2015 Season, Game Post

Game 2015.85: Tigers at Twins

31 Comments

The Tigers continue to keep their noses about the surface as they float along treading the .500 line. The did just have a good series though–they took 2-of-3 on the West Coast, and were an extra-inning loss away from a sweep. On top of that they did it without their best player, and are now 3-2 without Cabrera. It’s what good teams do. Are the Tigers a good team? They are supposed to be, but haven’t really showed it yet. Perhaps they are showing it now. They have 4 games with the 2nd-place Twins that will go a long way toward how that conversation veers over the break.

Speaking of the break, JD Martinez got stiffed for the Home Run Derby. I am happy he won’t be participating: it may be more myth than anything, but the last thing we need is for JD to suffer from the Home Run Derby Effect. Still, I feel for the guy. He has 24 home runs and was passed over for Prince “13 Cheap Shots” Fielder. At least his hand seems to be OK. As Ausmus said when Martinez got hit, “my gut turned.”

The Home Run Derby, by the way, has a new format this season, in which the players will be timed instead of having a certain number of outs. I get why they are doing this, after watching players take 8 or 9 pitches in a row last season. That’s no fun to watch. However the additional rules made my head spin.

Josh Wilson cleared waivers and is going to Toledo. Same with Gorzelanny, who will be working on a new sidearm delivery.

Today’s It’s Price So We Only Need 1 Run Lineup:

  1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
  2. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
  3. Victor Martinez, DH
  4. JD Martinez, RF
  5. Alex Avila, c
  6. Nick Castellanos, 3B
  7. Marc Krauss, 1B
  8. Anthony Gose, CF
  9. Jose Iglesias, SS

31 thoughts on “Game 2015.85: Tigers at Twins”

  1. Hats off to Nick Castellanos for batting .357 in the last seven days with 9 key RBIs. Good write up Coleman as we all do not need JD in the home run derby. How about a throw from outfield to home plate derby? Mr. Kaline could still win it. Greetings from Whitefish, MT where I am the only Tiger fan in town.

    1. You’re right: My childhood sports hero would win that. I used to sit in right field just so I could witness some of those throws…

      1. Do you remember the little balcony on the second deck at the end of the first base line and near the foul pole? Those seats jutted out a bit and would have been primo for watching so Kaline throws. You also had a good view of right field overhang. I sat in those and watched Morris pitch a game during his rookie year. BTW, Price pitched out of many jams last night.

        1. Yes, I remember. I was nearly always in lower deck, either right field, or even more commonly, 1st-base side, halfway into right.
          Price was again brilliant; worth every penny of his salary. (Now let’s hope JV can earn HIS keep tonite).

          1. We used to sit out in RF during Lutheran Night to give Kaline, a good Lutheran, spirital advice.

  2. How come all teams except Tigers are able to execute successful sac-bunts, even in early innings(!)?

  3. OK, let”s postpone the Throw to Home From Outfield Derby and have a Bunt Derby.

  4. I guess there’s no way to quantify this, but Alex Avila has to be the absolute worst of any catcher at tagging out runners at the plate.

    1. Luckily, the skills that Avila lacks are counteracted by the ones Iglesias possesses. That man has the smoothest and quickest glove-to-throwing hand transfer of any infielder I’ve seen!

    1. No. Let me be blunt: That was Ausmus being dumb x2 (again)! Doesn’t pinch run for the big slow guy then allows the big slow guy to go home only to be thrown out by a mile.

  7. errors and baselining blunders aside, twas a good win.

    need to win at least 3 of 4 from Twinkies

  8. They tried to lose this, but failed. How much of a professional is David Price? 2 unearned runs, and a huge pitch count, but he locks them down through 8.

    There will be more games where Castellanos does this. That’s who he is. His mission is to hit enough to make up for it.

    It’s disappointing to see both Gose and Kinsler go into home run trots on not-home-runs. Is there anyone in that dugout who would get on them for that? Kudos to Kindler though, this win’s on him.

  9. JV vs Santana…a guy coming off an 80-game PED suspension… sounds like a high scoring game to me

    if ever there was a time for JV to step-up and start earning his salary, today would be a great day to begin

    1. Yes. And 2 things I’m wondering: 1) Is JD’s hand giving him more pain than he’s letting on?
      and 2) Has Kinsler actually found his lost hitting groove?

      1. I thought the same thing about JD, uncharacteristically bad at bats. I’ll be keeping an eye on him tonight. If it is bothering him, I’m extra happy he won’t be in the Home Run Derby.

        1. Ditto. And what do you think about Kins? Has he re-discovered his “batting-box-beastliness” mode?

  11. Santana used to eat the Tigers up when he was an Angel…but then again my Grandaughter could eat up the Tigers if she pitched for the “we can’t beat them home or away Angels!”…….I am more worried by 0-4 you know who!!!

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