Game 2014.122: Mariners at Tigers

Gotta win series’ at home.

A few thoughts on last night’s game (repost from yesterday’s thread)

A few questions about the Vince/SL exchange from last night [regarding Nathan coming out for the 9th].

1) If Price doesn’t struggle in the 8th, does Ausmus bring him out in the 9th? Let’s say he’s at 100 pitches after a quick 8th. I feel that the right move would be to bring him back out, but based on Ausmus’ brief managerial history, I’m pretty sure he would have brought in Nathan regardless b/c “the 9th is the 9th.”

2) Assuming the 9th is the 9th, at what point in time does Ausmus bring in someone else. If Soria is healthy, does he get a chance? How many more lives does Nathan have? Statistically, I think Nathan is the worst regular reliever in the majors (no research done prior to asserting that claim). I mean, objectively, how can this be our answer? Are DD and Ausmus sharing a drink every night praying that Jim Johnson or Soria or Hanrahan are ready to take a shot?

Other thoughts:

1) Who pitches game 163? Price or Scherzer?

2) Holy cow is anyone watching the Angels? Do the Tigers have a streak like that in them? They’ve done it before (albeit 4 months ago). The Royals, Angels, and Mariners have done it.

3) Sick as Felix is, is it a relief getting to that bullpen? Tigers hit tonight like we expect them to.

4) I’ve been meaning to say this before, I don’t get ever pulling Castellanos late. Is Kelly that much of a defensive upgrade considering our bullpen liabilities? Wouldn’t it be smarter to keep that bat in the lineup?

5) The ads in between the MLB.com highlights kill me. I pay for the subscription, I should be able to skip those.

6) How awesome is beer?

Robbie Ray versus the resurgent Chris Young in the rubber match today. Game preview here.

1. Ian Kinsler, 2B
2. Ezequiel Carrera, CF
3. Miguel Cabrera, DH
4. Victor Martinez, 1B
5. J.D. Martinez, RF
6. Nick Castellanos, 3B
7. Alex Avila, C
8. Andrew Romine, SS
9. Rajai Davis, LF

11 thoughts on “Game 2014.122: Mariners at Tigers”

  1. Good post wedding/pre-game comments. As an answer to some of your qustions,

    I go with Scherzer in game 163 with Price as the closer.

    To quote Tom C Hall, “I love beer, it makes you a very good fellow.”

    I wonder how many ads we sit thru a season….Bernstien Advantage

  2. Is it too soon to start talking about the major rebuild necessary during the upcoming off-season?

  3. At least every team ranked ahead of us are all better than the Tigers so we shouldn’t put that much concern in the way the playoffs shape up. Every team has a better starting five , hard to believe and having the worst blowpen in all of baseball seals the deal…The sluggo offense…..nevermind…Defense means nothing and we have the 25th best manager in baseball…..all and all not much going for the Tigers

  4. My point in questioning Vince’s assessment of Nathan in the 4-2 win was not about managerial decisions, but about Price’s 8th vs. Nathan’s 9th.

    Price walked two and loaded the bases. He’s prone to giving up home runs. It was a stressful and not particularly well-piched inning for him. He got out of the jam, though. Good show. No problem.

    9th inning: Cano hit a good pitcher’s pitch into RF for a single. He’s Robinson Cano. Next batter, maybe if Nathan handles the high hop on the comebacker, it’s a DP. But it was a tough play. The reason Cano gets to 3B is a) the bizarre call for the extreme shift on Morales with a runner on (????) and that b) no one bothers to cover 3B, i.e., blown execution of strategy questionable to begin with. Next up – Chavez looked mostly lost but managed to bloop one about as cheap as they come. Then Seager bounces into a typically (Cabrera) well-executed 1-6 DP. Game over. No walks, nothing hanging got scorched, all drama on the defense. A decent job by Nathan.

    I’m as tired of Nathan not living up to his billing as anyone, but I say we reserve the criticism for the truly poorly pitched inning and/or the blown save. I’m totally in favor of David Price being his own bullpen, but you gotta be fair -his 8th inning was the Jones/Valverde roller coaster of the evening, not Nathan’s 9th

  5. Look what McClendon has done with 1/3 the talent the Tigers have….maybe WE were all wrong and Lloyd should have been promoted to Tiger Manager…he certainly out coached Ivy League boy this entire season!

    1. I have been impressed with him too, I remember when he skippered the Pirates and he seemed short fused and not a good handler of pitchers. I can and do either hear or watch his pre and post game media sound bites and he knows the game and is patient with the guys that work hard and give him their all. However, if your name is Montero and you show up in Peoria fat and sassy, have a good time in Tacoma! Media up here float his name as Manager of the Year.

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