The Tigers lost a golden opportunity last night to take a road series against the team with the best record in the league. With the quick turnaround to the day game today, we will see what they are made of.
Anibal Sanchez was simply great last night. I was hoping they would still leave him in after the opposite field squink of a double that Coco Crisp hit, but I suspect that Anibal let Brad know he was done. Points to BA for giving him the chance to start the 9th. Anyway, at this moment, he is the best starting pitcher on the staff.
Nathan looked awful, almost sailing two consecutive pitches over Avila’s head, and then later serving up a walk off. Castellanos didn’t help any by mispronouncing a line drive right off his glove into left field. And it would have helped to score another run or two.
Nathan didn’t waste any time throwing Castellanos under the bus after the game: “The big out there was getting Jaso,” Nathan said. “You get him and it changes everything, it gives me a chance to play with (Donaldson) a little bit.”
The crew has one more shot at the A’s today. No sleep ’till Seattle!
Postgame
Considering how this series started, a split looks pretty good. Ricky looked pretty good today also, allowing one to hope that maybe he really is for real this season. The A’s are a legit scoring offense, they do lead the league in runs scored.
Nathan, on the other hand. Well here’s a scenario for you to mull over as the Tigers ride their bicycles north to Seattle. Alburquerque and Chamberlain have been pretty good lately; maybe they turn into a strong 7-8 inning combo. And when Hanrahan is ready to make his comeback, maybe he is good (and maybe he isn’t). But if he IS, and Nathan continues to pitch like he has been pitching…well, that creates an interesting scenario, doesn’t it?
Comments
34 responses to “Game 2014.50: Tigers 5, A’s 4”
Starting Lineup:
1. Kinsler 2B
2. Kelly RF
3. Cabrera 1B
4. V Martinez DH
5. JD Martinez LF
6. Jackson CF
7. Avila C
8. Castellanos 3B
9. Romine SS
Rajai Davis is day-to-day with a bruised shoulder, and Torii gets a rest, so JD and The Donkey join Jackson in the outfield.
quote: ”It was a tough spot to bring Joe into, with the tying run on second base,” manager Brad Ausmus said. ”He has no margin for error. It was tough spot.”
I get that Ausmus’ quote was meant to help bolster his “closer’s” confidence, and that the conventional wisdom for the past couple decades has been fresh-start innings for the 7th, 8th and 9th innings guys; but I can’t help but wonder “why do they call them RELIEF pitchers?” …why not call them 1-inning starters?
I watched a bit of the NYY STL game last night and NYY was up 7-3, 8th inning and the STL pitcher loads the bases w/nobody out; STL brings in “relief pitcher” Choate, who strikes out Gardner and gets Robert to GIDP (on a 3-0 count)… to me, that’s a “relief pitcher” outing that deserves some recognition more so than the “closer” that starts the 9th fresh with a 3-run lead and his team wins – and he gets a “save”.
I think todays game will be a hard test as to whether the apparent improvement in Porcello we’ve seen so far is real – or a mirage. This will be tough for him against a good team that takes pitches, doesn’t swing at balls, in one of the more hostile venues in MLB. Also, the Tigers could use a strong start and Porcello could give a lift here and he must know it. Is Pinocchio a real boy or not?
I didn’t agree with Leyland on alot of things but one I absolutely agreed with is. You pay that guy out there in the bullpen $14 million a year to pitch one inning. Thats why we use him to do that.
Nathan should be better at one inning than Sanchez after 8…It just didn’t work that way last night. But it is still the thing to do!
Goodness. 4 GIDPs in the last 10 innings by my count.
Poor baserunning on Kellys part when your team only scores one run a game you need to take some chances..ala Davis….one base at a time won’t beat Oakland. If they catch that ball fine its not like your 6-7-8-9 batters are going to drive any runs
How can Jackson be hitting .256…dont u have to get some hits to get that high???
Oakland, I feel your pain.
Nice escape….Rick!
Wow a run…..
…….wow a lead….
………..can we skip 5-9 and have 1-4 bat all the time!
Tigers won’t get to see King Felix at his palace in Seattle.
Punto…. .233….1 HR…8 RBI
So…..JMartinez..Avila….castellanos…Romine….Worth…..Jackson……Kelly…..
See…It is still possible to help your team once in awhile
in Punto’s 14 yr career, prior to that HR off Porcello he had hit just 17 HR’s total – and in his previous 352 career AB’s against DET, zero HR’s prior to that one.
what other “firsts” will we see today?
Rick….dealing that inning ..excellent!!!….JD…great save!!!
Hey Smarty howabout bunting Jackson…he is O for May…it could help!!
Good battle today Rick…glad to see you back aafter only 1 bad outing!…
he did live it pretty ‘close to the edge’ today, but pitching out of those jams is a positive sign (maturity), whereas as in the past those might have been big innings for the opposition
have to also give some props to Krol for getting the 3rd out w/the bases juiced in the 6th – possibly deserving of a “save” in some parallel universe
I thought also part of the maturity growth is he let him work out of a couple jams. Last year and before he would have been gone. If he gets pounded thats one thing but onky 2 runs
Huge rally started by Donkey!…Victor two big RBI…
Donkey 4 ABs w/2 singles and a BB – I questioned putting him in the #2 spot…shows what I know…
If VMart stays healthy and continues to hit like he has the first two months, he’s going significantly add to his bank account this offseason – at 35 yrs old, there’s probably a couple AL teams that would give him 3 years
Yes, Little Ricky is real and is learning more on every outing. He became a Man after he plunked and took down Youkalis.
The Amazing Al!
…ya, speaking of ‘living on the edge’
Al the Edge.
Perhaps a warm up for the ninth and Blameless Joe?
Jobaquerque could turn out to be a good combo.
That hit by Donaldson was Kelly’s fault!
Yank him Smarty!
Joe “Papa/Jonesy” Nathan.
Nathan with the save, woo hoo!
The Save is an overrated stat: Exhibit A.
AMEN! if you have to give the “save” to somebody, either Krol, AALBQ or Chamberlain are infinitely more deserving today than Nathan
I suggest, if you give up an earned run, you don’t get “the save”
+1
Quick pack the bags and get out of town!!!. For a series we should have won 3 get out of town with 2….that team is so much better than us…they have about 15 tough outs they can bat vs the Tigers 4 actual hitters…pitching is pretty even….our BOBS did not have an RBI in the entire series..and yes Jackson is a BOB no matter where he bats….we had trouble getting any of them out …makes you appreciate the Sanchez gem……the only reason we knock them out of the playoffs is Oakland can’t hit our good pitching….that ain’t gonna happen this year….Lloyd here we come!!!
POG…..Donkey Don…..3 key at bats got on……maybe the key is not to bat with the BOBS…..it has to be depressing to follow AA and AJ…….