Comments on: Leyland says Tigers didn’t swing at enough first pitches

By: Vince in MN

Vince in MN — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 22:05:03 +0000

I assume that after losing three straight and looking bad doing it, the EM felt it was necessary to “do something” and this is what you get. If everyone had swung at Beckett’s first pitch, then that would have been the topic.

By: Chris in Dallas

Chris in Dallas — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:46:26 +0000

Hey they linked to this over at Baseball Musings. Yay billfer!

By: Chris

Chris — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:46:08 +0000

First pitch swinging is a perfect way to keep an effective opposing starting pitcher, deep into the game.

By: Keith (Mr. X)

Keith (Mr. X) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:30:40 +0000

I don’t know the best strategy to hit against Beckett. I had no expectations of the Tigers winning that game at anyway. We had a legit chance to win the 1st 2 games though.

I’m just glad King Felix and company shutout the White Sox in 14 innings.
Thank you Seattle.

By: Shane Trapped in Toledo

Shane Trapped in Toledo — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 17:27:30 +0000

Seemed to me that Beckett threw the same sequence of pitches to about every batter last night. The first pitch was usually a fastball on the outside corner, then he threw a breaking ball over the plate on the second pitch. Then, up 0-2, he would get the Tigers to chase a pitch outside the zone to strike out or ground out. It seemed like this was on an endless loop.

By: Zach

Zach — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:04:32 +0000

I really wonder sometimes if Leyland watches the games.

By: Eric Cioe

Eric Cioe — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:50:43 +0000

Miguel Cabrera has absolutely the right approach with swinging at first pitches: he doesn’t do it unless they’re good pitches to hit. The numbers bear that out. Hitters should go up there and shrink their zone to an 8 inch circle, and if it’s in that, pound it. If it’s not, let it go by. I think that a lot of Tigers hitters go up with no plans of swinging at any first pitch, in an attempt to ‘work the pitcher.’ But that’s not how you do it.

By: Matt

Matt — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 15:06:37 +0000

Even if this was absolutely true, why did Leyland have to say that?

Because it won’t change anything from last nights game, but it’s definitely going to affect what happens today.

Prediction for today’s game: Verlander pitches well, but team only scores 0-1 runs BECAUSE they heeded Smokey’s advice and started slapping at the first pitch in every plate appearance and bail out a young pitcher who hasn’t won a game yet.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:35:32 +0000

Well, absolutely, Inge should have tried to hit the first pitch. His were all down broadway and he just stood there. I saw lots of first pitch strikes, but that’s what you expect from a Josh Beckett. What else can Leland say? “I made a mistake by putting Carlos on 1st base. He hasn’t played on any field in over 3 months”? He is absolutely driving me nuts. I didn’t watch the post game interview as I’m sick and tired of watching our manager eat with an open mouth in front of us. I could tolerate a cigarette in his hand more than the disrespect he shows us by chewing with an open mouth.

By: jb61973

jb61973 — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:14:14 +0000

My God, Leyland is an idiot.

By: Should the Tigers Swing Early?

Should the Tigers Swing Early? — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:43:46 +0000

[...] at The Detroit Tigers Weblog disagrees with Jim Leyland that the Tigers should have swung at more Josh Beckett first pitches: It wasn’t really a take I expected (and not just because I spent a chunk of my recap praising [...]