2013 Season, Game Post

Game 2013.158: Tigers at Twins

70 Comments

91 – 66, 2.

Not much to like about yesterday’s game. Even though JV went 6 with 0 ER and 12 Ks, he walked 3 and got in enough trouble to not pitch into the 7th. I don’t have the numbers in front of me, but I’m certain that the bullpen has pitched significantly more innings in JV starts this year than in any year in recent history.

I recognize that the Tigers have been pretty average over the past few weeks, a time span that coincides greatly with Cabrera’s nagging injuries. But I don’t put any stock into momentum heading into the playoffs in MLB. None whatsoever. It would be great to catch Oakland. In my mind, that is what we are playing for right now. Any momentum we may pick-up will be lost in the break before the first playoff series.

If we don’t, we’ll re-evaluate come game 1 post for the ALDS.

Rotation as listed…

Tonight: Fister

Tomorrow: Scherzer

Friday: Porcello

Saturday: Sanchez

Sunday: Verlander

That Sunday game is on the 29th, and there will be 5 days between the last game of the regular season and game 1 of the ALDS on Friday the 4th (assuming Detroit is not in a play-in/WC game). So really, Leyland can do whatever he wants with the rotation. I’m thinking that the home/away will play a role with Porcello out of the pen.

To be honest, this exercise was much less enjoyable that I thought it would be. Or perhaps I’m still frustrated that JV didn’t win #18 last night.

70 thoughts on “Game 2013.158: Tigers at Twins”

  1. against LHP S. Diamond
    1. Austin Jackson, CF
    2. Torii Hunter, RF
    3. Miguel Cabrera, 3B
    4. Prince Fielder, 1B
    5. Victor Martinez, DH
    6. Omar Infante, 2B
    7. Matt Tuiasosopo, LF
    8. Alex Avila, C
    9. Ramon Santiago, SS
    Starting pitcher: Doug Fister

  2. scanning the AL standings, a few figures jumped off the page regarding the teams that would currently be playoff bound:

    Extra Inning Games
    DET – 6-12 (DET the only MLB playoff team w/losing record in XTRA)
    BOS – 10-6
    TAM – 9-7
    CLE – 10-2
    OAK – 7-6

    1-Run Games
    DET – 19-23 (DET the only MLB playoff team w/losing record in 1-run games)
    BOS – 21-19
    TAM – 25-21
    CLE – 28-17
    OAK – 32-21

    vs LHP
    DET – 26-23 (DET w/worst record vs LHP)
    BOS – 32-21
    TAM – 29-22
    CLE – 32-20
    OAK – 32-21

    what does it mean? …maybe nothing… I have my opinion

    1. Meanings:

      Extra Inning Games: Lousy bullpen

      1-Run Games: Lousy bullpen

      vs LHP: Jackson, Dirks, Avila

      1. Cleveland looks pretty darned strong on the StorminNorman$ lists. Are we *sure* we want them in the playoffs? That’s up to us, of course, so let’s decide now.

        1. Make that:

          Extra Inning Games: Feast or famine/dead late offense, no running game, lousy bullpen

          1-Run Games: Lousy bullpen, feast or famine/dead late offense, no running game

          vs LHP: Jackson, Dirks, Avila

    2. It means the Tigers tend to lose extra inning games by 1 run to LH pitchers. Actually I agree with Loon that the bullpen is the culprit. Once you get past Benoit in extras and are into dregs, well… phssst.

      1. “It means the Tigers tend to lose extra inning games by 1 run to LH pitchers.”

        That’s quite interesting, actually. There may be some truth to it.

        1. I’m guessing a lot of those losses were/are/continue to be on the road where they are 31-35 vs. Not Cleveland.

  3. another less than average pitcher the Tigers can make great at times. Maybe its a good thing you only face very good pitching in the playoffs. Because of all the mediocre pitchers the Tigers make, look like Cy Yyoung winners…The Tigers are definately the personnality of their manager. I believe yesterday in the posts the word lethargic was used…well thats them!

  4. does anyone have a list of the 10-15 pitchers who threw shutouts against the Tigers? .I know Sale is on it but I didn’ think it was a who’s who of the top pitchers in the A.L.

    1. Sabbathia* NYY
      Iwakuma SEA
      Richards LAA
      Gomez PIT
      Locke* PIT
      Cobb TBR
      Santana KCR
      Shields KCR
      Salazar CLE
      Santana KCR
      Iwakuma SEA

      Nearly all righties, strangely enough.

  5. I agree with Kevin’s comments, “don’t put any stock into momentum heading into the playoffs”. As DET fans might recall, in 2006, STL limped into the playoffs, winning just 3 of their last 12 games, and finishing just 5 games over .500 (83-78), which that year was good enough to win the NL Central.

    STL kind of continued the limp in the WS (batting only .228), but fortunately for them their opponent (DET), limped offensively (batting .199) and defensively; and the heavily favored DET lost to STL in 5 games. Remove Sean Casey’s stats from DET that year, and DET batted only .159 in the WS… oh the memories

    2. You could say that although the Cardinals limped into the Series that year, the Tigers were rolled in on a gurney.

  6. how bad is my life when I spend more time watching the Indians and Rangers scores more than the Tigets. Just hoping the Tigers can BACK IN……

  10. Avila vs. LHP this year (before tonight): .149/.232/.243/.475

    Definitely needs all the PAs he can get against lefties before the WS starts.

  11. even though Avila has been hot ( not against lefties) I liked it alot better when Mumbles was platooning him and Pena…Pena sits so much now he hasn’t been very effective with his 2 AB a week…but Mumbles really doesn’t care about stuff like that

  12. Anybody else get the feeling that Francona has some kind of dirt on Ventura ((I’m only sorta kidding))??? 12 straight losses to CLE by Ventura’s team and now they cough up 2 in the bottom of the 7th to fall behind CLE yet again. Amazingly awful by the ChiSox. Anybody else feel like the rest of the division hates us? Minnesota is playing us as though they are still in the hunt right now, but they also generally lay down for CLE (although nowhere near the extent that the ChiSox have this year). The White Sox played us much tougher than they did CLE this year, as did the Twins.

    I sure hope that Gardenhire treats the CLE series this weekend the same as he is treating this one. Last night Gardy brought in his 8th inning guy in a game they trailed 3-0 to pitch the 8th versus looking at the kids as most teams do this time of year. He also brought his closer in despite trailing 3-2 in the top of the ninth versus getting a look at his prospects.

    Maybe I’ve just got a persecution complex. 🙂

      1. Well, you look at his career and it looks like this is normal, and the first part of the season was just a fluke. Early on I was hopeful that he had turned a corner, but it looks like he was just running into them in bunches.

        1. I agree. It looks like midnight has struck for Tui. I just can’t see anyway that he makes the postseason roster given the numbers that Vince cited. No hits since August 28th and no xtras since July 27th. Yikes. Even Santiago hits with more power than those numbers.

          1. I’m pretty sure Tui has been playing with a sore arm since August 28. Earlier this week, Jackson was hampered by a sore arm. Benoit’s arm was a little sore when he gave up the HR to Dozier Monday, but going back to a standard 1-inning outing last night allowed it to heal properly.

      1. And so has CLE been. They have been very, very good at taking advantage of opposition mistakes. And not just by “slugging it”.

  20. Can we please get this magic # to 1 tonight??? Another white knuckler as Twins tightening the noose in the 7th. Ok Gardy, we get it. You’ve shown that your club is playing with integrity down the stretch. Now lay down and let us wrap this thing up before we get to Miami. Damn.

      1. Gardy has managed these two games as though it were the ALDS. Switching pitchers mid-inning to get lefty on lefty matchups with bases empty and two outs. Last night using his 8th inning guy in the 8th despite being down three runs. I will be interested to see if he plays it the same way against CLE this weekend. We may not need him to but Texas, Tampa, and KC certainly would appreciate it. It’ll look a little fishy if he decides to pitch his “kids” this weekend versus going with his frontline guys in this series versus DET.

        1. I know from a Tigers perspective this sounds improbable, but the Twins have about 5 “frontline” guys in their bullpen. Unfortunately they are run down now because the starters have been so bad this season (lowest IP/G in the league (majors?) this season – I think). The other big problem for them is run scoring ability – Morneau gone, Mauer on DL (probably for the rest of the season too), Willingham not up to par because of injuries all year, and although Dozier has made great strides in the 2nd half, they really are fielding a AAA team. Cleveland, which is playing great ball right now, unlike you-know-who, should be able to roll over them as easily as they have vs CHI. We should be able to win one more out of the last four to clinch, but the current level of Tiger ball isn’t going to cut it in the playoffs.

    1. I guess the Tigers didn’t agree with me as they put up a meek 1-2-3 top of the 8th inning.

      1. The thing is, one more Tiger win or one more Ranger loss and they are assured of making the playoffs, so what’s the rush?

  23. meabwhile the Tigers sit on their 4 runs because scoring in more than one inning in a game..is…just…to….hard!

    1. Come on, this is one tough AAA team that Minnesota is featuring here. I mean their line up is loaded with guys hitting .230 and .250 …

    1. That was an impressive inning by Rondon. Wow. Its that kind of potential that makes you see why the Tigers thought he could be their closer last winter.

  27. AJax took extra BP today, and although we all know BP is over-rated (Lloyd and Jimbo say so), he does have 3 hits tonight. Maybe it is all psychological.

  28. The Tigers never do the things it takes to try and add on runs. There was a perfect chance to send Jackson, the second fastest Tiger, and try and get him in scoring position…but Mumbles thinks ony bad thigs happen when you try and steal!!!!

    1. I know and its frustrating. I have no idea why you don’t have Ajax try and steal second in that situation. Nothing to lose at all. If he gets thrown out, no big deal. If he steals second and later is driven in by Hunter or Miggy its a pretty big deal. Three run lead versus a 2 run lead and a lot less stress for everyone on the team, especially the closer.

    1. Actually I would have rather it left the ballpark tonight and stayed in the ballpark for a double last night. We likely win both games if that was the case.

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