Comments on: Game 2009.150: Tigers at Indians

By: Coleman

Coleman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:17:43 +0000

I’m not arguing we’re as good in the 7-8 slots–just that we’re not worse by as much there as we are in the 3 and 5 slots (we can all agree I’m sure that 9 is hopeless).

Here is how we compare at 7 and 8:

.872 NYY +139
.787 BOS +54
.734 MIN +1
*733 AL avg*
.704 DET -29
.683 LAA -50

.782 BOS +65
.765 NYY +48
.756 LAA +39
.720 DET +3
*717 AL avg*
.691 MIN -26

combined 7-8 (compared to avg)
NYY +187
BOS +119
LAA -11
MIN -25
DET -26

We’re almost average at 7, and above average at 8–the only lineup spot other than 4 where we come out above AL avg. The 8 spot includes good numbers by Avila and Santiago by the way. Again, we come out on the bottom of the playoff contenders. But it’s closer.

And even though we’re last by a lot in the 9 spot, only Boston is much above average there:

.699 BOS +52
.656 LAA +9
.647 AL avg
.647 NYY 0
.634 MIN -10
.570 DET -77

So I’m still of the opinion that the 5 hitter matchup is where we are weakest; and even if it weren’t I think it hurts us more to have a hole in the lineup behind Cabrera than it does to have slightly below average 7-8 hitters or the worst-by-far 9 hitter.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:35:32 +0000

Coleman, most teams have one offensively challenged guy in the 7-9 slot. We have three. You seem very adept at the stats, if you can do a comparison of our 7-9 guys against the Angels, Red Sox, and Yankees and we’re pretty close stat-wise, I’ll not utter Brandon Inge’s .216 post May 1 batting average or Everett’s .290ish on base % or Laird’s .220 hitting for the rest of the season. To me, it’s not the point that they are not great defensively, they all are, the question has always been can you win a pennant, not just a division title, with those guys batting 7-9 against the likes of Sabathia, Beckett, etc.. I’d say in the playoffs we need to hold the Yankees to 3 runs a game to have a real chance.

By: Stephen

Stephen — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:29:12 +0000

As the Tigers were winning, Matt Joyce was muddling about in the AAA championship game and Cameron Maybin was looking lost at the plate for the Marlins. Those trades worked out pretty ok.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 04:55:19 +0000

Good article about Verlander in SI: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.c.....index.html

By: Coleman

Coleman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 03:19:03 +0000

OK I made a crack earlier about our #5 hitters (it used to be the #3 hitters, but Maggs is improving that).

There seems to be this widespread impression that our anemic 7-9 hitters are the cause of our offensive woes. Nevermind that they are all good at bunting, baserunning (well, Inge USED to be), and some special situations; the reality is most teams have guys like this in their lineups.

Compared to other teams, especially other playoff contenders, where we’re really weak offensively is the middle of the lineup, specifically the 3 and 5 spots. Compare these OPS numbers:

Batting 5th:
.964 LAA (1) +156
.870 BOS (2) +62
.866 MIN (3) +58
*808 AL Avg*
.787 NYY (10) -13
.765 DET (11) -43

Batting 3rd:
.952 MIN (1) +151
.942 NYY (2) +141
.820 BOS (5) +19
*801 AL Avg*
.776 LAA (8) -25
.763 DET (11) -37

Combined (compared to AL avg):
MIN +209
LAA +131
NYY +128
BOS +81
DET -80

Sure, it’s stacking the deck a bit to leave out the cleanup spot, where we happen to excel. But guess what–so does everyone:

Batting 4th:
.914 DET (1) +102
.907 BOS (2) +95
.896 NYY (3) +84
.859 MIN (5) +55
.843 LAA (7) +31
.812 AL Avg

So even with the best 4th hitter in the league, we don’t come close to matching up in the middle of the lineup:

Combined 3-5 (compared to AL avg):
MIN +264
NYY +212
BOS +176
LAA +162
DET +40

Luckily there is an old saying about Pitching and Defense…

By: Coleman

Coleman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:46:58 +0000

I hereby decree that a condition for eligibility for the Cy Young award is that one must pitch against each team in one’s division.

By: Kathy

Kathy — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:42:12 +0000

Ha, ha!!!

By: Coleman

Coleman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:28:21 +0000

What’s the over/under on how many games until a Pierzynski-Rios dugout/clubhouse scuffle?

By: T Smith

T Smith — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:24:17 +0000

The Tigers have to keep on winning. The Twins are playing with such intensity, I can easily see them sweeping the panty hose. You’d think it was the 7th game of the world series the way the Twins dugout hangs on every single pitch/play.

Meanwhile, the WhiteSox look like they’re playing with the sole purpose to instigate an Ozzie tirade.

By: Vince in MN

Vince in MN — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:22:44 +0000

Speaking of Hosers, Greinke pitched 6 shutout innings against Boston tonight. His ERA is at 2.08 now. I think we can call him Cy Young this year.

By: Coleman

Coleman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:21:49 +0000

Yeah, Danks for Nothing…

By: Vince in MN

Vince in MN — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:20:02 +0000

Not that the Hosers were playing that great before Gullien called them out for quitting on the season, but since then they have been playing like, well, they have quit on the season. And that includes their manager. Danks clearly didn’t have it tonight, but Ozzie left him in to give up all 7 runs.

By: Coleman

Coleman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:17:49 +0000

We Are Family!! (oops, wrong team/decade…)

By: Coleman

Coleman — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:16:39 +0000

I say to Hell–a small city near Pinckney, MI–with the White Sox (here they will be without the creature comforts they are used to and see people walking about with Tiger hats all over. Serves them right).

Let the Twins sweep them…fine. We’ll sweep the Racially Insensitive Mascots, win 3 of 4 vs MINN, and beat up on the Sox just for fun. So there.

By: Tbone

Tbone — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:08:45 +0000

It would be nice to see the Twins lose a game for a change.

Go White Sox. (blech)