JV was okay yesterday. Not great, but not bad either. He only allowed 3 hits and 2 walks in 5 IPs, while surrendering 2 ER. His fastball velocity was okay, sitting at 92-94 and touching 97, and his command was decent enough for a first start. I am worried that he only got 5 swings and misses, this could be a harbinger of things to come.

Anyway, I said I’d be pleased with 6 IP and 3 ER, so 5 IP and 2 ER ain’t bad. The bullpen, however, was awful. Again. This is becoming an alarming trend, one that gave us nightmares late last season and that was outright terrifying in the playoffs. The pen is posting a 5.47 June ERA, and the Tigers are now 2-11 in their last 13 games decided by 2 runs or fewer. Much of this can be blamed on Ausmus. This smart guy on Bless You Boys points out that other than handing the ball to Soria in the 9th from time to time. Ausmus isn’t doing so hot with the pen. The gist of it is that Ausmus’ bullpen management WPA is below average, and if you remove Soria it’s flat out awful. Let’s all say it together now “he’s learning.”

Anyway, Tigers go up against Indians ace Corey Kluber in today’s rubber match. Don’t let Kluber’s 3-7 record fool you, he’s only getting 2.46 runs behind him per game. He’s actually throwing slightly more strikes, striking out more, and walking less than he did when he won the Cy Young award last year. His BABIP currently sits at .356, the highest for his career. So I hate to break it to you, but he’s likely pitching even better than he did last year. Though the Tigers’ big three do rake against the guy (see below).

The Indians are calling up highly touted SS prospect Francisco Lindor, but he’s not in the starting lineup.

Lineup (career numbers off Corey Kluber):

1. Anthony Gose, CF (1-for-3, HR, 2 K’s)
2. Ian Kinsler, 2B (4-for-18, triple, walk, 4 K’s)
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B (19-for-33, 2 doubles, 4 HR, 2 walks, 6 K’s)
4. Yoenis Cespedes, LF (4-for-10, double, HR, 2 K’s)
5. J.D. Martinez, RF (5-for-12, double, HR, K)
6. Tyler Collins, DH
7. Bryan Holaday, C (2-for-6, 3 K’s)
8. Andrew Romine, 3B (1-for-4, walk, 2 K’s)
9. Jose Iglesias, SS (0-for-4)

I’ll be glued to the radio for today’s broadcast. Of course I’d like for the Tigers to win, but I’m much more interested to see how JV pitches. If we can get 6 innings and 3 or less runs, I’ll be pleased. Getting through the first two innings will be crucial. Chris Iott of MLive did a story today which explained that one of JV’s biggest problems last year was pitching behind in the count. OPS in these situations ballooned in 2014 relative to his career. I can’t help but wonder if this is b/c hitters could, for the first time, sit on his fastball.

Back in February I did some comparisons between JV and other similar pitchers in an attempt to forecast what the rest of Verlander’s career might look like. There is still a very good chance for him to be dominant, but we all need to understand that the fastball velocity is likely never coming back. As a result, he has to be better early in at bats, and the curve and change have to be better. He’ll still have days where he strikes out 10+, but I don’t think he has the arm strength to throw fireballs forever like a Ryan or Clemens.

Are you guys following what’s going on with the All Star game voting? Currently 7 Royals for the AL, and 4 Cardinals for the NL, are leading their respective positions. Technology has enabled teams and fans to legally rig the system. If anything, I wish they would get rid of the dumb home field advantage rule. It’s an exhibition, no one cares. In fact, the All Star game is upsetting to me b/c it means nearly a full week of no real baseball. I’d be more interested if they would let the mascots play each other.

Lineups: (career numbers off Carrasco)

1. Rajai Davis, DH (3-for-12, double, triple, 2 K’s)
2. Ian Kinsler, 2B (7-for-19, 3 doubles, walk, 4 K’s)
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B (8-for-21, double, HR, 3 walks, 5 K’s)
4. Yoenis Cespedes, LF (1-for-3, walk, K)
5. J.D. Martinez, RF (4-for-13, double, HR, 2 K’s)
6. Nick Castellanos, 3B (3-for-8, 2 walks, 4 K’s)
7. James McCann, C (0-for-2)
8. Jose Iglesias, SS (2-for-3, K)
9. Anthony Gose, CF

Winning 3 of 4 ain’t bad, unless you consider that we’d have to do that over 16 games, just to get back to 8 over.

A bunch of roster moves today, or coming soon.

First of all, Shane Greene has been optioned to Toledo. Greene has been getting drilled over the past two months and some time down on the farm could be useful. Jason Beck reminds us that the Tigers sent down Scherzer in 2010 for two starts, so expect Greene to be a leading Cy Young candidate for some other team in 2020.

Ian Krol back up. Meh.

More excitingly, Justin Verlander is slated to start tomorrow, which most likely means that Angel Nesbitt will be sitting around the campfire next to Shane Greene telling all the kids about the good ‘ole days soon.

Tonight’s Lineup with career #s off of Salazar:

1. Rajai Davis, DH (2-for-7, walk, K)
2. Ian Kinsler, 2B (5-for-12, HR, 2 walks, K)
3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B (6-for-17, double, HR, 8 K’s)
4. Yoenis Cespedes, LF (0-for-3, K)
5. Tyler Collins, RF
6. Nick Castellanos, 3B (4-for-11, 2 doubles, HR, 3 K’s)
7. James McCann, C (0-for-1)
8. Jose Iglesias, SS (1-for-7, walk, K)
9. Anthony Gose, CF (1-for-4, walk, 3 K’s)

The Tigers continue to roll; 3 and counting. Also 3 and counting for Ian Kinsler multiple hit games. Coincidence? I think not.  I think we can safely say The Slump is over.

You wouldn’t necessarily think it in a 6-0 game, but the Rajai Davis catch was a game-changing moment. Baseball is like that. How many times have you seen games where a pitcher throws what should have been the 3rd strike, and the ump calls it a ball, and it all falls apart after that. If that ball clears the wall, the Tigers are down instead of up, and a bunch of people, including maybe Anibal himself, are muttering about more Anibal Long Balls. Just ask Anibal, who said after the game: “he made the game with that catch.”

Tonight’s Get Out the Mini-Brooms Lineup:

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

Have the Tigers turned some sort of corner? Their season was beginning to unravel when they headed into Chicago: swept by LA in LA without much of a challenge, then swept by Oakland at home. When the White Sox took the opener in extra innings on Friday, it looked like maybe David Price would be all that was standing between them and another series sweep.,

Price came through in brilliant fashion to stop the bleeding, and, even more heartening, the Tigers came back from an early 4-1 deficit on Sunday to take the series and their 2nd in a row. The comeback was fueled by power, something the Tigers have seen very little of this season. And while the home runs by Cespedes and JD Martinez won the game, perhaps even more encouraging was the 2-for-4 game by Ian Kinsler, following up on Saturday’s 2-for-5 performance. You could almost hear the sighs of relief from the dugout. Is Kinsler finally out of his funk? If so, that will change the whole look of the Detroit offense.

In a rare treat the Cubbies head into town for a quick two. These aren’t your father’s Cubs though: with a lineup featuring Anthony Rizzo (1.057 OPS) and rookie phenom Kris Bryant (7 HR, 34 RBI), and a brilliant year from Jason Hammel (2.76 ERA, 0.89 WHIP), and run by old Tiger nemesis Joe Maddon, the Cubs look poised to make a run at at least a Wild Card spot this season.

Draft note: in the 5th round, the Tigers take Cam Gibson (MSU), son of Kirk.

Tonight’s More or Lester Lineup:

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

Josh Wilson cracks the lineup again with his 5-for-9 as a Tiger (Hernan Perez is still looking for his 4th hit of the year). Before you get too excited about Wilson tonight, I should mention he is 0-for-14 with 6 K’s against Lester in his career.

Cabrera is the only Tiger who has a good record of hitting Lester, but boy does he hit him: 14-for-27 (.519).

One win shouldn’t “shake the proverbial monkey on the Tigers’ back”, but that seemed to be a recurring theme in the post-game. I’ve only picked up what I’ve read, but I am not reassured or inspired in the least.

I mean, this team just lost 8 games in a row. EIGHT. Let’s not act like all is well in the world. If they lose today they’ll have lost 9/10 going into an off-day. But win today…and we have a winning streak heading into a home series.

Jerry Green, of the Detroit News, wrote an article defending Brad Ausmus this morning, instead seemingly shifting the blame for the team’s woes to Victor Martinez, and the Tigers’ decision to pick VMart over Scherzer. Green is conveniently forgetting that the Tigers offered Scherzer an outrageous sum last March which would have likely prevented them from re-signing VMart. He also neglects to mention that Scherzer’s contract is for $142M dollars MORE than VMart’s. This is just the beginning. He then goes on to shift whatever blame is left to injuries for VMart, JV, and Avila. I honestly have no idea what he’s watching, or which editor thought it would be a good idea to give him a forum. He could not be more wrong in his analysis or conclusions. He does, however, get roasted in the comments, where most of the people posting agree with my notion that other than Tony Gage, every tier 1 beat writer is scared of the Tigers’ front office.

If you haven’t been watching the rest of the AL b/c this Tigers’ train wreck is so encompassing, the Royals have lost 9/11, and are averaging less than 3 runs per game over their last 18. And your second WC team is the Texas Rangers. One month ago I read/heard some local guys whom I really respect beg the organization to trade Choo, Beltre, and Fielder, with the understanding that a bag of chips would be good return for Choo.

What a difference a month can make.

I was thrilled last night when Ausmus came out to get Joba “8th Inning” Chamberlain to go situational for the next batter, and then Soria for a 4 pitch out. If you’re gonna lose, it’s okay to lose that way. Ausmus was managing.

Soria subsequently gave up a 2 out HR, and then a combo of Cabrera poor fielding (which doesn’t happen very often) and Alex Wilson poor pitching (which hasn’t happened very often) did the Tigers in. I did not see the Cabrera miscue, but it seems to me like there was a lapse in concentration.

Another sucker punch (that’s what it is at this point in time), and another loss as the season continues to slip away.

There’s been a lot of talk about the Tigers getting healthy soon, and what sort of impact that will have on things. Let’s make sure we all understand who or what is coming back.

Justin Verlander – arguably the worst full season starter in the AL last year. He’s not gonna replace Sanchez in the rotation. Lobstein/Ryan, whom he will replace, have been pretty serviceable. I think we are all praying that he returns to close to dominant #1 JV, but it is far from a given that anything close to that will happen.

Victor Martinez – who I do expect to be better than the worst DH in the AL when he gets back; but can he be MVP caliber VMart again?

Alex Avila – who would be a downgrade over the production we’re currently getting at C.

Point is, the Tigers should be winning, regularly, with the team they have on the field right now. I don’t expect these three guys to make a huge impact. Which leads me to a question for you, if Ausmus were to lose 20 in a row, he’d be fired, right? So what about 15? I think so.

What about 14? 13?…10? There’s got to be a maximum tolerance. I’m kind of curious to find out.

(The A’s earned that pic above)

As I mentioned the other day, I’m usually pretty calm when it comes to the ups and downs of a baseball season. Every team goes through streaks, and you’re usually not as good as a 11-2 start, nor as bad as an 0-7 run.

But I’m ready to push the panic button. This team is so uninspired that I’m starting to think that Ausmus is about as motivating as Bill Lumbergh.

Kurt Mensching of Bless You Boys (I’ll openly admit that I’m insanely envious of their site and content, and wish we could create a DTW follower only forum over there) wrote a nice piece on the Tigers’ struggles yesterday morning. He straddles the “it’s a bad streak” / “the season is falling apart” line, but he does bring up the trade deadline. I feel that he reached into my brain and pulled that out a few days ago, as I was contemplating content for this post, but really, all of you have probably been thinking about this. The reality is that with the contracts in place and age of this team, the Tigers could very quickly be the Phillies or Yankees, without any of that heavy hardware that’s so annoying to find a place for. The club owes well over an entire Astros payroll to 3 players, 2 of whom aren’t currently playing. (Cabrera + JV + VMart = $74M; Astros = $69M).

I’m gonna give you a minute to let that sink in, and then remind you that the Astros are 6 games ahead of the Tigers.

Tony Paul of the Detroit News accurately called the team the “bumbling Tigers” which is accurate given the suspect performances over the past week. I did not have the courage to look this up on my own, but if the Tigers don’t win a game this weekend, they’ll find themselves in last place in the AL Central. LAST PLACE!!??

Where are the water coolers smashing up against the wall? Where are the broken bats, the helmets being launched across the dugout, the cagey veteran run team only meetings? All I’m hearing is that the manager is embarrassed but the team will be prepared tomorrow. Embarrassed? How about furious? Outraged? Pissed off? Ausmus is treating this losing streak like I treat my three year old’s reluctance to eat anything but chicken nuggets; just wait it out and hope that it fixes itself. I mean, these are big leaguers, right? They’ll snap out of it…eventually, right?

The answer is absolutely not, you have to get into their mind and motivate them, teach them, and lead them. A manager’s job is not to fill out a line-up card, much as Jim Leyland would lead us to believe, but to manage a room full of men. Any of you out there who run a business know that you constantly turn the dials and tweak the settings until the machine is running at optimal performance for the current environment and set of parameters; and you redo that every damn day. Ausmus seems to be under the notion that the car doesn’t need tuning until it collapses.

Quite the contrary, he needs to be talking to each guy every day. And figuring out how to make sure that on that day, during that game, that player will be the best player he can be. I think he treats every player with the exact same hands-off approach, which is an awful way to manage. Not the hand-off approach, but treating every player the same way. I cringe every time he uses playful nicknames for every player – “well, Sanchy’s gonna get better” and “Kins-dog knows how to make that play” then “Greenie-bo will make that throw next time.” Man, stop worrying about whether you can be these guys’ bro and be someone whom they respect and look up to.

Kinsler is a great example. Right now Kinsler is showing us why the Rangers were so anxious to let him go (right down to the lapses in concentration, see my post from March 2014 for reference). Once Kinsler gets into a funk he stays there until the law of averages charitably pulls him out of it (which lines up perfectly with Aumus’ strategy). Or, perhaps, until you sit him. Or talk to him. Moving him down in the lineup was a great start, albeit 10 games late. If Kinsler could get himself out of this, he’d be managing the team himself.

This season is at a tipping point. Right freaking now. Even the Freep is calling it. And you know what the crazy thing is, the Tigers are only 6 games way from the best record int he AL. The talent on this team is so strong, and the AL is so weak, that the Tigers are only 1 game out of the playoffs right now, despite playing their worst baseball in 4 years.

Finally, one last point. And I realize that this will sound hypocritical, so know that I at least recognize that. But let me make my point.

Baseball is a long, long season. There is plenty of time for this team to turn it around. They may even be able to do it under Ausmus. But the whole organization has got to recognize that it is time to panic and make decisions and play with a new level of urgency; because this team is not good enough to pull itself out of this tailspin. No more, it will get better, or this is baseball…it happens. It needs to be, we will make it better right f’n now – starting with this pitch, and then this play in the field, and then this at bat. They can no longer afford to take a single pitch, or play, or at-bat off. Assuming I’m right about Ausmus and he is trying to hard to be everyone’s friend and not heard enough to be their boss, I have no idea how he changes that. But he had better figure it out. That is your job, Brad.

I think the Tigers are playing the White Sox this weekend, most likely a three game set.

There isn’t much to say about last night’s game: the Tigers, were completely baffled by a legitimate Cy Young caliber pitcher. Games like that will happen. The problem is that when you are on a losing streak it’s harder to take them in stride.

Miguel Cabrera does seem to be coming out of his night-game malaise, so there’s that.  Then there’s Ian Kinsler.

A lot of good comments on last night’s post about managing and leadership; they were more interesting than the actual game.

Today’s Drifting Down the Standings Lineup:

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

I’m not sure why Fields doesn’t get a shot this series, what could it hurt?

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

After that frustrating 7-game road trip out west the fans probably appreciated the day off Monday almost as much as the team did.

The team was busy though, and there are a number of roster changes.

• First, Alfredo Simon returns from bereavement leave and will resume his spot in the rotation tonight.  Buck Farmer has been sent back to Toledo to make room for Simon’s return.
• The Tigers, having got their 2-hits worth out of Hernan Perez, put him on waivers. Perez was claimed by the Milwaukee Brewers. Perez is young enough the he still may have potential, but since he was out of options the Tigers were stuck keeping him on the major league roster or letting him go.
• To replace Perez, the Tigers added infielder Josh Wilson from Toledo. Wilson has hit .291 with 10 RBI for the Mud Hens.
• Rajai Davis has gone to join his wife for the birth of their 2nd child and has been placed on paternity leave, which means he will be back Friday at the latest. Getting his first major league call up to replace Rajai will be local boy Daniel Fields, who’s father played for the Tigers in 1986, was a hitting coach for Alan Trammel’s Tigers,  and is now a minor league instructor. Fields has hit .271 with 3 home runs and 7 triples for the Mud Hens. Fields’ stay is likely to be short, but he provides that elusive left-handed bat with power.

Tonight’s 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

Brad tries something a little different and moves the slumping Kinsler to 5th, and tries Iggy in the 2-spot.

Well, in other news, Verlander pitched today for Toledo. 6 H and 3 ER in 2 2/3. Let’s just assume he was throwing all straight balls as he hopped back on the bike for the first time in a while.

Anyone have any good baseball news they want to post.

1. Anthony Gose, CF

2. Ian Kinsler, 2B

3. Miguel Cabrera, 1B

4. Yoenis Cespedes, LF

5. J.D. Martinez, RF

6. Tyler Collins, DH

7. James McCann, C

8. Jose Iglesias, SS

9. Andrew Romine, 3B