Detroit Tigers Ongoing 2014 Thread

[jalopy]

Prince Fielder's weight is going to catch up to him at some point. Could be this season

I don't think he is anywhere near that point. I think he is going to have a huge (ok, pun intended) year. The biggest problem I had with Prince is where to bat him. His AVG says you want him at the plate as often as possible but he clogs up the bases. I don't think the MVP is out of reach for him with Beltre hitting behind him.

 

[broncosmitty]

Another angle on this, could be the fourth straight year Prince helps a teammate win MVP. (Braun, Miggy, Miggy, Beltre?). The last three he protected in the lineup though. No small feat. (Intentional). Weird seeing Russell Wilson taking grounders with him yesterday.

 

[jalopy]

Not sure how I feel about Kinsler calling out his old team

Ian Kinsler intends to become elite second baseman for Detroit Tigers - ESPN The Magazine - ESPN

On one hand, I love the competitive drive. On the other, you're a Tiger now. Let's take care of business here and let the Rangers worry about the Rangers. I will say it had me searching for the first time the two teams meet. They only have two series against each other. The first at Comerica on May 22-25. I think I will be watching.

 

[Howie115]

Prince Fielder's weight is going to catch up to him at some point. Could be this season

He's played in over 500 consecutive games, and 831 of the last 832. And he's 29 years old. I think it'll still be a few years out.

 

[Cleaves2000]

The article isnt making kinsler look too good...

The team asked him to move to 1B and become a leader once young was traded....he only wanted to worry about his performance at 2B.....doesnt sound like a team player.....hope hes different in detroit...

Heard he wasnt very fan friendly in texas also....people could be lying, but on cbs alot of fans are sharing stories of the ways he ran the other way from fans....

Since people like to play the fielder is fat and will breakdown card.....i bet fielder plays in more games than kinsler....and kinsler will be the one on the DL this year....

 

[Cleaves2000]

I was listening to mad dog radio saturday......the guy was talking how good the AL east and west will be and how bad the central is to even the AL out....but he brought up how he thinks the tigers regressed alot this year......and most of the callers agreed....but just like me, most of them think they still win the central since its so bad....

If miggy gets hurt for ant amount of time, this team will be in trouble.....were gonna need his walks

 

[Cleaves2000]

2011: ................................................ 2014:
C Avila .295/.385..............................Avila
1B Mig. Cabrera .344/448 .............. Mig. Cabrera
2B Ram. Santiago .260/.311..............Ian Kinsler
SS J Peralta .345/.478 ......................J Iglesisas
3B B Inge .197/.265 ........................Castellanos
LF B Bosch .283/.341 .......................Dirks
CF A Jackson .249/.317.................... A Jackson
RF M Ordonez .255/303 ................... T Hunter
DH V Martinez .330/.380................... V Martinez

The above comparison seems to dispute your theory. Looking at it solely om the offensive side of the ball. I see the '14 squad as having an edge at 2B,3B,LF, and RF. I also think the '14 version of AJ is better than the '11 version. The only advantage the '11 Tigers had offensively is Peralta and it is a big one. Assuming the injury bug stays away, this years team looks much better (on paper) to me. Speed, OBP and baserunning are big edges while the '11 squad had the advantage in power. I also like our bench with Davis, Lombardozzi, and DK.

So how is catcher a wash? The 2011 avila was an all star....a one year wonder..

Better in LF? You might not like boesch but he hit 283 with 18 or so HR's....and was injured in early august....was having a great year....but i understand people love raji.....cuz hes fast...

Then lets not forget the tigers picked up delmon young at the deadline also...him hitting 3rd allowed vmart to bat 5th also....i believe young moved to 5th in the playoffs? As much as i disliked young, he came thru in clutch times and helped add a lil pop.

I dont think santiago started at 2B much....i could be wrong but i believe raturd took over in may or so and most of santiagos games were late inning replacements..

If youre gonna use mags as a bum then at least give the guys like avila and boesch credit for having great years....i believe raturd had a good 2nd half as he usually did too..

Id still take the 2011 1-9 over 2014.......vmart and miggy both younger.....avila was an elite catcher.....boesch was in the ROY talk...lets hope nicky c is that years boesch and avila regains his hitting stroke.


I still think the BP will be the problem...a lack of a good lefty......coke gets rocked i see.....nothing new.

 

[Cleaves2000]

Anyone else think the Texas Rangers are going to be scary good.......They lack a little pitching but so does our pen, but that lineup they have seems to be scary.

Yup texas will lose to the nats in the WS.....

Profar, andrus, beltre, prince, rios......oh my

Good BP

Darvish and a bunch of mediocre pitchers...

They will out slug other teams.....they will be hard to beat in texas.



Good thing about baseball is the teams favored to win it all, havent been winning the WS lately.

 

[jalopy]

Yup texas will lose to the nats in the WS.....

Profar, andrus, beltre, prince, rios......oh my

Good BP

Darvish and a bunch of mediocre pitchers...

They will out slug other teams.....they will be hard to beat in texas.



Good thing about baseball is the teams favored to win it all, havent been winning the WS lately.

First, I still give the edge to Oakland to win the division again. That division is a 3-horse race that could go any way but i would put it OAK-TEX-LAA. If Texas needs to go the WC route to get into the playoffs it will be tough to win the Divisonal round without Darvish pitching until Game 3 or 4.

I don't get why you list Jurickson Profar as an asset for the Rangers and list Nick C as a question mark for the Tigers. Profar struggled mightily last year and his minor league numbers suggest he will never be even an average hitter. Andrus is a stud but Rios is nothing special. The Beltre-Prince combo is scary good.

I think the Tigers have shown how difficult it is to win the WS with an all-or-nothing approach on offense.

Oddsmakers seem to have it right listing the Tigers as 8/1 odds and the Rangers at 18/1.

 

[Howie115]

Since people like to play the fielder is fat and will breakdown card.....i bet
fielder plays in more games than kinsler....and kinsler will be the one on the
DL this year....

I would absolutely agree with you.

I dont think santiago started at 2B much....i could be wrong but i believe raturd took over in may or so and most of santiagos games were late inning replacements..

Raburn started 55 games at second base in 2011. (Plus 39 games in OF, and 4 games at 3B.)

Ramon started 40 games at 2B, 22 games at SS.

 

[jalopy]

Raburn started 55 games at second base in 2011. (Plus 39 games in OF, and 4 games at 3B.)

Ramon started 40 games at 2B, 22 games at SS.

Regardless, my original stance that Kinsler will be an upgrade over the Tigers '11 2B still stands.

 

[jalopy]

If youre gonna use mags as a bum then at least give the guys like avila and boesch credit for having great years....i believe raturd had a good 2nd half as he usually did too..

Cleaves, I posted the numbers of the 2011 team next to their name. I would think that most would consider that giving them credit for their performance that year. I didn't say Mags was a bum and gave no opinion on Avila or Boesch other than to compare them to their 2014 counterpart (in Avila's case, himself)

 

[gvsulaker82]

Anyone else think the Texas Rangers are going to be scary good.......They lack a little pitching but so does our pen, but that lineup they have seems to be scary.

They will be a great regular season team and be taken care of easily come playoff time.

 

[jalopy]

Just saw that Dirks is going to be out for at least 3 months with back surgery. Too bad. I think he was poised for a breakout year. Looks like Davis is going to be used more than most of us had hoped. I think the Tigers need to shop for another left-handed hitting OF. I don't think Kelly is the answer.

 

[adrian2]

definetly a spot open on the roster. Ezekiel carerra in camp seems to be the type of player to fit the bill. No power, good speed, a lefty with a decent average against righties. Fields is on the 40 man having a good spring, also a lefty with good speed.

 

[broncosmitty]

The article isnt making kinsler look too good...

The team asked him to move to 1B and become a leader once young was traded....he only wanted to worry about his performance at 2B.....doesnt sound like a team player.....hope hes different in detroit...

Heard he wasnt very fan friendly in texas also....people could be lying, but on cbs alot of fans are sharing stories of the ways he ran the other way from fans....

Since people like to play the fielder is fat and will breakdown card.....i bet fielder plays in more games than kinsler....and kinsler will be the one on the DL this year....

Fielder plays more games than EVERYONE, every year. Easy money for you if someone takes that bet. Dirks being out makes no difference IMO. Ausmus has made comments about disliking platoons anyway.

 

[themuzzer]

Out of curiosity , What happened to Andy where he needed Surgery? It must have been recent because if it was a old nagging injury it would have been taken care of in the off season.

 

[themuzzer]

So what's going on during ST? I see Holoday in a one piece swimsuit at a backyard BBQ with Maxie Poo wearing a Sombrero.....

Now Torri Hunter Kissing an allitgater with Verlander in the background?


Seems like The locker room all gets along, but is it just guys enjoying paychecks?

I'm all for commraderie but please dont have beer and chicken wings in the club house during a game you actually might still play in if called upon.

 

[gvsulaker82]

Out of curiosity , What happened to Andy where he needed Surgery? It must have been recent because if it was a old nagging injury it would have been taken care of in the off season.

I believe it was a torn scrotum but I will have to double check that and get back at ya.

 

[Cleaves2000]

First, I still give the edge to Oakland to win the division again. That division is a 3-horse race that could go any way but i would put it OAK-TEX-LAA. If Texas needs to go the WC route to get into the playoffs it will be tough to win the Divisonal round without Darvish pitching until Game 3 or 4.

I don't get why you list Jurickson Profar as an asset for the Rangers and list Nick C as a question mark for the Tigers. Profar struggled mightily last year and his minor league numbers suggest he will never be even an average hitter. Andrus is a stud but Rios is nothing special. The Beltre-Prince combo is scary good.

I think the Tigers have shown how difficult it is to win the WS with an all-or-nothing approach on offense.

Oddsmakers seem to have it right listing the Tigers as 8/1 odds and the Rangers at 18/1.

I put profar on there because he fits what they need....speed and defense.....they got their big boppers all ready....hes their version of iggy.....if nicky c struggles to hit MLB pitching, he cant offer the defense and speed profar can....if nicky c hits, then he will be better than profar...

Rios is nothing special? Wow.....he was a stud.....then he fell off.....then he was one of the only bright spots for the sox his last year and a half here....hes getting up there in age but hes still a fine tool player...above avg defense, speed..a lil pop......hes better than what the tigers have outside of our 2 big guys....id rather have rios than davis.

The odds makers only have detroit higher than most because they play in the AL central....everyone knows about odds i thought....teams like the yankees and cubs over/under for wins or odds are always higher than they should be because of their fans.....they were talking about that on mad dog radio the same discussion where the guy said detroit regressed alot this year....detroits odds are better than teams in the good divisions because they have it tougher just to make it to the playoffs......rangers have to fight the angels and A's....chances are one or maybe even 2 of those teams may miss the playoffs......remember just 2 yrs ago detroit got in over the angels who had a better record than detroit.