Game 2014.119: Pirates at Tigers

It was a heartwarming scene as young Buck Farmer, almost fresh from A ball, took the mound last night with friends and family cheering him on. Buck did a reasonable job, keeping the Tigers in the game through 5 innings.

After the game Farmer was optioned to Toledo, and RHP Melvin Mercedes was recalled. You’ll remember that Buck was brought up from AA Erie, so the demotion to Toledo was really a promotion. It also led to a Jason Beck headline–Farmer Swapped For Mercedes–that sounds like the title of a missing episode of Green Acres.

A less heartwarming scene occurred after the game, as closer Joe Nathan got a double-play ball to get out of a jam and close the game. Nathan, apparently upset about fans jeering him when he began the inning with back-to-back walks, “flicked off” the fans not once but twice. The following link contains NSFTFWATJN video (Not Safe For Tiger Fans Who Are Tired of Joe Nathan.)

**Update**  Joe Nathan has apologized: “Both sides were frustrated,” he said. “I have 2 kids. I need to be a better example than that.”

Today’s One-Game-Winning-Streak Lineup:

  1. Davis, CF
  2. Kinsler, 2B
  3. Cabrera, 1B
  4. V Martinez, DH
  5. Hunter, RF
  6. J Martinez, LF
  7. Castellanos, 3B
  8. Avila, C
  9. Suarez, SS

33 thoughts on “Game 2014.119: Pirates at Tigers”

  1. I hate it when the offense spends their weekly allowance of runs in one game (last night).

  2. The Tigers have scored 3 runs or less in 33 of their last 79 games (post 27-12 start). 2 or less 25 times. 2 runs a game seems to be the popular output, at 13 times.

  3. The Statue is over-matched against good left-handers as evidenced vs Liriano in today’s game. Why does Assmus have him in today’s starting line-up?

  4. Looks like Max has just decided to win the game on his own. I hope he’s in the mood to throw 125 pitches or so.

    1. Miggy doesn’t scare anybody anymore. Pretty soon they will be walking Kinsler to pitch to him.

  5. Guys like Lariano shut down the Tigers because they do not throw very many strikes. But of course the Tigers will have none of that take pitches business..We will show him!!!

    1. If the Tigers want to win he sure as hell better be out there in the 8th.

      My two cents.

  6. Even at Mad Max’s pitch count ….. I would much rather see him in the 9th than Nathan!

  7. Hunter could be a good hitter if he didn’t swing at so many pitches out of the strike zone.

    1. With apologies to the Andrews Sisters:

      If you ever go down Comerica
      They make you feel so very glad
      Tigers pitch and Tigers hit
      Guarantee you one real good fine time

      Pitchin’ rum and Coca-Cola
      Go down to and sit in Kaline’s Corner
      Both hitter and pitcher
      Workin’ for the Tiger dollar

  8. This was a good win. Even though the Tigers stated they would change their approach, and the most vocal was Hunter and in the past two days he has swung at everything NOT in the strike zone. Today Lariano must have thrown 25 pitches(15 bounced) the the Tigers went after anyway. So much for a new approach.With all that going on managing 6 hits and more than the usual 2 runs remains big!.

    ..Lets keep winning and we don’t care how

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