Leading Off

Maybe, just maybe
This post-season has provided many revelations to Tiger fans. We spent weeks watching the Tigers compete with the AL Central, pummeling them into submission. It was easy to overlook Tiger deficiencies when they're in the midst of a 12 game win streak.

Now, though, they're facing the very best. Dave Mayo posted on mLive prior to the ALCS that the Rangers are a 5-tool team. That has held true. They hit for average and power. They've got team speed. They can defend. And they can pitch. They've got arms to handle innings 1-9. If a starter gets knocked around? No worries. The 'pen can pitch 7 shutout innings, no problem.

Yeah, they're a strong team, built for playoff success. The Tigers? Not so much.

That's not a horrible slight. The Yankees, with their massive payroll, aren't built for playoff success any more than the Rangers. In fact, the Yankees and Tigers are quite similar. While the Tigers have slightly stronger starting pitching, the Yankees have slightly stronger bats. It's a decent balance and explains why the ALDS could've gone either way.

Yet, the Rangers proved through five games to be the superior team in most facets of the game. Now, this is sports, and, of course, anything can happen in Games 6 and 7. The Tigers may catch fire. Who knows? But if the Tigers are to build for long-term success, they need some alterations. And I think Dave Dombrowski knows clearly what to address when he heads to the Winter meetings in December.

The good news is that the starting pitching definitely stepped up in the clutch. Even if Max gets bombed in Game 6, that does not discount his stellar performances to date. I think it's safe to say that the Tigers move forward next season with JV, Fister, Max, and Porcello. The last two exhibited a ton of inconsistency, but they also exhibited serious moxie. The fifth starting spot is up in the air.

In the field, the Tigers are set at every position but 2nd base. Carlos Guillen's big contract comes off the books, and I doubt the Tigers re-sign him, unless it's a minor-league contract. Guillen may just retire after multiple injury-plagued seasons. Santiago is a fine 2nd baseman, but he's more valuable as a utility infielder. He doesn't mind the role, and his bat seems to be fine playing every 2 or 3 days.

I'd love to see an opening at 3rd base, but Inge has one more year on his contract. After his heroics in the playoffs, I can't imagine Dombrowski replacing him. It's possible the Tigers may re-sign Betemit as insurance. Betemit may not draw a ton of interest elsewhere, and the Tigers could use his switch-hitting ability. He's failed in the playoffs, but he was excellent in the regular season. He hit .292 with 19 RBIs in just 40 games with the Tigers. With Inge, Don Kelly, and perhaps Betemit, third base is set.

In the outfield, the Tigers have options. Delmon Young and Austin Jackson will return in left and center, respectively. And Boesch will likely be the first choice in right field. Backing up those fellas will be Don Kelly and Andy Dirks. No need to break the bank for a free agent at these spots.

As for catcher, the Tigers desperately need a backup to Avila. And that player is not Victor Martinez. V-Mart's bat is way too valuable to risk his body to injury by playing catcher. V-Mart should spell Cabrera at 1st base, and that should be his only spot in the field. Emergency catcher perhaps. But if V-Mart could spend ample time at 1st, that would give Miggy some rest after playing every-single-friggin-day.

Offensively, the Tigers are mostly set, with one gaping hole. Leadoff.

Austin Jackson and his strikeouts are not cutting it. That may just be the Tigers' biggest deficiency when compared to these other teams. Austin provides incredible defense and, for that, he deserves a spot on the team. But he's a true #9 hitter.

So, the Tigers need a 2nd baseman, a backup catcher, a leadoff hitter, and a 5th starter.

Ideally, the 2nd baseman can also be the leadoff hitter. There are capable options out there. I dug through the list of 2012 free agent 2nd baseman, focusing on on-base percentage and stolen bases. The top option is Brandon Phillips. He hit .300, with 18 HR, and 82 RBI. 14 stolen bases, and a .353 on-base percentage. The bad news is that the Reds have a $12M club option to retain him. They'll likely use it.

Another option is Omar Infante. He had a down year after his first All-star season, hitting just .276 with a weak .315 OBP. He's not a base-stealing threat, with just 47 for his career. Yet, his OBP for '09 and '10 averaged .360. That's solid. He's not an ideal lead-off hitter, but he'd be an upgrade from Jackson.

Perhaps the cheapest option is to take a flyer on 36 year old Orlando Cabrera. He could platoon with Ramon, should the Tigers opt to keep him. Cabrera's best days are behind him (only 8 stolen bases in '11), but he may fit in a limited role. It wasn't long ago ('08) that he hit .281 (.334 OBP) with 18 stolen bases. Perhaps he could regain the magic for another season.

Better options exist for trade, but the Tigers don't have many pieces to offer in exchange. Would they be willing to part with a starting pitcher? Doubtful. Or a prospect like Jacob Turner? Perhaps. But their minor league system is not deep. DD will likely focus on free agents.

The 5th starter spot is where I think DD has best chance to make a splash. With Maggs' and Guillens' salaries coming off the books ($23M!!), the Tigers should have money to spend. The best candidate in my opinion, is the first name on the free agent list - Mark Buehrle. He's a lefty and still somewhat young (32). He plays for the rival ChiSox, but, with Ozzie Guillen gone, perhaps Buehrle wants a change of scenery. Management sorta gave up on the Sox last season. That might sway him to sign with a different team. The Tigers desperately need a lefty starter. Buehrle would give the Tigers a very strong staff, perhaps the strongest in the AL, if Fister and JV continue their run of form.

If not Buehrle, there are other options, but none as enticing. Sure, CJ Wilson (who we saw with the Rangers) is a free agent. But I can't imagine him leaving. Former Tigers Edwin Jackson and Freddy Garcia are available. They'd likely be better than Penny. So, my guess is we'll see DD make some deal. The only question is how BIG a deal.

To The Pain

If you're reading this blog you're likely familiar with The Princess Bride. And if you're familiar with the movie, you'll hopefully recall the duel Westley proposes with Humperdinck:

Humperdinck: First things first, to the death.

Westley: No. To the pain.

Humperdinck: I don't think I'm quite familiar with that phrase.

Westley: I'll explain and I'll use small words so that you'll be sure to understand, you warthog-faced buffoon.

Humperdinck: That may be the first time in my life a man has dared insult me.

Westley: It won't be the last. "To the pain" means the first thing you lose will be your feet, below the ankles, then your hands at the wrists. Next, your nose.

Humperdinck: [losing his patience] And then my tongue, I suppose. I killed you too quickly the last time, a mistake I don't mean to duplicate tonight.

Westley: I wasn't finished! The next thing you lose will be your left eye, followed by your right —

Humperdinck: [exasperated] And then my ears. I understand! Let's get on with it —

Westley: WRONG! Your ears you keep, and I'll tell you why. So that every shriek of every child at seeing your hideousness will be yours to cherish. Every babe that weeps at your approach, every woman who cries out, "Dear God, what is that thing?" will echo in your perfect ears. That is what "to the pain" means. It means I leave you in anguish, wallowing in freakish misery forever.

Nelson Cruz and the Rangers have cut the Tigers to the pain. Not a simple death thrust sweep where fans of our beloved Tigers never get their hopes up. No, this series has been close - agonizingly close, yet the Tigers are down 3 games to 1 with a completely dejected fan base. They're slowly, methodically ripping away hope.

The Comerica Park faithful endured nearly 3 hours of rain delay to watch what was supposed to be an afternoon game end near midnight. And as payment for waiting, cheering, hoping, rooting, putting on rally caps, and believing, they saw the home team come tantalizing close to a win, only to erupt in flames and give the game (and the series?) to the Rangers.

Part of me wants to rail on Leyland for continuing to bring Valverde in in non-save situations, I could go on and on about his failures there, but quite frankly, I don't have the energy. Likewise, I don't have the energy to discuss Gene Lamont's failings as a base coach, or the Tigers' collective baserunning faults, we could go there, but that's not the point.

Going into this series, Mr. NFMT and I discussed the relative strengths of the Rangers and the Tigers, and with the exception of Verlander, it appeared that the Rangers were simply a stronger team. Yet, even with Justin losing game 1, the Tigers appeared to have some life in this series. Every game has been close (even if the final scores of the extra inning games belie that). Yet, the closeness feels simply like the Rangers are dueling the Tigers to the pain.

"Dear God, what is that thing?!"

That, my dear, is a Tiger fan. With his heart ripped out, left in anguish, wallowing in what-ifs forever (or at least a winter).

Bronx Baseball Bubbly

The Tigers did the unthinkable. They somehow beat a strong Yankees team in a deciding Game 5 at Yankee stadium. This was no New York City mugging. This was a sly pick-pocket, worthy of the Artful Dodger on his best day.

Don Kelly and Delmon Young got things going early with back-to-back bombs. That was a good sign for the Tiger faithful. With the way Nova owned the Tiger lineup in Game 1, it was a relief to get some knocks on him. At the time, though, the first two Tiger runs were seen only as the first of many. The Tiger bats would need to keep pounding away if they had any chance to beat the Yankees, right? Prior to the game, I felt the magic number was 6. The Yankees would likely score 4 runs off the Tigers' starter, Doug Fister, and then get 1 more off the 'pen. So, if the Tigers managed 6 runs, they had a great shot to win.

Well, they didn't come close to 6. They managed just half of that. And still won. Thanks to some clutch, gut-wrenching pitching by Fister, Scherzer, Benoit, and Papa Grande.

Fister pitched in stress all night. With the series on the line in a setting as raucous and intimidating as Yankee Stadium, that's no surprise. The Yanks went 1-2-3 in the first inning. Then didn't go 1-2-3 again until the fateful bottom of the 9th. The Yankee bats continued their mastery of the strikezone. They simply did not swing at balls. Their patience was something to behold. They forced the Tigers to throw a whopping 173 total pitches. But the Tiger arms did just enough.

Fister lasted 5 innings, giving up one run on a monster HR by Cano. The 5 innings may not seem like a strong start, but, for a kid earning the league minimum facing off against the $196 million Yankees, Fister's 92 pitch gem impresses me as much as a regular season no-no. Scherzer, the hero of Game 2, entered in relief and continued his unlikely good fortune against the Yankee lineup. Scherzer left after registering just 4 outs, but it's fair to say he pitched a whale of a game. That's how tight every at-bat, nay, every pitch was in this tense affair.

Benoit relieved Scherzer in the 7th after Scherzer notched 1 out and then ceded a swinging bunt single to Jeter. And it was another roll of the dice by Leyland, hoping Benoit could last the 7th and 8th. Benoit immediately gave up a single to Granderson, and then a swinging bunt knubber by Cano. The bases were loaded with one out. I had a dreadful feeling the Tigers' season would be decided by two swinging bunts! The ultimate irony against such a powerful offense as the Yankees. But fortune smiled on the Tigers last night. Benoit struck out Alex Rodriguez. Then walked Texeira (giving the Yanks their 2nd and last run of the night) and then struck out Nick Swisher.

Benoit's job didn't get much easier in the 8th. The Tiger bats fell silent after the 5th inning, and it looked like tack-on runs were unlikely to say the least, Benoit had to make that one-run lead hold. Benoit quickly got the first two outs. Then gave up a single to the pesky Brett Gardner (batting .412 for the series). The next batter, Derek Jeter, took Benoit's first pitch and sent it deep into right field. Don Kelly raced back to the warning track. He turned around, just a foot or two from the wall. As the ball floated onward, Kelly inched backward. He said, "I could feel the fans breathing." It was an agonizing few seconds. Kelly stopped inching backward, and the ball fell calmly into the soft-bound stitching of his mitt.

New York fans threw their arms up in despair. How much closer can they get?! They left the bases loaded against Fister. Then again against Benoit. Then a warning track tease by Jeter!

After such dramatics, it was a massive come-down to see Mariano Rivera need just five pitches to register all 3 outs in the top of the 9th. Clearly, the Tigers had no choice but to let Valverde decide their fate. Could he save their butts for the 51st time in a row?

This was indeed the 2011 Detroit Tigers. Never easy to watch.

Papa Grande did not disappoint. He left his theatrics in Detroit this time. Curtis Granderson worked a full count, but eventually flied out. Then came Cano. He surprised everyone by swinging at the first pitch, which sawed off his bat. The ball flew toward Austin Jackson. Jackson had a little difficulty judging the trajectory then calmly caught the curving liner near his hip. 2 outs. With Alex Rodriguez looming.

A-Rod flubbed his chance in the 7th inning with the bases loaded. Now was his shot at redemption. Standing in his way was a beer-belly (that would make Homer Simpson proud) and a wicked split-finger fastball. Papa Grande did not waste time. Strike, strike, ball, and then the glorious strike three.

Valverde celebrated, but it wasn't his usual dance-reel highlight. It was a shout and jump of pure elation. The moment provided all the theatrics necessary.

In the locker-room, with champagne pouring down his head, Valverde looked penitent. He clearly regretted his prediction after Game 2 that the series was "over." He talked no trash and radiated no boastful confidence. He was relieved and thankful that his pitches made their way over the plate.

Now the Tigers move on, to face perhaps an even stronger team. It's tough to match the Yankee bats, but the Rangers certainly come close. JoKo thinks the Rangers are stronger. That's possible. The Rangers do boast a much stronger pitching staff than the Yankees. Despite pitching in a hitter-friendly park, the Rangers have a team ERA of 3.79. The Tigers? At Comerica? 4.04.

How good are the Rangers' starters? Well, they didn't even use their rookie starter Alexi Ogando, who absolutely dominated the Tigers during the regular season. The Rangers have arms to spare.

But this is the playoffs. As the Tigers proved in Game 5, anything is possible.

B**** Slap

Granderson makes us pay

First off, let me apologize for my absence.
I intended nofrownmotown to be a daily or near-daily dose of Detroit-centric sports commentary. Lately, though, my available time to write diminished. I wrote every other day, then twice a week, then nothing. It's a pattern that I hope to reverse. At what point, I'm not sure. But nofrownmotown will return. That, I promise.

On to the Tigers.
Man, that was ugly. In the first inning of Game 4, I commented to Mrs. Nofrownmotown about how smart the Yankees are. With Jackson on third and two outs, AJ Burnett quickly fell behind Cabrera 2-0. At that point, the Yankees opted to intentionally walk the big man. Most times this season, teams opted to pitch to Cabrera only to regret it later. The Yanks felt no shame in the intentional walk. And, thanks to a stellar catch by Granderson, they escaped the inning with no runs allowed. That would be the theme of the night... at least early on -- great play by Granderson kills Tigers. Whether it's an acrobatic catch or a 2-run clutch double, Granderson simply punished Tiger fans. It's brutal to watch. He was everyone's favorite Tiger. The fans didn't want him traded. And now Curtis is rubbing salt in the wound.

At work yesterday, I overheard a co-worker say, "I guess we're gonna play Texas" after the Rangers took down Tampa Bay. It was at that point, I knew the Tigers would lose. A casual comment like that reverberates loudly in the karmic sporting world. Why jinx it like that? Because the media has piled on AJ Burnett like he's Dontrelle Willis? This is not a perfect Tiger team. They have holes. Man for man, the Yankees are superior. It's really not much of a comparison. Should it be any surprise the Yankees won the game off Kid Rick? Not really. We just all really hoped the Tigers would clinch at home. It would be a feel good story in what has been an incredible autumn season in Detroit.

So now the Tigers head back to New York. Fister matches up against the rook Nova -- the same dude who dominated Tiger bats in Game 1. It doesn't look good. The Tigers must not only beat Nova but also the frenetic Yankee fans, the ageless Derek Jeter, and the superhuman Curtis Granderson. It's a tall order. Still, I contend the Tigers have a chance. They've surprised us all season long. Just when we'd write them off, they'd pull off something special. Is it probable? No. Is it possible? You bet.

Some things need to go their way, of course. The Tiger lineup simply can't afford those wasted at-bats by Wilson Betemit and Alex Avila. Both players look simply lost. I can't believe I'm writing it, but Inge should start at third. I guess Leyland knew what he was doing all along. Inge has been vastly superior to Betemit in this series. With Avila, there's no other option. He must start at catcher. But he's a smart enough player to understand he's got to improve. If he's not seeing the ball well, at least force the pitcher to throw strikes. Maybe he can foul off a couple to ramp up the pitch count. He just can hack away at the first pitch. I'd also bring Maggs back in. The Tigers need to bring their top bats to the table. That includes Magglio. My lineup:

CF Jackson
RF Magglio
LF Delmon
1B Cabrera
DH Martinez
SS Peralta
C Avila
SS Santiago
3B Inge

It's possible Leyland swaps out Raburn for Santiago, but otherwise I think that's what we'll see Thursday. They need to jump on Nova early. Don't let him find a rhythm. And pray that Fister finds some magic.

Something's Gotta Give, Right?

Well, the Lions are now 2 and 0 and one of the big stories of the young NFL season (thank you Buffalo Bills for sharing the "surprise" spotlight - without you I think Ford Field may have melted under the scrutiny), and the Tigers have won their first Division Title since 1987 (and first ever as a part of the AL Central).

We, Detroit sportsfans, find ourselves in increasingly foreign waters. As unfamiliar as this situation is, however, we should soon learn how to react.

By the time the Lions host the Bears for a Monday Night Football game - the first time the Lions will feature on MNF since 2001 - on October 10, we'll have a better understanding of how to behave. By that time, baseball's divisional series should be over and the ALCS will have just begun. The Tigers will either have ended their season without an August collapse and made it to the playoffs only to fall to a hotter/better team, or we'll be treated to yet another possible run to the World Series. Jim Leyland, having lost his bid in 2006 to become the 2nd manager to ever win the World Series with an AL and NL team, will either still be chasing that honor - and we'll all be smoking and crying with him - or he'll have survived another contract year and we can spend the off season thinking about what could have been (like we're used to).

The Lions will have had away games at Minnesota and Dallas to let us know whether they can actually make waves in the NFC or if we'll once again be looking at a top 10 draft pick (read: whether or not Stafford, Johnson and Best are still healthy)

So, while we are stunned and enjoying the view from the couch with silly confused smiles - not knowing whether we should dare dream of further glory - very soon we'll know whether we can legitimately expect continued competitiveness (Lions) and another shot to add to Tiger lore (statue of Verlander, anyone?) or if we can slump back to television black outs and woulda-coulda-shouldas. Till then, folks, let's just keep smiling and enjoy being in the national press every week.

Uncharted Territory

What does the bitter single man do when he finds love? When the obese man loses the weight? When destitute man wins the lottery?

These are strange times, my friends. The Tigers won their 9th straight game last night. The Lions won the first game of the season - an away game against a 10-win team, no less. Michigan State and Michigan both remain undefeated, with Michigan's recent win sending shockwaves through the nation (and my house, apparently). The City of Detroit decided to close down the morning as sports fans across the area lie comatose, unable to comprehend such a rash of success.

I spent this past weekend in DC. As I drove to the BWI airport yesterday morning, I listened to a national sports radio host chat about the Lions. It was not positive. He was sick of all the hype. "Let's have them win some games when they're not already eliminated from the playoffs." And I agreed. There's been way too much talk about this team. When I arrived back in Detroit, I heard Pat Caputo predict a Loss. Finally, I thought, some sanity. It's nice to win preseason games, but let's not forget these are the Lions. They exist to disappoint.

Well, a strange thing happened. The Lions actually did not lose. They faced a strong Tampa team in Tampa. They even spotted the Bucs a touchdown on Stafford's INT-for-TD. Still, the Lions did not wilt in Tampa's excruciating heat. They simply controlled the entire game. They drove up and down the field, almost at will. They allowed the Bucs a chance for a miraculous comeback late, thanks to some typical boneheaded Lions plays and playcalling. But the mistakes did not ultimately matter. A balanced attack from the offense, and strong Lions play on the defensive line sealed this win.

I'm not claiming the Lions are gonna rattle off 10 wins this season. There's a long way to go. But I will say that the game yesterday was a game the old Lions would lose. The 2011 Lions arrive back in Detroit at 1-0. That's progress.

As for the Tigers, Fister pitches 7 shutout innings. Scherzer goes 7 strong the night before. Valverde gets his 42nd save. Inge hits a walkoff homerun. What the hell is going on?! It's just an incredible run they're on. 16 games left, and they have a chance to eliminate the White Sox this week. I don't know what to expect anymore. Victor Martinez hits into 4 straight double plays yesterday (4!!), and the Tigers still find a way to win. Strange times indeed.

The Tigers and What Bruce Arena can teach us

Be afraid. The Tigers are playing well. I can't help but acknowledge their recent string of success -- 15-5 in their last 20 games. Sean Baligian, on WDFN, has said for months that the Tigers just needed one stretch of good baseball to put away the rest of the AL Central. And, as he predicted, the Tigers are 8 games clear of the Chicago White Sox. (8.5 games ahead of Cleveland). With the collapse of '09 still so fresh in everyone's mind, I'm not going to claim victory. Until the Tigers mathematically clinch 1st place, we'll all sleep with one eye open. Yet, I must give credit to the team for a fine stretch of both offense and pitching.

This afternoon, the Tigers go for the sweep with Verlander taking on Cleveland's ace, Justin Masterson, who's quietly putting together a fine season (11-8, 2.92 ERA). The Tigers need to maintain that killer instinct and nail that Cleveland coffin shut.

US Nats
With the Tigers playing well, I've at least got the US Nats to still kick around. Since taking the helm, Jurgen Klinsmann and the US Soccer team tied Mexico, lost to Costa Rica, and lost to Belgium. To be fair, that's decent competition. Even Costa Rica, despite the country's small size, produces quality talent. Yet, the US scored just one goal in those three games. One goal. That sucks. Against Mexico, they were dominated for long stretches. Only when Mexico replaced some starters did the US seize control and score an equalizer. The loss to Costa Rica was a bit more atypical. The US dominated for much of the first half but could not finish. Costa Rica had a few chances in the 2nd half and put one chance in the back of the net. Then, against Belgium, it was a somewhat ugly affair. Belgium showed off their technical brilliance and picked apart the US for most of the first half. They brought everyone forward, caring little about any US counter-attack. If not for some heroic Tim Howard saves, the US could've been down 3 or 4 goals. Ultimately, it was a 1-0 loss where the US hardly created any chances.

To be fair, the US did score a goal off a set-piece, but it was quickly waved off. Still no word as to why the goal was disallowed.

So, three games into the Jurgen Klinsmann experiment, and I don't see a huge difference from the Bob Bradley teams, with one exception. Bradley's teams rarely created a ton of opportunities against top competition but they had better fortune in actually scoring. Often, his drab sides would get pushed up and down the field and then somehow score on a rare corner kick.

Klinsmann is trying to implement a possession mentality with this team. An actual game-plan is a welcome change from Bradley. It was often difficult to discern if Bradley ever opted for a style or strategy. He certainly never discussed any of these things in post-game interviews. Nor did the players ever say anything. It was more likely Bradley simply relied upon individual players to create some magic. Sometimes it worked (the halcyon days of '09 when Charlie Davies was in full bloom). Usually, it didn't (Ghana, Gold Cup). The Bradley "non-style" drove fans crazy. He didn't appear to have a soccer brain needed for this level. Klinsmann, on the other hand, has been forthright with his new approach. He wants the yanks to carry the play, to build up from the defense and pick apart the opposition. In his three games, the US has often carried possession, but this approach hasn't resulted in any goals but the one against Mexico.

It's still a work in progress. Does the US look headed in the right direction? It's hard to say. Klinsmann might not have the personnel to pull off a possession game. For a few brief moments against Mexico, the US looked downright awesome. Brek Shea, Jose Torres, and Donovan blistered the Mexican defense with incredible one-touch, pinpoint passing. Yet, that dominance was not evident at all against Belgium.

After the Belgium loss, Alexi Lalas emphasized the need for patience. He's of course critical of the team's performance, but he realizes that Klinsmann is trying new things. These games are friendlies. Results are secondary to team growth. Klinsmann "bloodied" Edgar Castillo, Michael Orozco Fiscal, Robbie Rogers, Kyle Beckerman, and Brek Shea. He also reintroduced Jose Torres to the national team. Torres is one of the few US players capable of playing that central distributor role, like Claudio Reyna. Of the new (and reintroduced) faces, Shea has shined. Beckerman and Torres proved solid, and the rest should no longer suit up. Klinsmann will soon get a look at new US midfielder, Fabian Johnson, another German born to an American soldier. He's thrown his hat into the US team player pool. The list of names is growing. And, to his credit, Bob Bradley experimented with new faces too. So did Bruce Arena.

I recall attending a US vs Australia match in San Jose (with JoKo) early in Arena's tenure. He fielded the first All- MLS squad. It was a pedestrian affair, ending in a drab 0-0 draw. Yet, Arena got his first look at two young, inexperienced players who would play an integral role in the '02 World Cup and WC Qualifying campaign -- Eddie Lewis and Clint Mathis. Perhaps we'll look back at Klinsmann's early games as the discovery of Brek Shea. No doubt he'll get at least a few offers from European teams in the next transfer window. Whether MLS accepts  an offer is another story...

Nofrownmotown curse strikes again

Hours after I highlight Coke's awesome month of August, he gives up 3 runs and records zero outs, essentially losing the game for the Tigers.

Moving Forward

It's a good sign when I can use the phrase "moving forward" in September, and not refer to the next Tiger season. The Tigers are on pace to make noise this season. They're in the midst of a 10-3 run, which gave them some much-needed breathing room over the Tribe and ChiSox.

Strangely, the Tigers compiled the 10-3 record with weak starting pitching, no Brennen Boesch, no Carlos Guillen, and a healthy Brandon Inge. This is baseball. It doesn't always make sense.

With a 5.5 game lead over Cleveland, folks in Detroit are breathing easier. Yet, after the collapses in '06 and, especially, '09, nobody is ceding the division to Detroit. You'd be hard-pressed to find a Detroiter who's confident in this team. Even now. But I'm not gonna act like the sky is falling. Despite the issues with Scherzer, Penny, and Porcello, the bullpen suddenly looks strong. And, most impressive of all, the Tigers are getting some clutch hits. It's a strange and welcome sight.

This stretch run will largely depend, though, on the pitching. Overall, the Tigers rank 22nd in ERA. The top contending teams all rank higher, with Philly at #1. The Yankees, considered a weaker staff than Detroit, clock in at #10. The stats don't lie. The Tigers got problems with their arms.

Last time out, Verlander won his 20th game but gave up 4 runs. For Verlander, that's a chink in the armor. He also only lasted 6.0 innings. Still, in his five prior starts, he only allowed 8 total runs with a 1.96 ERA. That's stellar. No worries about JV.

Things start to get murky with Scherzer. For August, Scherzer posted a 5.45 ERA, highlighted by giving up 7 runs to KC in just 3.0 innings. Yet, he did well in his two prior starts yielding just 3 runs over 12 innings. The Tigers desperately need Scherzer to stabilize. It could be that Kansas City simply has his number. While they're a last place team, they do have a formidable offense. They're 4th in the AL in batting average. Against KC, Scherzer's got a 5.66 ERA. Against Minnesota, he's 5.27. Yet, he's 1.64 against the ChiSox and 3.72 against Cleveland. Scherzer's next start is Sunday night against the ChiSox. It's a high-profile game on ESPN2. It should tell us a lot about what to expect from this guy.

Now, the Tigers are on high-alert for Porcello. While Scherzer's been inconsistent, Porcello's been more consistent... but consistently poor. He did technically keep the Tigers in the game yesterday against KC. Over 7 innings, he gave up 4 runs. Yet, those 7.0 innings were the most he's lasted since July. His August ERA was 6.82, including an 8 run, 11 hit shellacking by Cleveland. The normally sedate Dan Dickerson and Jim Price pointed out yesterday that lefties teed off against him. For the season, Porcello's given up 13 HR, 59 runs to lefties. They're hitting a robust .337. That does not inspire confidence going forward. Especially when the top teams in the East can load their lineup with lefties (BoSox) or switch-hitters (NYY) or both (CLE). There's no easy answer for the Kid. This season, he's followed a poor month with a stellar one. In July, he posted 5 wins and a sterling 3.06 ERA. If that trend continues, expect a strong month of September, and then the Tigers should stash him in the basement in October.

With Porcello and Scherzer throwing blanks, Tigers' new acquisition Doug Fister has proven to be a steal so far. He came to Detroit with a stellar ERA (3.33) and awful W/L record (3-12). He's actually improved on that ERA in his 6 Detroit starts (2.97) and already equaled his Seattle win total. On Tuesday, Fister threw six perfect innings. The stadium was abuzz. He doesn't overpower batters, but he proves that effective pitching ain't always about velocity. He alternated locations and speed and, in general, kept the KC offense (which powered 18 hits off the Tigers the night before) off the bases. Also, Mrs. Nofrownmotown pointed out that Fister is now the handsomest Tiger.

Did the Tigers trade for Fister or Guy Pearce?

The bullpen, meanwhile, no longer requires two tubes of Rolaids. The key contributor in the turnaround is Phil Coke. After a hot-but-mostly-cold string of games as a starter, Coke returned to the bullpen mid-season. He struggled early, but his numbers recently... well... they sparkle. Coke appeared in 13 games in August. He allowed just 10 total hits and ZERO runs. Nada. Not a one. Oh, and he allowed just 2 walks and struck out 20. That's a 0.00 ERA for August, folks. Benoit's fared almost as well. After a troubling May, Benoit's posted a 2.61 ERA in June, a 1.17 ERA in July, and a 1.80 ERA in August. The Coke/Benoit/Valverde 1-2-3 punch served the Tigers well in this recent run. Soon, they get Alburquerque back. With the Amazing Al, a somewhat effective Schlereth, and the Coke/Benoit/Valverde triumvirate, the Tigers' bullpen is no longer a joke.

Who were those guys?

Buy that man a coke
A strange version of the Tigers battled the Rays last night at Tropicana field.

The Tigers were outhit 11-8. For most of the night, the Tigers were outpitched too. Yet, after Phil Coke got Zobrist to ground out to first base, the Tigers escaped with a 2-1 win, perhaps their most impressive road win of the season.

It wasn't great baseball, though. It was impressive because the Tigers beat a good team's ace, while playing without Boesch, Benoit, and Valverde. The Rays' David Price cruised most of the game. The Tigers finally broke free in the 7th. Delmon Young led off with a single, and then Cabrera got his first ever hit against Price - a souble to deep right. (Yes, I created a new hit specifically for Cabrera - the "souble". It's basically a double that's hit so hard that Cabrera doesn't have enough time to make it to 2nd base, so he's stuck with a single.) Delmon Young advanced to 3rd. V-Mart followed with a hard hit grounder to 3rd. Delmon was off on contact, and the Rays' easily threw him out at home. As I've said before, I've never seen a team thrown out so often at home. These guys got to stop running on contact. It's killing them. But it didn't kill them last night. Avila saved the day with an RBI single. Then Peralta hit a sac-fly, scoring V-Mart.

They got two runs off Price, while Penny somehow limited the Rays to 1. It was a bizarre game for Penny. The Rays got hits in every one of his innings but one. He fell behind almost every batter. Yet, he somehow escaped with just one earned run. It was reminiscent of Nate Robertson. The bulldog.

Leyland took out Penny with one on in the 7th. Schlereth notched one more out but then gave up a single and a walk to load the bases. No Alburquerque, no Benoit. So Leyland handed the ball to Ryan Perry, the wayward star from '09 who spent most of this season with Toledo. Facing another star from '09, Evan Longoria, Perry took his 6.29 ERA and got Longoria to pop out, ending the inning.

Coke took over from there. It wasn't any easier for him, though. In the 8th, Coke struck out the side but not before giving up a double and a walk. Then, in the 9th, he struck out two more but then gave up a double to Johnny Damon, an intentional walk to Longoria, and then allowed them to advance to 2nd and 3rd on a wild pitch. Leyland's ulcer went into overdrive, and you could see him begging Gene lamont for his Marlboro-flavored Tums. The Tigers survived, though, as Coke got Zobrist to ground out to Cabrera. Cabrera fielded the sharp grounder and narrowly beat Zobrist on a foot-race to first. Game over. And the Tigers pulled off a strange win by somehow limiting the Rays to just one run despite giving up 11 hits.

I should note, though, that Honeymoon's over for Brandon Inge. The guy who .182 for the season resurfaced last night. Inge had two chances to tack-on runs. He came up with two men on in the 7th and struck out. The Rays walked Raburn to get to Inge. Then in the 9th, with the bases loaded, Inge popped out. Still, his defense was solid. I'd prefer for Inge to come on only when the Tigers have a lead, as a defensive replacement, but I guess we'll have to live with him platooning with Betemit. After a win like last night (when the Tigers were mostly outplayed), I'm not going to complain a ton.

Swing Players

We all know what Verlander can do. Same with Cabrera. Even if they don't perform up to their All-World ability, they'll still be pretty darn good. Same with Victor Martinez and Papa Grande. They may not be All-World, but they've still proven to be top-shelf players.

We also know what to expect from guys like Porcello, Penny, Austin Jackson, and Raburn. Porcello's gonna get rocked on occasion but also throw a 1-hit gem to keep the naysayers at bay. Penny's gonna give up 3+ pretty much every time. The question is whether that's over 3 innings or 7. As for Jackson and Raburn, they'll strike out most times, but, every now and then, they'll deliver a key hit.

For most of the Tigers, we know what they can and cannot deliver. Yet, there's a handful of players that remain unknowns. Their potential is still undetermined. Perhaps their ceiling is high. Perhaps they're just on a hot/cold streak. These are the swing players. They're like the state of Ohio or Florida in an election year. Their play determines the outcome.

Who qualifies?

Brennan Boesch, Jhonny Peralta, Alex Avila. Peralta and Avila are in the midst of their first All-star seasons. Boesch is cementing his status as an everyday player. Last season, we all know he delivered strong enough numbers to warrant an All-star spot, but then he slumped drastically in the second half. This season, his average waffled between .270 and .290. He goes through hot and cold streaks, but nothing compared to his dreadful second half of 2010. One worrisome thing about Boesch is that his batting average with 2 outs and runners-in-scoring-position is .180. Yet, I suppose that's a sign of stats not telling the whole story. He almost single-handedly won this game as the rain poured down. It was such an impressive at-bat that Papa Nofrownmotown declared, "If they trade Boesch, I'm through with the Tigers!"

The kid's a fan favorite. He came to Detroit with little fanfare and has delivered. Much hope rests on his shoulders. Avila, though, takes on even more responsibility. Avila is the only catcher in the clubhouse. Victor Martinez, still smarting from a knee-injury, can't catch. Avila's caught 15 games in a row. And yet he continues to hit at his All-star pace. Currently, he's at .302, with 14 HR, and 59 RBI. This incredible season is on the heels of a 2010 campaign in which he hit .228, with 7 HR, and just 31 RBIs. Incredibly, his On-base-plus-slugging (OPS) is up to .911 from .656. Avila's hit rockets at the plate, and he'll also block the plate like a cliff breaking-up waves:

And Peralta... who saw this coming? Last season, the Tigers acquired Jhonny for Giovanni Soto. Nothing against Soto, but the kid's still battling in rookie ball. Peralta's hitting .313 with 18 HR and 65 RBIs. He made his first All-star team. He's still just 29 years old and in his prime. With all these cats, especially Avila and Peralta, are these seasons just aberrations? Or are they a sign of things to come? It's too soon to tell.

One thing is for sure, these kids came to play in 2011. Without them, the Tigers would struggle. The Tigers do not have much depth, so they need consistent production from these three to make noise in the pennant race. Cross your fingers and hope the happy days continue.

More on Leyland

I couldn't have said it better myself:

How Leyland is hurting the Tigers

The No Fun Team

It's called defense, and it helps win ball games
Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise? Another losing series to the Twins reminded Tigers fans how little separates the 1st place Tigers from the 4th place Twins.

Do the Tigers deserve to be in 1st place? In the Central, they're as deserving as anybody else. Maybe they've sucked the least. When it comes to batting, the Tigers are the strongest in the Central. Yet, they're close to last in pitching and defense. And they're definitely last in baserunning and team speed. I've never seen a Tiger team thrown out so often at home plate. It happened again last night, and it makes me wonder how Gene Lamont remains 3rd base coach. He has one friggin' job, and he fails over-and-over again.

Yet, Lamont's failings are just the beginning. Last night's loss to the Twins was the perfect opportunity for arm-chair managing/second-guessing Leyland.

It started with the lineup. Prior to the game, Leyland announced that Don Kelly (.231) would get the nod at 3B over Wilson Betemit (.288). Despite Betemit's superior numbers, Leyland said he'd platoon the two. Betemit is no savior defensively, but he's at least Kelly's equal. Neither offers much power, but Betemit has already provided clutch hits in his short time as a Tiger. This one should be a no-brainer.

In the early innings, Brad Penny pitched very well. He allowed just 1 run through 6 innings - another Jim Thome homer. The Tigers didn't fare much better. While they had base runners almost every inning, they couldn't string together a rally. They took a 2-1 lead on a Jhonny Peralta home run, but Minnesota took the lead right back on Penny's last pitch -- a 2-run HR to recently-called up Rene Tosoni.

In the bottom of the 7th, the Tigers had an opportunity to do more damage. With Boesch on 1st and Santiago on 2nd (and two outs), Cabrera rocked a shot off the wall in right field. Santiago scored easily, but the ball was hit so hard that Cabrera didn't even have time for a double. That didn't stop Gene Lamont from sending Boesch home. Minnesota's SS, Nishioka, took the relay and even had time to pause before realizing the Tigers were actually trying to score. His throw home easily beat Boesch. Horrible, horrible base-running and coaching by Lamont. Especially considering Victor Martinez (3 hits on the night) was up next.

Then in the 8th, Duane Below gave up a double to Mauer before retiring the next two batters. So, with two outs and a runner on 2nd, up came Jim Thome. With first base open, Leyland decided to still pitch to the guy who already had 3 home runs this series. The only surprise is that his hit wasn't a home run. It was a single. But it still scored Mauer.

In the bottom of the 8th, the Tigers loaded the bases with no outs. Betemit pinch hit for Kelly and hit a sacrifice fly. That was the only run they managed that inning, but it at least tied the score. Then Leyland continued his run of awful decisions on the night by bringing in Jose Valverde in the non-save situation.

Now, you'd think a good pitcher is a good pitcher, regardless of situation. Yet, if you follow baseball, that's simply not true. I'm not sure why it is, but some guys thrive as relievers and suck as starters. Some only fare well against lefties. Some only work in the 8th inning but not the 9th. For Jose Valverde, he only works in save situations. It's mental. I can't explain it.

Still, Leyland opted for Valverde in the top of the 9th with the score tied. Thanks to two errors (one from Betemit and a very painful one from Valverde), the Twins loaded the bases with no outs. Valverde heroically struck out Plouffe and Joe Mauer. But the final out proved difficult. Justin Morneau hit a clutch single to score two. And that was the game.

Just another ugly loss by a team desperately clingling to 1st place in the worst division in baseball. Pennant races are supposed to be fun, but John's posting last night summed it up perfectly. We're all once bitten, twice shy. Why get excited by this team? They don't have the goods. They've got Verlander and Cabrera and handful of other fine players (VMart, Papa Grande, Boesch, Avila, and Peralta). Then it's a big drop-off. Their margin for error is extremely thin. So when the manager hurts the situation with a bone-headed hunch (Kelly, Valverde in the 9th), it drives us nuts.

This weekend, the Tigers welcome the Tribe to Detroit. A sweep by either team could spell disaster. Are you psyched? Got pennant fever?

Biding their time?

Over the past several months, the good folks at Nofrownmotown have led you to believe that our beloved Tigers are nothing but pretenders waiting to proven as such. Much of the negativity seems to stem from a "once bitten twice shy" way of thinking. That is, until I found the following. Finally, irrefutable proof that the Tigers are nothing more than poseurs awaiting their utilmate fate: failure.

Please note the runs scored for and against for the various division leaders.

Your 2011 Detroit Tigers

The 2011 Detroit Tigers were on display last night, warts and all. An outsider might think that I bitch too much about a first-place team. There may be some truth to that. The Tigers' situation would be much worse if they swapped spots with the Royals. So why can't we all just enjoy the ride? Part of the problem is Leyland. We're in Year 6 of the Jim Leyland experiment. His teams flirt with greatness, only to ultimately disappoint. While the Tigers are in first place, everybody knows they're nothing more than mediocre.

So, in light of last night's ugly loss to the Twins, when all the Tiger flaws were exposed, let's break down the 2011 Detroit Tigers. What do they lack? Where do they excel? And, note that I'm judging the Tigers against other playoff teams.

Tiger flaws

Starting pitching: It's quite ironic that the team with the leading Cy Young contender would list starting pitching as a flaw. But outside Verlander, the team has no reliable starter. Let's look at August stats. ERA's for August: Scherzer-5.00, Porcello-8.44, Penny-6.00, Fister-6.14.

Yuck. In the last six games, the Tigers have given up 10, 3, 4, 5, 8, and 9 runs. This is a key stretch of the season, and they're averaging 6.5 runs/game. Now, there was a point earlier in the season when the starters were among the strongest in the league. Then the bottom fell out. Scherzer did exhibit a strong resolve in Saturday's victory over Baltimore. Perhaps that comeback win will energize him going forward. The Tigers desperately need one of the other starters to carry some of the load.

Bullpen: Just like the starters, the bullpen has one ace (Papa Grande) and a bunch of ne-er do wells. For a few wonderful months, the Amazing Al Alburquerque helped shoulder the bullpen load. Since his injury, the Tigers don't have reliable help in the middle-to-late innings. Case in point: last night. With the game on the line, Leyland calls up lefty-specialist, Dan Schlereth, who was on a role of 5 straight games without a run. Schlereth proceeded to walk his first batter, allowed him to steal 2nd, then gave him 3rd base on a wild pitch. Then walked Justin Morneau. Then gave up a 3-run bomb by Jim Thome. It's not just Schlereth. We've seen similar implosions from Coke, Benoit, Pauley, etc. These cats don't get rocked every game, just enough to lose.

Defense: In fielding% and errors, the Tigers rank 4th-to-last in the AL. This shouldn't be a surprise when the team trots out sub-par defensive players at every position other than CF and C. Last night, the Tigers entered the 3rd inning with a 1-0 lead. The first Twin batter bunted. Wilson Betemit fielded the bunt cleanly but his throw sailed to the wall, granting the batter 2nd base. The next batter hit a grounder to Raburn who bobbled it. Everybody safe (at 3rd and 1st). The next batter scored the runner from 3rd on a ground out (to Peralta). Then two doubles and the Twins had a 3-1 lead.

In that inning, the Twins somehow scored 3 runs on 2 doubles and a bunt.

Team Speed: Or lack of. This should be no surprise, but the Tigers are last in the majors in stolen bases. On the flip-side they've also been caught-stealing the fewest times in the majors. Still, the lack of speed costs the Tigers runs. How many runs? My completely unsubstantiated guess would be roughly 0.5 runs/game. If they had more burners on base, they could score more regularly on singles. Simple as that. A walk could lead to a stolen base. Then a single scores that runner. Yet, the Tigers don't have that luxury. Instead of a run, they'd have a man on 1st and 2nd.

Tiger positives

Overall batting average: While they're not the most clutch team in the league (0-7 with RISP again last night), they do tend to hit the ball well. As a team, the Tigers rank 4th in the AL in batting average. With Maggs now out of the lineup, that average may rise. They're 5th in the AL in runs. So, despite the bad pitching, the team sometimes ekes out wins due to the bats.

Verlander and Papa Grande: Both dudes are having great years, especially Verlander. Take those dudes out of the lineup and the Tigers say hello to last place. They'd fall as quickly as an anvil on Wile E Coyote.

So, that's the 2011 Tigers in a nutshell. They can hit pretty well, but, if Verlander ain't starting, they'll usually lose (46-49).

Throwing Blanks

"The Kid" got lit

Most of the complaints following yesterday's blowout loss to the Tribe will focus on Jim Leyland's inexplicable lineup choices. For reasons unknown, Leyland continues to give days off to All-star Jhonny Peralta, and he also rested 2B Carlos Guillen in what has become - to date - the most important series of the year.

With two games in the bag, the majority of the damage is done. The Tigers' 4 game lead over Cleveland shrunk to 2. Worse, the Tribe maintain a psychological edge. This was the Tigers 13th straight loss in Cleveland. 13! And Cleveland is doing it with rookies and 2nd year players. This isn't the Yankees or Red Sox. This is Jason Kipnis going 5 for 5 (career at bats: 56). This is Cubs' castoff Kosuke Fukudome blistering Porcello for 3 hits (2 doubles).

All told, the Tribe notched 18 hits off Tiger pitching. Don't let Leyland's crappy lineup distract you -- it was the pitching that shoulders responsibility for this disaster. This game was Porcello's most important of the season. Not only was he facing the arch-rival Indians, but the bullpen was shot from the night before. The Tigers desperately needed innings out of this guy. The Indians were in the same boat, and they got 8 strong innings out of Jimenez. Porcello? He gave the Tigers nothing.

Technically, Porcello threw 3.2 innings, but he might as well have stayed home. The Cleveland hitters teed off on Porcello for 11 hits and 8 runs. This game was over in the 4th.

Now, Porcello gave Cleveland an early 1-0 lead in the first. We all hoped he'd settle down. But he came back in the second and gave up 3 more. Still, the Tigers fought back in the fourth. Thanks to a Raburn (!!) triple, the Tigers clawed back to make it 4-3. It seemed the game was ON. Nope. In the bottom of the 4th, Porcello gave up hit after hit. Then Dirks joined the fun by airmailing a throw into the camera well, turning a routine single into an RBI triple. Porcello proceeded to let the runner on 3rd score thanks to his wild pitch. Cleveland fans erupted in a chorus of "DETROIT SUCKS!".

Who can argue with them?

When the Tigers needed Porcello most, he failed. Now, every pitcher has off days. I'm not ready to write this guy off. Yet, this is one of the reasons I hoped the Tigers would be sellers at the trading deadline. Despite his problems, Porcello would command quite a steep price in a trade. He's only 21 and has proven to be a legitimate MLB-caliber pitcher. That has value. Even if the Tigers somehow win this Central (big IF), I don't see them doing any damage in the playoffs. Talent-wise, they are light-years behind the other division leaders, especially Boston and Philadelphia - a team overflowing in riches with Roy Halladay (15-4, 2.51 ERA), Cliff Lee (12-7, 2.83 ERA), Cole Hamels (13-6, 2.53), and Vance Worley (8-1, 2.35 ERA).

Tonight, the Tigers unleash Verlander. Perhaps they can salvage one win and come home feeling a bit better about themselves. As a fan, though, it really doesn't matter. It's clear to me at least that the team is not elite. They're lucky to be where they are. To rub salt in the wound, Curtis Granderson hit his 30th home run yesterday. That's more than Detroit's outfield (Maggs, Jackson, Boesch) combined. As Mrs. Nofrownmotown said yesterday, "If the Yankees want one of your players, perhaps that's a sign that you should keep him." I'm a Dombrowski fan, but man that trade still makes me angry.

0-7

With Mrs. Nofrownmotown out of town at the moment, I've been on single Dad duty. I honestly don't know how folks do it. A little one year old has me run ragged.

As a result, I've had less patience than normal. So when I saw the Tigers couldn't get a friggin' clutch hit last night, I had no difficulty changing the channel to avoid more misery. Now, the team did manage 2 runs. The first run came compliments of a ground out by Don Kelly. With the bases loaded, Kelly hit the ball just soft enough to avoid both the double-play and a throw home. Next up was Austin Jackson. Jackson as well hit a soft ground out that allowed a run to score.

And that was it for clutch "hitting" for the night. The rest of the game -- all 14 innings worth -- the Tigers went 0-7 with runners in scoring position. They left 10 men on base.

This was the first game in a 3-game series with the Tribe. No doubt this series is a chance for the Tigers to lock down first place. Yet, if the first game is any indication, the Tigers are due for another late summer swoon. Six of the Indians nine starters were rookies or 2nd year players. The Tigers' lineup is perhaps the most powerful it's ever been. Yet, when the game was over, the Indians were victorious. That's baseball. And that's the Tigers.

Getaway Game

Raburn at the plate, the crowd waits with baited breath
Mrs. Nofrownmotown and I drove out to the park yesterday to catch the Tigers vs. Rangers game. We braved the 79 degree sunshine and landed decent seats along the right foul line.

Upon taking our seats, I glanced up at the giant scoreboard with the Tigers' lineup:

Dirks, CF

Kelly, 1B

Boesch, LF

Cabrera, DH

Martinez, C

Guillen, 2B

Betemit, 3B

Raburn, RF

Santiago, SS

Now the prospect of staring at Raburn's backside in right field was daunting enough. Worse, Leyland opted to rest four regulars against the 1st place Texas Rangers. With an opportunity to put some serious separation between the Tigers and the rest of the Central, Leyland inexplicably opted to take his foot off the gas.

I can understand resting Jackson in favor of Dirks. Jackson isn't offering much offensively this season. In fact, he's second in the AL with 120 strikeouts. Why he's leading off is anyone's guess. I also understand Martinez catching instead of Avila. It's common practice for the catcher to rest the day game after a night game. Still, Avila was swinging a hot bat. Why not DH the guy?

Leyland also opted to rest Magglio and Peralta. The "logic" in that decision must've been due to the opposing pitcher - Alexi Ogando. Righties are hitting just .178 against the dude. Yet, it's not like lefties are much better. They're hitting just .235. Basically, Ogando is shutting everyone down. After watching Leyland play the righty vs lefty game for five years, I'm convinced it's much ado about nothing. A good hitter is a good hitter, regardless of who's on the mound. Despite his low batting average, Magglio has proven to be a good hitter. He knocked a 2-run home run off the top ERA man in the AL last weekend (Weaver). And Peralta's been one of the hottest hitters on the team all season. This lineup simply can't afford to take those bats out, in favor of Santiago and Raburn.

If Leyland wanted to reward Raburn for his great game the night before (and he did win the game for the Tigers with an 8th inning HR), then, fine, play him. But don't rest Peralta and Avila AND Maggs. That's too much firepower on the bench.

It's like Leyland threw up the white flag before the first pitch was thrown.

Not surprisingly, the Tiger hitters struggled. They struck out 9 times. Cabrera and Martinez managed five hits between them, but the rest of the lineup went 4 for 27 (.148) - all singles. It was a blah game on the heels of three awesome, heart-pulsing wins. Perhaps Leyland's own heart couldn't take another squeaker, so he assured a loss?

Busy weekend in Tiger Town

Crazy game yesterday, as the Tigers dusted off the Angels, splitting the 4-game series.

Verlander dueled with fellow Cy Young-hopeful, Jered Weaver. Both pitchers excelled, though Weaver lost his cool in the 7th. Tension had been brewing since Magglio hit a 2-run shot in the 3rd. Weaver thought Maggs spent too much time admiring his home run, and he jawed at both Maggs and Cabrera, the next batter. (Maggs, by the way, claimed he was waiting to see if the ball was going to curve foul.)

When Guillen hit a solo homer off Weaver in the 7th, Guillen... well... did this:

When Weaver threw at Avila's head in the next at-bat, the ump sent him off.

But this was just one of many sub-plots. Through it all, Verlander was pitching a no-hitter! He carried the no-hitter into the 8th. Erick Aybar led off the inning with an attempted bunt. Verlander fielded the bunt but sent his throw wide of first. Error. Aybar later was caught in a run-down between 3rd and home. He scored after Kelly muffed his throw home. Then the Angels officially broke up the no-hit bid with a single with 2-outs in the 8th.

Papa Grande pitched a scoreless 9th to seal the win.

With the drama, sub-plots, and - in general - awesome pitching, this was perhaps the best game of the year. On these rare-occasions the Tigers look like legitimate playoff contenders. It's no coincidence that these "rare-occasions" usually happen every five games when a certain ace is on the mound. The Tigers show no such excellence otherwise. I've seen this team enough to know that they are no true contender for the World Series.

I've got no trouble with their bats. In fact, it may be their strongest offense this decade. They're 4th in the AL in team batting average. 5th in runs. My concern, of course, is with the pitching and defense. Outside of Verlander, they have no consistent starter, and the bullpen is, in a word, dreadful. If the starters don't carry the game through the 8th inning, the other teams must salivate at the prospect of facing David Purcey (7.23 ERA, 2.20 WHIP (!!!)), Lester Oliveros (5.63 ERA, 1.5 WHIP), Phil Coke (4.85 ERA, 1.5 WHIP), and Daniel Schlereth (4.50 ERA, 1.5 WHIP).

Various other pitchers took their turn in this bullpen merry-go-round: Brayan Villareal (6.75 ERA, 1.94 WHIP), Enrique Gonzales (10.00 ERA, 2.11 WHIP), Chance Ruffin (4.91 ERA, 1.36 WHIP), Robbie Weinhardt (10.80 ERA, 2.4 WHIP). They've got no answers. Defensively, the Tigers are 4th in the AL in errors-committed. Austin Jackson patrols center field with grace and poise. Yet, no other Tiger fielder will contend for a Gold Glove. In fact, they struggle for mediocrity.

This team has holes. Lots of them. This is why I was hoping they'd be sellers at the trade deadline. I know it goes against common sense to be a seller when you're in first place. But this is a very tenuous first place. Currently, the Tigers are 57-51. Their run-differential is -6. For comparison sake, the Red Sox are a +143. The Rangers are +90. The 4th place Blue Jays are a +17!

All month long, we've heard how pitching is at a premium. If the Tigers wanted another starter, they'd have to give up a ton. It's a sellers market. So why can't the Tigers fleece somebody looking for pitching help? I have no doubt Porcello or Scherzer would command a steep price. Instead, Dombrowski gave up a few more young players: Charlie Furbush, Casper Wells, and minor-leaguer Francisco Martinez.

I understand shipping out Furbush and Wells. Neither had a firm spot on the roster. Furbush didn't fit the Dombrowski mold of power-arm. Wells, despite solid defense, didn't heat like last season. I always liked his game, and he may prove to be a competent .280 hitter with power. Yet, he didn't have a spot with Boesch and Dirks ahead in the pecking order. And Wells had more market value than a guy like Raburn. The real killer, though, is third-baseman, Francisco Martinez. The Tigers don't have many decent field players in the minors. Martinez was groomed to take over 3rd next season with Inge likely out of the picture. Martinez spent this season in AA Erie, as a young 20 year old. Through 90 games, he hit .282, with 7 HR and 46 RBI. Those aren't eye-popping numbers, but they're decent for a 20 year old. By contrast, when Boesch was at Erie, he hit .275 with 28 HR and 93 RBI. But Boesch was 24 years old. It's a bit disappointing that the Tigers had to part with any competent field player.

In return, the Tigers received starter Doug Fister and reliever David Pauley. To be fair, they both may significantly help this team. Fister, despite a dreadful 3-12 record, sports a sterling 3.33 ERA and 1.17 WHIP. In his 3 year career, Fister has a 3.81 ERA. Not too shabby. As a Mariner, though, he's not pitching in pressure-packed games. The numbers may change dramatically as he enters this pennant race. Perhaps I'm just gun-shy after Jarrod Washburn. He came to Detroit from Seattle in 2009. After a brilliant 1st half with a 2.64 ERA, Washburn got lit as a Tiger, going 1-3 with a 7.33 ERA. He hasn't pitched since.

As for David Pauley, he may be the unheralded key. Out of Seattle's bullpen, Pauley has a 2.15 ERA and superb 0.99 WHIP. He's having a great season and will step in and be Detroit's 7th inning man-of-choice. When Alburquerque recovers from a short injury spell, the Tiger bullpen may improve significantly.

Still, this is contingent on the new Seattle men pitching according to form. Their new uniform may bring out the worst in them. Let's hope these guys are more Doyle Alexander and less Jarrod Washburn.

Bradley Out

Yesterday, the US Soccer Federation fired Bob Bradley. For those that follow the team closely, this is a major shock. Not since 1988 has a coach been fired in the middle of a World Cup cycle. The USSF simply does not act rashly. Yet, this firing comes as a relief to many US fans, including yours truly.

I have nothing personally against Bob. I think he's a fine man and role model. He even accomplished some decent things as the coach of the US team. Under Bob's reign, the US won the hex for the first time ever. They beat Spain in the 2009 Confed Cup. And, in perhaps the most singular awesome moment in US Soccer history, they won their World Cup group on an injury time goal against Algeria.

Yet, the team failed the "eye test". In other words, Bob Bradley's team often got results, but they didn't look good doing so. The team hardly inspired confidence. They typically fell behind early and staged miraculous comebacks (Slovenia, every game in the Hex). Or they would gain an early 2-goal lead and then squander it (Brazil in Confed Cup, Mexico in Gold Cup).

Never during Bob's reign did the US have an identity. Bob came the closest during the Confed Cup, when he finally settled on Charlie Davies and the 4-4-2. With Davies and Altidore paired up top, the US had two complementary strikers and a decent midfield to provide service. That lineup destroyed Egypt, beat Spain, and narrowly lost to Brazil. That lineup also narrowly lost to Mexico in Mexico City in what was probably the US's best ever showing down there (save for perhaps a 0-0 draw in the 90s that never aired on TV). Then Davies had that horrific car crash in the Fall of '09. He's slowly working his way back to form, but his loss severely impacted Bob's plans. Without Davies, the US had no striker with the right combination of pace, skill, and tenacity. Bob tried out a slew of other strikers and eventually settled on nobody, instead opting for just one striker (Altidore) and five middies.

This dreadful formation only contributed to the team's lack of focus and ugly-looking play. Still, after the 2010 World Cup, Bob received an extension to take the team for another WC cycle. This is where most fans got up in arms. Bob seemingly brought the team as far as he could. And other coaches who were re-upped for a 2nd WC cycle typically crash-and-burned (Italy's Marcelo Lippi and Bruce Arena are prime examples). Bradley's results since the rehire further cemented that theory.

The US team lost to Brazil, then drew with Colombia, Poland, Chile, and Argentina. Then they lost to Paraguay and Spain, failing to score in either contest. I should also mention that every one of these games was played on US soil. Then came the Gold Cup where the US got a handful of decent results (Canada, Jamaica) partnered with embarrassing losses (Panama, Mexico).

It's likely that Mexico loss was the final nail in Bradley's coffin. The US was so outclassed and outmatched that Sunil Gulati, head of the USSF, could no longer ignore Bradley's shortcomings. The US was clearly surpassed by Mexico. The team was headed in the wrong direction.

While Bradley may be faulted for boring player formations, it's hard to say whether any other formation would work better. The US team may not have many options. Are there players out there who can provide a stable defense - something missing from this team since Eddie Pope retired? Are there strikers who can actually put the ball in the net? Is there a coach who can piece it all together to get the team actually moving in a positive direction again?

We'll soon find out. It may take a few games for players to settle in, but my guess is that the coaching change will light a fire for this team.

Update

They hired Klinsmann. That at least explains the odd timing. Sunil only moved because he had someone in place. Perhaps Joe Dumars should take note, and not hire somebody (Ben Gordon) until the other one (Rip) is fired.

Crack Pot strikes again

I went to bed last night with the score tied 4-4, and Andy Dirks on second with two outs in the 8th. The Sox were in the middle of a pitching change.

I thought to myself, "It's be the White Sox 'pen versus the Tigers' pen -- that's a loss."

Imagine my surprise when I wake up this morning to see the Tigers actually pulled it out. Jim Leyland's decision-making proved pivotal to the win, unlike the previous night. On Monday, Leyland opted to take out starter Duane Below with two outs and the bases loaded in the 5th. Despite loading the bases, Below seemed somewhat in control, but Leyland had no trust in his stuff. Instead, Leyland opted for Chance Ruffin, a dude making his first ever appearance in the majors.

Seriously, Leyland? You bring in a dude with exactly 0.0 innings to his credit into a key game against the Sox, with the bases jacked?! Oh, and to make matters worse, Ruffin was facing Carlos Quentin, a dude hitting a cool .342 against the Tigers. The White Sox fans must've thought the fix was in. Leyland was trying to lose the game. Tiger fans know better. We've become accustomed to Leyland's crack-pot hunches. To no one's surprise, Quentin laced a two-run double that gave the Sox the lead for good.

Last night was a different story. Verlander was on the mound, and that seems to bring out the best in Leyland. For one, Raburn rarely plays when Verlander is pitching. Also, Leyland allows Verlander to pitch late into games, eschewing the dreaded pitch count. Last night was not the best of Justin Verlander, though. He gave up two separate two-run homers. The second was pretty painful. The Tigers had just taken a 4-2 lead, but Verlander gave it right back on Konerko's two-run bomb. The 4-4 score lasted until the 8th when I figured all hope was gone.

Yet, I was wrong. Victor Martinez earned a walk to lead off the 8th. This is when Leyland made his first good decision. He pulled Martinez in favor of pinch runner, Andy Dirks. Earlier in the game, Martinez couldn't score from 1st on a double from Wilson Betemit. Perhaps that was fresh in Leyland's mind. He needed more speed on the bases, as Martinez represented the winning run. Now, Dirks almost got picked off plenty of times, but the 1st base ump was feeling kind. Dirks eventually stole second. Peralta struck out. Then Guillen flied out. With two outs, the Sox brought in a new pitcher - Matt Thornton - to face Betemit. Betemit greeted Thornton with a single, scoring Dirks.

In the bottom of the 8th, Leyland did not go to the bullpen. Instead, he let Verlander pitch against the heart of the Sox order. He struck out Konerko and Adam Dunn to end the inning. Papa Grande pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, and the Tigers escaped with a 5-4 victory.

Afterward, Verlander said,

"A lot of guys shy away from saying how big of a series this is right now at this point of the season, but I think this is a big win for us."

He's right. The Tigers can't let the Sox gain too much momentum, especially against Verlander, the ace. Part of the credit for this victory should also go to Dombrowski. He brought in Betemit last week, and the dude already factored largely in a key win. Without that trade, we'd have Brandon Inge hitting in the 8th. Is there anyone who thinks Inge would've brought Andy Dirks home?

Clutch stuff from Betemit. Great recovery for Verlander. And solid decisions by Leyland... well, except for one. Leyland must've lost a bet. That's the only explanation I'll accept for Leyland's decision to use Ryan Raburn as a defensive replacement in the bottom of the 9th. Yes, Ryan Raburn and his seven errors. Now, I can understand Raburn's role on the team. He's a streaky hitter. When he's hot, he can really smoke the ball. But fielding ain't what he's about. Must I again reference this:

Strange, crack-pot logic from the manager. Still, the Tigers won. This afternoon, it's Scherzer (4.35) verses Danks (3.92).

Adieu, Inge

When am I ever right? After I rattled off potential Inge replacements last week, Dombrowski actually acquired the first guy on the list! Wilson Betemit played his first game as a Tiger last night and almost immediately proved his worth. He got a hit.

Then in the 9th, Betemit fielded a ground ball and threw it so far off the mark that it allowed a player to score from 1st base. But ya know what? Tiger fans could care less. They finally have a 3rd baseman who actually gets on base from time to time. I don't expect Betemit's fielding to differ significantly from Inge either. It's not like Inge was putting up Gold Glove numbers. He had his share of gaffes as well.

Last night, Tiger fans finally got their wish - no Inge, no Raburn. Raburn, with his .214 average returned to his utility role. He'll fill in when players need a day off, likely at 2nd base spelling Guillen. Inge, however, was waived. He accepted a demotion to Toledo and wants to fix his swing. Technically, Inge has to clear waivers first, but what team is going to pay $5M/year for a player hitting .177?

It's sort of an end of an era. Inge was the last remaining member of the '03 team that lost 119 games. Technically, Ramon Santiago was on that team too, but Santiago was already sent away once to Seattle. He's on his second stint with the Tigers. Most of the players from that '03 team are actually out of baseball. Every single pitcher, except 1, played his final game in the majors. Most fizzled out quickly after that '03 season. The only remaining pitcher with an active MLB contract is Fernando Rodney. Who knew he'd be the ace of that staff?

With Inge gone, the Tigers can now focus on their pitching staff. They desperately need somebody to step up and help Verlander. At times, it looked like Scherzer was a solid #2. Then came a stretch of games in late May and June when he gave up 7, 7, and 5 runs in succession, and he's yet to regain any semblance of consistency. Porcello is equally puzzling. He had a dominant May with a 3.5 ERA, but he followed that with a 6.97 ERA in June. Recently, he held weak-hitting Oakland to 3 runs, but he also allowed 8 hits. That's a red flag. If the A's manage 8 hits, what are the much more powerful White Sox or Twins going to do?

Incredibly, the closest the Tigers have to a #2 is Brad Penny. After a slow start, Penny had a strong May (3.24 ERA), average June (4.50), and solid July (3.60). In his last 15 starts, Penny's lasted 6 innings or longer in all but 3. Neither Porcello or Scherzer even come close to that. Time to give Penny his due - he's been good. Yet, is it enough?

I don't think so. Neither does Dombrowski, as he's apparently on the lookout for another starter. The one major problem is that every team wants another starter. The Tigers would likely have to overpay. Or they'd have to take on a significant salary, like Wandy Rodriguez (owed $36M the next three seasons). The Tigers may be better off just trotting out their Triple-A aces, like Duane Below. Is Duane any worse than the average middling starter on the trading block? It's not like these teams are offering Roy Halladay.

Pistons

Hard to get exciting about anything NBA-related these days, but the Pistons are set to hire Lawrence Frank. Pistonpowered, as usual, provides great perspective.

The article says Joe may have preferred Mike Woodson, but does it really matter? Joe D will have to offer any new coach much more support than he did Kuester. That embarrassing player behavior from last season can't last one more second. Fans would rather watch the former Detroit Shock than the Pistons. At least those girls cared about the game.

Long, but well-thought-out NBA solution

I have such mixed feelings about Bill Simmons, but if you have any interest in the NBA lockout situation, this is worth a read:

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/6749669/if-ruled-nba-world

Ex-Tigers

Yesterday was a tough day for Miguel Cabrera. And Tiger fans.

Not only did the Tiger representatives go a combined 0-5... and not only did the American League lose, but the parade of former Tigers at the All-star game was an ugly gut-punch.

Now, I'm a Dombrowski apologist. I remember the days before he arrived. The Tigers were mired in obscurity, not unlike the Lions. True, Dombrowski sacrificed the entire '03 season, trotting out a Triple-A squad at Comerica. But at least that dreadful '03 season allowed the opportunity to draft Verlander. Slowly, Dombrowski did bring the Tigers back to respectability. He overpaid to bring in Pudge and Maggs - two guys key to the rebound and the incredible run in '06. He also convinced Ilitch to open his checkbook to sign young draft picks that were too pricey for most other teams (Verlander, Porcello, Perry, Jacob Turner). He traded Cameron Maybin and Andrew Miller for the best hitter in the American League. Yet, that trade also brought in Dontrelle Willis and his train-wreck of a Tiger career.

When most folks fault Dombrowski, it's usually due to his trade record. Dombrowski made a brilliant trade in '05 bringing Polanco to the Tigers for Uggie Urbina. Urbina finished the season with the Phillies and then found himself in a Venezuelan prison after an attempted murder. But Polanco flourished with Detroit. He was a premier 2nd baseman. Polanco wanted to stay with the Tigers. Yet, Dombrowski, inexplicably, opted not to sign Polanco after his Gold Glove '09 season. Does DD regret that decision? I would venture he does every time he hears the phrase: "Starting at second base... Ryan Raburn."

One of many painful images

Placido Polanco was perhaps the most painful player for Tiger fans to watch in the All-star game. Next on that list? Jair Jurrjens.

Now Jurrjens is usually Exhibit A in the case against Dombrowski. For many Tiger fans, Jurrjens may be the toughest player to watch succeed elsewhere. Yet, for me, I didn't loathe the Jurrjens trade at the time. The Tigers called Jurrjens mid-season in '07. He started 7 games, going 3-1 with a 4.70 ERA. That's not a sparkling ERA by any means, but he did show potential with a 1.1 WHIP. Atlanta thought enough of Jurrjens to take him in exchange for Edgar Renteria. That season, Renteria was one of the best hitters in all of baseball with a .332 average. The Tigers needed a short-stop to replace Carlos Guillen who's body was breaking down and no longer had short-stop range. Acquiring the professional hitter Renteria for Jurrjens seemed a no-brainer.

Renteria flamed out as a Tiger, hitting just .270, while Jurrjens rewarded the Braves with progressively awesome stuff, leading to his first All-star appearance this season. He's currently 12-3 with a 1.87 ERA. Those numbers surpass even Verlander. Once again, the Tigers gift the Braves an ace.

A lesser-but-still-painful player to watch in the All-star game was Curtis Granderson. The only consolation to the Granderson trade is that the jury is still out. Last season, most Tiger fans were content, as Granderson underperformed and Austin Jackson finished 2nd in rookie-of-the-year voting. Phil Coke, a throw-in for the deal, also seemed to have a bright future. Everything flip-flopped this year. Granderson put up MVP-level numbers, with 25 HR, 63 RBI, 15 SB. Austin Jackson spent most of the first half hovering around .200, and Phil Coke was demoted to the bullpen after a failed attempt at starting. At least the Tigers saved money. Granderson's take-home is 2,954% larger than Jackson's.

Unfortunately, we're still not done.

Another ex-Tiger in the All-star game -- and perhaps the biggest surprise of them all -- was Matt Joyce. Some Tiger fans fell in love with Joyce's big bat in the Summer of '08. Joyce stepped into the spot vacated by Greg Monroe and provided decent pop (12 HR) for a part-time player/rookie. And he was a lefty! But Dombrowski had other plans. He parlayed Matt Joyce - a moderately successful rookie - into a certified big league starting pitcher, Edwin Jackson. It seemed a brilliant stroke, and, in many ways, it was. Starters are tough to come by. Tougher, at least, than a power-hitting outfielder. Jackson dominated as a Tiger, making his first All-star team, but faded surprisingly late in the season. Jackson's issues in August and September of '09 were amplified due to the pressure-cooker of a pennant race. He simply didn't deliver in crunch time. Jackson was sent packing for Max Scherzer and Daniel Schlereth. The jury is still out on Scherzer. He's shown flashes of absolutely dominant stuff. Yet, he's also been lit up like a Christmas tree. Which Scherzer is the real Scherzer?

Matt Joyce, meanwhile, started slowly with the Marlins. This year, he finally put it together, hitting .290 with 12 HRs. Those aren't stellar All-star numbers, but he made it nonetheless. I admit, I was pretty surprised to see him walk up to the plate last night. It seemed a bit bizarre -- Matt Joyce, American League All-star. But he did well and notched a hit. He kills the Tigers every chance he gets, further angering Tiger fans. Yet, I bet every GM in the league trades Matt Joyce for Max Scherzer straight-up. Starters are that valuable. Even inconsistent ones.