

Mad Max goes for win number 12 (didn’t he have 8 wins in April or something) tonight against Jeremy Guthrie.

Perhaps the most important event yesterday happened before the game, when AlAl was beaned by an line drive during BP.  He spent the night in the hospital and his been placed on the 7 day concussion list.  He was released today, but no word on a return date.  Boesch is still day-to-day.

JLs let’s make sure our poorest hitters get the most ABs don’t argue with me we’re in first place lineup is:

1. Jackson CF
2. Dirks LF
3. Ordonez RF
4. Cabrera 1B
5. Martinez DH
6. Peralta SS
7. Avila C
8. Raburn 2B
9. Betemit 3B

 

2011 Season, Minors

Minor League Wrap 8.12.2011

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Toledo 2, Lehigh Valley 6 (Phillies)

Andy Oliver (LHP) dropped to 7-9 after allowing 4 runs (3 earned) over 5 innings. He gave up 7 hits and 2 walks while striking out 3. Jose Ortega (RHP) was equally mediocre as he gave up two more runs in 3 innings of relief.

Inge had a totally dominant performance: 4-4, 1 HR, 2 RBI.  In fact, other than Ryan Streiby’s  single, no other Mud Hen recorded a hit against Lehigh pitching. In his last 4 games, Inge is 7-15 with a double, 2 HR, and 6 RBI.

Erie 6, Portland 2 (Red Sox)

LJ Gagnier (RHP) earned the win after allowing just 1 ER over 5 2/3 innings. He struck out an impressive 10 batters while walking just 3. Luis Marte (RHP) struck out 4 over 3 1/3 to pick up his 2nd save.

Justin Henry (LF) was  3-4 with a double, a triple, and 2 RBI. Jamie Johnson (CF) went 1-4 with a double, a walk, and a RBI.

Lakeland 3, Brevard County 4 (Brewers)

Brian Stroud (RHP) was the losing pitcher after he gave up 4 runs (3 earned) over just 4 1/3. The worst part of his outing was that he gave up 8 hits and 2 walks in 4.1 – a WHIP of 2.3. Despite 2 wild pitches, Tyler White (RHP) had a solid outing: 2.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB. White boasts a 0.69 ERA over 13 innings of relief work with Lakeland.

Jordan Lennerton (1B) went 1-3 with a double and 2 RBI. Despite a season average of .251 with Lakeland, Lennerton is hitting .324 in his last 10 games. During that span he’s gone 12-37 from the plate with 2 2B and 3 HR while driving in 9 runs. Additionally, he’s struck out 10 times and walked 7. I think he may be starting to “get it” and might start next year with Erie if this pattern continues through the end of the season.

West Michigan 10, Dayton 5 (Reds)

Victor Larez (RHP) looked dominant in a starting role for WM: 7 IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, W. Larez was relieved by Nate Newman (RHP) who tried his best to lose. In 2/3 of an inning of work, Newman gave up 3 runs (2 earned) on a hit and 3 walks. Jade Todd (LHP) salvaged the game over an inning and a third of scoreless relief work.

Jason Krizan (OF) went 2-5 with a run scored, a HR, and 3 RBI. In 114 ABs with WM, Krizan is hitting .272. Nick Castellanos (3B) was 3-5 with a run scored and 2 RBI. In 423 ABs, Castellanos is producing .307/.358/.435 with 20 2B, 3 3B, 6 HR, and 66 RBI.

2011 Season, Game Post

Game 2011.117: Tigers at Indians

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Last July 16 the Tigers, in a virtual tie for first with Minnesota, came out of the all-star break on a 3-day trip to Cleveland, were swept, and never came near first again.  And Detroit hasn’t won at Cleveland since.

During this Cleveland trip Detroit has seen its Central lead slip from 4 to 2, with one more game left at Progressive field.  Could this be a deja-vu sweep, and if so can the Tigers recover?

One doesn’t have to go far for a bit of optimism.  Because…Justin Verlander.  (Of course last year’s series featured a Verlander start also–he gave up 3 in the 1st inning and lost.  But that wasn’t 2011 Verlander).  Feeling pessimistic? Verlander’s career record in Cleveland:  4-8, 6.31.  An interesting matchup will be Verlander vs rookie 2B Jason Kipnis, who has never faced him.  Kipnis went 5-5 last night and is hitting .364 over his last 10 games.  Tiger fans gaze out to 2nd with a sigh of envy…

Facing Verlander will be Fausto Carmona, perhaps best known to Detroit fans as the guy who played a knuckle tune on Gary Sheffield’s head.  Carmona is having a lackluster 5-11, 5.19 season.

Boesch will sit out the game with a sore thumb (no indication how much more time he will miss if any), which means we get to play Raburn Roulette in LF.

ESPN covers the Tigers today in its daily look at playoff contenders. Terry Foster says the Tigers will win the division–if Leyland changes the batting order. (Still, he can’t resist leaving Jackson in the leadoff spot).

Player of the Pre-game:  Austin Jackson

He has already struck out 39 times this season leading off, nobody else comes close (27 is next highest).  Add to that an OBP of a meager .267, and it may be time to try moving him elsewhere in the lineup.

Today’s Special K Lineup:

  1. Austin Jackson CF
  2. Ryan Raburn LF
  3. Magglio Ordonez RF
  4. Miguel Cabrera 1B
  5. Victor Martinez DH
  6. Jhonny Peralta SS
  7. Carlos Guillen 2B
  8. Alex Avila C
  9. Wilson Betemit 3B
2011 Season, Minors

Minor League Wrap 8.10.11

Toledo 6, Louisville 4 (Reds)

Wilk improved to 7-5 and threw a gem for Toledo which was nearly spoiled by poor 9th inning releif. Wilk lasted 8 innings and held Louisville to 1 ER on 3 hits and a walk while striking out 9. Oliveros gave up 3 ER in just 1/3 of an inning but the game was preserved by Enrique Gonzalez who recorded the last two outs to earn his 8th save.

Ben Guez (RF) went 3-4 with a double and 4 RBI. Inge went 0-2 but drew two walks. Since his demotion, Inge is hitting .316 with 2 HR, 7 RBI, 9 BBs and 11 Ks. Timo Perez and Diaz each drove in 1 RBI.

Erie 0, New Hampshire 8 (Jays)

Jay Voss dropped to 7-6 after he allowed 4 ER, 8 H, and 2 BB over 5 innings as the starter. The bright spot of the night was his 8 strikeouts. Weinhardt gave up 3 ER in just 1 2/3 innings as he continues his awful 2011.

6 out of 9 Erie batters did not record a hit; however, Brandon Douglas (2B) went 3-3 from the plate. Douglas is hitting .333 in his last 10 games.

Lakeland, Dayton: PPD

West Michigan 3, Dayton 5 (Reds)

West Michigan took a 3-0 lead into the 7th before giving up 3 in that inning and 2 more in the 9th to lose.  Josue Carreno (RHP) looked good as the WM starter: 6 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 0 BB, 9 K. Unfortunately, his releivers prevented him from enjoying the win. Woolley and Hess allowed 3 ER and 2 ER respectively, before Torrealba closed the game out.

Steven Moya (RF) went 1-3 with 2 RBI. Casali (C) was 2-4 with the other WM RBI.

2011 Season, Game Post

Game 2011.116: Tigers at Indians

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What a game, and what a way to lose a game, with a walk-off HBP.

Although losing tough ones at Progressive field has become something of a habit:  the Tigers have lost 12 straight there, and all 4 this season–and all of them Cleveland has won it its final at bat.

I blame the rain.  For the 2nd time in a row, the Tiger bats went dead following a rain delay.  In fact the Tigers have only scored 1 run in their last 14 post-rain-delay innings.

As frustrating as the loss was, there were some things to cheer about:  the Tigers played good defense almost the whole game, with standout plays by Brennan Boesch and Miguel Cabrera (the 14th inning play by Guillen, not so much).  But mostly, it was the much-maligned bullpen, which came up huge.  For 11 innings, from the 2nd to the 13th, Below, Schlereth, Coke, Alburquerque, and Benoit combined for 11 innings, giving up only 2 hits, with 3 walks and 12 strikeouts.

That’s the 2nd sparkling appearance in a row for Below.  If he turns out to be a revelation the same way that Alburquerque has, the Tigers could end up with an impressive bullpen.

The bad news is that there isn’t much relief left for tonight, so Rick Porcello will take the mound and attempt to bring it all the way to Valverde.  Porcello is on a hot streak right now: he is 5-0, 3.26 over his last 6 starts, and has the confidence of the team behind him. “Every time he goes out there now, we really feel we’re going to win,” says Brennan Boesch.  Perhaps most impressive lately has been his control–he has only walked 2 in his last 26 innings pitched.  This should help him work late into the game.

We didn’t get to see much of our trade-deadline catch Doug Fister last night.  Tonight Cleveland brings out its deadline darling, Ubaldo Jimenez.  He had a rough go of it in his first outing for Cleveland, giving up 5 runs to Texas, and more importantly, only lasting 5 innings (Cleveland’s bullpen is in as bad a shape as ours tonight).

In other news:  He’ll be back…Brandon Inge says the Tigers assured him he would be back with the team on Sept 1.

Player of the Pre-game:  Alex Avila

Avila caught all 14 innings last night.  With Martinez still having a sore knee, He’ll strap on the gear again tonight.

Today’s Iron-man-Avila Lineup:

  1. Andy Dirks CF
  2. Brennan Boesch LF
  3. Magglio Ordonez RF
  4. Miguel Cabrera 1B
  5. Victor Martinez DH
  6. Ryan Raburn 2B
  7. Alex Avila C
  8. Wilson Betemit 3B
  9. Ramon Santiago SS

 

2011 Season, Game Post

Game 2011.115: Tigers at Indians

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The manager has been extended, the GM has been extended,  and with a 3-game series against Cleveland beginning tonight,  there is an opportunity for the division lead to be extended.

The Tigers took advantage of their last off-day of the month to announce that the contract of manager Jim Leyland has been extended through 2012, and President/CEO/GM Dave Dombrowski through 2015.  Dombrowski said that more than a 1-year deal for Leyland was never discussed, and was never requested by Leyland.

Dombrowski also stressed that the rest of the front office was extended–Al Avila (asst GM), Scott Reid (top scout), John Westhoff (attorney, contract negotiations), and David Chadd (amateur scout), and said getting the deal done now was important because this is the time of year other teams start asking around about personnel, and you risk someone jumping to another organization.

Reaction to the extensions in the media has been mixed–Drew Sharp likes the idea, Terry Foster doesn’t–as I’m sure it will be here.

As if on cue, the newly-extended Tigers front office followed up today by announcing they have signed their first 2011 draft pick, catcher James McCann from Arkansas.

In tonight’s first of three (and first of 12 remaining this season) against the Indians, Detroit’s trade-deadline catch Doug Fister takes the mound for the 2nd time as a Tiger. His first outing was a solid 3-runs in 7 innings against the tough Texas offense, which means he’s already done more for the team than the 2009 deadline darling, Jarrod Washburn.  Fister draws a tough match-up in Justin Masterson (9-7, 2.63), who faced Fister in Seattle April 9 and came out on top 2-1.

Player of the Pre-game: Carlos Guillen and Alex Avila (tie).

Right now the hottest bat on the team belongs to Alex Avila, who has on On-Base Percentage of .441 over the last 2 weeks.  The coldest bat belongs to Carlos Guillen (.154 OBP).  Guillen bats in front of Avila.  Whether or not Guillen manages to get on base could have a big effect on the outcome of the game.

Today’s Return-of-V-Mart Lineup:

  1. Austin Jackson CF
  2. Brennan Boesch LF
  3. Andy Dirks RF
  4. Miguel Cabrera 1B
  5. Victor Martinez DH
  6. Jhonny Peralta SS
  7. Carlos Guillen 2B
  8. Alex Avila C
  9. Don Kelly 3B
2011 Season, Minors

Minor League Wrap 8.7.2011

Toledo 11, Indianapolis 5 (Pirates)

Andy Oliver improved to 7-8 after posting the following line: 5.2 IP, 11 H, 5 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 6 K. Ryan Perry earned a marathon save as he threw the final 3 1/3 innings, holding Indianapolis scoress with 3 K’s.

Max St. Pierre (C) was 1-3 with a 2-run HR and 4 RBI. Clete Thomas was 2-4 with 3 runs, a double, and 3 RBI. Inge was 2-3 with 2 runs scored and 2 walks.

Erie 1, Harrisburg 6 (Nationals)

Brooks Brown threw 6 innings but gave up 4 ER in a losing effort. Despite taking the loss, Brown did K 9 through 6 without a walk. Marte finished out the game and allowed 2 more ER.

Audy Ciriaco (SS) went 2-4 with a solo HR.

Lakeland, Brevard County: Suspended

West Michigan 6, Great Lakes 3 (Dodgers)

Kevin Eichhorn looked impressive and improved to 9-3 on the season. He allowed 2 ER on 8 hits with no walks and 5 K’s.  Recently promoted Ryan Woolley (RHP) picked up his first save after 2 scoreless innings of relief with 3 K’s.

Curtis Casali (C) drove in 3 RBI and went 2-4 from the plate. Jason Krizan (LF) was 1-3 with a 2-run homer and a walk.

2011 Season, Game Post

Game 2011.114: Tigers at Royals

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The Tigers look to sweep their three-game series this afternoon in hot Kansas City (temperature 92 and climbing).

Mad Max Scherzer will man the broom against the Royals.  He has been in good form lately, with a 2.14 ERA over his last 5 starts.  Bruce Chen has a 7.48 ERA over his last 4 starts, but always seem to give Detroit trouble.

V-Mart will not be in the lineup:  he suffered a knee sprain on an ill-advised attempt to score. Word to come on how serious it is.  Victor says “I felt a sharp pain in my knee, on the way up (to the clubhouse), I felt the pain go away. I just iced it, and we’ll see how it feels. Everything looks pretty good so we’ll see how it looks (Sunday).”

The lack of Martinez for any length of time would cause serious problems for the Tigers, so let’s hope it isn’t bad.

Today’s Player of the Pre-Game: Gene Lamont

Today Gene sleeps standing up and nobody gets hurt.

Today’s Sweepy Lineup:

  1. Austin Jackson CF
  2. Brennan Boesch LF
  3. Ryan Raburn 3B
  4. Miguel Cabrera 1B
  5. Magglio Ordonez DH
  6. Carlos Guillen 2B
  7. Jhonny Peralta SS
  8. Alex Avila C
  9. Andy Dirks RF

 

2011 Season, Game Post

Game 2011.113: Tigers at Royals

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It’s Justin time!

Tonight Justin Verlander looks to follow up his near-no-hit bid against the Angels with a win against KC (and possibly tie CC Sabathia with the AL lead at 16).

In fact Verlander still has an outside shot at the pitching triple crown:  He is 2nd in wins at 15, has a solid league lead in strikeouts at 178, and has only Jered Weaver (1.78) and Josh Beckett (2.20) with ERAs better than his 2.24.

Kansas City would seem to be a good opponent in his pursuit of win 16:  he has won 3 straight vs the Royals, with a 1.19 ERA.

Billy Butler is most likely to be a Royal pain:  he is hitting .389 against Verlander.

Also Detroit is planning to pitch Verlander against Cleveland Thursday on 4 days rest, so, for a change, his pitch count may be an issue tonight.

KC sends out rookie starter Danny Duffy (3-4, 5.05).  As always with Detroit, beware Rookie Pitcher Guy (I would love to see the Tigers’ cumulative stats against rookie pitchers).

Today’s Player of the Pre-Game:  Ryan Raburn

Raburn will make the occasional brilliant play in the outfield, or nice play at 2B. Not so much at 3rd.  Over the last 3 seasons he has 4 errors at 3rd (and only 7 assists) in 44 innings, so it’s been almost an error per game with him.  With Verlander on the mound, the Royals are likely to try to bunt their way on.  Take a deep breath.

Today’s Raburn Roulette Lineup:

  1. Austin Jackson CF
  2. Brennan Boesch LF
  3. Magglio Ordonez RF
  4. Miguel Cabrera 1B
  5. Victor Martinez DH
  6. Jhonny Peralta SS
  7. Carlos Guillen 2B
  8. Ryan Raburn 3B
  9. Alex Avila C