Detroit Tigers Ongoing 2013 Thread

[dougplayer]

of course.. give up on verlander. he is only 2 games over 500.
this half season is unacceptable!!!!!
omg... you guys serious????? the dude will be right later when the play offs start.
talk about bandwagoners!!!

oo by the way. Tori hunter. sore achillies... expect him to miss some time. they say he will play Friday...I don't believe it.. his old legs will be rested...how long???? that's the question

 

[Howie115]

2015 to 2019 - $28 million a year for JV. If we get the 2011 version for those 5 years - Great. If we get the 2013 version....that could be a franchise changer.

It is impossible to speculate what the future holds for JV. I've only said (and will continue to say) that good pitchers, even great pitchers, have a bad stretch and even a bad season. Over the last 4 seasons, Justin has averaged 19.5 wins with a collective ERA of 2.95. Perhaps he was just due for a "clunker" (by his standards). I look at Jack Morris -- 6-14 / 4.86 in 1989. Many thought he was done. He came back to go 18-12 / 3.43 in 1991 and won a W.S. MVP, then went 21-6 the next season for another W.S. team.

That said, no one knows if JV will come back with more solid seasons, or if he will go the way that Josh Beckett has gone in his early 30s. At least there does not appear to be anything physically wrong with JV as there was with Beckett, so there's plenty of reason for hope.

 

[broncosmitty]

If the Tigers staff, as a whole, wasn't so damn good, we probably wouldn't notice JVs every shortcoming as much as we do. His loss of velocity, his lack of control, his inability to get righties out, the fact he's easy to run on now, his ex, his desire to get a base hit, his "diva" status.....Etc. If Porcello would stop being so consisant, we'd probably look at JVs season differently. Or if BadMax still existed. Or if we played the Rangers when Sanchez or Fister start.

 

[Iffster]

Being the negative jerk that I am....I feel that a big hunk of JV's problems may stem from the loss of determination (fire?) caused by his fat new contract. Not saying it is his only problem....but perhaps that little extra spark he had was doused by the large amount of money added to his bank account. My hope is that a new spark is ignited by a new found desire to prove he is worthy of being paid like the best pitcher in baseball.

Honestly....I've eyeballed and eyeballed the new Verlander and don't see major flaws....but I couldn't eyeball Leyland's faults either. So what do I know. (Although I did not buy into the ''sweet swing'' scenario....and that is a point in my favor, right?)

 

[broncosmitty]

I agree iffy. You are a negative jerk.

 

[aar000n]

Being the negative jerk that I am....I feel that a big hunk of JV's problems may stem from the loss of determination (fire?) caused by his fat new contract. Not saying it is his only problem....but perhaps that little extra spark he had was doused by the large amount of money added to his bank account. My hope is that a new spark is ignited by a new found desire to prove he is worthy of being paid like the best pitcher in baseball.

Honestly....I've eyeballed and eyeballed the new Verlander and don't see major flaws....but I couldn't eyeball Leyland's faults either. So what do I know. (Although I did not buy into the ''sweet swing'' scenario....and that is a point in my favor, right?)

I know what you mean. I do not see anything mechanically wrong with him it just seems his accuracy is off. I see a loss today the philis pitches has been getting killed and Fister is out 2nd best pitcher.

 

[burfboy]

I think you're right Smitty.......I don't buy the premmise he has become a fat cat because of the contract.....he is the ultimate team guy and shown so....he wants a WS......A friend of my who pitched for the Tigers in the late 60s and early 70s told me once that there are times when you pitch and everything goes exactly where u want it and when it goes away there is no reason, u are doing everything the same but the results are gone.....it comes back and u don't know why....there is a real fine line at that level........ JV will be ok.....

 

[Howie115]

Being the negative jerk that I am....I feel that a big hunk of JV's problems may
stem from the loss of determination (fire?) caused by his fat new contract.

He was making $20 mill a season BEFORE the new contract, so I don't buy into the loss of determination. It does seem possible that he is such a proud guy that he feels PRESSURED to live up to the new contract. That I will buy into.

He threw a couple pitches at 99 mph yesterday, so the arm seems fine. It really seems to be a real estate thing -- location, location, location.

 

[Howie115]

If the Tigers staff, as a whole, wasn't so damn good, we probably wouldn't
notice JVs every shortcoming as much as we do.

Actually very lucky that the other starters, particularly Max, have picked up JV. Someone mentioned that the Tigers are 16-4 in games started by Scherzer. With the Tigers 11 games over .500, that means the team has about a .500 record in games everyone else on the staff starts. Thank all that is holy for the timing of Max's big breakout -- which actually started post-All Star break of last season.

 

[broncosmitty]

I agree with that Howie. Max has been incredible, almost every time out since last June. Possibly the best pitcher in baseball, on the whole.(as he doesnt have one huge start to hang his hat on)Imagine what their record could be if Coke, Valverde, New Mexico and company hadn't been so horrible in April, May and most of June! If this is BadJV, I think the franchise will be just fine. (Most teams don't have a starter with better numbers, and this is JV at a low point)

 

[Howie115]

Imagine what their record could be if Coke, Valverde, New Mexico and company hadn't been so horrible in April, May and most of June!

Good point.

Max is 14-1.

Starters not named Max are 34-28.

Bullpen is 8-16.

 

[burfboy]

7:08pm (D. Fister - R)
vs. Phillies (C. Hamels - L)
1. Austin Jackson (R) CF
2. Andy Dirks (L) RF
3. Matt Tuiasosopo (R) LF
4. Prince Fielder (L) 1B
5. Victor Martinez (S) DH
6. Jhonny Peralta (R) SS
7. Hernan Perez (R) 2B
8. Ramon Santiago (S) 3B
9. Alex Avila (L) C

No Miggy and Infante had a set back during rehab....

 

[Iffster]

Three guys, Hunter, Cabrera, Infante (DL), are out with injuries. Nine guys in lineup. That leaves Pena and Kelly as the only subs that are healthy. Time to phone Brandon Inge?

 

[broncosmitty]

Good point.

Max is 14-1.

Starters not named Max are 34-28.

Bullpen is 8-16.

Not to try taking any heat off the bullpen. But... The offense late in games, especially in extras, hasn't helped their collectively awful record. Lots of factors trump JVs mediocre season when it comes to stumbling blocks in winning the division. (14-1 is still hard to believe

 

[Howie115]

Yes, bullpen isn't entirely to blame for the 2-9 record in extra innings.... not when the offense was frequently unable to score a stinking run for 2, 3, 4 innings or more.

 

[broncosmitty]

Wow I didn't realize it was nine. That's pathetic!

 

[gvsulaker82]

Yeah even if verlander does finish the season the way he started it i'm not concerned. There is nothing physically wrong as far as i can tell. He is having a decent season as a pitcher, maybe not a decent season by his standards or ours for him but look how awful he was in 2008. He rebounded nicely then and he will be fine now. Just like we should have known vmart would come around we should know the same for jv. I see this again and again when playing fantasy, so many players get cut based upon a bad month when they have consistently been studs for years and it almost always screws that team over with very few exceptions (lincecum and dunn being two of them) for everything that jv has already done for us as fans even if he never pitched well again i would always be a fan. But he will pitch well again, hopefully sooner than later. Geesh hes not even doing that poorly. Thats how impressive he is, even when he doesnt have the best stuff hes fine. He almost through a no hitter what the game before the as break?

 

[gvsulaker82]

Feel free to pour on avila though, hes not a major league player.

 

[aar000n]

Another day another fail on d and fail clutch hitting. The pitcher is garbage but we can't score in him.

 

[broncosmitty]

Feel free to pour on avila though, hes not a major league player.