Category Archives: 2015 Season

2015 Season, Game Post

Game 2014.26: Tigers at Royals

8 Comments

David Price responded in true ace form yesterday, with a 5 hit masterpiece that was 1 out from being a complete game shutout. KC fans went nuts after Cain hit a bomb to trim the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the 9th, but Price responded by striking out Hosmer in 4 pitches. It was a desperately need win b/c the prospects of being swept in a 4 game series against what looks to be our division rival were harrowing. I’m not surprised that Price came out for the 9th, since he was only at 91 pitches entering the 9th. I think it would have been Soria had he been at 101.

Anibal Sanchez climbs the hill today against Mark Guthrie. A win today and split in the series will feel like a series win to me.

J.D. Martinez back in the lineup today. Rajai Davis had a huge run in yesterday’s game. I like this Gose/Davis platoon.

Baseball Reference game preview here.

1. Gose, CF
2. Kinsler, 2B
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. Martinez V, DH
5. Martinez J.D., RF
6. Cespedes, LF
7. Avila, C
8. Castellanos, 3B
9. Iglesias, SS

2015 Season, Game Post

Game 2014.25: Tigers at Royals

19 Comments

We’re gonna win one, right?

It’s time for David Price to step up and be the ace that he’s paid to be. The Tigers made the game interesting last night with a couple of baserunners in the 9th inning, but fell short again to the mighty Royals. After starting the season 7-0, the Tigers are now 8-9 in their last 17.

Incredibly, Price doesn’t have much history against the Royals, having only pitched against them 3 times in the last 6 years. He somehow went all of 2013 and 2014 without facing them.

Baseball Reference Game Preview here.

J.D. Martinez who is 0-8 with 6 Ks in the series sits tonight. Hope you’re enjoying your epic sports watching Saturday.

1. Gose, CF
2. Kinsler, 2B
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. Martinez V, DH
5. Cespedes, LF
6. Avila, C
7. Casetellanos, 3B
8. Iglesias, SS
9. Davis, RF

2015 Season, Game Post

Game 2014.24: Tigers at Royals

14 Comments

The Royals sure did assert themselves early and often last night, as the back two of the Tigers rotation has now taken successive beatings for the first time all season. Key words there being first time. There is a reason why Greene and Simon are at the back of our rotation, so games like yesterday will happen from time to time.

I’m curious to see how the Tigers respond tonight after being pounded in the first big hype game of the year.

The Lobster gets the start tonight against fill-in Chris Young. Young has been a starter most of his career, but this will be his first start of the season for the Royals.

Baseball Reference game preview here.

1. Gose, CF
2. Kinsler, 2B
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. Martinez V, DH
5. Martinez J.D., RF
6. Cespedes, LF
7. Avila, C
8. Castellanos, 3B
9. Igleseias, SS (he happens to lead the team in BA, by the way)

2015 Season, Game Post

Game 2015.23: Tigers at Royals

6 Comments

Breaking news, Shane Greene is not perfect. I repeat, he is not perfect.

But on some nights, Miguel Cabrera is. If you haven’t watched the Cabrera HRs from yesterday, you gotta see them on MLB videos here.  The first one was crushed to the second deck, and then he followed that up with a no-doubter to straightaway center. They were awesome to watch. While you’re on that video page, make sure you watch McCann’s inside the park HR. One of the coolest things about those MLB replays is that they play the TV replay, then follow it up with the radio call over the TV replay. Dan D is such an amazing broadcaster. We’re lucky to have him.

So Green turns in his second complete clunker in as many starts, and we’re left understanding how we got him for Robbie Ray. Whatever, as a #4, he’s still aces in my books.

Anyway, a big four game set at KC this weekend pitting the top two teams in the AL. Good benchmark for the Tigers early in this 2015 season.

Simon v. Duffy tonight

Lobstein v. (Dallas native) Chris Young tomorrow (7:10 PM central)

Price v. Volquez on Sat (6:10 PM central)

Sanches v. Vargas on Sun (1:10 PM central)

Fun fact: The Tigers are 7-2 on the road this year. The Royals are 7-2 at home.

Tonight’s Baseball-Reference game preview here and lineup below:

1. Davis, CF
2. Kinsler, 2B
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. Martinez V, DH
5. Martinez J.D., LF
6. Cespedes RF
7. Casetellanos, 3B
8. McCann, C
9. Iglesias, SS

2015 Season

Game 2015.22: Tigers at Twins

12 Comments

It wasn’t cold last night, and the Tigers didn’t hit into a bunch of double plays or leave a dozen men on base. The latest winning streak came to an end because last night Cy Pelfrey baffled the Tigers to the tune of only 3 hits and 6 total base runners. Was this the first “tip your cap” game of the season? Although with no Jim Leyland around there was nobody to literally say “you have to tip your cap to him,” although Victor Martinez came close with “you have to give him credit and move on.” OK, we’ll go with that.

Speaking of Victor Martinez, there is a hole in the Tigers lineup which is like the elephant in the room. The Tigers are close to having the weakest cleanup hitter in baseball; in the American League only Minnesota is worse. The prime 4th spot in the lineup has given the Tigers this so far: .247 BA .654 OPS (which includes a paltry .301 slugging percentage) and more double plays grounded into (4) than extra base hits (2). The Tigers have been lucky so far to get surprisingly good production from their 9th and leadoff hitters, and that won’t last, which will only make the hole look bigger, and lead to more games like the game last week in Cleveland where Miguel Cabrera only got one swing in the entire game.

Things that will never happen: moving Yoenis Cespedes up to the cleanup spot until Victor gets his legs back would put a bat behind Cabrera that would actually scare pitchers now and then.

Today’s Bag O’ Lettuce Lineup:

  1. Rajai Davis, CF
  2. Ian Kinsler, 2B
  3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
  4. Victor Martinez, DH
  5. JD Martinez, RF
  6. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
  7. Nick Castellanos, 3B
  8. James McCann C
  9. Andrew Romine, SS

Rajai is back today to try out his rested groin, James McCann replaces The Walkman, and Andrew Romine gets his first start since April 11, when he had a hit, 3 walks, and 2 stolen bases.

2015 Season

Game 2015.21: Tigers at Twins

6 Comments

By now most of you will have heard the bad news that Kirk Gibson has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, which explains his absence from the broadcasting booth. Jason Beck has a collection of reactions to the news.  As Brad Ausmus says, “I can’t see Kirk Gibson folding up shop and crawling into a corner over this.” Best wishes to one of the most memorable Tigers from the Sparky era.

Well, the Tigers tried an experiment last night with the lineup, and it worked:  Jose Iglesias went nuts in the 2nd spot, with three hits including a home run (!) and a triple. People are already starting to talk about how his success isn’t sustainable (which of course it isn’t), just as his average his rookie season was a fluke, based on an abnormal number of infield hits. At a certain point though, if a guy is consistently “lucky”…well, maybe the “luck” will last a while.

At any rate, with a right-hander on the mound, the experiment is over and Iglesias takes his seat at the back of the Bottom-of-the-Order Boys section of the lineup.

Tonight’s Win-One-For-The-Gibby Lineup:

  1. Anthony Gose, CF
  2. Ian Kinsler, 2B
  3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
  4. Victor Martinez, DH
  5. JD Martinez, RF
  6. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
  7. Alex Avila, C
  8. Nick Castellanos, 3B
  9. Jose Iglesias, SS
2015 Season

Game 2015.20: Tigers at Twins

17 Comments

The Tigers are back to winning, taking the Indians series with a 2-game winning streak, and now they get the Twins, who they dominated by a combined score of 22-1 to start the season. It would be nice to get some momentum to take on the road to Kansas City on Friday.

The victory Sunday came with a cost, however, as Rajai Davis had to leave the game with a groin strain and is day-to-day. Davis says he doesn’t “think it’s serious at all,” but you may recall Davis struggled down the stretch at the end of last season with a bad groin.

David Price laid an egg his last start, on a night on which he said he couldn’t feel his fingers. It’s should be in the high 60s in Minneapolis tonight.

Today’s Price-Is-Right Lineup:

  1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
  2. Jose Iglesias, SS
  3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
  4. Victor Martinez, DH
  5. JD Martinez, RF
  6. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
  7. Alex Avila, C
  8. Hernan Perez, 3B
  9. Anthony Gose, CF

This is the most different lineup of the season so far. With Davis out, Gose plays center, but against the lefty Milone is slotted 9th, which gives Kinsler his first leadoff spot of the year. Also Iglesias moves up to 2nd, which, considering how often he puts the ball in play, should be a good spot for him. The slumping LOB machine Nick Castellanos gets a day off. The two missed pop flies in the same at bat could not have helped his cause.

2015 Season, Game Post

Game 2015.19: Indians at Tigers

15 Comments

A last minute Trevor Bauer scratch worked out to the Tigers advantage as they jumped on a wild T.J. House for 3 runs, 4 hits and 4 walks in 3 innings, and then rode another outstanding performance from Alfredo Simon to a 4-1 win. Poor House, he’s now allowed 9 runs and 10 hits in 4 1/3 against the Tigers this year.

Simon allowed 8 baserunners in 6 2/3, and then turned the ball over to what is becoming a formidable bullpen, anchored by Joaquin Soria. Four starts into the season Simon is 4-0 with a minuscule .95 WHIP and .559 OPS against.

Lobstein takes the mound in the rubber match today; he’s in JV’s spot. Speaking of JV, is anyone else concerned about the lack of news? JV is still not pain free, but he’s still throwing and will go with the Tigers on their 10 game road trip, presumably so he can get some work in. If he’s not going to start I think I’d rather have him rehabbing with doctors at home. Once he does get to “pain free” it’s going to take a while to build up arm strength, so I really don’t see him pitching anytime in the next 2-3 weeks.

Baseball Reference Game Preview here.

1. Davis, CF
2. Kinsler, 2B
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. Martinez V, DH
5. Martinez J.D. RF
6. Cespedes, LF
7. Castellanos, 3B
8. McCann, C
9. Iglesias, SS

2015 Season, Game Post

Game 2015.18: Indians at Tigers

11 Comments

Well, you’re not going to win them all, but winning once every 5 days would be nice. After sprinting out of the gates to start the season with the best record in the Majors, the Tigers have slipped into the 4th best overall record, and 1.5 games behind KC in the Central. I would like to point out that the Tigers lost 4 or more games in a row 3 times last year and once in 2013, so remember that it happens. It’s a long season.

Alfredo Simon looks to right the ship this afternoon against Trevor Bauer. Bauer has been nearly flawless so far this year, allowing only 2 ER and 8 hits in 18 IP. He’s struck out 26 in that time for an eye-popping 13 K/9.

Baseball-Reference Game Preview here.

1. Davis, CF
2. Kinsler, 2B
3. Cabrera, 1B
4. Martinez V, DH
5. Martinez J.D., RF
6. Cespedes, LF
7. Avila, C
8. Castellanos, 3B
9. Iglesias, SS

 

2015 Season

Game 2015.16: Yankees at Tigers

10 Comments

Well, there is one good thing about last night’s game. But what it is I couldn’t tell you. I guess if you were at the game, the beer stayed cold, we’ll go with that.

The Tigers turn to Anibal Sanchez to stop their first losing streak of the season, and hope to see the old Anibal, or at least not the one from the past two games. Over his last start Sanchez has only managed a combined 9.2 innings pitched, and given up 14 earned runs, including 5 long balls (he only gave up 4 HRs all of 2014).

If Sanchez struggles again this time out, the well-worked bullpen will be severely tested. The Tigers brought up a fresh arm today to help out: Ian Krol, who would be unavailable today anyway, was sent to Toledo and swapped out for right-hander Alex Wilson, who came to Detroit from Boston in the Rick Porcello trade. Wilson has yet to give up a run this season in Toledo, and is 3 for 3 in saves.

And speaking of saves, today the Tigers announced the sad news that Joe Nathan will be having season-ending Tommy John surgery. I wasn’t in any particular hurry to see Joe take the closer role back from Soria, but nonetheless this is a tough break for Nathan, and it’s hard to not see this as the end of his very good career.

Today’s Chilled-Out Lineup:

  1. Anthony Gose, CF
  2. Ian Kinsler, 2B
  3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B
  4. Victor Martinez, DH
  5. JD Martinez, RF
  6. Yoenis Cespedes, LF
  7. Alex Avila, C
  8. Nick Castellanos, 3B
  9. Hernan Perez, SS

Castellanos takes a step back in the order, and Iglesias gets a day off.

2015 Season

Game 2015.15: Yankees at Tigers

14 Comments

As good as Monday’s game was, the Tigers dribbled through Tuesday’s game like an egregiously under-inflated basketball.  It’s not that the game wasn’t close; The Lobster, despite a shaky start, got through 6 innings with only one run, and the Tigers went into the 7th down only 1-0. In fact Detroit had the winning run at the plate in the bottom of the 9th. But somehow this game felt different, perhaps because of the 4 double plays: seemingly every time a baserunner got on, the next guy took him off, so the game just had one of those this-isn’t-our-day feels. Maybe it was the cold, rainy weather.

Tonight should be less rainy, but even colder (it should be below 40 before the game ends), in other words even more of the same from last night. Of course we get David Price on the mound, but the starting pitching hasn’t been much of a problem this season (ahem, Anibal); lately, somehow, the problem has been scoring runs–in the last 7 games, the Tigers have scored more than 3 runs only once, which has been masked by their 5-2 record over that period.

Tonight is the polymer game of the 4-game series. Expect a lot of ground balls today, it being Earth Day and all.

Tonight’s Same As Last Night Lineup:

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

Pitchers: David Price vs. Adam Warren

Nick Castellanos, who began the season at the plate in pretty aggravating fashion, has quietly begun to put up some good at bats. He is 1-for-2 against Warren, with a triple. I’m looking for the Bottom of the Order Boys to pick up the offense tonight.

In other news, Joe Nathan had to leave his rehab assignment early with a possible elbow injury, which drew a collective shrug from Tiger fans nationwide.