Brad Ausmus isn’t much of one to say much of anything about a game afterwards, but even Brad couldn’t help commenting on yesterday’s bullpen fiasco: “if it continues, we won’t win.” Brad himself hasn’t exactly impressed fans with his bullpen management, then again, he doesn’t seem to have a whole lot to work with. It would be great if the Tigers could dump, say, Anibal Sanchez, and get a dependable bullpen arm. But those limbs don’t grow on trees, nobody is going to take Sanchez off of our hands, and we are unlikely to spring for anything high-priced either, considering the team is already over the salary tax cap. (Unless someone would take on some of Sanchez’ salary, which seems unlikely, if the Tigers cut him and acquired someone else they would be paying a 30% tax on that salary).
At least William “Billy Beer” Cuevas won’t terrorize us today: he has been swapped with Warwick Saupold, who’s name sounds less like a beer vendor and more like, say, a steeplechase jockey. Now where was I?
Oh yes. Despite all the late inning nonsense, it was a win. Against Cleveland. At Cleveland. Last season it took them until July 6 to do that.
A Win’s A Win Lineup:
- Ian Kinsler, 2B
- Nick Castellanos, 3B
- Miguel Cabrera, 1B
- Victor Martinez, DH
- Justin Upton, LF
- Tyler Collins, RF
- James McCann, C
- Andrew Romine, CF
- Jose Iglesias, SS
Pitching: Justin Verlander vs Corey Kluber, a matchup worthy of the Fox Sports One national game selection.
Comments
49 responses to “Game 2017.11: Tigers at Indians”
“Warwick Sauplod” that’s beer in Australian! Also happy Jackie Robinson Day! http://m.mlb.com/cutfour/2017/04/15/224486640/see-how-players-honored-jackie-robinson
Thanks to Jackie Robinson for many of the good things about baseball.
Well here’s a major problem.. Early!
Verlander looks like he could use a cold glass of Cuevas.
Kluber chunks 11 pitches in the first for 3 k’s…..Verlander tosses 24 pitches for three runs….off to a bad start.
a few too many hanging curve balls and JV finds himself in a 0-5 hole after just 2 innings
guess its up to Boyd tomorrow to salvage the series… although Boyd had a great outing last start, his style likely won’t bode well against the CLE lineup in CLE…expect at least one HR from CLE off Boyd
JV is getting hammered pretty good today. Time to get Sanchez and let him throw 3 or 4 innings no matter what the score is.
add some belt high and inside cheese…and its 0-7
w/DET’s bullpen, look for CLE to put up a couple TD’s today… all part of Ausmus’ master strategy to tire CLE out for tomorrow’s matchup
Perhaps Brad will take a page out of Francona’s book and wait until the ninth to score 7 runs?
Sorry about the game post, I accidentally wrote that Verlander was pitching; turns out it’s Anibal.
‘classic Anibal’…HR’s a plenty
needless to say, the initial optimism that “JV is back to his old form” may have been diminished some today
Today may feature a Warwick workout.
VMart has perfected the 385 ft off the wall …single
VMart & DET would certainly benefit from the woman’s softball rule of having designated pinch runners without removing the hitter from the lineup
Mario and Rod were having a good laugh about that. I didn’t think it was as funny. Good idea though to have a home run guy bat behind him (Ausmus +1).
Sweet home Alabama….JUp!
what is it w/DET relief pitchers and BB’s?
INCOMPETANCE?
Yup.. We’re experts at the nibble nibble nibble but not strike strike strike…
And the difference between the Tiger nibblers and other teams nibblers is the Tiger hitters swing anyway… Everyone takes our garbage pitches…
No Tiger starting pitcher can ever win the ERA title because of the many days like this where Brad will leave you in no matter what 10-15-20….you don’t have your required 100 pitches in yet, so back out you go!
The Tiger’s Owner needs to tell Mr. Avila to release Sanchez. He has had his many fair chance(s).
apparently DET has about 16.8 million reasons to hang onto Sanchez…well actually you can add 5 million (that it will cost DET in ’18 to buy out his option)
the ‘hope and a prayer’ method of reviving a 33 yr old pitcher’s career doesn’t have a lot of success stories supporting that approach …but maybe it’ll work w/Mr Sanchez
PS: i like what i see from Cabrera at the plate yesterday and today
trailing by 5 in the 6th, Ausmus officially concedes – enter ASanchez
Is this Verlander’s worst start ever?
Most earned runs in a game ever.
Last 26JUN16, Verlander went 4 2/3 against the Tribe giving up 8 runs. As we know he settled down after that.
NO, THE ONE IN CLEVELAND LAST YEAR COMES TO MIND.
on June 26th last year JV gave up 4 HR’s in one inning against CLE…and 8 ER’s after 5… i’d say that was a worst start than today
looks like those 2 insurance runs CLE added off Greene (JV’s runners) were critical today for CLE
JUp needs a triple for the cycle!
Miller looks kinda loose?
I CAN’T BELEIVE WE’RE STILL WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE. MILLER LOOKED LIKE HE WAS AUDITIONING FOR THE TIGER PEN.
yes, Miller came in and hung those 2 Kluber runners onto Kluber’s ERA…familiar territory for the DET b-pen
Just think Friends, we have 16 or 17 more of these games with the Tribe that we need to win at least half if we are to have a chance for the playoffs. The road to the playoffs leads thru Cleveland!
agreed…and DET must also take advantage pile up some “W’s” against MIN, CWS & KC (55 games)
Yeah, let’s find another AL Central team to be the Tribe’s butt monkey!
regardless of the outcome, i like the showing by DET offense today…they didn’t ‘pack it in’ after being down 0-7, and made CLE work for it.
…kind of a dick move (by CLE) to challenge that play at 1st base with a 7 run lead in the bottom of the 8th – even though they got it reversed
Sanchez should run one in on the hands of the next hitter
The difference is the guy gets a hit on a play he was busting it on in a one sided game.
Sanchez is auditioning for retirement. Hey I could make it a long time with $16 MIL…. He has to be designated for assignment after another bombing like this. No one will pick him up.. So it’s Toledo or retirement!!!
If Chicago signed Pelfrey, anything is possible!
The real problem with this game is that we woke up a Cleveland offense that was looking bad so far this season. They missed the extra point.
…g’damn field goal kickers 😉
DET offense needs to show up tomorrow…Boyd will give up some runs against CLE – need to win this series
Sanchez being Sanchez
Brad will say.”. I thought Sanchez threw the ball better Today”……………………………………………………………………. ………
You can’t go on the DL because you suck.. So they will put him on the DL tonight for a Strain of the Oblique, quad collateral section if the Anterior quadrant of the Trapezius intrasupetfrnotis muscle. …
I had that once, it takes months to get over.
There is no cure for that…..
Verlander got paid $800k for that start today.
Francona challenging that play in the 8th was to send a message. “The AL runs though me and I’m in control.”
Once again I’ll go on record to say that Jones should start all our games at CF, especially when facing a quality pitcher. It is because of his play in the field. Early in a game, he will get to balls that Lettuce or anyone else won’t reach He can keep the other team from either scoring or having a bigger inning that they would otherwise. He can keep us in the games early. Since all games start 0-0 worrying about the offense first doesn’t make sense. Plus we all know that great pitching almost always trumps good hitting.