Detroit Tigers, 31-34, 4 games behind Chicago.

The Tigers evened up the series with the Rockies, as Miguel Cabrera got the rare double (Home Run plus Little League Home Run), and Doug Fister came back strong with his first victory of the season. (His next start should be Friday).

The Tigers look to take their 3rd consecutive IL series in today’s Father’s Day rubber game.  And dammit they are going to get this one.

On the mound for Detroit will be the enigmatic Max Daddy, Max Scherzer, against the struggling righty Jeremy Guthrie (3-5, 6.91). The righty on the mound means we will be treated to the Jacksonberry lineup.

Colorado would just as soon see Interleague season end.  They are one 10th-inning clown show from being winless in IL this year.

Stat of the Day: Miguel Cabrera leads all active Tigers with 1 LLHR.

Today’s Player of the Pre-game:  Quintin Berry.  Q-Berry gets a rare start, and is itching to try his hand at one of those LLHRs.

Today’s Who’s-On-Third? Lineup:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Quintin Berry LF
3. Miguel Cabrera DH
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Brennan Boesch RF
6. Jhonny Peralta SS
7. Ramon Santiago 2B
8. Don Kelly 3B
9. Gerald Laird C

Detroit Tigers, 30-34, 4 games behind Chicago (1st), 4 1/2 ahead of Twins (last).

That was an exciting game last night. I had to leave before the extra innings, but I’ve got it recorded and will watch as soon as I finish this blurb.  I can’t wait! Looks like Valverde is coming in in a non-save situation, but I’m sure it will work out fine.

This afternight (4:00 start) Doug Fister makes his 2nd comeback of the season, looking for his first win.

To make room for Fister, Casey Crosby was sent down. Or Matt Young (finally). They both went back to Toledo, and Thad Weber will be called up to shore up the thinning ranks of the bullpen.  Rumor has it that the bullpen was depleted last night (“We’ve got major problems,” Leyland said), and on top of that Fister can’t be expected to go too deep into the game in his first comeback experience.

Leyland has ruled out Villarreal, Benoit, and Valverde for today. Looks like Putty-time!

Detroit will be facing the dreaded Rookie Pitcher Guy (Christian Friedrich, 4-2, 5.85).

In other news, don’t expect Dirks or Avila back soon.  And Ryan Raburn is still right-handed.

Stat of the Day: Doug Fister has a career winning % of only .370 (20-34), despite a career ERA of only 3.47.

Tonight’s Player of the Pre-game:  Austin Jackson.  He bats right.  He hits lefties (4 HR, 11 RBI, vs Cabrera, 1 HR 6 RBI).

Tonight’s Because-There’s-A-Lefty-Pitching-That’s-Why Lineup:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young DH
6. Jhonny Peralta SS
7. Ryan Raburn LF
8. Gerald Laird C
9. Ramon Santiago 2B

Detroit Tigers, 30-33, 4 games behind Chicago.

Ryan Raburn is an understanding guy. He really is. He says “I would’ve booed me as well.” (No word on how he would have spelled his name).

The boos are on hold for now, as Raburn scrounged up a couple of hits, and the Tigers won their 2nd consecutive Interleague series.

(Update:  Raburn will be playing LF.  Resumption-of-booing-needle swings toward Likely).

Detroit goes for three against the Colorado Rockies, once briefly home of Ol’ Smokey himself. The Rockies are 13-8 against Detroit in IL play, and have won the last two series.

The opener of the series sees Casey Crosby take his 3rd career start, and attempt to keep his ERA in single digits (9.35). Crosby will face lefty Jeff Francis, whose return to Colorado after a year sabbatical in Kansas City has been quite rocky (0-1, 21.60 ERA).  Doubtless tonight will be a pitcher’s duel.

Stat of the Day: Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder are a combined 5-for-27 (.185) lifetime against Jeff Francis.

Tonight’s Player of the Pre-game:  Austin Jackson.  AJax continues to have the hot bat. In addition, Rockies star Carlos Gonzalez has 16 home runs, but 12 of them have come in the mountain air of Colorado. In Comerica he will be leaving his shots on the warning track, and Jackson is there to haul them in.

Tonight’s Ha-Ha-You-Thought-Berry-Would-Be-In-LF-With-The-Return-Of-The-DH Lineup:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young DH
6. Jhonny Peralta SS
7. Ryan Raburn LF
8. Danny Worth 2B
9. Bryan Holaday C

29-33, 3rd place, 5 games back.

On a night when the Tigers’ big three bats were a combined 2-14 with 1 R and 0 RBI, the Tigers still plated 8 runners and won comfortably, for a change.

Since being reinserted into the 2 hole (this includes a PH appearance), Boesch is 12-22 with 2 HR, and has seen his average rise from .227 to .252. I don’t think that Boesch’s streak has anything to do with Smokey moving him back up in the order, but rather should be attributed to the normal peaks and valleys of a season. Boesch has been streaky in the past, so let’ see how much we can get out of him during this one.

Peralta, on the other hand, seems to be on the path towards career averages, which would be welcomed. He’s hitting .387 over his last 10 and has raised his average from .239 to .267.

In light of the hitting from the supporting cast, I think the real story over the past few weeks is the bullpen. Tigers relievers are posting a 2.25 ERA and a .219 BAA over the past 25 games. Here are the last five outings for each of the relievers:

– Below – 3.00 ERA, 6 IP, 3 H
– Benoit – 0.00 ERA, 5.1 IP, 6 k
– Coke – 3.86 ERA, 4.2 IP, 9 k
– Marte – 3.38 ERA, 10.2 IP, 10 K
– Putkonen (not so good, but it was 3 weeks ago)
– Valverde – 0.00 ERA, 5 IP, 3 saves
– Villareal – 2.45 ERA, 7.1 IP, 9 K

And we’re going to add Al AlB to that in a few months? If the bats can just pick up, we’re going to be alright.

Today’s Notes:

– Ryan Raburn is back after hammering Triple-A pitching to the tune of .194 with 1 HR. Smyly to the DL.
– Are the Tigers looking at Carlos Quentin? He’d be an upgrade in LF over DY.

Today’s Series Winning There is Zero Justification for Batting Rayburn Ahead of Laird Lineup:

1. Jackson, CF
2. Boesch, RF
3. Cabrera, 3B
4. Fielder, 1B
5. Young, LF
6. Peralta, SS
7. Raburn, 2B
8. Laird, C
9. Verlander, P

28-33, 3rd place, 6 games behind CWS.

Last night’s loss was as ugly as they come.  While replays may show that the umps blew both calls, the calls should have never been blowable, as both of the plays were routine for a major league shortstop. Routine. Good throws and they calls are no doubters. Moreover, the below average range off the mound and at 3B led to an IF hit that could have ended the inning. Oh yeah, and if Phil Coke doesn’t walk a guy (he walked 2 last night, compared to 1 in his previous 9 outings), then the run never scores. So really the bad calls exacerbated the Tigers more prominent problems, and demonstrate the fine W-L line that the Tigers are walking every night. We simply do not have the luxury to make mistakes, because our bats can’t atone for them, and our gloves can’t prevent runs. Is it 2008 all over again?

Porcello enters tonight with no where to go but up. He’s 0-2 with a 5.17 ERA over his last six starts. He hasn’t pitched into the 7th since May 6th, and if that happens tonight, it’s because we’re up by 10. Porcello is a titan at the plate (by Tigers standards), batting .250 with 2 RBI in 12 official ABs. No word on whether he can play second base or make an infield throw. Porcello doesn’t walk many, and the Cubs don’t hit the ball all that hard. So if we can make a few plays in the field, this match-up looks pretty favorable for the boys.

A few notes:

– The WSJ’s accuscore picked the Cubs to win 6.3 to 3.9. The CUBS!
– Omir Santos is now a Rockie Rocky member of the Colorado Rockies organization.
– Apparently Drew Smyly has been sidelined by “just a little Ebola.” (not for weak stomachs)
– A sweep by the Cubs and Leyland loses the benefit of the round (currently 1,614 and 1,616 = .49969).

Tonight’s We Had Better Win Lineup or Else We’ll Probably Lose the Series to the Cubs:

1. Jackson, CF
2. Boesch, RF
3. Cabrera, 3B
4. Fielder, 1B
5. Young, LF
6. Peralta, SS
7. Laird, C
8. Santiago, 2B
9. Porcello, P

28-32, 3rd place, 5 games behind CWS.

Well, the tone of what I planned on posting changed pretty significantly around the 8th inning on Sunday night, and the Tigers waggle into Wrigley after taking a series in Cinci. Short on time today, but a few notes:

– Don’t Ask Dotel to the DL with elbow inflammation, Putkonen back up.
– That makes 7 on the DL, right now. The Tigers have already used 40 players this season, which has DD scrambling to figure out 40 man roster rules.
– Valverde doesn’t throw a spitball, he just sweats a lot.

Papa Peralta is tonight’s player of the game, as he goes deep twice for each of his new twin girls, Gabriela and Laina.

1. Jackson, CF
2. Boesch, RF
3. Cabrera, 3B
4. Fielder, 1B
5. Young, LF (Leyland thinks the time in left will get him going; I don’t)
6. Peralta, SS
7.  Laird, C
8. Worth, 2B
9. Mad Max, Flamethrower

Detroit Tigers, 27-32, 6 games behind Chicago.

Jim Leyland feels pretty good.  Every game.  Over and over. At least one can assume. “Anytime you have Cabrera and Fielder back to back, you feel pretty good. Right-hander or left-hander, it doesn’t make any difference,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

Anyway yesterday was the kind of game that good teams win, in the same way the Friday night’s game was the type of game that bad teams lose.  So tonight is the rubber game both of the series, and of the good team/bad team thing, and it will be played out on the big stage: the game is the ESPN Sunday Night Baseball feature (thus the 8:00 PM start time).

Brennan Boesch has taken his share of abuse here, understandably so (although it should be noted he is no longer AL LVP: he is now behind both Ryan Raburn and Chone Figgins). But his double–and his base running on the Fielder single in the 8th (and this is exactly the sort of thing that the Tigers do oh so badly)–was the difference in the game.  Although no, sorry, Boesch still does not look as good as Joey Votto. 

On the down side, Boesch tweaked his ankle on the play, was removed from the game, and is now…day-to-day?

***Update: Boesch out, Berry in right, batting 2nd.  It may be a minor cavil, but it would make more sense to bat Berry first, and move Jackson to 2nd.  But maybe they were short of white-out or something.

In other news, apparently the Tigers made a serious offer to Roy Oswalt this offseason, and he said no thank you.

Stat of the Day: Jim Leyland is a career .500 manager. OK, technically 1615-1617. But he is 73-40 (.646) in Interleague play.  That sly, double-shifting devil!

Today’s Player of the Pre-game:  Miguel Cabrera. The Tigers have yet to see Reds flame throwing closer Aroldis Chapman.  That will likely change tonight, close situation or not.  The 100 mph fastball of Chapman meets the bat of Cabrera, and Chapman is tagged with his 2nd earned run of the season.

Tonight’s Jacksonberry Lineup:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Quintin Berry RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young LF
6. Ramon Santiago SS
7. Gerald Laird C
8. Danny Worth 2B
9. Drew Smyly P

Detroit Tigers, 26-32, 6 games behind Chicago. Injury Report: Partly Cloudy with a Chance of Fog.

While the result of last night’s game lingers over Tigerville like a noxious fog, a flurry of movement can be seen at the town gates.

Austin Jackson is in, finally returning from the 15-Day DL.  Jhonny Peralta, have a cigar, and enjoy your paternity leave. 20 year old Hernan Perez (2B, .253) has been recalled from Lakeland, and will no doubt pinch-hit in a bases-loaded, 1-out situation. And Octavio Dotel is… something.  And there is still a shoe to drop:  someone has to go to make room for Jackson (Matt Young, anyone?) (Update: Jose Ortega draws the short straw).

And don’t worry, none of this will result in Berry and Jackson in the outfield at the same time:  “It is what it is. He’s an extra player on the bench,” Jim Leyland said in his pregame remarks. “I’m not going to take Boesch out. Hopefully we’ve got him going. I’m not going to take Delmon out.”

***

I am trying to keep this all straight.  Apparently Dotel, like Benoit, was newly unavailable last night (elbow inflammation, day-to-day). And Benoit was unavailable (forearm tightness, day-to-day), thus The Jose Ortega Experience. Although apparently Benoit may be available today.  And Dotel. Different day I guess.

“Day-to-day” pretty much sums up the Tigers this season, doesn’t it?

The Tigers easily lead MLB baseball in total number of day-to-day days. There is seemingly a new day-to-day player every game. Some will go on and off the list…some will be day-to-day, then go to the DL.  But both the bench and bullpen have been shorthanded all season because of the day-to-day action.  Is this bad luck? Bad conditioning? Too much work (bullpen)? Is this about the thinness of the minor league ranks (why DL a player if there is nobody to bring up)?

***

The Tigers were beaten by a squeeze bunt. It’s the kind of play other teams use to beat Detroit, and the kind of play Detroit could never execute to beat other teams.  The Reds are hardly a small ball team:  they are 4th in the NL with 64 HRs (Votto crushed one last night that would make Cabrera envious). But they showed that both kinds of skills can happily co-exist.

As for the bullpen moves, they make a little more sense now that we know that Dotel was unavailable: Leyland was stuck in a Don’t Ask, Dotel situation.  Then there was the double-shifting that took Boesch and Peralta out of the game early, and left poor Matt Young manning RF in clown shoes. Leyland rightfully took a lot of heat for yesterday’s game.

Maybe we should extend the Jim Leyland Signature Song poll question: In Jim Leyland’s future career as a singer, his signature song will be:  ______.

***

Speaking of Votto, ESPN has a good comparison between Votto and Hamilton, and argues that Votto is the better hitter. They have one of those cool “heat maps”  that show that Votto just does not swing outside of the strike zone, and almost never at outside pitches. (By the way, in the Alternate Baseball Universe in which the Tigers won last night’s game, Coke’s strikeout of Votto was the play of the game).

***

It will fall to Justin Verlander to make Tiger fans forget the bunt force trauma of last night.  Although apparently nothing is more important than for Verlander to get his first career hit.

Stat of the Day: The Tigers are undefeated in games in which they have led after 9 innings.

Today’s Player of the Pre-game:  Austin Jackson.  Jackson has been leading the Tigers in about everything (Batting Average, On-Base %, OPS).  Can he pick up where he left off? Or will he come back as 2011 AJax?

Tonight’s Would-It-Really-Have-Killed-Him-To-Try-Austin-And-Berry-Together? Lineup:

1. Austin Jackson CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young LF
6. Ramon Santiago SS
7. Gerald Laird C
8. Danny Worth 2B
9. Justin Verlander P

Detroit Tigers, 26-31, 6 games behind Chicago.

Day-to-Day injuries: 2 (Benoit, Laird). 15-Day DL: 4 (Jackson, Fister, Avila, Dirks).

The Tigers hop on the bus and ride their 1-game winning streak south to Cincinnati, where they will engage in a 3-game Sparky Bowl series with the Reds.

The Reds have taken over first in the Other Central, led by MLB Most Valuable Player Joey Votto (if you take WAR rating as a guide), who failed to get the memo about how performance should tail off after signing a huge contract.

The Reds will be facing Rick Porcello, who tries to follow up an a good 1-run, 6 inning outing against New York. The Reds will counter with Mat Latos, who they received this offseason from the Padres in exchange for Yonder Alonso, Edinson Volquez, Yasmani Grandal, and Brad Boxberger. Just wanted to type those names.

Austin Jackson,  Doug Fister, and Andy Dirks are all preparing for their returns.  If there are any more setbacks, Jim Leyland may be singing a different tune, as StorminNorman posted.

So here is today’s challenge.  In Jim Leyland’s future career as a singer, his signature song will be:  ______.

In other news, Detroit won’t have Omir Santos to kick around anymore: he has refused his assignment to Toledo and is now a free agent.

Stat of the Day: Something is foul here.  The Tigers lead the AL in the propensity to foul off pitches: 29% of the team strikes are from foul balls.  I have a feeling this is a good thing, although I can’t quite articulate why.

Tonight’s Player of the Pre-game:  Rick Porcello. Rick Porcello and his .250 career average gladly grabs some lumber and helps his own cause.

Tonight’s Un-Designated Lineup

1. Quintin Berry CF
2. Brennan Boesch RF
3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
4. Prince Fielder 1B
5. Delmon Young LF
6. Jhonny Peralta SS
7. Gerald Laird C
8. Ramon Santiago 2B
9. Rick Porcello P

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

25-30, 3rd place, 6 games behind CWS.

Been a pretty frustrating run as of late, but  here are a few noteworthy items.

– Avila to the DL, Bryan Holaday up from AAA (and starting!); Santos down.

– AJax took a few swings in BP today. It’s been three weeks since he last played. And I don’t think that taking a few swings means he’s coming back anytime soon.

– Jose Ortega was also called up from AAA, look for him to come on in a 2 on, 1 out, up by 1 situation in the 7th tonight.

– Jurickson Profar tops the list of a few 2B trade prospects to dream about (Profar would move from SS).

Tonight’s Could This Be Our First Win Of The Season Against Cleveland? Lineup:

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

25-29, 3rd place, 6 games back.

Well, here we sit, 1/3 of the way through the season, and in third place. The season has been a great disappointment for just about everyone so far, save maybe Quentin Berry. If you’re projecting stats over the final 2/3 of the season, Cabby would end up with 33 HR and 132 RBIs (sounds about right), Fielder with 27 HR and 105 RBIs (a little low), and no one else with more than 15 HRs or 60 RBIs. This last point really highlights the Tigers’ woes thus far, as no one else is hitting. Jackson’s 17 XBH have contributed to only 17 RBIs, and Young, Peralta and Boesch have woeful OPS’s dwarfed by the current likes of Berry and Laird.

The pitching hasn’t been much better (10th in ERA – 4.24, T9th in WHIP – 1.35), and Valverde and Scherzer have been downright awful. Valverde can’t find the strike zone posting 15 walks in 21+ innings, to go along with 2 HB for an ugly 1.59 WHIP. As I’ve mentioned before, Scherzer is getting pummeled by the BABIP gremlin, so while he’ll likely get better, Valverde’s grip on the closer’s role is hopefully loose, at best.

As far as fixing the above…the Tigers simply need to play better. The defense is what it is, though Berry will help the OF significantly. I think the pitching will be fine with Marte up and Scherzer getting better (so I hope); but the bats need to get going. Past performance indicates that they will – even if Peralta, Young and Avila can just be average players, we’ll score more runs. Maybe VMart in the dugout will spark the team a bit.

A few notes:

– Nick Castellanos was promoted to AA Erie today, though that doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll be up here anytime soon. Castellanos is a 3B, and if he’s going to play for the Tigers, it will likely be in LF. Let’s see if he starts to log some innings in LF.

– The Tigers have drafted two HS pitchers thus far in the amateur draft, including Jake Thompson who’s about 15 miles east of me right now (if he’s home).

– Matt Young is up, and starting in LF tonight, batting second like everyone should in their season debut.

– Don’t forget to vote for your Tigers for the All Star game.

– Very little on AJax as of late, which has me very concerned.

Tonight’s Lineup:

1. Quintin Berry, CF
2. Matt Young, LF
3. Miguel Cabrera, 3B
4. Prince Fielder, 1B
5. Delmon Young, DH
6. Alex Avila, C
7. Jhonny Peralta, SS
8. Brennan Boesch, RF
9. Ramon Santiago, 2B