Comments on: Game 2009.018: Tigers at Royals http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/ News, views, and analysis on the Detroit Tigers and baseball Fri, 10 Feb 2012 20:06:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: David http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115739 David Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:42:39 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115739 hell at the moment the bottom of our order is carrying out team, add in Grandy moreso lately, actually polanco hasn't done too bad either considering he is on pace for 114 rbis + cabby until lately really the two bums have been maggs and guillen and the former i expect to fully pull out of it, and the latter i really hope does well and finds a way to get healthy...b/c if he is healthy he is one of the best overall offensive players we have hell at the moment the bottom of our order is carrying out team, add in Grandy moreso lately, actually polanco hasn’t done too bad either considering he is on pace for 114 rbis + cabby until lately

really the two bums have been maggs and guillen and the former i expect to fully pull out of it, and the latter i really hope does well and finds a way to get healthy…b/c if he is healthy he is one of the best overall offensive players we have

]]> By: Coleman http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115737 Coleman Mon, 27 Apr 2009 06:11:42 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115737 Jud: I'm more worried that they hit 2-3-4-5 AND Uncle Smokey is very sensitive about that veteran pride thing and maybe might move one back to 6, but just temporarily, you know, but a #3 hitter should bat 3rd cause he's a #3 hitter, etc So I don't think we're going to say many batting order experiments. Jud: I’m more worried that they hit 2-3-4-5 AND Uncle Smokey is very sensitive about that veteran pride thing and maybe might move one back to 6, but just temporarily, you know, but a #3 hitter should bat 3rd cause he’s a #3 hitter, etc

So I don’t think we’re going to say many batting order experiments.

]]> By: jud http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115735 jud Mon, 27 Apr 2009 05:58:52 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115735 Nice series win, good thing Inge, Anderson, and Laird, and Grandy (somewhat) are carrying the team.....for some reason the Latin connection has struggled to a 8 for 81 the past four days. I'm less worried that they are Latin and more worried that they hit 2-3-4-5...... oh! and I missed Farnsworthless we could have added to those home run totals Nice series win, good thing Inge, Anderson, and Laird, and Grandy (somewhat) are carrying the team…..for some reason the Latin connection has struggled to a 8 for 81 the past four days. I’m less worried that they are Latin and more worried that they hit 2-3-4-5……

oh! and I missed Farnsworthless we could have added to those home run totals

]]> By: David http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115707 David Mon, 27 Apr 2009 02:10:13 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115707 Yea, last thing I want to see is him pulling a Shelton. He has used all fields and I very much hope that continues Yea, last thing I want to see is him pulling a Shelton.

He has used all fields and I very much hope that continues

]]> By: Coleman http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115704 Coleman Mon, 27 Apr 2009 00:15:15 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115704 Well it's always useful to have a bit of skepticism, and be careful about projections and small sample sizes and all that. And you can't teach an old dog new tricks (it's always good to remember the ancient wisdom of the Dog Trainers). On the other hand, there is the ancient wisdom of: past performance is not a guarantee of future results (although, really, does anybody really need THAT disclaimer anymore?). Feedback is a powerful thing though. You listen, you practice, you try something new, it works, you get much love in response, you think yeah! that's what I want, you repeat process. OR--the mind is a tricky thing--you think yeah! I'm fricken' Babe Ruth... I'll stop there, it's too horrible to contemplate... Well it’s always useful to have a bit of skepticism, and be careful about projections and small sample sizes and all that. And you can’t teach an old dog new tricks (it’s always good to remember the ancient wisdom of the Dog Trainers). On the other hand, there is the ancient wisdom of: past performance is not a guarantee of future results (although, really, does anybody really need THAT disclaimer anymore?).

Feedback is a powerful thing though. You listen, you practice, you try something new, it works, you get much love in response, you think yeah! that’s what I want, you repeat process. OR–the mind is a tricky thing–you think yeah! I’m fricken’ Babe Ruth…

I’ll stop there, it’s too horrible to contemplate…

]]> By: David http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115703 David Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:53:31 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115703 Yea I mean it's weird, like living in opposite land. Ordonez is slumping bad with no pop and Inge is leading the way. Yea that was the game that Verlander had a heart attack (or something similar) in the fifth. I just wonder how long he'll keep this up, or if his new stance has really changed him as a hitter. Just looking at his history (which may not be AS applicable with this new stance) his best month far and away is June where his OPS is higher than .800. If he keeps this up could he be dare I say it an ALL-STAR (and possibly be a starter)? If that happened, I would be watching the game probably in Hawaii (not sure when in July we will leave). I think the smile/grin on my face would be as big as when Ordonez hit that Hr against the A's. It would be a triumphant sort of vindication very similar to all the hating/laughing I had received while claiming to be a Tigers fan my entire life growing up through the 90s and 00s, while they (to put it nicely) stunk. And while Inge has shown flashes not only of superb glove work, but also of hitting. Ty Cobb said something similar to - the most teachable skill in baseball by far is hitting. And it looks like Inge might have finally learned somewhat how to hit and maximize his potential, which is in the end all we really can ask for. Yea I mean it’s weird, like living in opposite land. Ordonez is slumping bad with no pop and Inge is leading the way.

Yea that was the game that Verlander had a heart attack (or something similar) in the fifth.

I just wonder how long he’ll keep this up, or if his new stance has really changed him as a hitter. Just looking at his history (which may not be AS applicable with this new stance) his best month far and away is June where his OPS is higher than .800.

If he keeps this up could he be dare I say it an ALL-STAR (and possibly be a starter)? If that happened, I would be watching the game probably in Hawaii (not sure when in July we will leave). I think the smile/grin on my face would be as big as when Ordonez hit that Hr against the A’s.

It would be a triumphant sort of vindication very similar to all the hating/laughing I had received while claiming to be a Tigers fan my entire life growing up through the 90s and 00s, while they (to put it nicely) stunk. And while Inge has shown flashes not only of superb glove work, but also of hitting.

Ty Cobb said something similar to – the most teachable skill in baseball by far is hitting. And it looks like Inge might have finally learned somewhat how to hit and maximize his potential, which is in the end all we really can ask for.

]]> By: Coleman http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115702 Coleman Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:24:09 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115702 @David: Actually I COULD argue that Inge is "padding his stats" in blowouts...it's just that I'd be wrong. Actually I took a look at the 6 games I consider to be blowouts (W/L margin of more than 4 runs). Inge's combined stats in those games: 20AB 6H 1HR 2RBI Which means his HR/RBI totals are actually heavily weighted toward NON-blowout games. In fact if you look at the 2 RBI you find Apr19 (DET W8-2) 2B--score at the time: 1-1, and Apr23 (DET W10-5) HR--score at the time DET 1-SEA 0 I think you got my point though, which wasn't that Inge's HRs weren't clutch or important, just that I didn't experience them that way. I cheered when I saw the HR today; I didn't yell YES! WE WIN! even though it would have been retrospectively appropriate. In other words, strange as this sounds, I think he is hitting BETTER than it seems like he is. @David: Actually I COULD argue that Inge is “padding his stats” in blowouts…it’s just that I’d be wrong.

Actually I took a look at the 6 games I consider to be blowouts (W/L margin of more than 4 runs). Inge’s combined stats in those games:

20AB 6H 1HR 2RBI

Which means his HR/RBI totals are actually heavily weighted toward NON-blowout games. In fact if you look at the 2 RBI you find Apr19 (DET W8-2) 2B–score at the time: 1-1, and Apr23 (DET W10-5) HR–score at the time DET 1-SEA 0

I think you got my point though, which wasn’t that Inge’s HRs weren’t clutch or important, just that I didn’t experience them that way. I cheered when I saw the HR today; I didn’t yell YES! WE WIN! even though it would have been retrospectively appropriate.

In other words, strange as this sounds, I think he is hitting BETTER than it seems like he is.

]]> By: Coleman http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115700 Coleman Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:44:13 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115700 I've never considered this before, but perhaps in some ways DH is a position, and there are players who do it better than others. What doesn't seem to work is the Tiger way of "DH=guy who is having most trouble physically playing his position." In other words, whatever various things are hurting Guillen in LF are probably contributing to his problems at the plate also. So far this season the DET DH performance has been sub-Sheffield: 1 HR 6 RBI .239/.288/.313 (4 BB 17K) (We're fighting it out with BOS for worst DH performance in baseball. BOS: 0 HR 9 RBI .217/.278/.319. I'll give DET the nod for worst for the 3 - 1 lead over BOS DH in GIDP. No forget that, I'll say BOS is worst, due to DAILY stories about how bad this is for BOS on ESPN etc). I’ve never considered this before, but perhaps in some ways DH is a position, and there are players who do it better than others. What doesn’t seem to work is the Tiger way of “DH=guy who is having most trouble physically playing his position.” In other words, whatever various things are hurting Guillen in LF are probably contributing to his problems at the plate also.

So far this season the DET DH performance has been sub-Sheffield:

1 HR 6 RBI .239/.288/.313 (4 BB 17K)

(We’re fighting it out with BOS for worst DH performance in baseball. BOS: 0 HR 9 RBI .217/.278/.319. I’ll give DET the nod for worst for the 3 – 1 lead over BOS DH in GIDP. No forget that, I’ll say BOS is worst, due to DAILY stories about how bad this is for BOS on ESPN etc).

]]> By: David http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115697 David Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:22:31 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115697 Yea I mean he has had some clutch (or later turned out to be clutch) hits. Nobody can argue with me this year that he only hits in blowouts. Whether you like hrs or not, without his shot today they would have lost (along with the pretty good pitching efforts from gal and our pen of course). Yea I mean he has had some clutch (or later turned out to be clutch) hits. Nobody can argue with me this year that he only hits in blowouts. Whether you like hrs or not, without his shot today they would have lost (along with the pretty good pitching efforts from gal and our pen of course).

]]> By: Neal in SD http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115696 Neal in SD Sun, 26 Apr 2009 22:09:33 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115696 @Coleman, good work on Inge. He'll probably settle down on the avg. and end up like his 2006 year. We can only hope. The problem is if Cabrera is actually hurt, and Guillen continues to slide, Inge may have to move up the order. Has he ever done that? Long-term concern: If Maggs can't hit like an elite OF, and he continues to regress in the OF, so far his UZR/150 is in line with the worst fielding years of his career, do you give the guy enough at-bats to vest his contract for the next several years? I don't know the particulars but is it about 500 or 550 PA's for $18Million/year? That contact seems ridiculous unless the guy hits for and OPS well over .900, and good bat / bad glove corner outfielders were not considered extremely high value commodities this off season, unless they were named Manny Ramirez and the LA Dodgers were placing the bid. @Coleman, good work on Inge. He’ll probably settle down on the avg. and end up like his 2006 year. We can only hope.
The problem is if Cabrera is actually hurt, and Guillen continues to slide, Inge may have to move up the order. Has he ever done that?
Long-term concern: If Maggs can’t hit like an elite OF, and he continues to regress in the OF, so far his UZR/150 is in line with the worst fielding years of his career, do you give the guy enough at-bats to vest his contract for the next several years? I don’t know the particulars but is it about 500 or 550 PA’s for $18Million/year? That contact seems ridiculous unless the guy hits for and OPS well over .900, and good bat / bad glove corner outfielders were not considered extremely high value commodities this off season, unless they were named Manny Ramirez and the LA Dodgers were placing the bid.

]]> By: Coleman http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115692 Coleman Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:38:06 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115692 As impressive as Inge has been--and consistently coming through in the clutch--I haven't felt that impressed specifically about his HR, and I think I've figured out why. The ones that have seemed huge at the time--like tying the game in the 9th in the 2nd Toronto game--turn out to be wasted; and the ones that turn out to be huge--like today's--you don't realize are so huge AT THE TIME. Interestingly, I hadn't realized so many of his HR (4) have come leading off an inning. Hmm...Oh nevermind, we already have a leadoff hitter doing that. The majority of them though have come (and this is totallly subjective) when the team was struggling at the plate (vs Halladay, after being shutdown by Millwood, vs Palmer, vs Ponson). Anyway, Inge projected HR total: 63 OK that's obviously silly. But more seriously I calculated what his HR total would be if from here on he hit HR at his career avg pace while playing 3rd (which at this point seems like a very conservative expectation): 24. As impressive as Inge has been–and consistently coming through in the clutch–I haven’t felt that impressed specifically about his HR, and I think I’ve figured out why. The ones that have seemed huge at the time–like tying the game in the 9th in the 2nd Toronto game–turn out to be wasted; and the ones that turn out to be huge–like today’s–you don’t realize are so huge AT THE TIME.

Interestingly, I hadn’t realized so many of his HR (4) have come leading off an inning. Hmm…Oh nevermind, we already have a leadoff hitter doing that. The majority of them though have come (and this is totallly subjective) when the team was struggling at the plate (vs Halladay, after being shutdown by Millwood, vs Palmer, vs Ponson).

Anyway, Inge projected HR total: 63
OK that’s obviously silly. But more seriously I calculated what his HR total would be if from here on he hit HR at his career avg pace while playing 3rd (which at this point seems like a very conservative expectation): 24.

]]> By: Nick S http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115688 Nick S Sun, 26 Apr 2009 21:05:38 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115688 Woot we are first in the division all by ourselves today. Perry did look great, and it was nice to see Rodney not fall apart after he gave up that homer. Woot we are first in the division all by ourselves today. Perry did look great, and it was nice to see Rodney not fall apart after he gave up that homer.

]]> By: Ryan P. http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115687 Ryan P. Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:47:28 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115687 Yay, Sox lose. Yay, Sox lose.

]]> By: Clanks http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115686 Clanks Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:45:12 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115686 10-8 first inning this year, +4 games over last year--four big ones that will make a difference in September. Great start Tigs! 10-8 first inning this year, +4 games over last year–four big ones that will make a difference in September.

Great start Tigs!

]]> By: Coleman http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115685 Coleman Sun, 26 Apr 2009 20:44:19 +0000 http://www.detroittigersweblog.com/2009/04/game-2009018-tigers-at-royals/#comment-115685 The "neon-green rally sunglasses" (?). I'm gonna go way out on a limb here and predict that one never really catches fire... The “neon-green rally sunglasses” (?). I’m gonna go way out on a limb here and predict that one never really catches fire…

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