2014 Season, Game Post

Game 2014.136: Tigers at White Sox

79 Comments

Baseball Reference Game Preview

Rick Porcello vs. Jose Quintana

Last night: Once again a rookie starter making his MLB starting debut comes through for the Tigers after a loss. Last time Lobstein, this time Ryan. Sigh of relief. And speaking of relief… sigh. Not “Cy.” Some job by the hitters in the top of the 9th to help Nathan and all of us breathe easier. Good job by the hitters, period, putting up 5 on the rookie Bassitt like they should have.

CLE-KCR in progress as I write late Saturday. Neither possible outcome entirely favorable for the Tigers, if you think about it. But of course if the Tigers just take care of their business and win, there’s nothing more to worry about, or at least nothing more that’s within their control. The season doesn’t end today and won’t any time soon. If the Detroit Tigers was 7 games up or 7 games out, I’d be pay attentions to the standing. As it is, the standings today will be forgotten by tomorrow.

Joba Chamberlain may or may not be Mr. 8th Inning, but we regret to inform you that over his last 13 appearances (before last night, which won’t help the numbers), he’s been hit for a .930 OPS and has a 6.94 ERA and a WHIP north of 2. 60 batters faced and 27 have reached. Forget Sloppy Joe. We’ve got Sloppy Joba on our hands now. So don’t groan if you see Coke making a run at Mr. 8th Inning Guy status.

Porcello has faced the Sox once in 2014. It was in Chicago and didn’t go so well. Quintana has faced the Tigers twice, and has been hittable but not hittable enough to yield more than 5 runs over 12 IP. I won’t be surprised to see “Cy” Quintana comments popping up in-game as Tigers reach and don’t score, but I’m looking forward to a good game from Porcello and a series win in advance of the showdown in Cleveland to come. Or at least a good game from Porcello (see third paragraph and issues pertaining thereto.)

So the Indians pull it out in 11. I suppose it would be good news if those two would just beat up on each other, play long extra inning games, and split their remaining 4…

Funny: A short while after saying that it’s too late for debate on the Cabrera issue, here I am debating it.

Adam Dunn has left the building. Jose Ortega and Justin Miller have been designated for assignment. If you’ve completely lost track of who is in the Tigers bullpen (I have), here’s my latest info on it (it may have changed by the time you read this):

Alburquerque
Hardy
Coke
Chamberlain
Nathan
Reed
Johnson
McCoy

Sorted in August WHIP order. The top three have managed to post something below 1.74. Woo-hoo.

79 thoughts on “Game 2014.136: Tigers at White Sox”

    1. CLE won 20 of their last 25 games last year, and they’re only 3.5 games back from DET/KC…could get real interesting in Sept. DET has 7 games left w/CLE, 6 w/KC

    2. I’m unsure if Hessman is the answer at 1B, but I’m certain Cabrera (in his current health state) is not.

      I know “making the playoffs – and preferably winning the AL Central” is of paramount importance, but if getting there means ‘totaling’ a ‘broken’ Cabrera, the playoff experience could be short-lived anyway.

      By continuing to play ‘broken Cabrera’ last year in Aug&Sept, at least he was relatively effective (at the plate anyway), whereas this year, that doesn’t appear to be the case lately.

      Doesn’t logic dictate putting an injured and ineffective guy on the 15-day DL, in hopes that he’ll come back stronger/better for the final two weeks of the season (and playoffs…if they make it)?

      If its just an ‘ankle thing’ (I suspect there’s more to it), two weeks would provide plenty of healing time.

      1. Yes, Vince, I suppose Cabrera himself is the obstacle to him sitting out a couple weeks (DL or no) just to give his ankle a chance (two weeks won’t help for whatever else ails him).

        Hessman could join the team regardless of this, but without a space for him larger than PH… how much impact is that? A foolish hope, probably. Still, Hessman would be a good counterpunch to A’s and Dunn.

        Stormin’ – you could be right that Cabrera was more productive when hobbled late in 2013 than I recall, and also more productive than of late in 2014. I remember my frustration with his hitting doubles and getting only as far as 1B. I haven’t seen that so far in 2014, but then again, it could be that he’s stopped hitting doubles lately. I guess this really could be an even bigger question this season than last – heard something recently about .256 over last x number of games. Cabrera???? Wow. Not good.

    1. I suspect there will be at least one team that will give VMart 4 years and $60M…maybe more… and as good as he’s been for DET, I don’t think DET will commit that type of years/money to a guy that turns 36 yrs old in December this year.

      1. Maybe they could hack off the last 4 years of Cabrera’s contract and give it to Martinez. If so, they could do the same thing with Verlander’s contract and Porcello.

    1. I understand its the 11th hour and all, and the A’s are desperate for some offense, but c’mon Adam Dunn?!? …he may help them some, but to me this shows some desperation on the part of Mr Beane (and his Cespedes deal)

      1. Not that I sit around analyzing the whole MLB picture to anticipate these moves, but in retrospect this looks like a good deal for both teams and one that was just waiting to happen. I don’t seriously think that the Tigers *need* to counter somehow… but someone (besides V-Mart) who could reliably punish pitchers’ mistakes into the seats wouldn’t hurt.

  5. Rajai Davis, CF
    Ian Kinsler, 2B
    Torii Hunter, RF
    Victor Martinez, DH
    J.D. Martinez, LF
    Nick Castellanos, 3B
    Don Kelly, 1B
    Eugenio Suarez, SS
    Bryan Holaday, C

    I will say that although Miggy gets the day off today, this “day to day” talk does not bode well. If his ankle – all I’m concerned about short-term – can get better with a couple weeks of real, solid rest, LET IT! If not, well, then we’re stuck with all this.

    Yeah, I’d have to agree that the tail has been wagging the dog. It’s a $30M tail. I guess we’re all at the mercy of Cabrera being a big enough man to admit that he’s not helping the team playing as hurt as he is.

    1. And the Tigers CAN win without him. For 2 weeks, for a month. I’d kind of like to have him back for the postseason, though.

  6. I really think Miggy feels the pressure of earning the massive contract he got. His insistence on playing is admirable but it’s time to sit out a few games.

  7. My brother plunked down another $20 bet at the “D” in Vegas on this game for me. I had similar bets on last night’s and Friday’s game. Up $40 so far. Go Little Ricky!

  8. Oh no. This is looking a LOT like when Porcello faced the White Sox in June. Not good.

  10. Porcello finally walks a guy, who promptly scores.

    Iglesias back next year. No more of this Suarez nonsense.

      1. And how about this Castellanos nonsense? Can he possibly be back at 3B next season? I think he’s the worst defender on the team by some margin.

        1. He’s the worst 3rd baseman in MLB, if you go by things like defensive WAR. In fact at -2.5 he may have an insurmountable lead.

          1. Yeah, I was taken aback going over some stats recently. Observationally, I’ve always questioned his arm and his bad decisions and apparent lack of game awareness, but I didn’t realize he was quite that bad overall. I thought he was reasonably agile and quick, thought the glove work was just a matter of getting more experience. Gotta find a position for this guy. I think they had it right with LF, or as right as it’s gonna get.

    1. Thanks, wouldn’t have counted if it had been me. Really, Quintana *is* good and doesn’t warrant the Cy treatment, but I know how we are.

  14. When the best J.D. can do is that little bloop and with the Tigers down 5-0, I’m not that concerned with Hunter’s wrecklessness.

    Dan and Jim just mentioned Moya as a callup. I wouldn’t mind. He’s not even close to ready, but he can’t strike out every time, can he? Let’s have a look.

  17. looks like DET phoned it in today… starting w/JMart less-than-impressive effort on the first hit (shoulda been E7) of the game.

    out of the first 6 CWS runs, all but one were given to them by DET’s lack of defense

    1. Rick Porcello gets a passing grade, I guess. And 5 runs against the White Sox isn’t out of the question, I suppose. It’s Sunday, what else am I doing?

  19. Evidentally moving bavk to first base was a bit too much for the Sluggos to grasp all at once!

  20. Clown Show and Circus today, Cal Ripken Jr. was making some keen observations on the lack of Tigers Defense and how it is costing them wins. Fundamentals are essential in this game, if you have all these Coaches why does this sloppy play continue ? I WANT ANSWERS! ( And I can handle the truth!)

    1. I think the coaching of fundamentals has more to do with execution of team defensive plays. Hitting the cutoff man, covering bases, backing up throws, communication in the field, knowing your role immediately as a play begins, that sort of thing. I don’t think you can really coach out any of the 4 errors we saw today, all kind of individual matters of chance. Coaching J.D. and Nick, here for their bats, into defensive adequacy might be a tall order for any staff. Kelly is usually pretty slick, don’t think he needs to stay after school. Holaday’s throws to 2B remain unpredictable, but what are you gonna do? That’s everyday practice for a catcher already. He did make a dynamite throw to 1B.

      All teams have weaknesses. Defensive talent and defensive execution happen to be a couple of the Tigers’. The team wouldn’t be 74-62 if the weaknesses were’t offset by strengths, but some games the weaknesses kill you.

  21. I think Casty will improve with Iggy back at short. Suarez with his Peralta type range and arm doesn’t cover much ground. IGGY Would allow Casty to stay home…or Casty is just that bad. We will see. The pitching staff already suffers from the worst D outfield in baseball, add a limited SS and Bad 3B and thats a clown show in itself…

    1. Castellanos would get in Iglesias’s way just as he does with Suarez now. He needs to be out of there.

  22. The millionaire starting pitchers all gave up 5+ this round and the guy making $10/hr throws the shutout!!!

    1. Verlander didn’t, and Porcello (3 ER) was done in by his defense. Basically, it was 4 decent starts minus one bad inning (Scherzer).

      1. This series: Starter wins / Starter loses / Starter wins / Defense loses. Offense OK, bullpen OK.

        Another .500 month. 87-75 sounds about right, doesn’t it? That could win the AL Central or a wild card spot. The Tigers could get all the way to the WS, St. Louis Cardinals-style, who knows. I haven’t soured on the Tigers, but I don’t see them rolling into the playoffs as a hot team. Man, do they have some problems.

  23. Glad tidings: No Ian Krol among September call ups. The list reported by Beck is Ray, Ryan, Lobstein, Collins, Moya, Perez, McCann.

    1. It’s early yet. Ray, Ryan and Lobstein are all starters. Expect more LOOGYs and ROOGYs Tuesday or so.

      1. Ray and Ryan are in the pen and Lobstein is the starter according to Ausmus, but it’s subject to change (of course). I do think that’s it for the call-ups. I was hoping for Hessman and Mercedes as well. Evidently Reed and Johnson stick around on a “nothing to lose” – in a manner of speaking – basis.

    2. the next game KC-CLE plays (9/22-24) they’ll simply finish the bottom of the 10th before one of those games – with CLE leading 4-2…so its likely a (delayed) loss for KC.

      Butler made an error on a grounder (w/2 outs and nobody on in the 10th), which would have been the 3rd out; then a single and a double later (off Holland) and CLE take a 4-2 lead

      CLE has the hammer now – we’ll see what DET is made of over the next 4 days in CLE (Price, Lobstein, Verlander & Scherzer)

      1. I wonder if a team would send the starting pitcher for the regularly scheduled game out to finish the suspended one first (2 wins in a day?). Seeing as how the situation favors it being a one-inning job.

        Imagine if KC ties it up and it goes 19 innings or something. Maybe gets suspended again. Ha!

        1. good idea…but that would buck the conventional ‘closer’ wisdom.

          …so technically since Allen pitched the 9th, they could bring out their closer (Allen) who actually blew the save in the 9th by giving up a HR to Gordon… so Allen could get the BS and ‘W’…and hell they might even throw in a ‘save’ since he’s slept between the BS & W

      2. I wonder if a team would send the starting pitcher for the regularly scheduled game out to finish the suspended one first (2 wins in a day?). Seeing as how the situation favors it being a one-inning job.

        Imagine if KC ties it up and it goes 19 innings or something. Maybe gets suspended again. Ha!

        1. If Francona isn’t so unconventional as to finish the suspended game with the day’s starter, you’d think that someone other than a back-end bullpen guy would take over. Seeing as how “starting” would “freak out” a late reliever, at least according to conventional wisdom and what players themselves have said.

          Too bad there’s not a way to get Allen both the BS and the S, but I think he could potentially get both a blown save and a hold, right? No, wait – he gets the win if the Indians win in 10, no matter what. In any case, I look forward to that game getting stranger. Maybe a rain delay in the middle of the bottom 10th forces another suspension so that they can get the regular game in… which also gets suspended later in the 15th inning. Causing “Game 161” and “Game 162” to be resumed after the season ends… with KCR and CLE each 2 games in back of the Tigers… but only 1 game behind SEA for the final wild card spot.

    1. Ha ha. Being naked with Kate Upton doesn’t strike me as a particularly embarrassing situation. So celebrities like to do the same goofy stuff everyone does. Who knew? Good clean fun. This would be an ad for soap in Europe.

      1. What’s embarrassing is all the immature idiots who make a big deal out of it. So high school.

        1. …and there will be a lot of ’em (including many idiot sportswriters) that try to make a big deal about it… sex & drama sells

        1. Now that one I HAVE to see. Link, please? Oh, is Kate Upton in it? No reason. Just wondering.

    1. Oh, well, if Miggy says everything is fine, then there’s nothing to worry about. That’s the reassurance I was looking for. He he.

      1. Re Melvin: The trouble with the Tigers is that they can’t string 4 awful games in a row together. No consistency. They’re not giving Ausmus the opportunity he needs for the volcanic eruption.

  28. In the context of what Ausmus said about Moya (putting the idea of a guy who can hit the ball 450 feet into the opponent’s mind) and Beck’s appraisal of McCann’s ability to hit lefties (Hessman’s splits are even), I find it more surprising that Mike Hessman seems to have been rejected out of hand as a call-up. The word I’ve heard on his defense at 1B and 3B is that it wouldn’t be a step down from V-Mart or Castellanos, so it’s not like he has no utility besides PH. His failing must be that he never played in the Marlins organization.

    1. It’s probably a 40-man roster decision. But considering how much that has been jiggered already since DD went into panic mode, I don’t see where 1 more DFA would matter, say switching him out for Chad Smith.

      Hessman is likely to retire after this year, so it would be a nice gesture to give the guy a last cup of coffee, and like you said, he would add backup at 3rd and 1st; what’s not to like about that?

      1. You’re right, I keep forgetting about Hessman not being on the 40-man. It’s a factor, maybe THE factor. I like the Cinderella Story possibilities, I admit it. I haven’t run out of ways to twist the Tigers’ arm about it yet, so here’s another: Hessman has seen a lot more big league pitching than Moya has, even if most of that action has been in AAA.

    1. They don’t even really need the 15-day DL now, with the call-ups they could just sit him on the bench for two weeks if they wanted.

      1. Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. One gets the unmistakable impression that it’s all Cabrera’s decision. If Miggy is feeling pressure to earn his money, maybe someone could prevail upon him to consider how getting at least a bit healthier before crunch time, to the benefit of the team, would very much be earning that money. More so than waving at pitches and falling down grimacing at 1B is.

        1. Agree 100% – there’s nothing ‘noble’ about a player playing hurt and hurting his team by doing so

          …especially when this doesn’t appear to be the case where a 70% Cabrera is better than a 100% _______ (replacement)

  30. HOU fired Bo Porter…who the local paper reported a dust-up between the GM Luhnow and Porter…guess, we know who won that argument.

    personally, I thought Porter did an admirable job managing a team who’s roster is primarily made up of AAA and AA players…though I did hear that Porter was the one that ultimately ran-off JMart (for swinging through a “take” sign in spring training) – and that was a ‘good decision’…for DET anyway

    1. That was one tough job. Must be some hot-headed fellows down there. I thought they’d stick with Porter through a rebuilding that seemed to be going pretty well.

  31. WOW has the Tigers defense been worse this season than last. Outfield to some degree, but WAY more left side of the infield. August was particularly rough. I’m looking at ROE (which of course misses a lot of other errors), and here the Tigers fished with 38 in 2013 vs. 56 already in partial 2014 (and 18 just in August). Runs scored directly on 18 of these plays, and of course still more will have scored indirectly later in the inning.

    Avila, Kinsler, and the wheels of Davis in CF-LF (if nothing else) seem to be all you can count on. Hunter has recaptured some brilliance lately, it’s true.

    Ground balls should be a good thing, not a nerve-wracking thing.

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