Game 2012.91: Angels at Tigers

Detroit Tigers, 47-43, 2 1/2 games behind Chicago.

A lot went right for the Tigers last night, as they beat the Angels and finally gained a game on the White Sox.  Perhaps no moment was better than in the 7th inning, when Berry singled, stole 2nd, stole 3rd, and tied the game on the sometimes-elusive sacrifice fly.  The Boesch Basch was the cherry on top.

When was the last time the Tigers had someone in the top 10 in stolen bases? Q-Berry is now 13th with a bullet, as one used to say.

As Kevin noted, there was an almost playoff-like atmosphere to the game last night.  In fact, if the playoffs were to be held today, the first game would be a one-game wild card matchup between the Tigers and the Angels.

That game would not likely feature Jacob Turner, making his 2nd start of the season, or Garrett Richards, who is 0-1, 12.46 in his last 2 starts.  The forecast calls for an 80% chance of offensive outbursts.

Turner’s outing today could be a bit of a showcase; his name comes up regularly in the trade deadline rumors, which now include, in addition to the unlikely Dempster and more likely Scutaro rumors, one that has the Tigers pursuing pretty much half of the Diamondbacks.

Stat of the Day: Latroy Hawkins, who came in last night in the 7th, intentionally walked Prince Fielder, who was 3-4 lifetime against him.  Hawkins fared better against dad: Cecil Fielder was a career 1-for-11 against him.

Today’s Player of the Pre-game: Quintin Berry.  Berry is one of two players in the league with at least 10 stolen bases who has yet to be caught stealing (14-for-14).  The other is across the field, Maicer Izturis (11-for-11).

Today’s It-Worked-Last-Night Lineup:

  1. Austin Jackson CF
  2. Quintin Berry LF
  3. Miguel Cabrera 3B
  4. Prince Fielder 1B
  5. Delmon Young DH
  6. Brennan Boesch RF
  7. Jhonny Peralta SS
  8. Alex Avila C
  9. Ramon Santiago 2B

Comments

36 responses to “Game 2012.91: Angels at Tigers”

  1. Vince in MN Avatar
    Vince in MN

    Tigers Stat of the Day: The Tigers have a winning pct of .704 when Kelly plays. And we thought Raburn was good (.571). Incidentally, both Fielder and Cabrera at a measly .522. Moving Kelly to first and Raburn to third is obviously indicated.

  2. TIGERS RULE Avatar
    TIGERS RULE

    Take Turner out NOW ….. before we fall too far behind!!

    1. TIGERS RULE Avatar
      TIGERS RULE

      Too late …… down 4-0 already!!

  3. scott Avatar
    scott

    why do I feel a sense of dread [after Pujols’ single in the 1st]?……… 🙁

  4. StorminNorman$ Avatar
    StorminNorman$

    AAA pitchers = runs
    …against lineups like the Angels

  5. Coleman Avatar
    Coleman

    That sound is half of the Tiger potential trades crashing and burning.

  6. TIGERS RULE Avatar
    TIGERS RULE

    It’s starting to look like it is going to be a rough night.

  7. TIGERS RULE Avatar
    TIGERS RULE

    It looks like Smokey is conceding this game before the second inning is even over ….. by keeping Turner in there!!

    1. StorminNorman$ Avatar
      StorminNorman$

      no JL is just trying to ‘build his confidence’ 😉

  8. StorminNorman$ Avatar
    StorminNorman$

    Turner might have just earned a trip to next year’s All Star game… as the designated pitcher for the Home Run Derby

    As Coleman pointed out, whatever ‘trade value’ Turner had prior to today, its all but gone now.

    1. Vince in MN Avatar
      Vince in MN

      Trade value (such as it is with any AAA “prospect”) may be down, but tradability may be up, since perhaps DD and company may be more willing to include him in a deal. Obviously he isn’t going to help this year (and they do need rotation help), but the “talent potential” rationale should still hold some sway given his youth, scouting report upside, etc., etc., etc.

  9. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
    Kevin in Dallas

    JL loves to do this, let rookie pitchers earned their stripes. Really hasn’t worked out too well.

    1. Vince in MN Avatar
      Vince in MN

      Next weeks perhaps we will be treated to a Detroit News Sports article exclaiming the genius behind being frequently “aggressive” with young pitchers, leaving them in long enough to get their fanny handed to them, and how it really [counter-intuitively] contributes to more wins later on (over the course of a season, decades, or some other unspecified amount of time).

  10. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Hopefully, Jacob Turner’s Tiger career ends tonight.

    1. Coleman Avatar
      Coleman

      Ironically, the worse he does tonight, the longer his Tiger career will be.

  11. Coleman Avatar
    Coleman

    Kinda makes one appreciate Drew Smyly, no?

  12. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Well then, I’m hoping he gets a career ending injury. I just never want to see him in a Tiger uniform again.

  13. Jeff Molby Avatar
    Jeff Molby

    Chris, are you 12? He may never achieve his full potential as a top of the rotation starter, but he’s no Nate Cornejo. He’s going to be a major leaguer and I’ll gladly take even-money bets that he notches at least 50 wins over the course of his career. I’ll readily take bets on 100 and 200 wins as well, as long as you give me odds to cover the risk of injury.

    In other words, breathe. It’s just one game. Every teams needs to run out a AAA starter a few times a year and they generally don’t win. Today was our day to be the whipping boy.

  14. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Trade Turner for Grilli

  15. scott Avatar
    scott

    hmmm……and he’s the best in the Tigers’ farms……..3 HRs in 2 IP; ERA of 31.50…….I see we have alot to look forward to……… 🙁

    1. Vince in MN Avatar
      Vince in MN

      Don’t forget Crosby. And Oliver may still be on somebody’s radar.

  16. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Jeff, I’ll bet you that Turner never makes more than 10 more game appearances in the bigs, for any team. We’ve had him here in a few games already and he hasn’t shown us anything but hopelessness. It is dispicable that he is regarded as our top pitching prospect.

    1. Jeff Molby Avatar
      Jeff Molby

      I’ll take that bet, Chris. How much? Do you want to set up the escrow or should I?

      1. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
        Kevin in Dallas

        This is fantastic. We’ll let the members here act as social escrow.

  17. Vince in MN Avatar
    Vince in MN

    I feel sorry for Below, who has pitched very well, but only gets to see action in games like this for the most part (after tonight the Tigers will be 4-20 in games he pitches).

  18. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
    Kevin in Dallas

    We’re not gonna win them all. But we do need to win this series. Head to head v. LAA may be very important in a few months.

  19. Chris Avatar
    Chris

    Jeff, I wouldn’t be able to do that bet, due to the inherent flaw where you could possibly win and collect this year, but I would have to wait years, even a decade, as he could tool around in the minors. We would have to construct a time value for it to be fair.

    1. Jeff Molby Avatar
      Jeff Molby

      That’s a reasonable concern. Neither you nor I can claim the winnings until he he’s been out of baseball for 4 years. Is that fair?

  20. Vince in MN Avatar
    Vince in MN

    I think it is Kelly Time. Can we get 3+ innings out of him do you think. It would be entertaining anyway.

  21. scott Avatar
    scott

    well, now it’s been clearly established Raburn can’t play LF either……what else?

    1. Vince in MN Avatar
      Vince in MN

      And playing him in a forlorn hope needlessly reduces his winning percentage.

      1. Vince in MN Avatar
        Vince in MN

        Plus, he also struck out looking, which is also not new.

  22. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
    Kevin in Dallas

    Interesting trade idea on ESPN Insider today by Dave Cameron:

    Miami Marlins third baseman Hanley Ramirez, starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez and second baseman Omar Infante to Detroit Tigers for third baseman Nick Castellanos, starting pitcher Jacob Turner and outfielder Delmon Young.

    He suggest that Hanley would move to the OF and then to SS next year (Peralta is a club option).

    I would be on board with this.

    1. StorminNorman$ Avatar
      StorminNorman$

      From a ‘win now perspective’, it would definately fill a few short-term needs for DET (another SP and respectible 2B that can hit + Ramirez), but i doubt the Marlins would OK this deal. Although Sanchez has put in a few very solid years, this year has seen some decline in few key areas.

      Personally, i’d rather the Tigers work out a deal for Felix Hernandez and their 2B Ackley, as David Schoenfield speculated http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/27005/the-mariners-should-trade-king-felix – i could envision a Hernandez-Ackley for Turner or Porcello, Oliver, Marte, Smyly, Brantly, Castellanos, DYoung, Berry or Dirks… hell, i’d even throw in Raburn. Probably a pipe-dream.

  23. StorminNorman$ Avatar
    StorminNorman$

    http://www.freep.com/article/20120718/SPORTS02/120718061/detroit-tigers-jacob-turner-start-sunday?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|FRONTPAGE

    Tigers announce Jacob Turner to start Sunday against CWS…

    I have to believe there’s more to this story than has been reported

    1. Jeff Molby Avatar
      Jeff Molby

      That’s 1, Chris. 9 more to go. How much are we betting?