Bless You Boys - Game 142: Giants 5, Tigers 4A detailed list of nope about the Detroit Tigershttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/47585/default.png2014-09-06T17:44:16-04:00http://www.blessyouboys.com/rss/stream/58785822014-09-06T17:44:16-04:002014-09-06T17:44:16-04:00Giants 5, Tigers 4: 3 home runs not good enough
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<figcaption>Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>David Price was dominant through eight innings after a four-run first inning. Miguel Cabrera homered twice and Victor Martinez hit yet another home run but they were the only productive offense the Tigers could muster.</p> <p>DETROIT — Three home runs and a near-complete game by <span>David Price</span> weren't enough as the <a href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Tigers</a> fell 5-4 to the <a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Giants</a>. <span>Miguel Cabrera</span> hit two home runs, <span>Victor Martinez</span> reached a new career-high with a solo shot of his own, but early mistakes made by Price in the first inning cost the Tigers their second consecutive game.</p>
<p>Price (2-3 with Tigers) struggled in the first inning. Two quick outs were followed by five straight hits and four runs scored by the Giants, putting the Tigers in an early hole. After the first inning Price kept the Giants at bay with one key exception. He gave up a solo home run to <span>Buster Posey</span> in the fifth inning, which turned out to be the game-winning run in the end.</p>
<p>"With the exception of Susic — the guy that hit the double to right-center — I was OK with the pitches I was throwing," Price said. "Posey did a great job, Pence, Sandoval. They just put the bat on the ball. It stinks. I don't care if it's April 1. You don't want to go out there and pitch that way. Stinks."</p>
<p>Price recorded 11 strikeouts and retired 20 of the last 23 batters he faced. With one out between Price and a complete game, a routine ball was mis-handed by shortstop <span>Eugenio Suarez</span> and a fielding error ended Price's day still one out short of a complete game. <span>Phil Coke</span> replaced Price on the mound and needed just one pitch to retire <span>Joe Panik</span> for the final out of the ninth inning.</p>
<p>Saturday now marks the second straight time Price has pitched in Comerica Park and seen less than ideal results early in the game, but he doesn't believe that necessarily means he has to go back to the drawing board.</p>
<p>"I don't know," Price said. "I did pretty good the next 7 2/3 innings after that, and I didn't change anything up, so just execute pitches. That's all it boils down to. The name of the game."</p>
<p>The offense tacked 11 hits against the Giants, but the only Tigers players who did any meaningful damage against the Giants were Cabrera and Victor Martinez. Both homered and Cabrera hit two, one in the first (a two-run shot) and one in the eighth, putting the Tigers within one.</p>
<p>The rest of the lineup produced, but not effectively and it cost them the game. Price may have made mistakes early on, but he gave the Tigers eight dominant innings of one-run ball that the offense had full opportunity to take advantage of.</p>
<p>"It's great. Every time you see a hitter like Miguel (Cabrera), it's not a secret," Martinez said. "Everybody knows what kind of hitter he is. At the end, we just came up short and lost the game. It was a tough loss. Trying to come back and just falling short by one run. I always say a loss is a loss but this one was really tough."</p>
<p>The loss puts the Tigers 2 1/2 games behind the <a href="https://www.royalsreview.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Royals</a> and could be as far back as three games before the night is out if the Royals take another game from the <a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Yankees</a>. As ominous as that sounds, however, the Tigers see it as an opportunity instead of a danger.</p>
<p>There's nothing they can do about the games that have been played and they can't control the other teams in their division. Whether it's an uphill climb in every game or not and even if Saturday's game was somewhat disheartening, the season is far from over. The Tigers remain about as even-keeled as any team in the league throughout the ups and downs, so they don't see it the way most would.</p>
<p>"Definitely. We still have how many games left, 20-something?" Martinez remarked. "Out of those 22, we still have six games left against the team that's ahead of us. It's not a secret, we're in a tough spot right now. But you know what, turn the page, come back tomorrow and get a fresh start. Just taking it day by day, game by game and every pitch, every at-bat counts from here on. We'll see what happens."</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>ROARS:</strong></p>
<p><b>David Price: </b>After a rough first inning where Price gave up four runs on five hits, Price went deep into the game. He struck out 11 in 8 2/3 innings, giving up just four hits, one being a solo home run to Buster Posey that ultimately became the game-winning run. He took the hard-luck loss, betrayed by his offense yet again and fell one out short of a complete-game thanks to a fielding error by Eugenio Suarez.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><b>Miguel Cabrera: </b>Launched a two-run home run into left field, cutting an early 4-0 deficit in half. Cabrera's ankle continues to hamper him, so he got rid of it and hit the home run on one foot. On the field, Cabrera was busy pestering the opposing team, which goes to show that while his ankle may not be recovered, his humor has at least made a return. He followed up his first home run with an encore, a solo shot to left field as well.</p>
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<blockquote data-partner="tweetdeck" class="twitter-tweet">
<p>Miggy caught by FOX cameras mimicking Pence's batting stance. Cabrera is a one-man party at first base. <a href="http://t.co/xa12EWGXGG">pic.twitter.com/xa12EWGXGG</a></p>
— Bless You Boys (@blessyouboys) <a href="https://twitter.com/blessyouboys/status/508315047110508544">September 6, 2014</a>
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<p><b>Victor Martinez: </b>Hit the first 30th home run of the season in his career in the third inning, a solo shot to left field. Martinez also had two singles, one in the first and one in the fifth inning. Martinez's home run was also his 19th homer batting right-handed, a new career high.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>HISSES:</strong></p>
<p><b>Eugenio Suarez: </b>Price was one out away from pitching a complete game, but Suarez committed the forbidden fielding error, which allowed <span>Angel Pagan</span> to reach first base safely and ended Price's day just short of going the distance.</p>
<p><b>Tigers offense except Cabrera and V. Martinez: </b>The Tigers got 11 hits against the Giants, but they were ill-timed and almost every hit came with two outs that the offense couldn't capitalize on.<strong></strong></p>
<p><strong>NOTES::</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong><span>Alex Avila</span> was held out of the lineup for his fourth straight day as a precaution. Avila suffered no lingering affects on Friday and was available to play in Saturday's game, but Ausmus and Avila decided to give it one more day to allow Avila ample time to recover whether the symptoms were present or not. <span>James McCann</span> made his first major league start, giving <span>Bryan Holaday</span> a break after he caught for three straight games.</p>
<p>Ausmus challenged the call in the second inning that Davis was out at first base. Upon further review, the call was overturned and Davis was safe, beating out the throw. He was credited with a base hit and the review took 50 seconds. In the fourth inning, Davis attempted to steal after hitting a single and was caught stealing on a 1-3-4 play. Ausmus challenged the call but after further review, it was confirmed that Davis was out. Time of review was 1:28.</p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>STREAKS AND STATS:</strong></p>
<ul>
<li><span>Miguel Cabrera hit his 385th career home in the first inning, tying him with Dwight Evans for 60th in MLB history. Cabrera's second homer was also his 1,318th hit as a Tiger moving him into sole possession of 17th place in franchise history.</span></li>
<li><span>Cabrera's first inning home run was the 20th homer of the season for Cabrera, giving him 20-or-more home runs for the 11th consecutive season. It was also Cabrera's 96th RBI for the season.</span></li>
<li><span>Cabrera is one of only six players in Tigers history to record 20-or-more home runs in seven seasons with the team, joining Norm Cash (11 seasons), Al Kaline (nine seasons), Cecil Fielder (seven seasons), Rudy York (seven seasons) and Hank Greenburg (seven seasons). His streak of seven consecutive seasons with 20-or-more home runs is tied with Fielder and York for the second-longest such streak in Tigers history. Norm Cash posted nine straight seasons with 20-or-more home runs (1961-1969).</span></li>
<li><span>Victor Martinez hit his 30th home run in a single season for the first time in his career, giving him 94 RBI for the season.</span></li>
<li><span>The home runs by Cabrera gave him a six-game hitting streak. Since the start of September, Cabrera has recorded multi-hit games in all but one game and has two three-hit games. He is hitting .500/.500/1.115 with no walks and six strikeouts in that time.</span></li>
<li><span>Cabrera's second home run in the eighth inning was his second multi-homer game of the season and the 30th of his career. </span></li>
<li> <span>Victor Martinez recorded three hits Saturday, giving him a seven-game hitting streak with three home runs, </span>two doubles, seven RBI and seven walks (two intentional). Martinez is batting .480/.594/1.000 in that time and he has not struck out once.</li>
<li>For the 11th time this season, his second with the Tigers and the 25th of his career, Price struck out 10-or-more batters. The last was on August 5 when he struck out 10 against the Yankees.</li>
<li>Opposing hitters are doing damage against Price in the first inning, batting .281. Of the 91 runs scored off Price in 2014, 20 have come in the first inning (22 percent).</li>
</ul>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>WIN PROBABILITY GRAPH:</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><iframe style="border:1px solid black;" width="450" height="450" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=livewins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2014-09-06&team=Tigers&dh=0"></iframe><br><span>Source: <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2014-09-06&team=Tigers&dh=0&season=2014">FanGraphs</a></span></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>ROLL CALL:</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p> </p>
<table border="1" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0">
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<th colspan="2">Roll Call Info</th>
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<td width="150">Total comments</td>
<td>424</td>
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<td>Total commenters</td>
<td>19</td>
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<td>Commenter list</td>
<td>
<a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/AurelioFan">AurelioFan</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/ExTeeBallPitcher">ExTeeBallPitcher</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/House%20by%20the%20Side%20of%20the%20Road">House by the Side of the Road</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/J_the_Man">J_the_Man</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/JakeJustice65">JakeJustice65</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/JerseyTigerFan">JerseyTigerFan</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/JoeK5">JoeK5</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/NCDee">NCDee</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/SanDiegoMick">SanDiegoMick</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Thorpac">Thorpac</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Tigerdog1">Tigerdog1</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Verlanderful">Verlanderful</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/bettynoire">bettynoire</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/frisbeepilot">frisbeepilot</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/kland83">kland83</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/knucklescarbone">knucklescarbone</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/lapensocosi">lapensocosi</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/mrsunshine">mrsunshine</a>, <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/subic%20sailor">subic sailor</a>
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<td>Story URLs</td>
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<div><a href="http://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6114029/game-142-tigers-vs-giants-1-08-p-m">http://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6114029/game-142-tigers-vs-giants-1-08-p-m</a></div>
<div><a href="http://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6114839/game-142-overflow">http://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6114839/game-142-overflow</a></div>
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<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>TOP TEN COMMENTERS:</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
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<th width="20">#</th> <th>Commenter</th> <th># Comments</th>
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<td>1</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/AurelioFan">AurelioFan</a></td>
<td>54</td>
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<td>2</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Verlanderful">Verlanderful</a></td>
<td>54</td>
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<td>3</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/NCDee">NCDee</a></td>
<td>46</td>
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<td>4</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/frisbeepilot">frisbeepilot</a></td>
<td>37</td>
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<td>5</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/JakeJustice65">JakeJustice65</a></td>
<td>36</td>
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<td>6</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/J_the_Man">J_the_Man</a></td>
<td>34</td>
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<td>7</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/SanDiegoMick">SanDiegoMick</a></td>
<td>31</td>
</tr>
<tr class="alt">
<td>8</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/knucklescarbone">knucklescarbone</a></td>
<td>26</td>
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<td>9</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/mrsunshine">mrsunshine</a></td>
<td>24</td>
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<td>10</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/JerseyTigerFan">JerseyTigerFan</a></td>
<td>22</td>
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<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p><strong>TOP RECS:</strong></p>
<p><strong> </strong></p>
<p> </p>
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<th width="60"># Recs</th> <th>Commenter</th> <th>Comment Link</th>
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<td>2</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/AurelioFan">AurelioFan</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6114029/game-142-tigers-vs-giants-1-08-p-m#255464652">What's "football"?</a></td>
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<td>2</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/NCDee">NCDee</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6114839/game-142-overflow#255473210">Obligatory.</a></td>
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<td>2</td>
<td><a href="http://www.sbnation.com/users/Verlanderful">Verlanderful</a></td>
<td><a href="http://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6114029/game-142-tigers-vs-giants-1-08-p-m#255449998">107!</a></td>
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<td><br></td>
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https://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6114225/giants-5-tigers-4-david-price-miguel-cabrera-victor-martinezCatherine Slonksnis2014-09-06T16:14:52-04:002014-09-06T16:14:52-04:00Game 142 Thread of Shame
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<p>She's back, and she means it this time</p>
https://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6115093/game-142-thread-of-shameNCDee2014-09-06T15:10:25-04:002014-09-06T15:10:25-04:00Game 142 Overflow
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<figcaption>Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Let;s just win this thing, okay?</p>
https://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6114839/game-142-overflowNCDee2014-09-06T09:18:57-04:002014-09-06T09:18:57-04:00Game 142 Preview: Giants at Tigers
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<figcaption>Brian Kersey</figcaption>
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<p>This week's Pitching Matchup of the Century pits David Price against Giants left-hander Madison Bumgarner. You won't want to miss this one.</p> <h4>
<a href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">San Francisco Giants</a> (77-64) at <a href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Detroit Tigers</a> (77-64)</h4>
<p><b>Time/Place:</b> 1:08 p.m., Comerica Park</p>
<p><b>SB Nation blog:</b> <a href="http://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">McCovey Chronicles</a></p>
<p><b>Media:</b> FOX, <a target="_blank" href="http://mlb.mlb.com/mediacenter/index.jsp?c_id=mlb&affiliateId=mlbMENU#date=9/6/2014">MLB.TV</a>, <a target="_blank" href="http://detroit.tigers.mlb.com/det/schedule/radioaffiliates.jsp">Tigers Radio Network</a></p>
<p><b>Pitching Matchup:</b> LHP <span>Madison Bumgarner</span> (16-9, 2.97 ERA) vs. LHP <span>David Price</span> (13-10, 3.25 ERA)</p>
<table border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>Pitcher</td>
<td>GS</td>
<td>IP</td>
<td>K/9</td>
<td>BB/9</td>
<td>HR/9</td>
<td>WHIP</td>
<td>FIP</td>
<td>SIERA</td>
<td>fWAR</td>
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<td>Bumgarner</td>
<td>29</td>
<td>191.0</td>
<td>9.38</td>
<td>1.84</td>
<td>0.75</td>
<td>1.08</td>
<td>2.81</td>
<td>2.90</td>
<td>3.8</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>Price</td>
<td>29</td>
<td>210.1</td>
<td>9.93</td>
<td>1.37</td>
<td>0.98</td>
<td>1.07</td>
<td>2.87</td>
<td>2.69</td>
<td>5.0</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<p>Madison Bumgarner might not be <span>Clayton Kershaw</span>, but that is perhaps the only criticism you can offer of the Giants' 25 year old left-hander. Bumgarner emerged onto the scene during the Giants' 2010 World Series run, and quickly evolved into one of the top pitchers in the game. He has logged at least 200 innings with a sub-3.50 ERA in each of the past three seasons, and is on pace to make it four in a row in 2014. Bumgarner has taken an extra step this year, simultaneously posting the highest strikeout and lowest walk rates of his career. His 2.81 FIP is the second-best measure of his career, while his 2.88 xFIP is the lowest he has ever had.</p>
<p>If Bumgarner has a weakness -- given his recent success, I'm stretching that term -- it's an inability to work a clean inning. In particular, Bumgarner has trouble with leadoff hitters. In his 29 starts, the first batter of the game is 10 for 26 with three walks, a .448 on-base percentage. The top two spots in a batting order have combined to hit .298 with a .326 on-base percentage. Opposing batters are hitting .276/.328/.387 when leading off an inning. Bumgarner buckles down with men on base, though. He is allowing a .566 OPS with runners in scoring position, with just two home runs allowed.</p>
<p>If anyone was worried about David Price after he gave up eight runs in two innings against the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">New York Yankees</a>, Price quickly quieted the doubters in his last start. He tossed a gem amid a flurry of run support, allowing one run in seven innings in a 12-1 victory over the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.letsgotribe.com/">Cleveland Indians</a>. It was his fourth outing in a Tigers uniform with seven iinnings pitched and seven strikeouts or more. He will need to be at his best this afternoon, as the Giants' 105 wRC+ against left-handed pitching leads the National League.</p>
<p><b>Hitter to fear:</b> <span>Michael Morse</span> (.286/.375/.714 in 8 plate appearances)<br><b>Hitter to fail:</b> <span>Buster Posey</span> (.000/.000/.000 in 4 plate appearances)</p>
<p>Both Price and Bumgarner have one previous career start against their respective opponents this afternoon. As you can imagine with a pair of ace-caliber left-handers, things didn't go well for the opposing offenses. Price tossed nine innings against the Giants while playing for the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.draysbay.com/">Tampa Bay Rays</a> last year, allowing one run in a 2-1 extra innings victory. Bumgarner struck out nine in 7 1/3 innings against the Tigers back in 2011, a 4-3 Giants victory.</p>
<h5>Outlook</h5>
<p>The Tigers offense will be hoping to catch Bumgarner on an off day, as he's nearly untouchable when he's on. The bad news? He has been on a hot streak lately, allowing a 1.57 ERA in six August starts. He threw a pair of shutouts last month and had three outings with 10 strikeouts or more. Overall, he had 56 strikeouts to just three (!) walks in 46 innings. Luckily, Price has been just as good if you're willing to overlook his meltdown against the Yankees 10 days ago. It doesn't take a genius to see that runs will be hard to come by this afternoon.</p>
<h5>Prediction</h5>
<p>The Tigers make an early lead stand up to get back into the win column.</p>
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https://www.blessyouboys.com/2014/9/6/6112375/2014-game-142-preview-san-francisco-giants-at-detroit-tigersRob Rogacki