Dead Bats & Villanueva

The Tigers had a seven game win streak going into their road trip. Since then, they're 1-3. The one win courtesy of Inge's dramatic 9th inning, 2-out bomb. They've averaged 2.5 runs/game on this road trip, hitting against some pedestrian pitchers. What's happened to the bats?


The answer is simple. In the last four games, Miguel Cabrera has notched just one RBI - a solo home run. If Miggy ain't hitting, the Tigers ain't winning. Sure, Inge came through that one game, but there is nobody else on this team stepping up. Granderson? Polanco? Maggs? Granderson, Inge, and Cabrera have 18, 18, and 16 HRs, respectively. Who's next in line? Ramon Santiago. Ramon friggin' Santiago! No knock against Ramon - he's done a fanstastic job as a utility infielder - but he's not getting paid to hit dingers. About ten other dudes are, and they're not carrying their weight.


Last night, Porcello got rocked by a team riding a 5-game losing streak. Sure, the A's were bound to get hot, and Porcello will experience rookie inconsistency. Did the bullpen come in and slam the door? Nah. They gave up 2 more runs. This is why the Tigers are a house built on quicksand. They're a top heavy team - Verlander, Jackson, Cabrera, and Inge. When those guys falter, the house falls down. To date, those four have been phenomenal, and, on occassion, a role player will exhibit a moment of brilliance (see Ryan Raburn, Santiago, Don Kelly). I doubt the big four will keep up this pace the entire season - even now Inge needs time off to rest an injury. If the rest of the team doesn't step up, Minnesota will overtake first place.

Villanueva
Most folks haven't heard of this guy. He's a 24 year old power forward who spent the past few years on the Bucks. He's the rare specimen who truly blossomed once he hit the pros. I remember him in college as an underwhelming big man. Yet, as a pro, he's developed an all-around impressive offensive arsenal. And the Bucks don't want him.

Joe D best make an offer, because this kid offers much the same upside as Carlos Boozer, but is younger and healthier. Boozer is a better rebounder, and both are pretty lax on defense. Nevertheless, Villanueva could be the first or second offensive option on the Pistons. That might inspire him to try a bit harder on both ends.