Fumbled Away: Rays 3, Tigers 1
by Ian Casselberry on Aug 29, 2009 7:50 PM EDT
in Detroit Tigers News
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PrintDefense was supposed to be the difference between this year's Detroit Tigers and last year's edition. And for the most part, the product has been as advertised. But when you don't score a lot of runs, that margin for error gets tight.
Did we say "error"?
Defensive lapses were really the difference in this afternoon's 3-1 loss to the Rays. Adam Everett's second-inning error didn't lead to a run, but it extended an inning for a starting pitcher who's still building up to his previous stamina.
But the key slip-up was in the third, when the Tigers should've escaped with only one run allowed. Gerald Laird let a pitch in the dirt skip past him, and instead of making the third out of the inning, Pat Burrell was safe at first. Carlos Pena followed with a RBI single, and the Rays had all the runs they needed.
David Price pitched what might have been his best game of the season, allowing just one run and five hits. As mentioned in our game preview, Price can beat himself with high pitch counts. But the Tigers aren't the kind of team that makes opposing pitchers work. And Price cruised past the seventh inning for the first time this year, throwing 106 pitches.
The Tigers really only had one good opportunity to score in the third inning, putting runners on second and third with one out. But Curtis Granderson struck out and Placido Polanco popped out, and Price didn't give Detroit any more chances from there.
Nate Robertson pitched as well as could be expected, considering he was making his first start of the year (and first since last September). Two runs and four hits over four innings (and 70 pitches) should hardly have been a losing effort.
But if Robertson's going to rejoin the Tigers' starting rotation, he might as well get used to having his efforts wasted by poor run support. It's been kind of a theme this year. (And really, it's been a theme for Nate throughout his Tigers career.)
Comment of the Day:
Surprisingly, my disappointment in this game
has nothing to do with Nate Robertson.
by NCDee
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agreed
I’m usually the first to defend Armondo, Nate, Miner, and Lyon when they have a bad outing.
Nate was very good today. Ian just had to copy paste old posts to make this review, since it was the same old BS of no run support, swinging at first pitches, and overall squandering by everyone besides Magglio with his clutch RBI single.
Luckily for us, the White sux played 1000x worse than we did today, getting 1 hit against Sergio Mitre and having what seemed like 5 errors. They looked awful today(since I watched both games). The Tiger’s just can’t manufacture runs. They get leadoff singles and are unable to steal a base, or have K’s that kill the momentum.
Also, Miggy is 0-8 so far this series. That hurts. But if anyone gets a free pass, it’s him. Sadly, we are forced to rely on him for virtually all of our offense.
If Nate can do well down this final stretch it will be a boon for the Tigers.
Hopefully he recovers faster so he can start gobbling up innings.
+1
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Aug 30, 2009 2:54 AM EDT up reply actions
Today, the top three teams in the AL central combined to score one run total.
Woo! Way to represent, Tigers.
Really?
That is stunningly horrible. Blah.
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
I'm so glad out of all games lately
I was blacked out of this one. big fat meh to this.. hopefully we win tomorrow.
PLAYOFFS!!!!!!!1!!!
Third straight shutout, 6-0, (following 10-0 and 8-0), a little drizzly in the middle innings but not bad because it gave me an excuse to wander around the store long enough to check out the lower level where they store all the cool Loons tee shirts, and it stopped in time for the Loons to have a 4-run 6th inning, and I got a high-five from the mascot Lou E. Loon for my “THROW STRIKES” tee shirt (which now has a sparkling and STILL UNDEFEATED record of 10-0), and I picked up a ticket for their first playoff game ever at the ticket office on the way out. :)
It was a cold, cold night for the manager to get doused with PowerAde, but they got him but good. And then he had to get a mohawk because he promised when several of the guys got mohawks and went on a winning streak that if they made the playoffs then he would get a mohawk, and he’s a man of his word.
I’m sorry you guys got stuck with another game of Detroit Tigers Squanderball. :(
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
The Loons should vote you MVP if they go far in the playoffs.
Well, your “THROW STRIKES” shirt at least.
no need - I do what I can :)
The team does have the co-MVPs of the league in their shortstop Dee Gordon and rightfielder Kyle Russell. I think they might be a little bit more important than my shirt.
(Which of course doesn’t mean that I won’t have it washed and ready to wear to the playoffs to see if it can do more than just deliver in the regular season, though. No way am I messing with anything now.) :D
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
It was a blast.
Cold, extremely windy, and honestly the weather was miserable – it wasn’t hard rain, just that annoying kind of drifting mist – but the attendance was better than 5000 people, and most of them stayed until the end (although they did bunch together under cover until the rain stopped). This is only the third year for the team in Midland, so making the playoffs “for the first time in franchise history” doesn’t sound like that big a deal, but last year they were dead last at 54-85, the year before that they were 57-82, so for them to be 76-56 overall this year is HUGE. They’ve gotten better during the season, too, especially the pitching.
Anything can happen in a short series, but just to make it to this point is such a big deal for the guys. It took a while, but since they are 42-23 at home this season, they have clearly finally gotten comfortable in their home park.
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
I missed the entire game
I was able to sneak away for a few seconds here and there to listen on the radio. Dan and Jim mostly seemed mystified at how good David Price’s command was. They kept asking, “Where’s the wildness we keep hearing about?” This suggested that the Tigers meant to come into the game with the approach of being patient and ended up finding themselves in the hole too often. I don’t know if this is true or not, but that’s the impression I got. And it’s hard to gauge this one. David Price has had his ups and downs this year, but he’s got really good stuff. There’s a reason why he was a #1 pick. It’s not like he’s, say, Carl Pavano (who actually didn’t do that badly against the Rangers tonight).
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 29, 2009 10:58 PM EDT reply actions
Oh, by the way...
You want to talk about inefficient? Right now, the Phillies have one run on eleven hits. They’re getting beat 9-1 by the Braves.
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 29, 2009 10:59 PM EDT reply actions
eleven hits
Is very difficult to “scatter.” One would think they would bunch up accidentally and result in three or four runs. Scoring only one takes talent!
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
Well, they are 3-for-12 with RISP
Now, that’s not good, but you’d think they’d still score more than one run. There must be a lot of station-to-station action going on. Then again, I remember a game a couple years ago where the Tigers had sixteen hits but only scored three runs.
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 29, 2009 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions
I suppose that's just picking over nits
When you cough up nine runs, it doesn’t much matter what you are doing with your hits, because it usually isn’t enough in that case.
"For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else." -- Winston S. Churchill
Huh
I did not realize that was Cliff Lee who gave up most of those runs.
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 29, 2009 11:55 PM EDT up reply actions
Swinging at too Many First Pitches
Hey Magglio, Curtis, Marcus you are not Miguel!!!!
Well, actually
Maggs went 2 – 4 today, and RBI’d the only run we got. So, all in all I’d say he had a pretty good day today; but the team in general, not so much. Defense was the problem. Nate not so bad (much to my surprise – in a good way). Passed balls missed DP’s - that was the problem.
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
Lloyd McClendon You are no Gates Brown!!!!
Bring back Gates to teach the Tigers how to Hit, it worked in 1984 and in 1987!!!
Actually...
As far as I can tell, this is a systemwide problem. I know for a fact the Mud Hens have problems with striking out and hitting with guys on base. Without being able to give numbers I have heard that West Michigan and Lakeland have both had issues with it as well (haven’t heard anything about Erie or Oneonta). If anyone needs to be fired, it’s the minor league hitting coordinator, if such a thing even exists.
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 30, 2009 12:45 AM EDT up reply actions
We could use some hitting development
Alas, our scouting director has a hard-on for moundsmen, and he’s not someone we should give up easily.
Here’s a list of the FO types though. Glenn Ezell is probably one of the guys to blame there, or maybe Dan Lunetta. It might be a good idea to get an assistant to the VP Scouting Director that knows his bats too.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Aug 30, 2009 2:58 AM EDT up reply actions
Oh, dear
Toledo got blown out by Indianapolis 12-0, which means that Ruddy Lugo didn’t last long in the game, which means that the bullpen was used early and often in the game. All of which led to the ninth inning being pitched by none other than Dane Sardinha. And he was the only Mud Hen to not give up a run all night.
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 30, 2009 12:42 AM EDT reply actions
that may be the sorriest thing I've ever heard
The catcher being the only hurler to not give up a run….deserves two sad shakes of the head, and a silent groan…..
Official BYB Juju Consultant...now accepting rally creature applications!
Well, we are now 2-2 in games with Mark Grace in the booth...
Hey, a .500 record isn’t bad, especially when you consider our lifetime record in games over which Joe Morgan presides is probably 3-57 (not counting the postseason). With an ERA of about 21.96.
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 30, 2009 12:47 AM EDT reply actions
We didn't lose any ground today
which is a great thing. Twins and White Sux both lost. And No matter what happens, I LOVE THESE GUYS!!! – just in case anyone forgot. :o)
Welcome to Detroit>>Where the weak are killed and eaten.
And now for something completely different
Does anyone know where Ryan Streiby went? I haven’t been getting First Inning stats on him for almost a week- did he hit the DL or has he left for the AFL or what?
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
I just did an internet search on Streiby.
People seem to be high on him.
As of 8/28 he seems to be on the 7 day DL. http://tigers.scout.com/2/828062.html
Thanks for the link
Even if the news sucks.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Aug 30, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
Whatever happened to Macay McBride?
Back in Spring Training, they made it sound like he was on the verge of coming back, and yet he hasn’t thrown a single pitch for Toledo all year. Not that I’m that high on him; I’m just wondering.
http://tigersamateuranalysis.blogspot.com
by SabreRoseTiger on Aug 30, 2009 9:22 AM EDT up reply actions
DL'ed at Toledo
Career’s probably over.
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Aug 30, 2009 2:52 PM EDT up reply actions
last I heard
tigers shelved him for the season for his wrist and he probably misses the AFL as well
by Kurt Mensching on Aug 30, 2009 10:55 AM EDT up reply actions
Peachy
President, Vice President and Secretary of the Casey Crosby Fanclub.
by David Tokarz on Aug 30, 2009 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions
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