The Tigers are playing like an un-oiled machine, misfiring on all cylinders.
Starting pitching, bullpen, hitting, those funny noises are coming from every part of the engine.
Well here we are with another interleague road series, against 5-0 Strasburg and the 19-12 Nationals. Let’s see what the Tigers have got.
When a team is playing badly, talk turns to the manager of course. Heck, even when a team is playing well, nobody is happy with how the manager uses his bullpen. Ever. That’s one of the advantages of moving around; you soon realize every fan base in every city thinks their manager is the one manager that doesn’t know how to use his bullpen. I’m not sure why this is, but it’s definitely a thing.
There is an old saying though that organizations, of any kind, take on the personality of their managers. Does ours have one? (I mean a personality). When Ausmus was first hired, everyone talked about how smart and good-looking he was, but the Tigers aren’t looking particularly smart (I’ll pass on the good-looking part).
Right now there are two guys on the team that have any kind of edge. Cabrera is Cabrera, and hopefully will be for a while, but right now it’s Ian Kinsler (who is producing), and James McCann (who isn’t, but he has gone into the dugout after balls twice already after coming back, which would inspire a team more inspiration-ready). Remember when your grandmother would say if you keep making that face, it will get stuck like that? They both have permanent Game Face.
There will be typical flimflammery with the National League lineup, involving Cabrera / Martinez / Castellanos. Anibal Sanchez will move a runner over and they will call time so he can save the ball. Bryce Harper will start me on a new Beat the Streak Streak. Great fun will be had, by somebody.
Today’s No Rain in the Forecast So They Have to Play Lineup:
- Kinsler, 2B
- JD Martinez, LF
- Cabrera, 1B
- Castellanos, 3B
- Upton, LF
- McCann, C
- Gose, CF
- Iglesias, SS
- Sanchez, P
Eight-Inning Nick moves up to 4th in the lineup. He will probably sit tomorrow, with Cabrera at 3rd. Buck Farmer back to AAA, and and Tyler Collins back to the bigs (hopefully with middle finger in check), drawing oohs and ahs from Tigers fans. Check that, those were yawns, my bad.
Didn’t think he would be smart enough to bat Iglasias first and slide jD TO 5TH. tHINK HE WILL BE DUMB ENOUGH TO BENCH HIS BEST HITTER IN GAME 2. What ever happened to starting the lineup that has the best chance to win. Aviles and Romine should only play as emergency fill ins. They are not as good as any regular. Aviles at short is a comedy. Victor needs to only pinch hit in national parks.
Dan Dickerson on the tube…..sweet! And Frickin Nickin Castellanos with a dinger off Strassburg. Well done Young Man!
+1 Next I’d love to see Jim Price on the TV side also.
It didn’t work, but I loved having Sanchez bunt!
Sweet home Alabama….JD with a dinger!
Perhaps the sleeping giant has awakened, 2 hits so far.
Ingevilapton with another classic plate appearance. Wow.
Upton 0 for his last 12 AB’s w/9 K’s…ouch!
No surprise. Our man Ingevilapton whiffs 160+ times/season and his BA has been in steady decline for about the last 4 years. His signing was questionable at best. Hope I’m wrong but this guy is on track to unseat Ingevila as whiff king.
the K’s were to be expected…OK maybe not at the pace he’s been this year, but i really think Upton is going to be a solid offensive (.270-ish, 20-25 HR 80+ RBI) contributor – though we certainly haven’t seen it thus far.
time to pull Sanchez
BB’s and HR’s have been Sanchez’ undoing this yr and last year
Yeah, that’s right Awesome. Leave Sanchi in ’cause he’s not in full melt down mode yet.
Strike that. Full melt down is on the way.
We keep trying to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
Sanchez decent outing but as Norman said BB and dingers.
So that was Strassburg that bunted? Sure was….don’t ask me why my MLB app isn’t working!
yes, w/103 pitches surprised he didn’t pinch hit for Strasburg
its reported that Strasburg signed a 7 yr $175M ($25M per yr) contract today…so WAS/Dusty going to get his money’s worth i guess
Well done Wilson!
Getting out of that mess with just 1 run is almost a win!
agreed! -1 for Ausmus sticking w/Sanchez too long, but then a +1 Ausmus for the pitching changes…and +1 for Wilson…now that should be “a save” whether they win this game or not
Ok, the Nats BP is hurting from the Cubs massacre. V-Mart get ready!
hope that slide didn’t get Cabrera injured
2 of them!
At least Cabrera saved Upton from striking out with a runner on 3rd and one out.
Ok, I’m in full 2nd guess mode. Who made the brilliant call to have Miggy try to advance on that ball? Love the guy, but he’s no speedster at 100% health. Oh, and thanks for nothing Ingevilapton. 3 Ks — Nice!
That’s all on Miggy. He’s the smartest base runner we have. He made the call on his own.
And I think he was safe.
I have to question pinch hitting Victor with 1st base open. What did he think Dusty Baker would do?
Saltalamacchia hasn’t been a good PH from either side. I believe this is his third PH K in about a week. However maybe they thought he was due….just saying!
Can someone explain to me why Dan is doing the TV broadcast? It’s freaking me out.
Would you like us to get Jim Price in there too?
A tale of two dugouts.
Every loss is one step closer to Ausmus getting canned.
Bless You Boys posted a story yesterday which said that firing “Ausmus” would be pointless. http://www.blessyouboys.com/2016/5/8/11636080/brad-ausmus-detroit-tigers-victor-martinez-offense-pitching-struggles.
I completely disagree.
i also disagree, although this roster is not without flaws, they have the talent to compete for this division or (WC) playoff spot…and this mgr (and staff) has not displayed a propensity to motivate this team …all of last year and so far this year.
Sure a relief pitcher giving up a bomb in the 9th ‘is what it is’…but Ausmus did also get out-managed this game up until that point.
It pains me to to say this — and saying it won’t cause me to give up hope — but I think we are witnessing a long term decline. Awesome won’t (shouldn’t) survive this trip.
In a 4-4 tie in the 9th, after his outing yesterday, would you have brought in Lowe? That and pinch hitting Victor with 1st base open are 2 blunders that may have cost the game.
I think there would have been more noise at Brad if he batted Gose instead of PH’ing V-Mart.
VMart pinch-hit for McCann with 1st base open…and everybody knew Baker would intentionally walk VMart, so that was a wasted AB…why not pinch hit Salty for McCann and save Vmart?…to possibly pinch hit for Gose…or ?
Exactly. It was if he was checking off the “Get VMart in” check box.
Norman…you are correct…my mistake. Why would you PH a catcher for another catcher?
I wouldn’t, but it could be justified in that McCann has not been hitting and Salty is a switch-hitter for the lefty-righty thing against WAS pitcher (Treinen – RHP) – and Salty does hit better batting lefty…and then if they walk Salty, then VMart could have pinch hit for Gose. Doesn’t matter… they seemed destined for the L…and that way Harper could come running out of the tunnel and throw an F’bomb at the home plate ump…prior to any celebration. Punk move in my mind.
Agree….the bigger they are, the harder they will fall!
Hindsight is always 20/20 but as Tony appropriately pointed out, Lowe’s yesterday’s outing he was up in the zone (5 R, 2 HR’s in 2/3 IN), and today’s HR pitch was a belt-high pitch right down the middle of the plate…i know the bullpen options are also getting uncertain, but was it wise to go w/Lowe?
The sun will rise tomorrow – hopefully….
it will…but it (sun) may be setting on the Ausmus’ first career mgr gig
Just saw the lineup on the Tiger’s site.
Kinsler – JD Martinez – V Martinez – Casty – Upton – McCann – Gose – Romaine –
Fulmer
I can’t believe Miggy isn’t in the lineup but wonder if it’s not because he a little hurt from last night’s base running. Personally I would put “fingers” in for Gose or even J-Up, can’t hurt .