Playoff Prowl: True Grit, Luck, and Phil Coke

by Kurt Mensching on Oct 14, 2011 10:58 AM EDT in Detroit Tigers Links

Justin Verlander, Tigers show true grit -- The Detroit News
With all the mentions of true grit today, you'd think there was a movie by the same name or something.

Young, Verlander and a little luck lift Tigers - SweetSpot Blog -- ESPN
Grit and throwbacks seem to be the theme today. After teasing with Mickey Mantle and Kirk Gibson, David Schoenfield admits maybe he was getting a little too excited.

Lamont: "Sometimes you need a little luck" -- Beck's Blog
Gene Lamont and the case of the bouncing baseball.

Goofy play could define season for Detroit Tigers -- FOX Sports
Mike Ilitch wants the base.

A Thought On Day 14 Of The 2011 MLB Playoffs -- Lookout Landing
Jeff Sullivan writes about baseball and luck.

Tigers ace Justin Verlander sets career high in pitches-- The Detroit News
133 pitches in 7 1/3 innings. Leyland wanted the ceiling at 125 but JV kept throwing anyway. It was the most of his career and the third time he's ever gone over 130.

Tigers' Phil Coke delivers clutch save after workhorse relievers ruled out -- MLive.com
Coke's path to success last night: Don't think too much. Also, that's one intense photo.

Detroit Tigers manager Jim Leyland has quietly had a Hall of Fame career -- ESPN (sub req)
Jay Jaffe of Baseball Prospectus write that Jim Leyland has had a hall of fame career. (Hope Leyland chooses the right hat!)

Doug Fister dominant with Detroit Tigers -- The Good Point
Jared Macdonald caught up with Doug Fister recently to talk about what is contributing to his spectacular 2011 season and postseason.

The Stuff That Dreams Are Made Of: Duane Below -- Seedlings to Stars
Nathaniel Stolz looks closer at Duane Below. (Who should have been on the playoff roster instead of Brad Penny.)

Tigers, Rangers Fans Can Find Common Ground Supporting Josh Hamilton And Miguel Cabrera -- Ology
Bison Messink talked to Alli about the Josh Hamilton-Miguel Cabrera comparisons.

Apparently the Tigers are not quite dead yet -- Roar of the Tigers
Verlander sent a sprinkler's worth of balls out of his shirt sleeve. At least that's what it looks like to me.

Still Alive: Tired Notes from ALCS Game Five -- DesigNate Robertson
Rogo notes the Tigers are perfect in the playoffs during games he attends. Someone get this man to Arlington.

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Comments

I really enjoyed Sullivan's take on this overblown third base thing.

by rcpratt on Oct 14, 2011 11:25 AM EDT reply actions

A counterpoint on Verlander

http://joeposnanski.blogspot.com/2011/10/superhuman.html

I find myself agreeing with Posnanski… it’s great that Verlander notched a win and pitched an ungodly number of pitches, but I expect more from him. I think he’s a little over amped this post season or something.

by ColossusOfRhode on Oct 14, 2011 1:29 PM EDT reply actions

I think he's wearing down

the first dents in his armor started showing up in late august and, despite good numbers in september, he just doesn’t seem as dominating.

Bless You Boys.com

by Kurt Mensching on Oct 14, 2011 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

For the better part of the season he pretty much carried the entire pitching staff until Fister came along. And as amazing as JV was you just couldn’t expect it to last forever. My hope was that he wouldn’t come crashing down, and luckily is has just fallen to “pretty good” or at worst “acceptable”. I could be ’08 Verlander just remember lol.

by Anthony Steven Lewis on Oct 14, 2011 2:10 PM EDT up reply actions