34 thoughts on “Game 2014.114: Tigers at Blue Jays”

  1. Assmus is a blooming idiot! Kinsler should bunt Davis over to third and we would have only one out. That would make Miggy concentrate at the plate and most likely get Davis home. We would then have at least one run for Max and we would be feeling much better.

  2. What a dilemma…looks like Nathan will be coming in with a one-run lead, but it’s kind of early in the day for the scotch.

    1. Wow what an inning by Max there. Best he’s had all day. I’d love to leave him in there.

      1. I think we’re probably about unanimous on that…don’t see it happening though.

    1. I agree! Why take him out? He was pitching lights out baseball and was at only 106 pitches. Let him finish what he started. Another mistake by Assmus,

  3. I don’t agree with the decision to trot Nathan out there in the 9th. You don’t make a move because you are supposed to… you make a move because you have to.

    I hope I’m wrong about this… I give Nathan about 60% chance of saving this one.

  4. Asmus is officially part of the problem…a big part…You took Max out for what reason????

      1. I will say this again any other manager in the AL Central manages the Tigers they are up by 10+ games!

      2. Hey Joe…tanks for nothing!. I can hatdly wait to hear Asmus tell us how encouraged he was with your pitching!!!!!!!

  5. Please let this be the end of the Joe Nathan closer era.

    This is a no win situation for Soria.

    Ausmus should have to take the mound himself. He’s responsible for this mess.

  6. Not letting Max pitch the ninth was perhaps the most assinine move Ausmus has made. Scherzer was absolutely dealing. You don’t take him out just because you have a “closer” (by the way, that title is questionable, at best)…. we’re not talking Mario Rivera in his prime. We’re talking Joe Nathan, who struggles virtually every single time he pitches. If you have other options, YOU DO NOT LET HIM HOLD A 1 RUN GAME. PERIOD. Yes, he’s our closer, and if you have to go with him, you go with him and take your chances. But if you have Cy Young on the mound in a one run game, for the love of God Brad use your head. This isn’t brain surgery. It’s baseball. Get your act together. My 10-year old son could manage this team better than you have.

    This move was inexcusable, and the press in had Detroit better start pressing the screws and holding Ausmus accountable when he messes the bed like this. I’m tired of this. It’s getting old.

    1. Ausmus is consistently trying to fit a triangular peg into a round hole. I’d love to know that Illitch and Dombrowski are texting each other right now (and by “texting” I mean sending via telegram)

  7. It’s time to re-assess Assmus tenure as manager and Nathan’s position as primary closer.

  8. Hey Brad how about man-ing up for the first time all year with a “I blew it”..instead of blaming the baseball gods like you ALWAYS do!

  9. On a side note 2 runs on 4 hits in yet another offensive fireworks display…Cabrerra
    1-18..Asmus,” I’m not worried”!!!!!!!!!!

  10. Here’s the thing:

    This team has the raw talent to win another 25 games, even on auto pilot, and even when the manager makes idiotic moves, like putting Nathan in to close out a one run game after his star pitcher has struck out 11 batters over eight innings. I’m beside myself trying to figure why the hell you would put in a pitcher with a 5.18 ERA/1.46 WHIP (who has blatant command issues and has been struggling every outing) to close out a 1 run game when your starter is making the opposing lineup look silly. Brad Ausmus needs a spanking.

    The thing is, 88 victories isn’t going to win the division. We need 94 wins to win the Central. The extra six wins has to come from managing the team in a semi-competent way. If Ausmus can’t get it together, this team, with it’s 3 Cy Young pitching staff, will not be playing October baseball.

    1. Verlander seems to be coming around, but I’m still suspicious. And we have yet to find out the severity of the Anibal injury. Nevertheless, I’d say we have the starting rotation thing down. But if this road trip has shown anything, it’s that great starting pitching is great, but that alone doesn’t win games: you need to score runs, you need relief pitching, and you need fielding/baserunning (in order of importance).

      I’d say that our lineup is easily leagues ahead of the Royals, but the fact of the matter is that right now they don’t look so hot. They have a frustrating habit of all slumping at once, and it feels like Cabrera is the catalyst–when he struggles, the team struggles (except, strangely enough, for the bottom of the order guys).

      Last 2 weeks:
      .244 BA .317 SLG – Miguel Cabrera
      .238 BA .429 SLG – Andrew Romine

      Yeah, Cabrera is still .309/.801 since the All-Star break, but you ‘ll notice every time someone posts those numbers they are lower and lower. He will be under .300 by the end of the week.

      This team is missing Austin Jackson’s bat right now (he was .362/.947 after the break).

      1. Just to clarify those Cabrera numbers don’t include today’s game, so they are a bit worse than listed above. Current Tigers that Cabrera is outslugging over the last 2 weeks: Don Kelly, Bryan Holaday. That’s it.

        1. I’m wondering if something is wrong with Cabrera. I heard Dan Dickerson say he thinks his power is down because his legs are weakened, or he’s quasi-hurt (I’m paraphrasing), but the gist is there is something wrong with his legs…

  11. To further clarify those Cabrerra numbers in the past 6 games he is hitting .056…1 rbi…no HR..no Doubles…choke on those numbers…I am sick of hearing he is over.300 big frickin deal..how many runs is he producing????. That is his only job…not WAR..Or OPS..Or SOS…producing R.U.N.S…as he goes the Tigers go PERIOD….

  12. To further clarify those numbers..If Don Kelly would have played First base and hit third he would have easily out produced the best hitter in baseball, easily in the New York and Toronto series……..

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