After taking two of three from the Pirates last weekend, the Tigers traveled to Cleveland to face the division-leading Indians. A sweep would've put the Tigers in a tie for 1st place, and all would've been well again in TigerTown. Realistically, fans would have been pleased with taking two of three. Winning only one game would've been a major disappointment, seeing as Fister and Verlander were pitching the final two games of the series. A sweep was unthinkable. Unfortunately, a sweep is exactly what happened. The Tigers sat 6 games back of the Indians.
Thankfully for the Tigers, their next series was in Minnesota against the hapless Twins, and Detroit was able to pull itself back within a game of .500 by taking three of three. Cleveland, meanwhile, got knocked around by the red-hot White Sox, who now sit only .5 game behind the Indians. Detroit currently sits 4 games out of first place.
This team just seems to be treading water. They win one, lose one. Win a couple, lose a couple. Get swept, then sweep. I think everyone is waiting for them to go on a nice little run where they win 5 in a row, or 7 of 8, or win three consecutive series. Or how about winning 10 of 11, like Chicago has just done? Let's face it...the Tigers are incredibly fortunate to be playing in the AL Central, where they sit in 3rd place. They'd be in last place if they were in the AL East. In the AL West, they'd still be in 3rd, but they'd be 7.5 games back of the Rangers.
Despite all the worrying, complaining, and panic, we have to remind ourselves that the baseball season is incredibly long. The Tigers haven't even played 30% of their games yet. They still have 114 games to play. The only guarantee we can count on is that the standings are going to look a lot different three months from now.
Meanwhile, the Tigers are currently in the midst of a four-game set at Fenway Park in Boston. Justin Verlander takes the mound tonight and looks to continue his stellar start to the 2012 campaign. Detroit lost the opener yesterday after a blown call that had Jim Leyland fuming. Maybe Leyland's rant will get the troops fired up?
Chronicling one of the most anticipated seasons in Detroit Tigers history from the perspective of an everyday fan.
Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Monday, May 21, 2012
Who was better - Verlander or Scherzer?
Tigers fans were treated to two special pitching performances over the weekend. Justin Verlander came 1 bloop single away from pitching his 3rd career no-hitter on Friday night. Max Scherzer struck out 15 batters on Sunday, the highest total in all of MLB this season. Both were dominant performances, but which was better?
To start, I looked at a statistic ESPN.com uses called Game Score, which is calculated as follows: 50 + 1*Outs + 2*IP after the 4th + 1*K - 2*H - 4*ER - 2*UnearnedRuns - 1*BB. The idea is to use a formula that objectively ranks each individual pitching performance.
Let's start with Scherzer. He went 7 innings, allowed 4 hits, 1 walk, and 2 earned runs, and of course, struck out 15. This amounts to a Game Score of 75, which is pretty darn good, but not enough to crack the top 40 pitching performances on the season. While Scherzer was certainly dominant, his overall score is hurt by the fact that he only went 7 innings. Had he been able to pitch a complete game, it would've resulted in a score of 85, good enough to place him in the top 20.
Justin Verlander's gem on Friday, meanwhile, comes in at a 96, tied with Jered Weaver's no-hitter for 3rd and behind Matt Cain's one-hitter and Philip Humber's perfect game. Had Verlander been able to maintain the no-no, his 98 would've ranked as the best performance on the season.
While most fans would probably agree that JV's performance was more impressive than Scherzer's, it might not necessarily be more important. By now, we know what Verlander brings to the table. He is going to give you 6+ innings every single start and will usually be very stingy with the number of hits, walks, and runs he allows in the process. He is a no-hitter waiting to happen. Scherzer, on the other hand, is a mystery. He brings A+ stuff to the table but struggles to find consistency with his delivery. Sunday might be a sign that he has turned the corner. We can't expect 15 strikeouts every start, but Scherzer has supposedly worked out a mechanical flaw with the placement of his hands with Jeff Jones. If that is the case, he could make a very formidable #3 starter.
Either way, as a Tigers fan, it's a nice debate to be able to have. If we're having more debates like this one by the end of the season, it's probably a sign that the Tigers have done what they're expected to do...win the AL Central.
To start, I looked at a statistic ESPN.com uses called Game Score, which is calculated as follows: 50 + 1*Outs + 2*IP after the 4th + 1*K - 2*H - 4*ER - 2*UnearnedRuns - 1*BB. The idea is to use a formula that objectively ranks each individual pitching performance.
Let's start with Scherzer. He went 7 innings, allowed 4 hits, 1 walk, and 2 earned runs, and of course, struck out 15. This amounts to a Game Score of 75, which is pretty darn good, but not enough to crack the top 40 pitching performances on the season. While Scherzer was certainly dominant, his overall score is hurt by the fact that he only went 7 innings. Had he been able to pitch a complete game, it would've resulted in a score of 85, good enough to place him in the top 20.
Justin Verlander's gem on Friday, meanwhile, comes in at a 96, tied with Jered Weaver's no-hitter for 3rd and behind Matt Cain's one-hitter and Philip Humber's perfect game. Had Verlander been able to maintain the no-no, his 98 would've ranked as the best performance on the season.
While most fans would probably agree that JV's performance was more impressive than Scherzer's, it might not necessarily be more important. By now, we know what Verlander brings to the table. He is going to give you 6+ innings every single start and will usually be very stingy with the number of hits, walks, and runs he allows in the process. He is a no-hitter waiting to happen. Scherzer, on the other hand, is a mystery. He brings A+ stuff to the table but struggles to find consistency with his delivery. Sunday might be a sign that he has turned the corner. We can't expect 15 strikeouts every start, but Scherzer has supposedly worked out a mechanical flaw with the placement of his hands with Jeff Jones. If that is the case, he could make a very formidable #3 starter.
Either way, as a Tigers fan, it's a nice debate to be able to have. If we're having more debates like this one by the end of the season, it's probably a sign that the Tigers have done what they're expected to do...win the AL Central.
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
No offense, but there's no offense.
Most fans and analysts assumed the 2012 Detroit Tigers would have very solid starting pitching, a good enough bullpen, below average defense, and a world-class offense. So far, the starting pitching has been quite good overall and the defense has been serviceable. The bullpen has had too many late-inning meltdowns, but more than anything, it's been the offense that has underperformed. When the bullpen must protect 3-2 and 2-1 leads night after night, it stands to reason that they're going to blow a few games.
Lineups along the lines of Jackson-Boesch-Cabrera-Fielder-Young-Raburn-Peralta-Avila-Santiago had Tigers fan salivating before the season began, but the offense has been extremely average so far. Out of 14 AL teams, Detroit is only 8th in runs, 9th in OBP, and 7th in SLG. Who's to blame? Well, outside of Jackson, Fielder, Cabrera, and Avila, along with part-time contributions from Dirks and Laird, the whole roster has hit very weakly. Peralta has a .676 OPS. Young is at .605. Boesch is at .568. Raburn is at .383 (!). Really, only Jackson has hit at an All-Star level, and that's just not going to cut it for a team with a payroll north of $119 million.
Will it get better? I think so. Fielder and Cabrera have long track records of being two of the best offensive players in the game. There are going to be stretches where those two alone carry the team on their backs, though we just haven't seen it yet. Boesch and Raburn have nowhere to go but up. Someone has to start hitting at 2nd base, right? We may already be seeing signs of improvement, as the insertion of Dirks into the #2 slot in the lineup has injected some much-needed speed and energy to the top of the order.
As of now, the Tigers are 15-14 and only 2 games out of 1st place. They wrap up their series with the Mariners tonight and travel to Oakland tomorrow for a 4-game set against Brandon Inge and the A's. Hopefully the offense heats up soon...if not, the Tigers will need a few more plays like this game-saving gem by Don Kelly...
Lineups along the lines of Jackson-Boesch-Cabrera-Fielder-Young-Raburn-Peralta-Avila-Santiago had Tigers fan salivating before the season began, but the offense has been extremely average so far. Out of 14 AL teams, Detroit is only 8th in runs, 9th in OBP, and 7th in SLG. Who's to blame? Well, outside of Jackson, Fielder, Cabrera, and Avila, along with part-time contributions from Dirks and Laird, the whole roster has hit very weakly. Peralta has a .676 OPS. Young is at .605. Boesch is at .568. Raburn is at .383 (!). Really, only Jackson has hit at an All-Star level, and that's just not going to cut it for a team with a payroll north of $119 million.
Will it get better? I think so. Fielder and Cabrera have long track records of being two of the best offensive players in the game. There are going to be stretches where those two alone carry the team on their backs, though we just haven't seen it yet. Boesch and Raburn have nowhere to go but up. Someone has to start hitting at 2nd base, right? We may already be seeing signs of improvement, as the insertion of Dirks into the #2 slot in the lineup has injected some much-needed speed and energy to the top of the order.
As of now, the Tigers are 15-14 and only 2 games out of 1st place. They wrap up their series with the Mariners tonight and travel to Oakland tomorrow for a 4-game set against Brandon Inge and the A's. Hopefully the offense heats up soon...if not, the Tigers will need a few more plays like this game-saving gem by Don Kelly...
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Five Biggest Disappointments
The Tigers sat at 10-7 as of my last post, but it wasn't really reason to panic. Losing 3 out of 4 to a red-hot Rangers team isn't necessarily the end of the world. However, the team has continued to lose, getting swept by the Mariners at home and dropping 2 out of 3 to the Yankees in the Bronx. That impressive 9-3 start seems like ages ago as the team's record now sits at 11-11. Yikes.
I am by no means panicking yet, as the calendar just flipped to May today. There is still a ton of baseball to be played, and I still think the Tigers will win the division handily. Their roster simply has more talent than those of the other AL Central teams. That being said, these past few weeks have highlighted some flaws, and there are reasons for concern. Here are my five most disappointing Tigers performers so far. These are based on expectations going into the season. For example, Daniel Schlereth has pitched very poorly, but who didn't see that one coming?
5. Brennan Boesch
Most Tigers fans expected big things from Boesch coming into 2012. He had two fairly productive seasons under his belt and would now have the starting RF job locked up. Batting 2nd in front of Miguel Cabrera, many predicted a breakout season from Boesch, but it hasn't quite worked that way so far. The season is young, but a .607 OPS, 2 BBs, and 20 Ks isn't going to cut it.
4. Benoit/Valverde
The 8th/9th inning combo of Benoit and Valverde was nearly automatic in 2011. Benoit struck out over a batting an inning, and Valverde was a perfect 49/49 in saves. In 2012, there haven't been too many late-inning meltdowns that have fans calling for players' heads, but this duo has certainly not pitched well. Benoit's WHIP stands at 2.25, and Papa Grande's is not much better at 1.86.
3. Anyone Playing 2nd Base
Ryan Raburn is batting .148. Ramon Santiago is batting .158. The now-departed Brandon Inge was batting .100. The Tigers have plenty of quantity on their roster when it comes to rolling out options to play 2nd base, but they've yet to find any offensive production that can be considered quality.
2. Max Scherzer
I think Jim Leyland and Tigers fans are both getting tired of hearing how great Scherzer's "stuff" is when he takes the mound every fifth day. At some point Mad Max has to find some consistency in his delivery so that his great stuff translates into great results. We've seen Scherzer be dominant before, so it's not like it's impossible. Still, that doesn't change the fact that he's been pretty terrible so far.
1. Delmon Young
I am by no means panicking yet, as the calendar just flipped to May today. There is still a ton of baseball to be played, and I still think the Tigers will win the division handily. Their roster simply has more talent than those of the other AL Central teams. That being said, these past few weeks have highlighted some flaws, and there are reasons for concern. Here are my five most disappointing Tigers performers so far. These are based on expectations going into the season. For example, Daniel Schlereth has pitched very poorly, but who didn't see that one coming?
5. Brennan Boesch
Most Tigers fans expected big things from Boesch coming into 2012. He had two fairly productive seasons under his belt and would now have the starting RF job locked up. Batting 2nd in front of Miguel Cabrera, many predicted a breakout season from Boesch, but it hasn't quite worked that way so far. The season is young, but a .607 OPS, 2 BBs, and 20 Ks isn't going to cut it.
4. Benoit/Valverde
The 8th/9th inning combo of Benoit and Valverde was nearly automatic in 2011. Benoit struck out over a batting an inning, and Valverde was a perfect 49/49 in saves. In 2012, there haven't been too many late-inning meltdowns that have fans calling for players' heads, but this duo has certainly not pitched well. Benoit's WHIP stands at 2.25, and Papa Grande's is not much better at 1.86.
3. Anyone Playing 2nd Base
Ryan Raburn is batting .148. Ramon Santiago is batting .158. The now-departed Brandon Inge was batting .100. The Tigers have plenty of quantity on their roster when it comes to rolling out options to play 2nd base, but they've yet to find any offensive production that can be considered quality.
2. Max Scherzer
I think Jim Leyland and Tigers fans are both getting tired of hearing how great Scherzer's "stuff" is when he takes the mound every fifth day. At some point Mad Max has to find some consistency in his delivery so that his great stuff translates into great results. We've seen Scherzer be dominant before, so it's not like it's impossible. Still, that doesn't change the fact that he's been pretty terrible so far.
1. Delmon Young
Delmon is on this roster for his bat, which provided protection for Miguel Cabrera at the end of the season last year and was very valuable in the playoffs. He's been mediocre at best at the plate this year, but that's not the reason Young is #1 on this list. It's his incident last week in New York where he was arrested after allegedly being intoxicated, getting into a fight with tourists, and yelling anti-Semetic remarks. The incident is embarrassing for the Tigers and resulted in a 7-game suspension. It's a perfect symbol of how the past week has been for the Tigers - ugly.
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| Louis Lanzano - AP |
Honorable Mention: Rick Porcello, Jhonny Peralta
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