2012 Season, Game Post

Game 2012.20: Tigers at Yankees

52 Comments

10-9, tied for 1st place with Chi and Cle.

Could it possibly be that the Tigers are only 19 games into the season, and they have already hit their low point?

And that their low point is tied for 1st place?

And that Brandon Inge is no longer a Tiger, at any level?

Yes, probably, and yes.

I think there’s a decent chance that the Tigers lose 6/7 again this year, but losing those on a homestand, with three of the games vs. Seattle, is inexcusable. Jim Price said it best during the game on Thursday – “They just don’t look interested.” Delmon Young was clearly interested in a few beers last night, and his resulting altercation in NYC and ugly words have landed him on the bench for tonight. Young has a history of poor decision making and clearly should not be looked to right now to right this team.

The hitting was anemic, the fielding pathetic, and the Team’s general disposition was indifferent. I really think that the Tigers hit a low point late last night after an uninspired game, the Inge release, and Young’s arrest. Yes, it’s early, but it’s hard to think that the baseball can get much worse.

And after all of that, the Tigers are 10-9, tied for first place in the AL Central. I don’t expect them to hold down first place starting tonight through the end of the season, but this goes to show that the Tigers will have to fall a long ways to be out of contention in the Central.

So with that, we open a 3 game set at Yankee Stadium. Ivan Nova is off to a nice start for the Yankees, posting a 3-0 record thus far. But JV should come in tonight and end this losing streak.

In other news:

– Doug Fister threw about 50 pitches yesterday and said that it “felt good.”

– Longman Superstar Duane Below will take Fister’s spot on Monday against KC.

– Brad Eldred up in Inge’s spot. Eldred is 31 and a journeyman who has had 3 unremarkable stints in the bigs between Colorado and Pittsburgh. He has been blasting 1 HR every 6.15 ABs in the international league so far this year. No word on whether he has any friends who can play 2B.

Tonight’s Brad Eldred featured lineup:

1. Austin Jackson, CF
2. Brennan Boesch, RF
3. Miguel Cabrera, 3B
4. Prince Fielder, 1B
5. Don Kelly, LF
6. Brad Eldred, DH
7. Alex Avila, C
8. Jhonny Peralta, SS
9. Ryan Raburn, 2B

52 thoughts on “Game 2012.20: Tigers at Yankees”

  1. Things will settle down, we will right the ship, and we WILL win the Central!
    It’s good that all this happened at the start of the season and the team is dealing with it right away instead of letting it fester.

  2. Fielder should see a lot of good pitches with Don “Longball” Kelly protecting him in the 5th spot.

    1. Unfortunately Kelly is one of the few Tigers that is hitting!

  3. ESPN is reporting that McClendon has been fired and Inge rehired as hitting coach… Just kidding.

  4. Boesch is a horrible # 2 hitter. No outs, guy on 2nd ahead in the count and he strikes out…Santiago would get more done in that #2 hole. Why do the Tigers love Boesch? He has acomplished nothing in his career. If you want a guy w/ some power in that 2 hole, then go with Peralta. Boesch is good for an occasional HR, other than that he sucks. He will hit into a DP, more often then move a runner.

    2. +1 for the lineup positioning. I don’t think that Boesch sucks, but I think that putting him in the 2 hole makes him a worse hitter psychologically, and then in reality. Peralta should be hitting 2.

  5. Finally!!! Prince made a play in the field. That guy is an awful 1st baseman…anything hit in his direction gets through…That was an easy play for Cabby at 1st on A-Rodd. Again, our defense sucks and we can’t move a runner to 3rd w/ less than 2 outs or get him home. Broken Record….At some point, you need to make a change, like putting Prince and his pathetic defense at the DH position. Cabrera is the 2nd best infielder on our team, when Ramon doesn’t play and it really isn’t even close. That is scary.

  8. this team is absolutely pathetic with runners at 3B. it happened AGAIN…….man on 3rd with no outs…….and they don’t get him home. thanks to Ibanez for giving us a run; any gift helps right now……… 🙁

  10. as long as the Tigs keep that runner on second they do fine…as soon as they get one to third less 2,outs they are done….so theres the answer

  13. this goes back a little to Kevins intro …but….why does it look like Boesch..Cabrerra..Fielder..Prince..Avila…Peralta all look like they are bored to death and would rather be ,who knows what. Anything but playing baseball

  15. Jim Price thinks Verlander’s pitches are being tipped to the Yankees

    1. Jim Price thinks Nova is tipping his pitches to the Tigers as he is gone!

  16. It’s nice to see the bats wake up, could live without the classic Tiger baserunning though.

  22. They play defense like a bad high school team. Avila has left like 7 guys on base today…They need more runs or they will lose this game. Don Kelly, Mr. Dopped popup in the metrodome that cost us the division title that year. The guy still can’t play defense…How does DD do it? How does he find this many major league players incapable of playing defense…It seems impossible.

  23. hey fellows this is major leafue baseball even when you are out in the field..three left fielders on the team and they all suck

  24. So far, Dotel has been “as advertised.” A bright spot during an otherwise dim April. Let’s hope he does not fade.

  25. That was hilarious.

    Rod Allen had a great line “Don’t you hate that? Arguing with someone who won’t argue back?”

  26. Nice call by Leyland bringing Coke in to face Granderson. We all know how well he does against lefties.

  30. a double play ground ball 6 inches to his right and Fielder turns it into a base hit…nice range!

    1. Am I being overly critical of Fielder, or does he miss every ball hit in his direction? He makes Miguel Cabrera look like a gold glover at 1st

  34. remember the other day Smokey you brought in Weber…now you bring in Villreall …at least your consistant… blow both games…fire Villreall and Leyland….this teams is a $200 million joke…

  35. I don’t understand this: Dotel did fine…..why not just leave him in? at least he was throwing strikes……Leyland is way too ‘mechanical’ with this pitching change crap – he MUST bring in Benoit in the 8th and “pick a name” in the 9th no matter how anybody pitches before. and this team’s inability to hit with men in scoring position is dreadful: we could’ve and should’ve had at least 3 more runs tonight……..

  37. I guess jl has so many pitchers, he thinks he can bring in a minor leaguer and expect a miracle that never happens. He should be Long Gone to quote Harwell.

    1. The whole coaching staff should be replaced. They don’t understand how to play sound baseball and cost us many games every year.

  38. the results might have been exactly the same, but that was a very catchable pitch…watch the replay..it was right on Avilas right knee…so add that to Avilas 0~5 and 7 l.o.b

  39. i don’t know about you guys, but i was sure the yankees were going to find a way to win this one, the moment that ball went over/through Kelly’s glove in the 6th…

    Tigers finally out-hit a team, but still found a (new) way to lose… JL burns through 3 relievers in 2 innings, then throws a AAA callup into a pressure-cooker; tie game in the 9th @ yankee stadium – and slow chaos ensues, walk, wild pitch-walk and passed ball

  40. The Tigers bullpen walks too many guys…They have already lost 3 games they led after 7..Zero last year. Benoit has been awful this year, he has 8 walks in 8 innings..That is inexcusible for an 8th inning guy…Dotel should be the 8th inning guy and Coke the 7th inning guy, until he can prove he can throw strikes. Avila was the goat in this one, he just failed at everything he did in the ballgame. Should have been an easy win…

  41. Man, they ain’t a very likable bunch right now: from Delman Young’s postgame training habits, Fielder’s refusal to DH for the good of the team, Leyland’s aversion to 21st-century baseball strategy. The team must be saving a ton on laundry, because nobody’s breaking a sweat or getting his uniform dirty.

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