Pregame 10: Detroit Tigers at San Diego Padres

It’s the first rubber game of 2014, and hopefully it will satisfy our rubber soul, as the Tigers (6-3) make another day trip to San Diego (4-7) and then get their ticket to ride back home for a day off and then the Cleveland Indians. Max Scherzer will face Tyson Wood.

The Incredible 2014 Detroit Tigers are on pace for 108 wins, and I’ll have you know that the 7-3 we’re hoping for is only two games off 9-1. Alex Avila only needs 32 HR and 93 RBI to catch up with Lance Parrish’s 1984*, and I expect him to get there by the end of 2016 or 2017, easily. No, seriously, this year’s team has a ways to go (a funny expression I grew up with that people who didn’t may legitimately question – a ways??) to show that they have “team magic” (and the team stats) to compare with the 1984 Tigers. My main point in the comparison, however, remains that 1984 was very much a team thing, no future HOFers or HOF seasons, and that the 2014 Tigers might have a bit more of that team thing going for them than they did in 2012 or 2013. Along with a couple (at least) future HOFers.

*I think it’s only fair to include Alex’s spring numbers: 1 HR, 4 RBI, plus 1 RBI that he would have had if a runner had been on 3B with a really big lead.

This first West Coast swing has not been without difficulty, but it looks like it might end better than last season’s first (9-game) trip. Remember? Prince Fielder, fresh off AL Player of the Week, struck out 4 or 5 (or 6 or 7) times in a game v. Seattle, and he was never really the same after that. Then there was the Angels debacle, Part 1. It was rough.

A win today spreads optimism across the land. A loss will bring soul-searching, presumably about either the offense or the bullpen. I would bet on the win, not that we’re done with the soul-searching for a long time yet.

مشاهدة المباراة، الاستماع إلى اللعبة، اتبع اللعبة. دعونا نرى بعض ردود الفعل هنا. جوائز قيمة في انتظارك لحساء اليوم.

14 thoughts on “Pregame 10: Detroit Tigers at San Diego Padres”

  1. I don’t remember Miggy ever batting .250 during the regular season? Has it got something to do with the $300,000,000.00 contract he signed? Jethro say’s that’s a lot of knots after the 3!

  2. Accoarding to the Tigers Miggy has never been under .300 during the regular season as a Tiger..(research dept please?)

    1. I’m pretty sure he hit under .300 his first year with the Tigers. (Yeah, .292)

      Remarkably, he has spent only 33 games under .300 since the beginning of 2009.

      Even more remarkably, from 2009 through 2011 – 3 entire seasons – he was not under .300 even once, not even a little Opening Day blip. NOT ONCE.

      I’m thinking maybe we should cut the man some slack.

  3. They get paid every other Friday for the six month season. Can you imagine being like…geeI hope that $2 mil check comes this Friday I am a little short this week!!!

  4. Miggy looks exactly …exactly like the end of last year…warning track power…but with a few more K’s.. now about.230 WTF!

  5. Lets see is it Sunday??. Is it get away day?…then the Ttigers are absolutely in their “theres not a pitch we don’t like mode ” and it doesn’t matter whether its a strike or ball or even if it bounces!….were swinging!

    1. In was thinking the same thing. Mentally these guys were on the plane trip back home hours ago.

    2. Good pitchers will do that. This guy has been dealing. That slider away to Hunter in the 6th was nasty. Great call too.

      We’ll be alright Jud.

  6. Wait..The Tigers played today….I didn’t notice!…..plus this three days off in a 8 days is a bunce of crap!

    Kevin I know things will work out…but whenever Miggy comes out West he does this. DON’T Know where he parties…but in all the years he has never been this bad……something is seriously wrong

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