Look guys, let’s call it what it is. 2015 is not going to be a championship year and unless the Tigers make moves now, 2016 won’t be either. Ken Rosenthal is reporting today that David Price is unlikely to sign with the Tigers in 2016, and the Cubs are high on the list to sign Price in the off-season. So why not get some young talent in return for moving baseball’s best pitcher off of one of baseball’s worst staffs. The Cubs are flush with prospects, btw.
Now, one idea to salvage the season would be to fire Ausmus. Patrick O’Kennedy of Bless You Boys makes a compelling case, as he eloquently describes what we’ve seen all year. O’Kennedy cites awful bullpen management, keeping Iglesias at the bottom of the order, and lethargic play as reasons enough. I can’t disagree.
Verlander v. Porcello in a matchup of two of the AL’s worst statistical starters tonight.
1. Kinsler, 2B
2. Cespedes, LF
3. Martinez V, DH
4. Martinez J.D., RF
5. Castellanos, 3B
6. Avila, C
7. Krauss, 1B
8. Iglesias, SS
9. Gose, CF
I predict Boston 15, Detroit 14, with the game being called after 7 innings because softball.
Kevin, thanks for the BYB link. How about Ron Gardenhire as a candidate?
Gardenhire has been available for the last, what, 10 hires. Which means GMs don’t think as highly as him as we do, or he’s just done with the grind (I think the latter). Yes, Leyland did the same semi-retirement and came back, but I don’t Gardenhire is really a viable option.
Gardenhire is a younger version of Leyland, older version of Ausmus in terms of game strategy. Good interaction with the players. Thanks but no thanks. I think Tigers should be looking at a smart ex-player with some coaching/managing experience, a Molitor type. This won’t happen with DD running the show though.
Avila catches 1000s of Porcellos pitches…can’t hit any of them!..haha!
Avila apparently frames pitches or something. Oh wait, he’s currently ranked 78th in pitch framing in MLB (ahead of McCann, but behind Holaday). Time for Alex to take the long walk off the short pier. Or go to the Twins, or whatever.
http://www.statcorner.com/CatcherReport.php
Porcello will drop one full run on his ERA facing the Sluggos offense ….
Iggy following Avila and Krauss…maybe Assmus doesn’t want him to get any RBI and make Brad look bad!
CASTY: WHEN, oh friggin’ WHEN is someone gonna teach you how to BUNT???
AUSMUS: WHEN will you see the need for this??? Is there any activity within that thick stubborn skull?
Oh, 2nd inning, tie game: we don’t need that extra run that a bit of old-fashioned small-ball might bring.
Some wonderment here: Of all DPs Detroit has hit into this year, how many of those came off of Nick C’s bat, with none out?
U might as well bat Jv and not play the DH….have you ever seen a non pitcher Bat worse than Krausse…DD you should be embarrassed!!!!
Good thing Iglesias isn’t batting 2nd, with all those hits and stuff.
I don’t really back the criticism of hitting Iggy 9th, for instance. More of a strategy, I think. After 1st inning, almost like having 2 good leadoff men.
One problem with that: lead off hitter: 445 plate appearances. 9th hitter: 365 plate appearances. I know Iggy mostly bats 8th, and he’d probably bat 2nd, not lead off, but that’s potentially 80 at bats your 2nd best hitter has lost. Or, at .320, that’s 25 hits they’ve wasted. Something to think about.
I agree with Coleman.
Yeah, that’s a good point. It is nice to have some punch in the bottom order tho, but it could be managed with different personnel, so Iggy could get all the bats he deserves, so you’re right.
I’m guessing Marte and Romine could combine to hit better than .150 against right handers. Why is Krauss still on the team? With Romine’s statistical improvement over last year, why is he getting fewer at bats this year?
Mr Ivy league says “Krauss is the only true first baseman on the roster..so accoarding to Smarty Jr….he must play….remember Assmus is never wrong!
Isn’t it ironic that on one day you have the best pitcher in baseball going and the next day u have a guy desperate for a win and in 20 innings you score 3………..and the players want to BUY!!!!!
By the way, new blog up. If you are not familiar, the reporting is in depth and intelligent. No happy homer, Tiger PR department snake oil news feeds.
https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/
Story of the swing swing Tigers….he threw Cespedes 10 pitches….9 were balls.(gameday)..He swung at 7…story of the Tigers!!!!!!!!!!!
AL AL kisses ball again.
Let’s see if Tigers are their usual extra-innings punchless selves, this time as road team….
And Coach Smarty doesn’t believe a RH hitter can possibly get hits against a RH pitchers so in extras we see Inkavillia and Krausavillia!!! Remember coach Smarty is never wrong…
Buckle up; it’s Rondon time.
lets see lets buy……like a whole new batting lineup…….22 innings 3 runs……..1 run in 20…..but the Manager and players say not to worry!!! We are right in this race.
Punchless Tigers can’t score in extras, so I’m hoping Sox just end it here, so as not to prolong the agony.
you ready for this..since july 1…Avila 16 K’s…..Victor 13 K’s..including ball four and ball 5 right there…what can you expect for $20 mil…….Victor for the year .219 RISP….he can go too for all I care!
He just tapped the ball in front of the plate….was that legal????
Nice move with dumb hit and run call there Ausmus. Completely unnecessary.
Good, —-call at plate stands. When you have a punchless team = no bite, no grit, in extras especially, I’m glad to see it not drag on any further.
Thank you Umps…we needed an ending!
I’m with Brad on one thing. People want to bitch about the bullpen usage, but seriously, they’ve scored 2 runs in the last 22 innings.
Hey Victor sure glad your back leading this team!……to nowhere!
I expect Vic to snap out of it soon.
Sitting at 47-49 with dismal seasons from two expensive stars, trade your #2 and #4 WAR guys while #1 WAR guy is still out for another month, and fire the manager while you’re at it? Winning formula for 2016?
I don’t think so.
I know it’s frustrating to see a good team performing to a mediocre record, and I’ve advocated things just as rash as the above in the past myself, but I really don’t want to see Price and/or Cespedes traded.