Category Archives: 2016 Season

2016 Season, Game Post

Game 2016.115: Tigers at Rangers

9 Comments

I usually hate off days, but yesterday was a merciful one.

I’m counting on The Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi Currently in Arlington (that might be literally true) to sway the Tigers fortunes (or misfortunes, as it may be).

Again, as others have commented on, the Tigers do seem to have a lot of injuries, which could be a “that’s baseball” kind of thing. I’m not really comfortable with the injuries that start out as day-to-day things then end up as DL things, especially since they end up giving the Tigers a functional 23-man roster at times. Or with the whole coming back from injuries unready to come back from injuries thing.

A lot of baseball left. But less than there was last week.

Also: how about that Prince Fielder trade? I’m expecting Kinsler to come up big in this series; whether his reception is positive or negative, I expect him to feed off of it.

Anibal has had two nice starts. Do we dare wish for a third? He looks so focused in that picture.

Today’s Texas isn’t West Coast so Maybe, Just Maybe, Lineup:

  1. Kinsler, 2B
  2. Collins, CF
  3. Cabrera, 1B
  4. V Martinez, DH
  5. JD Martinez, RF
  6. Upton, LF
  7. McGehee, 3B
  8. McCann, C
  9. Iglesias, SS

McGehee has been doing a fine job filling in for Castellanos. Upton, on the other hand, has been faring less well filling in for…oh, damn, he’s a starter.

2016 Season, Game Post

Game 2016.114: Tigers at Mariners

14 Comments

Seems like forever since we last won a game. The M’s are now only 1.5 games behind Detroit in the wild card race. Maybin to the DL, and Greene is day to day. Sky is falling.

Not really, still a lot of baseball left.

Streakbuster JV on the mound tonight, but opposite King Felix.

Baseball-Reference game preview here.

1. 2B Ian Kinsler

2. CF Tyler Collins

3. 1B Miguel Cabrera

4. DH Victor Martinez

5. RF J.D. Martinez

6. LF Justin Upton

7. 3B Casey McGehee

8. C James McCann

9. SS Mike Aviles

2016 Season, Game Post

Game 2016.112: Tigers at Mariners

7 Comments

A couple of hot topics from yesterday’s game.

  1. Clark completely botched the 3rd out in the eighth, but I don’t see J.D. scoring there if he’s running hard. Sure, we lost an at-bat, but I don’t think it was a guaranteed run.
  2. This was the third time this year that F-Rod came out 3 consecutive nights. The first time he was good, the second time he got drilled in the third game (3 hits and 2 BB in 1 IP), last night was no so good. I don’t have a problem with him coming out for the 9th three nights in a row; I do have a problem with him coming out in a non-save situation, though remember that Greene had already been used the previous two nights. You can blame this one on Kyle Ryan. Rondon was a reasonable option as well.

Maybin still out.

Baseball-Reference game preview here.

1. 2B Ian Kinsler

2. CF Tyler Collins

3. 1B Miguel Cabrera

4. DH Victor Martinez

5. RF J.D. Martinez

6. LF Justin Upton

7. 3B Casey McGehee

8. C Jarrod Saltalamacchia

9. SS Jose Iglesias

2016 Season, Game Post

Game 2016.111: Mets at Tigers

32 Comments

The good news is the Tigers won again, and have the series against the Mets, and like our astute commenters pointed out, it was a real team victory. The bad news is Castellanos is out for 4-7 weeks, and the pitching mis-match of Sanchez vs. deGrom.

Casey McGehee has been called up to replace Castellanos.

Today’s Kitchen Sink Lineup:

  1. Collins, CF
  2. Iglesias, SS
  3. Cabrera, 1B
  4. V Martinez, DH
  5. JD Martinez, RF
  6. Upton, LF
  7. McGehee, 3B
  8. McCann, C
  9. Romine, 2B

 

 

2016 Season, Game Post, Trade Rumors

Game 2016.110: Mets at Tigres

15 Comments

Justin pitched masterfully again, the bullpen did their part, Victor showed up with the game winning home run, but still I think the tone of yesterday’s games was set by Ian Kinsler, who led off the game with a single, stole second, stole third, and was able to score on a ground out. Starting off with a 1-0 lead was huge.

A lot written in the last day about Zimmermann; apparently not only did he have discomfort in the first inning of Thursday’s game, but also during pre-game warmups. I think the Tigers might have been slightly foolish to bring him back a bit before he was ready, and quite foolish indeed to stay with him through the game day warning signs. Luckily his MRI didn’t show anything serious, so he will probably avoid the DL. Still, there were other options.

As I put pen to paper here, Cleveland has just finished off the Yankees. Time to answer.

And hey, it’s ¡Fiesta Tigres!

Those first 10,000 fans will score a Magglio Ordonez collectible figurine, which would be a handsome addition to any collectible figurine shelf.

Today’s Boyd Would it be Nice to Win This One Lineup:

  1. Kinsler, 2B
  2. Collins, CF
  3. Cabrera, 1B
  4. V Martinez, DH
  5. JD Martinez, RF
  6. Castellanos, 3B
  7. Upton, LF
  8. Saltalamacchia, C
  9. Iglesias, SS

Cameron “The Thumb” Maybin still day to day, so Fingers gets another start in center.

2016 Season, Game Post

Game 2016.109: Mets at Tigers

14 Comments

Well if you like pitching duels, you could do worse than tonight’s match up, with Justin Verlander taking on Noah Syndergaard, as the Mets make a rare appearance in town. Our old friend Curtis Granderson will be leading the game off, but Yoenis Cespedes is unlikely to make an appearance, with a bad quad. He also has been getting in a lot of golf, to the consternation of the New York press.

The fragile spark plug Cameron Maybin is still day to day with a mild thumb sprain, and Fingers Collins gets a shot at the 2nd spot in the order.

Today’s How Bout A Run or Two For Justin Lineup:

  1. Kinsler, 2B
  2. Collins, CF
  3. Cabrera, 1B
  4. V Martinez, DH
  5. JD Martinez, RF
  6. Castellanos, 3B
  7. Upton, LF
  8. McCann, C
  9. Iglesias, SS
2016 Season, Game Post

Game 2016.108: White Sox at Tigers

10 Comments

The Tigers completed the first challenge on their August pitching gauntlet, thanks to a storybook homerun from JD, and another brilliant pitching performance by Michael Fulmer. Sale was dominant, but the Tigers were even better, scratching out a 2-1 win to guarantee a third straight series win.  You really should click on the link to watch/re-watch/re-watch/re-watch the JD home run (and then tune to 2:31.31 if you want to listen to Dan’s call on the MLB.tv radio archives). Goosebumps.

Today the Tigers face Jose Quintana, tomorrow it’s Noah Syndergaard, and then Sunday it’s Jacob deGrom. (They do play on Saturday but I don’t know that Mets pitcher. The other 2 are frightening enough). We’re not gonna win every game, but we’re squarely back in the race. Still a lot of games to play.

No VMart (mild illness extra rest) or Maybin (mild thumb sprain) today. Zimmermann back on the hill.

Baseball-Reference game preview here.

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B

2. Jose Iglesias, SS

3. Miguel Cabrera, DH

4. Nick Castellanos, 3B

5. J.D. Martinez, RF

6. Justin Upton, LF

7. Tyler Collins, CF

8. Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C

9. Andrew Romine, 1B

2016 Season, Game Post

Game 2016.107: White Sox at Tigers

16 Comments

Another game, another easy win. Sanchez had his best outing of the year, Cabrera homered to right again, and Lowe gave up a hit, a walk, and a run. All in a day’s work.

We’re not going to win every game, but it sure is fun to try.

Pelfrey to the DL, J.D. in the clubhouse, but in a pinch-hitting role tonight.

Verlander was named AL pitcher of the month for July.

Sale vs. Fulmer. Runs could be at a premium.

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B

2. Cameron Maybin, CF

3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B

4. Victor Martinez, DH

5. Nick Castellanos, 3B

6. Justin Upton, LF

7. Mike Aviles, RF

8. James McCann, C

9. Jose Iglesias, SS

 

2016 Season, Game Post

Game 2016.106: White Sox vs. Tigers

22 Comments

The trade deadline came and went, and the Tigers’ roster remains unchanged. I’m good with that. They should pull in a nice haul from the DL here soon, as J.D., Zimmermann, and Norris are all set to come back. Though we were about .500 at full strength so …

Zimmermann is likely to start on Thursday, and J.D. is expected back before the end of the home stand. Collins is the likely candidate to go down when J.D. is back.

Fulmer may be hitting an imaginary inning limit – he’s at 97 already; I’m guessing he’ll skip a few starts over the next few months. His minor league high is 125, spanning high A and AA last year.

Pitching prospect Drake Britton has been suspended for 50 games for testing positive for amphetamines. He’s 27 and not considered a top prospect.

Nick Castellanos gets a day off after a day off.

Baseball-Reference game preview here.

1. 2B Ian Kinsler

2. CF Cameron Maybin

3. 1B Miguel Cabrera

4. DH Victor Martinez

5. LF Justin Upton

6. RF Tyler Collins

7. C James McCann

8. 3B Andrew Romine

9. SS Jose Iglesias

2016 Season, Game Post

Game 2016.105: Astros at Tigers

27 Comments

What a win that was last night. I was certain the Tigers had a 1-0 win going into the 9th, and i was just as certain they had a 2-1 loss on their hands in the bottom of the 9th, especially after the inning began with a Martinez weak grounder and a Saltalamacchia pinch-hit strikeout. But Justin Upton had a great at-bat and got a walk (how often does that happen?), and Tyler “Do You Really Wanna Demote Me” Collins found a curve left over the middle of the plate (a few inches higher and I think he hits that one over the centerfielder’s head), then, most improbably of all, McCann takes one over the shortstop to tie the game. I don’t think anyone could have predicted how Iglesias would win the game, even if they thought he would win the game. He hit a hard slice down the right field line that was about 10 feet from winning the game, but he ended up with a fairly routine grounder to first, then ran like a maniac, while the pitcher stepped at the bag like Sparky Anderson trying not to step on the 3rd base chalk line, and there you have it. Even better than the game was watching the players afterwards; Verlander in particular was having a moment of real joy. It reminded me of watching the Royals last season.

It used to be Miggy and Victor pulling the team along behind them, but now something else is driving the team.

When is the last time the Tigers got 2 runs from hustle?

Verlander gets the game ball. Once again he was dominant, and the two runs scored mostly on two slow grounders to short. The pitch Correa hit was below the strike zone and so outside it was in the other batter’s box–McCann slid over in block mode. He was clearly winded in the 9th, but the guy has no quit in him.

Meanwhile the Cleveland Indians have gone and thrown down the gauntlet, emptying their minor league system for Andew Miller and Jonathan Lucroy.

Today’s Let’s Not Get Pelfreyed Lineup:

  1. Kinsler, 2B
  2. Maybin, CF
  3. Cabrera, 1B
  4. V Martinez, DH
  5. Castellanos, 3B
  6. Upton, LF
  7. Aviles, RF
  8. McCann, C
  9. Iglesias, SS
2016 Season, Game Post

Game 2016.104: Astros at Tigers

38 Comments

That’s four in a row for the guys with the D on their hats (I’ll take a moment to think how easily it could have been 7, if a couple of plays in Chicago had gone differently. OK, now I can move on). They didn’t gain any ground on Cleveland, because, hey, Oakland A’s, but they didn’t lose any either. And since this series and the last were against Wild Card contenders, they have moved up in the Wild Card standings (currently a half game behind Houston, and 2 out of a spot). I’m with Craig Monroe on that though, the heck with the Wild Card, these guys can win the division, as long as they can get over the idea that they can’t beat Cleveland–7 head-to-head left at the end of the season.

Jason Beck raises the possibility that Tyler Collins might stick around even after JD Martinez makes it back; the Tigers have been carrying an extra reliever for 2 months, and that doesn’t seem as necessary now—when Lowe and Molleken made an appearance last night it was kind of an “oh yeah, I forgot we had those guys” moment. I like the idea, especially since Maybin seems pretty fragile. With Romine as the best backup infielder and Collins as the best back up outfielder, what would the point of Aviles be?

Today’s good news: Justin Verlander is on the mound. In the month of July he is 3-0 with and ERA of 1.60 (4th best in the AL), and a WHIP of  0.950 (tied with Michael Fulmer for 4th best in the AL). His 37 strikeouts are 3rd best in the AL. If the season had started in July Verlander would be on the top of the list of Cy Young candidates.

Today’s Let’s Keep Streaking Lineup:

  1. Kinsler, 2B
  2. Maybin, CF
  3. Cabrera, 1B
  4. V Martinez, DH
  5. Castellanos, 3B
  6. Upton, LF
  7. Collins, RF
  8. McCann, C
  9. Iglesias, SS