Detroit Tigers Ongoing 2014 Thread

[gandydancer]

Tigers call up LHP Hardy and option Knebel back to Toledo. No big move just another look at a young lefty IMO. Looks to be used as long reliever.

 

[broncosmitty]

Knebel wasn't ready. I wonder what team wanted to see him on the big stage before dealing for him? Hard to imagine DD, Big Al, Kaline, Leyland, Jones or anyone else really thought it was time for him to make the leap.

 

[gandydancer]

Knebel wasn't ready. I wonder what team wanted to see him on the big stage before dealing for him? Hard to imagine DD, Big Al, Kaline, Leyland, Jones or anyone else really thought it was time for him to make the leap.

I was reading the article. Knebel actually said same of himself. Good to hear the kid knowing he was not ready. Rarely see humble athletes. Just never know if you catch lightning in a bottle for a few weeks. Saurez was not ready either, but this kid is making the most of it for now. Sure he comes back to earth shortly.

 

[broncosmitty]

Suarez had played two full minor league seasons and three partial seasons before his call up though. (Over 2200 plate appearances.) Knebel was drafted last June. That's asking WAAAY too much from the kid, IMO. But yeah, I expect Suarez to cool off. He only hit 10 homers last year. (But he did have 8 already this year before he was brought up.). Not going to be hitting .400 with a .500 OBP much longer. Nice minor league numbers to fall back to atleast.

 

[burfboy]

Dirks is in Lakeland and going to start a rehab. the weather has been shitty there so things are going slowly but best estimate is sometime around the All Star break. The way JD has been playing they will make a rotation in LF and strengthen the bench. ..

 

[burfboy]

stupid me how will Davis fit in with this group?

 

[Howie115]

stupid me how will Davis fit in with this group?

Looks like Dirks could start playing minor league games this coming weekend. Depends on how long it takes him to round into game shape, but could be up by July 1.

I'm thinking Rajai still starts every game against LHPs and bats leadoff, with Kinsler 2nd. I'd hope to see Kinsler-Dirks as the 1-2 vs. RHPs, which means Torii Hunter bats 5th as much as possible. Really don't like any other of the Tigers' options in the 5-hole. Rajai to bat 2nd or 9th vs. RHPs on days when Torii needs a rest, meaning Dirks or Ajax bats 5th. Hopefully, that last option is only one game per week.

I think J.D. is the odd man out. The Tigers won't keep 5-1/2 outfielders (Dirks, Jackson, Hunter, Davis, J.D. and Kelly), and J.D. has minor league options. I don't think Kelly does.

 

[burfboy]

yes you may be right Howie that JD is the odd man out but they seem to be giving him a lot of playing time right now.

 

[gandydancer]

R.I.P. Tony Gwynn! Way to young.

 

[Howie115]

Gwynn was certainly one of the all-time greats. I read he had only 434 strikeouts over 20 seasons -- an average of fewer than 22 Ks per season. It seems like Avila and A-jax strike out 22 times every two weeks!

 

[Howie115]

Interesting article on Verlander today. Not getting the borderline calls for sure this season, and apparently not even getting the calls within the strike zone that he used to.

Justin Verlander Scuffling, But He?s Also Getting Squeezed - GammonsDaily.com

 

[burfboy]

Davis Kinsler Cabrera Martinez Hunter Jackson Nick C Avila Suarez and JV on the hill

 

[kengel6]

Verlander is about to go to 6-7 and 19-19 since signing that HUGE contract. He all ways has an excuse about fixing things , but let's face it, his arm may be done.


Look at the big picture folks, $30 mil per year divided by 250 innings (maybe) is $120,000 per inning. And people think Dumbrowski is soooooo smart.

 

[aar000n]

Verlander in the bull pen?

 

[Howie115]

Well, JV could go one of two ways. I'm reminded that Jack Morris -- winningest MLB pitcher in the 1980s -- went 6-14/4.86 in 1989, and 15-18/4.51 in 1990. He came back to go 18-12/3.43 with the Twins in 1991, and had a spectacular postseason for them. He also went 21-6 with the Blue Jays in 1992.

Or JV could become the 21st Century version of Wayne Garland -- i.e., the poster boy for NOT giving long-term contracts to starting pitchers.

 

[navamind]

Well, JV could go one of two ways. I'm reminded that Jack Morris -- winningest MLB pitcher in the 1980s -- went 6-14/4.86 in 1989, and 15-18/4.51 in 1990. He came back to go 18-12/3.43 with the Twins in 1991, and had a spectacular postseason for them. He also went 21-6 with the Blue Jays in 1992.

Or JV could become the 21st Century version of Wayne Garland -- i.e., the poster boy for NOT giving long-term contracts to starting pitchers.

with a 4.04 ERA... about league average. Not that being league average over the span of 240+ innings is a bad thing, especially at the age of 37. Morris was valuable. Jays scored 6+ runs in 15 of his 34 starts, which is kind of a lot.

Garland was only good for about two years.

 

[Howie115]

with a 4.04 ERA... about league average. Not that being league average over the
span of 240+ innings is a bad thing, especially at the age of 37. Morris was
valuable. Jays scored 6+ runs in 15 of his 34 starts, which is kind of a lot.

True. But 4.04 wasn't a whole lot higher than Jack's career ERA of 3.90. The guy went 254-186 (.577 win percentage) with a career 3.90 ERA. That's more than just run support. Clearly, the guy knew how to win games even when he didn't have his best stuff.

 

[navamind]

I think 2013 was a sign of things to come for Verlander, but his K and BB rates have fallen off a cliff from last year. His walk rate was 3.1, which was a little high (it was his highest since '08), but he still had a strong strikeout rate (8.9) and FIP (3.28). His walk rate's risen up to 3.8 and his strikeout rate's dropped from 8.9 to 6.4. His skills shouldn't be declining that sharply. Seems like there's a good chance he's pitching through some kind of injury.

 

[Howie115]

His walk rate's risen up to 3.8 and his strikeout rate's dropped from 8.9 to 6.4. His skills shouldn't be declining that sharply. Seems like there's a good chance he's pitching through some kind of injury.

He had the core injury in January, but proclaimed himself fit prior to spring training. You wonder though if he's unknowingly favoring that part of his body, even if there's no pain.

 

[navamind]

True. But 4.04 wasn't a whole lot higher than Jack's career ERA of 3.90. The guy went 254-186 (.577 win percentage) with a career 3.90 ERA. That's more than just run support. Clearly, the guy knew how to win games even when he didn't have his best stuff.

He was a very good pitcher. His career stats would have looked considerably nicer if he had retired a few years earlier than he did. If he had retired after 1991, his last really good year, he would have finished with a 3.71 ERA and 109 ERA+. But save for 77 and 89-90, the Tigers were a good team for much of Morris's career. So that probably helped his W-L record. I don't exactly buy into the "pitching to the scoreboard" myth.

Jack Morris Career Pitching Splits - Baseball-Reference.com

Morris was an absolute workhorse though.