2015 Season, Game Post

Game 2015.54: Athletics at Tigers

18 Comments

Well, I really think we could use another day off, as could the team. But none is forthcoming, so here we are.

Ausmus on last night’s game: “Anaheim was a slap in the face. This is a punch in the gut.” I don’t know. I was thinking more “kick in the…shins.”  But I guess nobody’s reaction could sum up the game better than Grand Slam Boy. If only they’d had that kid’s glove at 3rd base.

This seems like a good time to also throw in a gratuitous link to Villanova’s Crying Piccolo Girl.

Now where were we? Oh yes. One thing is clear: these guys are in a funk right now. If it’s not the pitchers letting the hitters down, it’s the hitters–and fielders–letting the pitchers down. The at bats of the Tiger hitters the last 3 innings were awful (including Miggy whiffing on a chin-high pitch), as if the grand slam took the wind out of their sails. But the grand slam never would have happened without a couple of clown plays in the field. I can almost forgive the klutzy Castellanos attempt to corral the Iglesias throw, because, well, that’s just who he is (I think it was Jud who pointed out that of all his defensive liabilities maybe fielding throws is his weakest point). But what was Kinsler thinking?

Kinsler said he just had a “gut reaction.” He also added that there shouldn’t have been a guy on third in the first place, but they blew that out. Bus, meet 3rd baseman. Poor Nick. After weeks of struggling at the plate, he finally came through with a big hit, what could have been a game-winning hit, then was partly the cause it all fell apart. For his part Nick explained that he felt he had to lunge for the ball because he didn’t think it would get there in time. Usually the ball travels faster than your glove, although it is true it was not a full-speed throw by Iglesias. Castellanos just isn’t quick enough with his hands to snag a ball that way though. Poor Nick: he should have stopped there. He went on to add that also Lawrie is notorious for “coming into bags pretty hard,” which makes him sound like he really didn’t want to be on the bag for that anyway.

And might as well throw Ol’ Punch-Gut under the bus here too: with bases loaded and a lefty up, this is why teams have that lefty reliever, to get that one guy at that one key spot of the game. Unfortunately, Detroit doesn’t have any lefties in the bullpen. Oh wait…it looks like they have two, they just didn’t use either. But hey, they’ll be fresh for tonight’s game!

I’ll end by going back to this again. Yes, the grand slam was a punch in the gut. But instead of coming back with some fight, they curled up in a ball and went home. There were still 3 at bats left–that’s 1/3 of a baseball game. Winning teams play as if they intend to win, even after things have gone very wrong.

Tonight’s Since It Worked So Well Last Night Lineup:

  1. Anthony Gose, CF
  2. Jose Iglesias, SS
  3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
  4. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
  5. Ian Kinsler, 2B
  6. JD Martinez, RF
  7. Tyler Collins, DH
  8. Nick Castellanos, 3B
  9. James McCann, C

18 thoughts on “Game 2015.54: Athletics at Tigers”

  1. Re: the kid who caught the ball: be happy! It is a prize, doesn’t matter who hit the thing, keep it, stick on a shelf in your room, take it to school and show your buddies. Or, throw it around with your family. Grown men fight each other for those things at MLB parks every night, you caught it, it is yours.

  2. Great recap and summation Coleman.

    Instead of finding ways to win games (as good to great teams do) DET has had plenty of guys (from Ausmus on down) that are finding a way to lose games…

    “We can’t win at home, we can’t win on the road, as GM, I just can’t figure out where else to play” — former Orlando Magic GM Pat Williams

  4. Guess it would be unheard of to ask the hot-hitting Ian Kinsler to lay down a sac bunt. I mean, Ausmus made a brilliant observation: “We need to find a way to manufacture runs”.
    But jeez ——-not THAT way!!

  6. Are Ausmus and Tigers TRYING for the hit-into-DP record?
    McCann, Ausmus: LAY DOWN A FRIGGIN’ SAC BUNT!!!!!!!!!

  8. In six innings, two Tigers have hit a ball into the outfield.

  10. So when is the Detroit media going to start calling out the coaching staff for allowing this to happen? It’s one thing for a team to be rebuilding, but this team has the talent to win 90 games. There’s nothing wrong with calling out bad decisions and bad play from a good team.

      1. Yup. agree too, but it must be difficult for a beat writer to call out the people he sees on a daily basis, and still maintain that relationship. But, as Jud might say, time for somebody to grow a pair!

        In a not even close to related topic the M’s traded today for Mark Trumbo, whose grandfather was Dalton Trumbo, author of the classic anti war novel” Johnny got his gun”, and also several screenplays until he was blacklisted. So as the M’s match the Tigers for losses, at least the level of discourse in the M’s club house will be elevated.

      2. Ditto, ditto, ditto……
        I guess the thing that galls me the most (and I keep harping on it here) is the way Ausmus states, “we need to find a way to manufacture runs”, but never feels it appropriate to try some “small ball” in late innings of close game, runner(s) on, and no one out (trans= the good old-fashioned sac bunt).
        This has been practiced by (smart) managers for decades, and it WORKS!!! A high percentage of the time, it produces RUNS! AND helps eliminate the ever-present-evil—– DOUBLE PLAYS!! (What’s that, Tiger fans —-never seen one of those?)
        One more thing: someone here pointed out that Tigers have no leader in clubhouse. That seems true, and doesn’t seem like anyone’s able (or wants) to take that charge.
        Miggy’s not the type for it. There’s one guy I think could, and probably should, do it == Verlander. Soon as he gets firmly back in rotation, he should light some fires under his teammates, whatever. JV has been around that clubhouse, is a smart vet, and they all love and respect him.
        ***Feedback on this welcome***

  11. Whenever there is no leadership not much gets accomplished. Say what you want about Tom Brady he is a tremendous leader. Say what you want about LaBron James, he is a tremendous leader. Without one you just have 25 individual guys doing their own thing, afraid to step on toes. Look at the faces of the Tigers in the dugout. Every single one of them has the deer in headlights look. Asmus is the worst. No one has a look of determination to get thru this. The dugout, and I would think the clubhouse is like a morgue. Jv can’t lead he isn’t contributing. Vmart is gone, the fire of Scherzer is gone. It will never be Miggy..it can’t be Kinsler the way hes playing. He is one of the worst problems….
    Who then…Jd…Cespedes…Gose….Davis.Joba..Soria…are the only veterans. the rest are basically youngsters and leadership is not their role.
    This will not end until VMart is in the clubhouse and dugout everyday. And that could be weeks from now……….this is far from over!!!!

    1. That’s why I suggested JV do it AFTER he gets firmly back in the rotation.
      And true, not having VMart there, cripples this team, especially now.

  13. today’s DET lineup against Hahn RHP

    1. Anthony Gose, CF
    2. Jose Iglesias, SS
    3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
    4. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
    5. Ian Kinsler, 2B
    6. J.D. Martinez, DH
    7. Tyler Collins, RF
    8. Nick Castellanos, 3B
    9. Bryan Holaday, C
    Starting pitcher: Shane Greene

  14. Collins now has more RBI than Gose, Davis, Kinsler, Martinez,Castallanos, McCann, Davis…..and he is only 2 behind Cabrerra and Cespedes for the last 12 games….unbelievable!!!!!!! .
    ……too bad he will be back on the bench Friday!

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