Detroit Tigers: 7-5, 1st place AL Central (up .5)
The Tigers save the split in the abbreviated two-game series with Cleveland Thursday, winning 7-5. The game seemed frantic at times–between the two teams there were 19 hits, 5 errors, and 5 stolen bases–but Detroit went home with the W.
Thumbs down:
- Alex Gonzalez. His bat continues to wither (.167) and his arm was errant.
- Justin Verlander. Well, his pitch count at least (113 through 5 innings). The bullpen held on, but let’s not tempt fate.
Thumbs up:
- A win against a division rival, double-thumbs-up
- Ian Kinsler, running like a leadoff hitter and slugging like a cleanup hitter
- Miguel Cabrera with an extra base hit. We knew he wouldn’t slump for long
- Austin Jackson with two consecutive sacrifice flies. The Tigers had a runner on 3rd with less than 2 out 4 times, and got the runner in 4-out-of-4. That will win you baseball games.
In other news, the Tigers are reportedly calling up right-handed relief pitcher Justin Miller from Toledo. No word so far on who he will replace, but it is likely, with the bullpen used a lot against Cleveland, that he is just a temporary fresh arm.
What, there was a game yesterday? I have no recollection of this. I think you’re making that up.
Why would the Tigers bullpen need a fresh arm? I know that’s being said elsewhere, but Putkonen alone should be fresh enough to be a one-man bullpen for the Angels series. The Tigers have had two days off for every game played so far, just about. Hard to see why the bullpen would be weary. Single innings and fractions of innings are that rough?
No, something is going on here.
Maybe there is a reason they haven’t been using Putkonen that we don’t know about.
That’s what I’ve been thinking lately. Because it’s not making sense. If you want to “sort out” the bullpen, you get ’em all out there, finding reasons to if need be. There’s been as much opportunity for Putkonen as anyone. He was warming up in Verlander’s 5th yesterday. Then – poof! Where did he go?
I believe that his role is that of Blowout Guy and since we haven’t had many of those yet… The fact that he was warming up in Verlander’s potential blow up 5th inning is a strong clue.
In retrospect, it appears that Luke misunderstood what you meant by “Blowout Guy.” Please be more clear next time. These are ballplayers. Speak slowly.
More impressive than Miggy’s double, not much in terms of contact, was the flyball that Bourn ran down deep in the RCF gap.
The best hitters through 12, irrespective of stats, have been, in order: Castellanos, Martinez, Kinsler, and Jackson. Head and shoulders above the crowd. My opinion.
Mr. Brad:
Please don’t bat Avila (or Holiday) higher than #9, ever.
Please don’t start Martinez at C any more.
Please don’t get the idea Davis is a leadoff hitter, and get off the “second leadoff hitter at #9” train – let Kinsler bat with Davis at 2B having stolen it while Avila strikes out or just stands there taking.
Please get more OBP ahead of Cabrera than behind and get Jackson and Castellanos more PA than Hunter, i.e., rearrange the batting order to my liking:
Kinsler
Martinez
Cabrera
Jackson
Castellanos
Hunter
SS
Davis/Collins
Avila
Please get some more bunts from guys who can bunt and be a little more daring in squeeze situations with the right guy (and I can think of at least three) at 3B.
Please be a bit quicker with the bullpen hook, and how about preparing to be?
Please do something to give Avila a fighting chance at throwing out runners.
Please don’t frighten us by putting Alex Gonzalez at 3B ever again.
I have incurred a penalty stroke by misspelling Holaday. Egregious.
Spelling counts????..I would be fired from here!!
Never. Your job is secure. You have tenure.
Can’t wait for LAA to come to your town…the same LAA that can’t beat anyone good out here but feast on the Tigers..The same Weaver that beats the Tigers giving up 2 or less like every one else. AS I watched 5 of those losses out here in LA I always thought it was about Socsia (sp) out coaching Mumbles. Out here the Tigers are about 2-12 with me in attendance…so maybe its me!….
Miller will only be up for a game or two I reckon, after which whoever “gets sent down” will “return”. They’ll pick somebody with options obviously, somebody who likely won’t be on the roster for a full year anyway. I’d nominate Collins as a good bet if it only be for a couple games to shore up the pen. He probably wouldn’t even bother to physically report to Toledo.
I’ve already run the gammut of baseball emotions in these first 3 weeks – we’re going 162-0 to THIS TEAM SUCKS to this is just baseball.
First place.
5.5 more months.
Maybe Miller replaces Putkonen because theres something wrong??? With Putkonen. Maybe thats why he doesn’t pitch.