A.L. Central Smack Talk 2014

[broncosmitty]

Crashed might be a little strong there Bums. The 2013 rotation was an historic rotation. But with you on Smyly. It's a good thing his innings were limited early in the season. Maybe he'll be somewhere near productive down the stretch this year. (Not sure where the crazy confidence in him comes from some honks.(no offense to jalopy))Cuz the kid was a liability late in the year last year. Hit a wall for sure.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Smyly, Gibson, Ventura, and Duffy will all be intriguing to watch once they start approaching the 150 IP mark one way or the other.

 

[broncosmitty]

Really hoping Smyly either doesn't have to get there, or gets there as a reliever in September. He's not going to be a post season starter, the more bullpen work the better. And Id like to see Ray get five more starts atleast this year. (Not hoping they're on account of injury.)

 

[Fountain City Blues]

OT:

 

[Cleaves2000]

Really hoping Smyly either doesn't have to get there, or gets there as a reliever in September. He's not going to be a post season starter, the more bullpen work the better. And Id like to see Ray get five more starts atleast this year. (Not hoping they're on account of injury.)

If we make the postseason, smyly will instantly help the BP....Just what they need, a lefty....if hanahan can help out, that will be great....otherwise i think, DD will add a righthanded reliever at the deadline.

Problem is the log jam in the OF. a bunch of mediocre players who can get hot or get real cold....JD's been good for a stretch, ajax i have no faith in when we need clutch hit, tori seems to be aging fast, davis is fast, dirks, if recovered and just plays decent...thats 5 OF's for 3 spots...no star and they all bring something different to the table....i guess you play who gets hot....id like to see tori get more bench myself. Im just worried JD is just going thru a great stretch and will go back to the prospect bust he was...i hope not since i was pretty happy when detroit picked him up then moved him up after his power surge in toledo..

 

[Cleaves2000]

Thats hilarious moose....im not even a huge soccer fan but been following it and thats how i felt after that goal....i went to gym last night and i listened to mad dog radio, and thats all they talked about for the 3hrs i listened. That damn tie....im no soccer fan but shouldnt the US had 10 guys crammed all the way back? When other teams get a goal lead late, the other team cant even get close to the goal. Ill call it like i see it and that was a choke job..kick the ball deep and retreat...

 

[da55bums]

Crashed might be a little strong there Bums. The 2013 rotation was an historic rotation. But with you on Smyly. It's a good thing his innings were limited early in the season. Maybe he'll be somewhere near productive down the stretch this year. (Not sure where the crazy confidence in him comes from some honks.(no offense to jalopy))Cuz the kid was a liability late in the year last year. Hit a wall for sure.

Maybe crashed wasn't the word as much as a steady decline. The Tigers Rotation in 2013 was historic definately in Tigers history, no doubt, maybe even 2012, the A's and the Royals have had better team ERA's though over that stretch, so team pitching wasn't anything historic.

The Tigers have definately earned every individual awards for historic performances and definately rightfully so.

You do know Duffy didn't pitch the 1st month also...so he is only around 60 innings and actually less innings than Smyly.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Thats hilarious moose....im not even a huge soccer fan but been following it and thats how i felt after that goal....i went to gym last night and i listened to mad dog radio, and thats all they talked about for the 3hrs i listened. That damn tie....im no soccer fan but shouldnt the US had 10 guys crammed all the way back? When other teams get a goal lead late, the other team cant even get close to the goal. Ill call it like i see it and that was a choke job..kick the ball deep and retreat...

Giving Ronaldo a last chance to make a cross is like letting Lebron get the last shot off. Just can't happen. Really stings after how pedestrian Ronaldo was for the first 94 minutes.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

The Tigers Rotation in 2013 was historic definately in Tigers history, no doubt, maybe even 2012, the A's and the Royals have had better team ERA's though over that stretch, so team pitching wasn't anything historic.

The Tigers have definately earned every individual awards for historic performances and definately rightfully so.

You do know Duffy didn't pitch the 1st month also...so he is only around 60 innings and actually less innings than Smyly.

Not so sure I would say team pitching for the Royals in 2013 so much as run suppression. The defense was obnoxious last year as well.

 

[da55bums]

If we make the postseason, smyly will instantly help the BP....Just what they need, a lefty....if hanahan can help out, that will be great....otherwise i think, DD will add a righthanded reliever at the deadline.

Problem is the log jam in the OF. a bunch of mediocre players who can get hot or get real cold....JD's been good for a stretch, ajax i have no faith in when we need clutch hit, tori seems to be aging fast, davis is fast, dirks, if recovered and just plays decent...thats 5 OF's for 3 spots...no star and they all bring something different to the table....i guess you play who gets hot....id like to see tori get more bench myself. Im just worried JD is just going thru a great stretch and will go back to the prospect bust he was...i hope not since i was pretty happy when detroit picked him up then moved him up after his power surge in toledo..

still like the Tigers OFers better than the last few years...still think they were nuts for giving up Garcia but that was about all they had to trade.

 

[da55bums]

If the twins keep it up, this could get real fun.

 

[Howie115]

On the other hand, Verlander's decline is pretty obvious at this point. And if you want to throw Ventura and Duffy IP concerns at me... When the hell has Smyly been effective after 140-150 IP? Scherzer isn't going to be the guy from 2013 again. Seems like the Tigers rotation, while still solid, is no where even remotely close to where it was last year.

Yes, Smyly has not proved he can go beyond 150 either, but he's got more MLB experience than Duffy/Ventura. Verlander IS a concern, but the other three guys (Scherzer, Sanchez, Porcello) are proven performers over a full season. Porcello is 9-4/3.76 right now. He's never won more than 14 games in a season, and looks well on his way to topping that. Scherzer is 9-3/3.71, and Sanchez has a 2.33 ERA, but is only 4-2 due to a DL stint (finger laceration, not arm/shoulder related) and crappy hitting support.

Were it not for Joe Nathan's 5 blown saves, the Tiger lead in the ALC would be a bit more comfortable.

The Tigers can survive Verlander being a .500 pitcher with an ERA in the low-4's this year, IMO, if the bullpen can at least be mediocre.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

still like the Tigers OFers better than the last few years...still think they were nuts for giving up Garcia but that was about all they had to trade.

Might have been a club chemistry thing. Rumor was Garcia was banging Prince's wife. That's some bad mojo in the clubhouse that isn't needed.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

Yes, Smyly has not proved he can go beyond 150 either, but he's got more MLB experience than Duffy/Ventura. Verlander IS a concern, but the other three guys (Scherzer, Sanchez, Porcello) are proven performers over a full season. Porcello is 9-4/3.76 right now. He's never won more than 14 games in a season, and looks well on his way to topping that. Scherzer is 9-3/3.71, and Sanchez has a 2.33 ERA, but is only 4-2 due to a DL stint (finger laceration, not arm/shoulder related) and crappy hitting support.

Were it not for Joe Nathan's 5 blown saves, the Tiger lead in the ALC would be a bit more comfortable.

The Tigers can survive Verlander being a .500 pitcher with an ERA in the low-4's this year, IMO, if the bullpen can at least be mediocre.

That is a fair point.

 

[dougplayer]

Royals will be fine...

BAWWWWHHHAAAAAAA

 

[Fountain City Blues]

BAWWWWHHHAAAAAAA

Good luck, the Tigers might need some to get where they want to go when it is said and done.

 

[da55bums]

Yes, Smyly has not proved he can go beyond 150 either, but he's got more MLB experience than Duffy/Ventura. Verlander IS a concern, but the other three guys (Scherzer, Sanchez, Porcello) are proven performers over a full season. Porcello is 9-4/3.76 right now. He's never won more than 14 games in a season, and looks well on his way to topping that. Scherzer is 9-3/3.71, and Sanchez has a 2.33 ERA, but is only 4-2 due to a DL stint (finger laceration, not arm/shoulder related) and crappy hitting support.

Were it not for Joe Nathan's 5 blown saves, the Tiger lead in the ALC would be a bit more comfortable.

The Tigers can survive Verlander being a .500 pitcher with an ERA in the low-4's this year, IMO, if the bullpen can at least be mediocre.

I agree the Tigers should be fine with starters, still top 10 in the league.

The Royals having a good season to just another season was going to come down to one of Ventura and/or Duffy stepping up, knew that going into the season...they both have as of now which has actually be a great suprise, if they actually are able to keep it up its going to be close. there is where run support makes a diffence Gandy...wins..Porcello has been a great example of this for his career.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I agree the Tigers should be fine with starters, still top 10 in the league.

The Royals having a good season to just another season was going to come down to one of Ventura and/or Duffy stepping up, knew that going into the season...they both have as of now which has actually be a great suprise, if they actually are able to keep it up its going to be close. there is where run support makes a diffence Gandy...wins..Porcello has been a great example of this for his career.

Duffy is the really curious one in all of this. His ludicrously high FB% combined with a low HR/FB% has led to a very low babip and a lot of pessimistic projections in comparison to his ERA. Ventura looks legit though when he is healthy. (No, I don't really count the 2nd Astros start due to circumstance)

 

[dougplayer]

June 23.... not even All star break.
and you talking out your ass about Verlander.


he made mechanical adjustments before last start. gave up 1 ER.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

June 23.... not even All star break.
and you talking out your ass about Verlander.


he made mechanical adjustments before last start. gave up 1 ER.

You know what I am not talking out of my ass about? His average Fastball velocity dropping since his Cy Young/MVP. Down from what was once 96 to around 92 now.