2012 Season, Game Post

Game 2012.57: Indians at Tigers

37 Comments

25-31, 3rd place (barely), 6 games back.

That’s 0-5 against those star laden Indians this season. But who is beating Jeanmar Gomez this year anyway?

So what can we do with this lineup? (AJax is starting a rehab stint today, he should be back on Saturday.) Really, not much. We could sit Boesch, who has become the latest Rabinge at the plate, and his error yesterday on a routine fly ball is only exacerbating this situation. So to remedy that, Smokey moved him up in the lineup for today’s game. Berry should be a fixture in RF or LF until Raburn has a multi-hit game in Toledo and Smokey gets a cablegram about it at his bunker underneath  Kinsel’s. Thus, we’re stuck with Boesch/Kelly as the 3rd OFer, and Santiago/Worth at 2B.

The Tigers have to figure out a way to start hitting. As Buster Olney pointed out in gruesome detail (you need Insider), the Tigers rank in the bottom half (and mostly towards the very bottom) defensively at every position save CF and C. The only way out of this mess to for them to slug their way out of it. Because the defense has been so bad, a Toledo carousel can’t hurt, maybe we can uncover something. But if Peralta, Avila and Young don’t start hitting soon, there really will be no way out of this.

Then there is also the issue of the mental breakdowns. Bad errors, poor decisions and a lack of fundamentals have really been the difference between poor range and a recurring clown show. The Indians, who are likely less talented than the Tigers, do the little things right. That’s a reflection of coaching. Not other way around it.

There’s also been much written in the comments here regarding plate discipline and swing counts. In my mind, that’s been an issue here for years and I think that the organizational philosophy is a swing at your pitch, no matter what the count; as opposed to the work the pitcher philosophies in Boston, NY and the like. Like most of you, I prefer the patient approach, but I don’t expect the at bats to change anytime soon. Not until DD and JL are long gone.

A few notes:

– The draft is over, at least someone inside the organization is happy.
– AJax should start in Toledo tonight.
– Today’s game should be G.R.E.A.T., let’s hope that the play on the field reinforces the message on the stands.

Only takes one win to start a streak.

Your Tigers Split Squad Lineup Today Is:

1. Berry, CF
2. Boesch, RF
3. Cabrera, 3B
4. Fielder, 1B
5. Young, DH
6. Peralta, SS
7. Kelly, LF
8. Worth, 2B
9. Holaday, C

37 thoughts on “Game 2012.57: Indians at Tigers”

  1. The Leyland Rule: Find your worst hitter, bat him 2nd. To be fair to JL(!), he may be spoilt for choices. Anybody not named Berry, Cabrera or Fielder would fit the rule.

    With Crosby going today, Ortega, Below, Villarreal and Dotel all get lots of work, proving JL’s wisdom in going to a 13-man staff – at least until tomorrow when one of the pitchers will be replaced by……. um….. um……ah…….

  2. Perhaps Boesch is getting the last-chance-before-Toledo treatment Raburn did? Bat him 2nd and see if produces. Otherwise, send him down when Jackson returns?

  3. “We’ve had probably more moves than I’ve ever had as a manager this early in a season,” Leyland said before the game. “But we got plenty of weapons to do something about it. I need to step it up and push the right buttons a little better, and some guys that are the buttons need to push it too. We haven’t played the smartest, we haven’t hit the smartest, but it hasn’t been because of effort.”

    “If the players aren’t relaxed, there’s something wrong, because we’ve been real careful not to get them uptight,” Leyland said. “That part I won’t take the blame for, because there’s been no pressure put on anybody. Seriously, if we can’t take that, we’re in the wrong place. This is a boo-cheer business. If you’re trying to go home at night and say people aren’t on our (butts), you’re fooling yourself. This is a big boy’s game.”

    Maybe you have to be there, or perhaps it is quoted out of context (e.g. “butts” instead of, well you know), or maybe it’s just me, but when I read this stuff, all I can say is WTF is he talking about?

  4. Now, I am a High school football coach and I don’t claim to be an expert..BUT, the comments coming out of Detroit have made me less confident and given me more insight into their problems. Jim said in the paper today “We have gone out of our way, to not put pressure on the guys.” He has also said..”We are a good team, we will hit, etc.” Now, he moves a hitter in an awful slump, who is feeling aorry for himself and did not even use simple little league fundamentals and he dropped the ball…He REWARDS him..Raburn style, Sheffield style, Maggs style…It’s insanity to keep trying the same tactic, that has no proven success to shorten a slump…you just put a scuffling hitter in a key spot in the order. Why do other managers make changes to their lineups, when they are scuffling? But, to me that is not the central issue. It is this idea of not putting pressure on the guys…as a coach…all you can do is put pressure on your team, make them used to making decisions under stressful situations (so that the game is easy and they are just reacting) I am not a great coach, but, I have studied all the great ones ” Scotty Bowman, John Wooden, Bill Belicheck, Vince Lombardi,Tommy Lasorda.” etc. They all were different,but, all of them were a bit paranoid when they were successful…They never worried about results, they worried about process…Results, come and go and track records DO mean something, the point, is to give your self the best chance to win, when things are not going well, it helps good teams whether those times. Bellicheck famously said “more teams lose games in the NFL, then win them” so, his goal is to make his teams mentally tough, and fundamentally sound. This is why they are always able to be in the thick of things, even when Brady gets injured, their Defense is talent deficient,etc. The Yankees get a lot of talk about their payroll, but, they were one win from the WS, with a staff of John Leiber, Kevin Brown, etc. They do not take at-bats off, make bonehead plays, etc. They are held accountable. There is a fine line between being loose and comfortable..Scotty Bowman changed the country club atmosphere w/ the wings and I feel that the evidence shows that they need a change at some point for these Tigers. They spend too much time waiting for things to start happening, rather than controlling what they can control…which is: mental focus, looking a ball into your glove, working the pitcher at a big moment in the game…not missing the cutoff man…all these little things is what wins or loses games over the long haul and Jim seems to think it is not very important. I disagree, this attention to detail is why managers are paid millions…it isn’t to look at the back of a baseball card and say..”This guy will start hitting” His own words have said a lot and when you really listen to them..It appears this is an organization that is a bit too comortable, entitled, and waiting for good things to happen. That never works in professional sports. Don’t take my word for it, read any information about the great coaches. Bellicheck famously said :”you guys stink, and the only way that I can help you, is too put more and more pressure on you guys…so, that when game time comes it will be easier then the pressure, that I put on you and then you can make quick, good decisions. ” Jim appears scared to put any pressure on his guys…like they are china dolls. That is not HELPING them, because when you are 5 games under .500 in June and the fans are booing…There is going to be pressure and all of Jim’s coddling can not prevent that.. It’s not a mystery why this dysfunctional team stinks.

  5. Now, I am a High school football coach and I don’t claim to be an expert..BUT, the comments coming out of Detroit have made me less confident and given me more insight into their problems. Jim said in the paper today “We have gone out of our way, to not put pressure on the guys.” He has also said..”We are a good team, we will hit, etc.” Now, he moves a hitter in an awful slump, who is feeling aorry for himself and did not even use simple little league fundamentals and he dropped the ball…He REWARDS him..Raburn style, Sheffield style, Maggs style…It’s insanity to keep trying the same tactic, that has no proven success to shorten a slump…you just put a scuffling hitter in a key spot in the order. Why do other managers make changes to their lineups, when they are scuffling? But, to me that is not the central issue. It is this idea of not putting pressure on the guys…as a coach…all you can do is put pressure on your team, make them used to making decisions under stressful situations (so that the game is easy and they are just reacting) I am not a great coach, but, I have studied all the great ones ” Scotty Bowman, John Wooden, Bill Belicheck, Vince Lombardi,Tommy Lasorda.” etc. They all were different,but, all of them were a bit paranoid when they were successful…They never worried about results, they worried about process…Results, come and go and track records DO mean something, the point, is to give your self the best chance to win, when things are not going well, it helps good teams whether those times. Bellicheck famously said “more teams lose games in the NFL, then win them” so, his goal is to make his teams mentally tough, and fundamentally sound. This is why they are always able to be in the thick of things, even when Brady gets injured, their Defense is talent deficient,etc. The Yankees get a lot of talk about their payroll, but, they were one win from the WS, with a staff of John Leiber, Kevin Brown, etc. They do not take at-bats off, make bonehead plays, etc. They are held accountable. There is a fine line between being loose and comfortable..Scotty Bowman changed the country club atmosphere w/ the wings and I feel that the evidence shows that they need a change at some point for these Tigers. They spend too much time waiting for things to start happening, rather than controlling what they can control…which is: mental focus, looking a ball into your glove, working the pitcher at a big moment in the game…not missing the cutoff man…all these little things is what wins or loses games over the long haul and Jim seems to think it is not very important. I disagree, this attention to detail is why managers are paid millions…it isn’t to look at the back of a baseball card and say..”This guy will start hitting” His own words have said a lot and when you really listen to them..It appears this is an organization that is a bit too comortable, entitled, and waiting for good things to happen. That never works in professional sports. Don’t take my word for it, read any information about the great coaches. Bellicheck famously said :”you guys stink, and the only way that I can help you, is too put more and more pressure on you guys…so, that when game time comes it will be easier then the pressure, that I put on you and then you can make quick, good decisions. ” Jim appears scared to put any pressure on his guys…like they are china dolls. That is not HELPING them, because when you are 5 games under .500 in June and the fans are booing…There is going to be pressure and all of Jim’s coddling can not prevent that.. It’s not a mystery why this dysfunctional team stinks.

  6. Sorry, my long winded rant was posted twice. My bad. I needed to vent. Take it for what it is.

  7. TheTigers should use the allstar game method of pitching ….. every pitcher gets one inning of work ….. 2 or maybe 3 innings if they are going good. Now, to today ….. they don’t have a chance with Crosby pitching …… they will have to put up a lot of crooked numbers ….. and I don’t think this lineup can produce …… there are too many rally killers.

  8. Split Squad Lineup, good stuff.

    I agree about the plate discipline approach…with some teams it is organizational and preached at every level; even a better hitting coach than McClendon just can’t take a bunch of guys and say “ok now y’all try this new approach” and have it magically work…they are who they are.

    Raburn of all people should just hack away: he is hitting .364 when he swings at the first pitch. He might as well: when he takes the first pitch and it’s a strike, his at bat is over. An incredible .207 OPS (yes that’s OPS) after he starts with an 0-1 count, with 29 Ks in 69 Pas (and only 1 walk)…hard to even process those numbers…

  9. Prince needs to step out of the running lane and then make that throw.

    1. Wait a minute, Ramon Santiago is in a huge funk and will likely play tomorrow. Where do you plan to bat him?

      1. No DH vs Cincinnati, so you move Young to LF, Kelly to CF, give Berry the day off and bat Santiago 1st.

  13. Blowpen alert…Actually get offense and the bullpen is trying to lose it… This team isn’t worth paying attention to anymore…

  14. hey Coke..thanks for not only starting that fire…but not putting it out either…what exactly have you done all year???

  16. Wow, that was…exciting. And a good thing we weren’t playing with Vince’s inter league lineup (hate to think of what Kelly would have done with that one).

    1. When “exciting” revolves around this team’s defense, we are in BIG trouble.

  17. why does Rod say all the time..”he finds himself in a good hitters count”? when there is no good hitters count with the Tigers

  18. 10 straight outs by the offense – none of which left the infield in fair territory.

    1. Easy, easy double play if he just throws to second.

      They turn double plays so infrequently he has forgotten how to do it.

      1. Two GDP turned already today though, which is pretty impressive considering.

        1. I guess I should be thankful for what we’ve got, although with Valverde coming up in the ninth, I’m sure we’re going to be looking for another one.

  21. We finally got a baserunner. Somebody wake up Brookens and Lamont (well, maybe not Lamont).

    1. Damn, too late…was counting on Porcello providing some spark batting 5th…luckily, my house is only a van down by the river.

    1. Using the WAR rating, Brennan Boesch is the Least Valuable Player in the league, ranked 317th out of 317 players. That’s something of an accomplishment. He even has a bit of a cushion between himself and #316, Ryan Raburn. (There is one player worse in the NL, Rickie Weeks of Milwaukee, so Boesch has some work to do for the Least Valuable Player, MLB title).

        1. Also that is one position where the Tigers don’t have to worry about a negative fielding rating.

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