Detroit Tigers Ongoing 2018 Thread

[Iffster]

Hammel did his team a solid by pitching 9 innings. Advantage KC in the nightcap. Their bullpen threw to a total of 2 batters.

Detroit will be OK. They still have Buck Farmer, Drew VerHagen, and Warren Saupold ready to go. LOL.
(Norris better go at least 8 innings!)

 

[burfboy]

Game 2 probable starting pitchers: LHP Daniel Norris (0-1, 7.11 ERA) vs. RHP Jason Hammel (0-1, 3.86 ERA).

1. Dixon Machado, 2B
2. Jeimer Candelario, 3B
3. Nicholas Castellanos, RF
4. Victor Martinez, DH
5. Niko Goodrum, 1B
6. John Hicks, C
7. Jacoby Jones, CF
8. José Iglesias, SS
9. Victor Reyes, LF

GAME 2 BOX SCORE

 

[dougplayer]

I figured Jones was due for some good swings. I saw it. Yep. Got to give Jones a little playing time

 

[burfboy]

Tigers, Royals lineups: Mike Fiers, Danny Duffy on mound

 

[Iffster]

Tigers "effort" in game 2 of the DH, brought back some reality to the situation.

 

[Howie115]

Tigers "effort" in game 2 of the DH, brought back some reality to the situation.

Decent pitching by Norris, at least. Bloop hit and an error cost 'em in the 9th.

 

[Lions=TeHsUcKs]

What a year when the Tigers have the 1st pick, the top prospects are still fucking pitchers. They need some positional talent bad on the farm.

 

[Iffster]

The Royals are REALLY bad. I think they will keep Detroit out of 5th place. Of course that will cost top draft pick...but I'm thinking Detroit should position itself in the top 5 or 6 crappiest teams.

Had to chuckle a little at Mike Fiers getting so pissed at Gardenhire for taking him out of the game. Did anyone tell him that he had given up 10 hits and a walk in 5.1 innings...and there were two men in scoring position at the time? Passion is one thing...but pick your spots, Mike. LOL

 

[burfboy]

Will the Tigers get back to .500 Sunday........

 

[Iffster]

Will the Tigers get back to .500 Sunday........

The Tigers are one of the teams that the players' union, the media, and the honest-speaking officials of MLB have labeled as "tanking". If the Tigers end the season at, or even close to, .500...they failed at tanking! If you are purposely putting AAAA players on the field and selling off your stars....you need to stay near the bottom of the standings. With a number of teams ''tanking'' this year...getting another #1 pick will be tough. But getting the #4 or #5 pick in 2019 would be A LOT better than what the #15 - # 18 pick might get you.
Well....if some Tigers DO play over their heads, maybe Avila and Co. aren't totally stupid and will trade them for prospects....and then lose almost all their games in August and September, just like last year.
If you win - win big. If you aim to lose, do that correctly as well.
I for one won't be puffing out my chest if the Tigers finish 81-81. What did they accomplish? Third place in the ALC and a mediocre draft pick for a lousy farm system?

 

[burfboy]

WOW Iffy....I was making fun of Howies statement the Tigers won't see .500 again this season......

 

[Iffster]

WOW Iffy....I was making fun of Howies statement the Tigers won't see .500 again this season......

Sorry.......no offense to anyone.

Honestly, I WANT to cheer for the Tigers, but the front office is not giving a 100% effort. Perhaps that is the correct move, financially, these days. I like to see them win games....but in the long run, it is unproductive. MLB is going to have to find a solution to this ''tanking'' situation...I believe 10 teams have been labeled as such...or the league will face a bleak financial future.

I'd really like to see the advance ticket sales for the Tigers for their home games against NY, Cleveland, Boston, Houston, and maybe Toronto....as compared to games against TB, White Sox, KC, Seattle, Texas, Oak, and Baltimore. If you are planning on forking over large amounts of cash to bring family and/or friends to a Tigers' game....I would think you'd want to see ONE good team on the field.

 

[burfboy]

Starting pitchers: Tigers LHP Francisco Liriano (2-1, 2.55 ERA) vs. Royals LHP Eric Skoglund (0-2, 9.31 ERA)

• Box score

Tigers lineup:

CF Leonys Martin

3B Jeimer Candelario

1B Miguel Cabrera

RF Nicholas Castellanos

DH Victor Martinez

LF JaCoby Jones

C James McCann

SS Jose Iglesias

2B Dixon Machado

 

[dougplayer]

Tigers will be at 500 all year. If any body knew any thing about baseball would see it.
Common sense... it's all it is. If tigers played western teams more. They would. Have a lot more wins

 

[dougplayer]

 

[Iffster]

As many figured...the Tigers' bullpen is not going to hold up this season. The problem will be exasperated when starters can't go much past 5 innings.
I think what makes it so depressing is, like Howie pointed out, there is no help at Toledo. The pitchers there are the same ones who failed last year. Chad Bell, Saupold, Blaine Hardy, Artie Lewicki, Victor Alcantara, etc. So there is really no use in yelling, "Wilson is a bum. Send him to AAA and bring up.....?????" Who? Another bum?

 

[Howie115]

8 walks by Tiger pitching today. Yeah, the home runs hurt... but they hurt a lot worse with walks in front of them.

 

[Iffster]

Detroit: Alex Wilson, Buck Farmer, Drew VerHagen, Warrick Saupold, Daniel Norris, Daniel Stumpf
Toledo: Mark Montgomery, Artie Lewicki, Zac Reninger, Ryan Carpenter, Johnny Barbato, Louis Coleman, Victor Alcantara

Safe: Shane Greene, Joe Jimenez.

OK....follow me here. The top line is the current Tiger bullpen (less Greene and Jimenez). The bottom line are bullpen pitchers and a couple of starters (long relief) on the Mud Hen staff. Currently Greene and Jimenez are not involved in my plan below.
What the Tigers do is rotate these 13 pitchers (maybe one or two more) through there bullpen on short intervals. Every week 3 come up and 3 go down. If one pitcher makes a good impression, his stay can be extended - and one less pitcher is recalled - until that pitcher ultimately falls flat on his face. This will give all of these AAAA pitchers opportunities to extend, or end, their careers and thus force Avila to reload his pitching staff next winter.
(I know....player options and contracts would make my idea likely UN-doable. )

 

[Iffster]

Drew VerHagen is DFA. Mike Gerber is recalled from Toledo. I think the boat has sailed for Mr. VerHagen, although I don't think he is a likely candidate to be picked up off waivers....so he'll probably end up in Toledo.

Not sure there is a pressing need for Gerber right now. Jones is playing well and Reyes is still available as a 4th outfielder. Martin and Castellanos might need a day off - but I don't see any regular playing time for Gerber in the near future. (Unless they are planning to move Jones to SS and trade Iglesias - whose value is currently close to nil.)

 

[dougplayer]