Detroit Tigers Ongoing 2014 Thread

[jalopy]

It would be a pleasant surprise if this year's bullpen is NOT worse than '13 in terms of both ERA and blown saves.

According to Baseball-Refernce, the '13 BP had 55 save opportunities, 39 successful and 16 blown. ERA= 4.18

Since this seems to be a major point of contention. I will try to post comparisons on a weekly basis to see how the '14 squad is doing.

 

[Cleaves2000]

I guess cbs sports thought are back end of the BP was good last year also....under their team preview, bullpen was under dislikes.....and that was BEFORE the rondon injury....what the hell do all these guys that cover baseball for a living know....people should just listen to the fans of their teams....then everyone would be good...

"The Tigers ended last season with an excellent back-end duo in Joaquin Benoit and Drew Smyly. Benoit is in San Diego and Smyly has replaced Doug Fister in the rotation. Joe Nathan was signed an is an elite closer, yes, but in front of him the bridge is littered with potential pratfalls. There's upside, certainly, but can the youngster Bruce Rondon be counted upon in high leverage situations on a regular basis yet? We can't be sure. Al Alburquerque misses bats (12.9 K/9 last season) but allows far too many baserunners (1.49 WHIP) and runs (4.59 ERA). Joba Chamberlain is a complete wild card and Ian Krol (97 ERA+, 1.32 WHIP in NL last season) is the top lefty -- unless the fickle Phil Coke is. Again, there is upside here and we have to remember the starting pitchers can work late into the game, but if they don't, the sixth through eighth innings could prove a major problem."


Pretty much what i said about the 6-8 innings....notice he said excellent for our 8-9 inning guys last year....the 2 good guys in our BP last year are no longer in it....left are all the crap that made the tigers BP suspect last year....coke, AL AL, pluktonin, reed......add in joba and krol......but i know....we signed nathan....alot riding on nathan to pick up all the dead weight.

 

[Cleaves2000]

After you listed the positives, I decided to head down there next Monday. You sold me!

Imagine the positives on the sox board...

"We got chris sale"
"We got 12 scoop sundae served in a real sized helmet"

 

[burfboy]

I hope the season starts sooner than later so we can see how all these predictions are going to work out this is more than fascinating. who will be the smartest of all? this is the time the crap will rise to the top. we can all go back and check the posts and C just who was the silliest. BIESS YOU BOYS......let the games begin. .....

 

[Cleaves2000]

I hope the season starts sooner than later so we can see how all these predictions are going to work out this is more than fascinating. who will be the smartest of all? this is the time the crap will rise to the top. we can all go back and check the posts and C just who was the silliest. BIESS YOU BOYS......let the games begin. .....

I know...if anything all our different opinions has made it interesting.....and seriously i hope im wrong...i hope joba does well....i hope al al gets back on track....i hope coke finds that magic he had for 2 games a few yrs ago....cant wait to make a new thread admitting i was wrong about the BP..


In all truth, i dont think the bp will look anything like this one by playoffs....i just hope we dont wait too long thinking the division title will be a breeze.....

 

[Howie115]

According to Baseball-Refernce, the '13 BP had 55 save opportunities, 39 successful and 16 blown. ERA= 4.18

I'm just guessing and admittedly haven't looked it up, but I'd wager more than half of those 16 blown saves were before the end of May. The middle relief blew several in the first two weeks of the season (remember Dotel and Villareal?). Valverde alone blew 3 in a span of 5 appearances at one point. They were never great, but solid after early June. Rondon was quite good after returning from Toledo, and both Smyly and Benoit were money in the 8th-9th. We don't have any of those 3 in the bullpen this season.

 

[Cleaves2000]

I'm just guessing and admittedly haven't looked it up, but I'd wager more than half of those 16 blown saves were before the end of May. The middle relief blew several in the first two weeks of the season. Valverde alone blew 3 in span of 5 appearances at one point. They were never great, but solid after early June. Rondon was quite good after returning from Toledo, and both Smyly and Benoit were money in the 8th-9th. We don't have any of those 3 in the bullpen this season.

Benoit saved his first 22 chances....24 out of 26......how many saves did fat potato blow? We will find out quick....starters wont pitch deep into the games in april may.....benoit and smyly both had AS type year out of the pen...and im still sticking by my opinion that veras is better than anyone in our pen now outside of nathan.

 

[burfboy]

I think the pen would be in better shape if we hadn't traded Alvarez I don't understand it. 1 guy isn't going to make a difference but there was no reason to trade for that short stop.

 

[jalopy]

..we can all go back and check the posts and C just who was the silliest.

For the Record:
1) Miggy- Runner-up MVP (behind Trout, ahead of Prince)
2) JV- Unanimous Cy Young
3) Max- 17-10 3.10 ERA
4) Nathan- Ties the record for most saves in a single season (62)
5) Nick C- ROY
6) Kinsler- .310 AVG, 105 Runs, 18 HR's
7) Tigers go from Last (35) to First (140) in SB's
8) Tigers 93-69 1st Place AL Central (4 games over KCR)
9) Beat Nats in WS (Smyly v Fister in Game 7)

 

[Howie115]

Yes, we lost Veras, too. I'm not trying to be negative, just realistic. I can't see how anyone has confidence in Ian Krol (27 major league innings), Joba Chamberlain (four seasons of 4.35 or higher ERAs over the last five seasons), Phil Coke (5.40 ERA / 1.67 WHIP), Al Alburquerque (still wild, career-worst 4.59 ERA last season), or Evan Reed (23 major league innings). I do think Luke Putkonen will be decent.

If it helps Jalopy's case, I can't see how Phil Coke can be WORSE than last season and still have a major league job.

 

[Howie115]

I think the pen would be in better shape if we hadn't traded Alvarez I don't understand it.

In light of the Alex Gonzalez trade, the Romine deal made zero sense. We have players equivalent to Romine in our system (decent glove, crappy bat, AAAA players).

 

[jalopy]

I'm just guessing and admittedly haven't looked it up, but I'd wager more than half of those 16 blown saves were before the end of May. The middle relief blew several in the first two weeks of the season (remember Dotel and Villareal?). Valverde alone blew 3 in a span of 5 appearances at one point. They were never great, but solid after early June. Rondon was quite good after returning from Toledo, and both Smyly and Benoit were money in the 8th-9th. We don't have any of those 3 in the bullpen this season.

2013 American League Relief Pitching - Baseball-Reference.com

No doubt they improved statistically as the season went on. I still like Nathan over Benoit for an additional $3.5MM over two years. Benoit wouldn't stay as a set-up man.

To me, the one true statistic of performance from a bullpen is how they do in close games.
1-Run Games 20-26
I will take any bet that is offered that the Tigers will improve on that.

 

[jalopy]

I think the pen would be in better shape if we hadn't traded Alvarez I don't understand it.

In light of the Alex Gonzalez trade, the Romine deal made zero sense. We have players equivalent to Romine in our system (decent glove, crappy bat, AAAA players).

I don't think Alvarez would have went to the pen regardless of how bad things got there. He would have been the team's sixth starter. The only explanation I have for that trade is they are comfortable with someone else there (Ray?). It seems like DD is overreacting a bit. We all wish he would do the same for the BP

 

[themuzzer]

Miguel Cabrera is closing in on extension with Tigers - CBSSports.com

 

[Howie115]

To me, the one true statistic of performance from a bullpen is how they do in
close games.
1-Run Games 20-26

That was as much due to poor hitting in the late and extra innings as it was the bullpen.

 

[burfboy]

big 7 year contract for Maggy.....

 

[jalopy]

That was as much due to poor hitting in the late and extra innings as it was the bullpen.

100% agree. It would be interesting to see how many of those 26 losses were "come-from-ahead" losses. The lack of ability to manufacture a run last year was evident.

 

[jalopy]

big 7 year contract for Maggy.....

The new money in the deal works out to eight years and $248 million, [ame="[MEDIA=twitter]449318216712880128[/MEDIA]"]per FOX Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi[/ame]. That’s an AAV (average annual value) of $31 million, which would surpass Clayton Kershaw for the highest in baseball history. The total commitment over the next 10 years will be around $292 million. That figure was first floated [ame="[MEDIA=twitter]449308706078224385[/MEDIA]"]by Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish[/ame].


Wow, I wonder what Trout is going to get. $400MM?

 

[MI Nightmare]

The new money in the deal works out to eight years and $248 million, per FOX Sports’ Jon Paul Morosi. That’s an AAV (average annual value) of $31 million, which would surpass Clayton Kershaw for the highest in baseball history. The total commitment over the next 10 years will be around $292 million. That figure was first floated by Chris Cotillo of MLB Daily Dish.


Wow, I wonder what Trout is going to get. $400MM?

The Yankees' future CF.

 

[jalopy]

The Yankees' future CF.

I don't know Nightmare, he is Angels property for the next four years. I think they sign him next offseason, although I think he is from Jersey. I'm expecting huge numbers from the Angels offense this year. Pujols looks good. In fact, that whole lineup looks scary good.