Game 2014.150: Tigers at Minnesota

Det 83-66  —
KC 81-67   1.5

_________________

Oak 83-66 +1.5
KC 81-67    —
Sea 80-68  1.0
Tor 77-71   4.0
Cle  76-72  5.0
NYY 76-72 5.0

Sep-tober is in full swing.

*****************

The Tigers fly into Minnesota for a 3 game series. They’ll have an off day on Thursday and then the weekend set in KC. Minnesota is having a hard time finding reason in baseball life right now, having lost 8 out of 10. I could say more on this, but I’ll let you look at the probables below and arrive at your own conclusions.

Tonight: Scherzer v. Swarzak – 8:10 PM
Tues: Porcello v. TBA – 8:10 PM
Wed: Price v. TBA – 8:10 PM

Baseball-Reference game preview here.

*****************

Confession – boy was I wrong about Phil Coke. Sometime in late May, I wrote something to the effect of “Phil Coke does not belong in the Major Leagues.” Well, my motivation technique (we’ll call it that in hindsight) worked, as the guy has perhaps become the most dependable arm in the bullpen. Seriously. I know that sounds crazy, but check this out. In Phil Coke’s last 42 appearances, he’s thrown 38.1 innings, with a 2.35 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and .666 OPS against. (You can contrast that against his first 15 appearances covering 2 months, where he gave up 13 ER in 17 1/3 for a 6.75 ERA, 1.73 WHIP and .935 OPS against). In his last 9 appearances he’s allowed 7 hits and 2 BB in 8 1/3, with 0 ER and a .515 OPS. Remember how dominant he was in the 2012 playoffs? We could be getting back to that.

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

Comments

42 responses to “Game 2014.150: Tigers at Minnesota”

  1. Vince in MN Avatar
    Vince in MN

    Swarzak starting for the Twins. I thought they gave up on that idea a long time ago. Oh well, their starting pitching, with the exception of Hughes, and ocassionally Gibson, has been atrocious again this year, so I guess it is experiment time. Don’t underestimate their offense though. I hope Martinez, Martinez and Company can put up a bunch of runs just to be on the safe side. No snoozing please.

  2. Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi Avatar
    Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

    No game on XM radio. What gives?

  3. Coleman Avatar
    Coleman

    Holaday is having a holiday out there.

    1. Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi Avatar
      Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

      Holaday’s holiday holocaust attempting to hit the hemp-wound hemisphere for the holistic perfect cycle

      1. Coleman Avatar
        Coleman

        He must not be framing those pitches well though.

  4. jud Avatar
    jud

    Romine playing VG SS and chipping in a few hits lately sure is helpingthe team!

  5. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
    Kevin in Dallas

    Here comes my guy.

  6. jud Avatar
    jud

    Joba is the new Ian Krol!

  7. jud Avatar
    jud

    6-0…gimme a Break!!

    1. Vince in MN Avatar
      Vince in MN

      And it should have been more. What I said earlier.

      1. Coleman Avatar
        Coleman

        Ask and ye shall receive.

  8. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
    Kevin in Dallas

    Sep-TOBER!!!

  9. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
    Kevin in Dallas

    CWS holding on…3-2 over KC going to the 9th.

  10. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
    Kevin in Dallas

    SEP-TOBER!!!

    #DoinItForTheRotation

    1. Smoking Loon Avatar
      Smoking Loon

      #DoinItForTheLousyPitching

  11. tbran Avatar
    tbran

    Now that’s how it’s done in MLB. To hell with the Twins and their stupid bunts, bloops and BS station to station play. Nothing beats a couple of bombs by a couple of major leaguers!

  12. PHToy in HK Avatar
    PHToy in HK

    So who gets to pitch the 9th? Just say no to Sloppy Joe Blow!

    1. Coleman Avatar
      Coleman

      It’s Scoria.

  13. jud Avatar
    jud

    Well the late dinger is sure working this month!!!! Wow!

  14. Coleman Avatar
    Coleman

    Nice play by Kelly; Castellanos might not have gotten that one either.

    1. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
      Kevin in Dallas

      Agreed.

  15. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
    Kevin in Dallas

    Two out – tying run at 2nd for KC, bottom of the 9th.

    1. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
      Kevin in Dallas

      Advanced to 3rd on a WP. #Sep-Tober

      1. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
        Kevin in Dallas

        KC just tied it up. Winning runner now on 2nd. Two outs.

        1. Coleman Avatar
          Coleman

          And they score him on an infield single. How Royals of them.

  16. jud Avatar
    jud

    Our boy Donkey…very nice play!

  17. Coleman Avatar
    Coleman

    Royals score in the 9th on a double + stolen base + wild pitch. How very Royals of them.

    1. Kevin in Dallas Avatar
      Kevin in Dallas

      Makes our win that much better.

      1. Smoking Loon Avatar
        Smoking Loon

        The Royals are an irrelevant second place team. Pay no attention until we play them. I’m thinking about the Orioles and Angels already.

  18. Vince in MN Avatar
    Vince in MN

    Hopefully Soria has his command back. Despite the leadoff double he at least didn’t WALK anybody.

    1. StorminNorman$ Avatar
      StorminNorman$

      getting Soria back to form would be great… as there’s not a lot of reliability from anyone in DET’s bullpen

      lead-off walk(s) for a reliever are especially nerve wracking!!!

      1. Vince in MN Avatar
        Vince in MN

        Although he started well, Chamberlain has been less than inspiring in the second half. He’s a FA at the end of the season and I’m not sure he’s worth bringing back next year. Of course I could say that about 90% of our bullpen hands this year.

        1. Smoking Loon Avatar
          Smoking Loon

          It’s been a while since Good Joba. He’s a great guy to have on team, and I think the same of Phil Coke, but I’d be inclined to let ’em both go.

    2. Smoking Loon Avatar
      Smoking Loon

      Good point, Vince. Double was kinda cheap as well.

      I think Soria is the closer in 2015. It would be nice for Nathan to go out in a blaze of glory this season – well, let’s make that “finish well,” because I haven’t seen anything glorious or blazing in 2014. But if there’s a way to let him go elsewhere, I hope the Tigers do. Not really up for a repeat.

  19. StorminNorman$ Avatar
    StorminNorman$

    nice to see the DET offense overcome some shoddy pitching tonight…

    and CWS bullpen gave KC a win tonight…

  20. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    This one was tense. Max and Joba nearly gave it away. Kyle (Ryan) and Torii and Miguel and Don and Joakim took it back. Losing this one would have changed our outlook in a hurry.

    Six games left against this pesky team, this offensive superpower. Will it ever be easy? This one sure started that way.

  21. Smoking Loon Avatar
    Smoking Loon

    The Tigers have a better record than the (irrelevant, second place) Oakland A’s. Wow. Who saw that coming?

    1. Vince in MN Avatar
      Vince in MN

      OAK isn’t exactly irrelevant, since if the season ended today, they and KC would be the two wild card teams. Yeah, early on they looked like a 100-win team, but now it looks like the Angels will hit that mark.

      1. Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi Avatar
        Only Tiger Fan in Mississippi

        And such worries me as the Tigers record against AL Western Division teams isn’t too good.

      2. Smoking Loon Avatar
        Smoking Loon

        No, the A’s aren’t irrelevant. Figured I had to call them that after doing it to the Royals. Have to gloat about first place while we can.

        1. Smoking Loon Avatar
          Smoking Loon

          Yes, West is trouble for the Tigers, always. Except for the A’s, Yankees of the West as far as Detroit is concerned.

          Having to go through the Angels to get to the WS would be the true test for the Tigers. It would probably be better for them going into the WS, really. Beat the best, become the best. Sounds good, anyway.

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