Comments on: Game 12: Tigers at White Sox

By: scotsw

scotsw — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:14:32 +0000

Re: Cabrera…

Told you so. LOL.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:53:42 +0000

Plus, what with this being a family-friendly site, a lot of my thoughts can’t be here.

By: Ben in Denver

Ben in Denver — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 17:13:58 +0000

Not apathy - just speechlessness. I still watch the games and read the posts, but I feel like it’s all been said.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:13:11 +0000

Less than 100 comments on a game thread for (I believe) the first time this season.

Tiger fans apathy is setting in. I hope the team turns things around and our apathy is short-lived.

I don’t mind the losing as much as the apparent lack of effort by the bulk of the team.

By: scotsw

scotsw — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 14:17:31 +0000

Fellas, fellas, fellas…. I hear you and feel your pain. There’s not much I can argue with, except this:

Miguel Cabrera is a hall-of-famer. A few of you need to get this into your heads. Write it on your walls and tattoo it on your chest if you have to so you don’t forget. He is a hall-of-famer, and some of you are talking jibberish.

The career numbers he has put up are otherworldly. At 24, he has proven himself an MVP candidate at least twice. He’s the real deal. He’s one of the 3-4 best hitters in the game. He’s up there with Pujols and A-Rod and Ordonez. If he stays healthy, he will go into baseball’s pantheon of greats. His number’s aren’t good… they aren’t great… they’re “Oh my god.”

He’s sore, he’s cold and he hasn’t fit in yet. I generally don’t buy the cold-weather excuse for vets, but for a young guy who has NEVER played in a cold-weather city before, 14 games in the cold are goign to have an effect. So is losing: He’s pressing and feeling pressure to carry this team. I’m sure he’s having flashbacks to the 2007 Marlins, and that’s why Sheff has been talking to him, calming him down. He’s young. But of all of the problems on the Detroit Tigers, Miguel Cabrera is not one to worry about. He’s the best hitter on this team, and that includes Ordonez. Leyland likes vets, and that explains why Magglio’s still hitting 4th — I think it’s a good move. But as a hitter, Cabrera is Ordonez with Hank Aaron power.

So, I understand all the concerns and worries. But please, please PLEASE understand that the Tigers’ future is playing third base RIGHT NOW (though, he probably should be playing left field, ahem). As a hitter, he has all the talent in the world.

I can’t fault any other criticisms I’ve heard… from losing Casey to mysterious lineup choices, to undisciplined hitting, yes, there are plenty of problems on this team. But Cabrera is NOT “overpaid,” at least by the current economics of baseball.

By: ron

ron — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:03:55 +0000

Bilfer, why would it be foolish? Do we really have to take into consideration how the players feel? They’re big boys and they fully understand that someone has to pay for their lousy play. Mickey Mouse could have managed them in Oct. 2006, August 2007 and the first two weeks this year and gotten the same result. And by the way, Mickey would never have allowed that 2006 celebration after beating the Yankees. Geez, it was only the first playoff series. Act like you’ve been there before, even if you haven’t, Mickey would have told them.

By: Jojo Sun Devil

Jojo Sun Devil — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 05:57:48 +0000

“The exact same pattern happened to the White Sox last year, and they simply couldn’t break free of it. ”

Couldn’t agree more

By: Dave BW

Dave BW — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 01:56:13 +0000

Nice post, T Smith!

By: T Smith

T Smith — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 01:04:04 +0000

While certainly not insignificant, I’m no so worried about the hole the Tigers have dug for themselves. Five-and-a-half games back isn’t the end of the world with 150 games to play — However, I am worried about how they’re playing. If they don’t snap out of, they will lose 100 games, plain and simple. The exact same pattern happened to the White Sox last year, and they simply couldn’t break free of it. At some point, when you are playing poorly, many games back, and after you’re no longer contending, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Your play mirrors your place in the standings. The Tigers have that look after 12 games. Someone needs to expalin to them that they can turn this whole thing around by May 1 if they simply show up and play the game.

Can they win the next 12 games in a row? Unlikely, but this team is certainly capable of going 10-2 over a 12 game stretch, if only they showed up and played to their ability. The sad thing is, they don’t even necessarily need to overacheive to go 10-2 over a twelve game stretch. They just need to come to the park and play.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 00:55:50 +0000

Topic: Saving the season
This is what I would do and I’ll preface that I didn’t see this coming so I’m not acting like a genius here. Also, I would make these moves to help the team NOW and not take into account the long term contracts Guillen and Cabrera just signed and whatever position promises were made.

1.Move Cabrera to first base. I’m now convinced he can’t play third consistently.
2.Have Inge play third and bat him ninth. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but the team needs some defensive athleticism.
3. Have Guillen and Sheffield split DH. They each can play in the field once or twice a week. Rest them the other days. (Believe me, I know that makes them the most expensive 450 ab guys in the history of baseball, but we’re trying to win games here.
4. Have Raburn play center.
5. Fine Rogers whatever you have to so he gets it through his head that running 13 miles, even on the day after your start, is just idiotic and not acceptable.
6. The bullpen. Uh, pass! As Scotty would say to Captain Kirk, ‘Cap’n i’m not a miracle worker.