2014 Season, Game Post

Game 2014.83: Rays 6, Tigers 3

40 Comments

Hurray for all the good citizens and inhabitants of this fine country, past and present. Hurray for all the champions and defenders of American liberty, now and ever. Hurray for freedom and civil society. Hurray for making the most of it and making it better. For everyone. Except for assorted criminals and saboteurs, such as the Tampa Bay Rays.

Alex Cobb vs. Drew Smyly tonight.

Game preview

Detroit Tigers on BBREF or MLB

Tampa Bay Rays on BBREF or MLB

TURNING BASERUNNERS INTO RUNS

TONIGHT’S LINEUPS: Where’s Nick? Oh, right. Watch out, Don. Could be going around.

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NOTABLE (PREGAME): Last night, fine D in the 3rd from Castellanos and Suarez took two Tampa Bay hits off the board and helped Scherzer cruise the rest of the way. The only Tigers batter not to reach was Suarez. How good was that offense? Cabrera reached 4 times and scored 4 times, and yet was surpassed in statistical big game by both V. Martinez and Hunter. That’s how good. Chad Smith got that elusive third out in the 9th without intervening hits. There is so much to praise about Scherzer’s performance that I’ll settle for one thing: He pitched the last 7 innings like he didn’t have the lead. Still not a bad idea to lift him. Save that next CG for an adrenaline game… We all know why Cabrera’s doubles were way down last year, don’t we? They are back with a vengeance this season. Miggy is on pace for 90 XBH in 2014, which would eclipse anything previous from him – and that’s saying a lot. 

POSTGAME Sombrero Man deserves some heat, but see play of the game. 16% is big. Boxberger 1, Hunter 0.

83Top5

* Stats, facts, graphics, and assorted coolness courtesy of http://www.baseball-reference.com and http://mlb.mlb.com and Betsy Ross and Coleman

austinjacksongoldensombrero2

40 thoughts on “Game 2014.83: Rays 6, Tigers 3”

    2. Ditto…well said Loon. Tonight’s game is on ESPN. Happy 4th from Brazoria, TX.

      1. Brazoria. Could there be a connection with Gov’t Mule song (guest appearance by the inimitable Billy Gibbons) “Broke Down On The Brazos”? I’m guessing yes.

  3. I’ve been thinking about Miggy participating in the Homerun Derby. If he does, how easy is it to picture him winning it and setting a record? Or, would it be too easy, just flipping one ball after another into the right field seats. It makes me think of Ron Gardenhires advice for getting him out: “Bore him.”

      1. I’ve always thought an throwing arm derby would be just as fun and impressive. Put a cut-out target of your favorite catcher at home plate with a hole in the middle of his chest. Have players try to hit the cut-out and better yet put it thru the hole from outfield. For bonus points they can have a guy one third who tries to tag up. MLB outfield arms are pathetic and need to be worked on.

        1. I really like the idea of a baseball “Skills Competition” similar to what the NHL does at their All Start game. Your idea of throwing home from the OF would be cool. How about throwing the ball around the infield – a specific series of throws – with the fastest time winning? Softball teams had a competition called “The Slickest Infield” when I lived in the Pittsburgh area and it was a popular annual event.

          I’d watch.

          1. I agree with the sentiments above. Lots of skills that serious fans and players appreciate could be added to the festivities, and I think they might prove more popular than the Batting Practice Home Run Derby. What could (will) hold this back is the risk of injury. Any serious athletic competition involves it. I think the All-Star thing will remain a low-intensity feel-good event. The All-Star Game itself is still a pretty meaningless exhibition. Home field advantage in the WS being at stake doesn’t add any interest to it for me.

  5. watching the Nat’l ESPN feed…I’ve always found Sutcliffe to be rather annoying, tonight in the few innings I’ve listened, he’s following suit.

        1. One more strikeout from Jackson and I would have considered replacing the American flag. We need a graphic of Ajax in sombrero against hammer and sickle. Only a Communist infiltrator would strike out for the Tigers 4 times on 4th of July.

  7. I wish Alex Avila and Austin Jackson well the rest of the way out, but those are two guys I don’t want to see on the team in 2015.

  8. That picture still cracks me up. Hope we don’t need it again though, especially not batting first.

  9. By the way, Austin’s closet is getting crowded: that is his 6th sombrero. Even the legendary Brandon Inge was only able to collect 3 of the things.

      1. No mention of the record for golden sombreros in a season. Jackson must surely be in the running though. I think he has had at least three so far this year.

        1. Tigers sombreros since 1984:

          http://bbref.com/pi/shareit/sBmVX

          Most in a season, 3. Cecil Fielder, Prince Fielder, Rob Deer (twice). Austin Jackson is getting up there for most overall along with Cecil, Rob, Tony Clark, and Travis Fryman.

          Jackson isn’t really a heavy-duty strikeout chump. This season, it’s WHEN he’s striking out. Typical scenario: 2 outs, runners on, 3-2 count.

          1. Wrong I was. Tony Clark had 4 sombreros in 1999. All in losses, too. His 8 Tigers Golden Sombreros skew heavily to losses, in fact – 7. By contrast, all 3 of Prince’s sombreros in 2013 were in wins.

  10. The A’s still have the best record in the league, but they are taking nothing for granted (maybe the sweep in Detroit was incentive). Just got Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel from the Cubs for minor-league SS prospect Addison Russell.

    2. so ‘moneyball’ is going to rent two starters for the playoff push…very interesting in light of the fact that the rumor had the ‘asking price’ quite high for either Samardzija or Hammel – so A’s got both for ‘2 prospects’ and the “player to be named later” – hmmmm? sure one or both of these “prospects” could into something special, but we all know there are no guarantees w/prospects.

      what about the NYY, BOS, KC and all the other teams (with a shot at playoffs) who are desperate for a starting pitcher? seems to me that Epstein (Cubs) gave away a lot for not-so-much in return… more suffering coming for Cubs fans for the remained of this season – they just lost there best two SPs

      1. correction: it was actually ‘3’ prospects (pitcher, SS, OF) the A’s gave up… the (trade) math still doesn’t add up in my simple brain

      2. You are right, it’s a HUGE seller’s market for pitching. And guess who has a surplus of pitching right now? Yep, the A’s. I mean, they already had the lowest ERA in the AL, and just added the 2 best Cubs pitchers. What are they going to do with them all? Make out in the seller’s market.

    1. 1. bats LH
      2. hit 24 homers a couple of times
      3. played for Jim Leyland

      Hmmm

        1. 4a. Dayan Viciedo is also available.
          5. Concern about Victor, need for a LH bat off the bench

  12. 6. Great clubhouse guy.
    7. Provides veteran leadership for young Torii.

    I made those last two up.

  13. OK, I get it. Tigers are helpless against last-place teams. Bring on the Dodgers!

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