Wow. That’s rich. That’s right up there with my Foie Gras/Lobster Thermador/Creme Brulee dinner I had last night.

http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.d.....SPORTS0104

Kurt:

I’ll buy it — for now. But if we apply win % based on the last four games, the Yankees would be still go 22-0 and the Tigers would win out the season as well and still miss the playoffs — It would be an absolute coup if the Tigers manage to tie or win the division — regardless of how well we play. We REALLY REALLY need the Yankees to lose a game or two and keep on rolling at the same time.

I?m not saying that they were the difference in 10 wins, but 2-3 would be plausible. And I?m not saying they were the sole reason for the slide, but they were a part of it.

I can certainly agree with that.

but I have to agree with your whole analysis: Inge/Pudge slumping in the hitting dept. was only part of the over-all slide.

and that is why I always come to the defense of Inge and Pudge. I think they are great players and contribute a lot to the Tigers.

Absolving those guys because they are real competitors is silly.

I don’t have access to an extensive computer database or any software to do game analysis type stuff but it would be interesting to analyze our games from the All-Star break to the end of August which is basically where we slammed the wall— try to find out why

like of the games we lost in that time how many would have been won if so-and-so would have just come up with a clutch-hit

this kind of should-coulda-woulda analysis doesn’t help much though because there are too many variables

like ya gotta say, OK — games that we lost by 1 run that would have been saved by a clutch hit. that’s pretty thin. what do you need– runners on 2d and 3d + a base hit ?

yeah

try to go back and blame the Tigers slump on Inge and Pudge, I don’t buy it.

our troubles right through that period has been pitching. and I’ve said it before and I’m sticking to my guns on this: it ain’t a lack of ability it’s bad technique.

I’ve seen some real promise in our pitching performance of late in this respect. not just pre-game comments here and there about going after the hitters but better pitching too

Nate threw better recently and we’ve already noted that on this game thread. and he got a kinda raw deal. but a real competitor who is a tough guy like Pudge will just keep commin’ at ya

I think our Tigers are a tougher team for having gone through this tough time. I’ve seen some real development in some of our middle pitchers like Miner, Durbin, Seay. Even Grilli I think has improved.

and as I noted earlier some new guys, including Rayburn and Santiago and Timo have really proved their stripes

Skipper Jim will be keeping a close eye on all of this of course and I’m gonna be most interested in the forthcomming developments

more later after the next game

Those are there lines from July 19th to September 1st. That is 3 OBPs significantly below .330 which is about ML average. And 3 anemic slugging percentages.

They combined to make 100 starts and they fanned 85 times while walking 15 times with all of 4 homers.

To say that what wasn’t a part of the problem is baffling.

if you are better at getting them guys out than they are at getting you out you’ll win quite often

And one way to do exactly what you’re saying is to make it harder to get your guys out.

I’m not saying that Inge’s and Pudge’s, and Casey’s for that matter, struggles were the only reason for the slide. Lots of things went wrong. And I agree that pitching was a big part of the problem. But it’s tough to overcome negative production from a third of the lineup.

And the name of the game in baseball today, as it has always been, is to score more than your opponent. Whether you do it by limiting the opposition runs or maximizing your runs doesn’t make a bit of difference.

the two black holes in the lineup

it never ceases to amaze me how many people look a baseball as hitting

Leyland had made it clear several times on his show and game analysis: you cannot expect to win by hitting all the time

our defense made several plays yesterday that stole hits from the Mariners. Timo robbed a couple extra base hits with spectacular catches ( saving Nate for the moment ) and Inge made a couple too including that bare handed grab and throw to first right at the end of the game. and behind the plate they ain’t nobody in baseball as tough as Pudge

around the league the starting line-ups are loaded with power hitters who chew up starting pitchers and spit ‘em out

and so the name of the gem in baseball today is getting them guys out

if you are better at getting them guys out than they are at getting you out you’ll win quite often

and that is why pitching fielding a defense are so critical and Pudge and Inge are superb in those areas

we’ve got some new guys too that I think have proved their stripes. Certainly Rayburn, but on my books Santiago too and probably Timo. I’m hoping Jar is OK; I thought there was a lot of promise there

Interestingly I thought Byrdick pitched a better 9th than Rodney did in the 8th.

Coach Jim: bad choice of wording in post #2

Where is this .500 Yankees team you were peddling just a few days ago?