OT: Michigan Sports Talk Part VI: Oh Look, it's Tiger Bullpen Implosion Time Again!

[Bench]

I see you guys talking baseball all the time and I just never "got it" so to speak. Last week I saw the Tigers at Twins and had a really, really good time. It was a blowout for the Tigers, but it was fantastic to be at a ball field watching these guys hit and pitch. Impressive as hell, even though I don't understand much outside of the rules.

 

[RabidBadger]

I see you guys talking baseball all the time and I just never "got it" so to speak. Last week I saw the Tigers at Twins and had a really, really good time. It was a blowout for the Tigers, but it was fantastic to be at a ball field watching these guys hit and pitch. Impressive as hell, even though I don't understand much outside of the rules.

Comerica has a great atmosphere to catch a game, ergo, a good primer for baseball fandom. The action is generally slow and the season is looong; those are the rubs.

You can't beat the sport for suspense, though. A 1 run game in the 9th inning is akin to a 2 minute drive in football. You hope your offense comes through or your defense holds. Every pitch/ swing of the bat counts. There's also the chess match of putting in the proper pitcher/pinch runner-hitter, defensive player in key situations. You can liken it to choosing your best 5 on the ice for the final minute of a 1 goal lead with a minute left.

Aside from that, almost every game turns downtown into a fiesta with 50,000 friends

 

[Ricelund]

I see you guys talking baseball all the time and I just never "got it" so to speak. Last week I saw the Tigers at Twins and had a really, really good time. It was a blowout for the Tigers, but it was fantastic to be at a ball field watching these guys hit and pitch. Impressive as hell, even though I don't understand much outside of the rules.

I started playing in a great fantasy league a few years ago and that's what really got me into baseball. Reading Moneyball also helped.

 

[RabidBadger]

1 game behind Baltimore now. Cleveland is playing their Single A players and Atlanta is not so hot this year. There is hope...again. Did I mention baseball is suspenseful? I will be tightly gripping my Bells Two Hearted in days to come.

 

[Shoalzie]

Last night went as well as you can hope...game back of the O's but also, a game up on Seattle.

Part of me wondered if Ausmus ever considered skipping Verlander last night and threw someone else instead. Of course JV would lay waste to that skeleton crew Tito rolled out. Seems like a wasted bullet.

These next two days will be massive. The Indians are playing for home field so they aren't going to take these lightly. Biggest starts of the season for Fullmer and Norris coming up...potentially their last if they don't get the job done.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Last night went as well as you can hope...game back of the O's but also, a game up on Seattle.

Part of me wondered if Ausmus ever considered skipping Verlander last night and threw someone else instead. Of course JV would lay waste to that skeleton crew Tito rolled out. Seems like a wasted bullet.

These next two days will be massive. The Indians are playing for home field so they aren't going to take these lightly. Biggest starts of the season for Fullmer and Norris coming up...potentially their last if they don't get the job done.

There's a better chance of the birds losing out then us beating the Indians again. Don't think about twice

 

[Konnan511]

Toronto

 

[Shoalzie]

Playoff contenders have late inning meltdowns? You don't say...

I really hope that blown save on Saturday isn't the difference between getting in or not. If they miss...miss by two games. Of course, there's games you can point that they probably shouldn't have won but did...and games they lost that they were the better team. I think we just look at the most recent bad loss and say that tipped the scale.

 

[Shoalzie]

Gotta sweep the Bravos this week...period, don't pass Go, don't collect $200.

Can't control what happens the Jays and the Os.

 

[Ricelund]

Pathetic effort, Tigs.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

Pathetic effort, Tigs.

At least we got maize and blue

 

[RabidBadger]

Pathetic effort, Tigs.

*Sigh*

So close.

 

[newfy]

Verlander another cy young?

 

[Winger98]

Verlander another cy young?

he's deserving. Hard to complain if Kluber wins it, though.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

So Kerry hyder is good right?

 

[RabidBadger]

Let the speculation on Ausmus begin....

 

[Winger98]

I think Ausmus is safe, and I don't see any great reason to move on from him. Under his tenure, the Tigers have outperformed their Pythagorean by 12 games, and despite the payroll he's been given some questionable teams to work with.

Also, I thought he made some nice strides this year, changing his approach a bit and how he handled his pen as the season went along. He also seemed to get quicker at pulling his starter when they started imploding.

I'm looking forward to next year for the Tigers. If the kids keep playing well I think we could contend for the playoffs, and maybe we could catch a hot streak at the right time.

 

[Ricelund]

Would you guys consider trading JV this offseason? I know there's a minuscule chance of it happening but I think it's worth considering. He's only got 3 years left and could probably command a huge haul from a team like LAD after having a Cy Young-type season.

If they still had Devon Travis, I'd definitely be open to trading Kinsler as well...

 

[Winger98]

Would you guys consider trading JV this offseason? I know there's a minuscule chance of it happening but I think it's worth considering. He's only got 3 years left and could probably command a huge haul from a team like LAD after having a Cy Young-type season.

If they still had Devon Travis, I'd definitely be open to trading Kinsler as well...

Why would we trade JV? I think the Tigers are pretty close to a contending club, and there's no reason to gut that chance by dealing our best starter. After next season I could see looking at moving JD, Kinsler, or VMart - depending on how some of the position prospects pan out and what we can get in return - but these Tigers are playoff contenders in a sport where that means a bit more than when we say the Wings are playoff contenders.

 

[Ricelund]

Why would we trade JV? I think the Tigers are pretty close to a contending club, and there's no reason to gut that chance by dealing our best starter. After next season I could see looking at moving JD, Kinsler, or VMart - depending on how some of the position prospects pan out and what we can get in return - but these Tigers are playoff contenders in a sport where that means a bit more than when we say the Wings are playoff contenders.

I generally agree but JV is one of the big contracts they've got that's actually moveable. I don't think anyone would take VMart at this point. JD is a guy you want to keep long-term. Kinsler is also moveable but they have no one to take his place.

 

[Shoalzie]

While I think Caldwell should go now...Ausmus, I'm not as opposed to him staying. Who are you going to get to replace him? What they have in place right now can work...they were a couple games from a playoff spot and they need to figure out how to beat those damn Indians.

If they can keep Maybin...I think this lineup has one more good year in them. The lineup is tremendous when healthy but they didn't show it in Atlanta.

Castellanos had a breakout season. J.D. is a legit middle of the order bat and Upton looked strong the last month-plus of the season. Kinsler was one of most consistent players in baseball all season. Maybin was a spark plug but that dude needs to stay healthy.

McCann regressed with the bat but is useful defensively and Iglesias is also better with the glove than the bat...but you need guys like that. Those are the classic 8-9 hitters.

Verlander was as good as he's been in several years...a great year from him. Zimmermann needs to get healthy for next year...it was basically a lost season for him. Fulmer was a pleasant surprise and he's here to stay. Norris looks like a strong 4th guy in the rotation. I guess you can have Pelfrey as the 5th starter...they're kinda stuck with him.

The bullpen was good in spots. K-Rod isn't a dominant closer...he's basically Todd Jones with a better resume. I love what Rondon was doing late in the season. You can always add a bullpen are this winter. Mark Lowe was a bust but maybe he gets right for next year and he can be suitable setup guy.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Ausmus just isn't a good baseball coach. And with some of the core deteriorating his flaws will become more pronounced over time.

 

[Winger98]

I generally agree but JV is one of the big contracts they've got that's actually moveable. I don't think anyone would take VMart at this point. JD is a guy you want to keep long-term. Kinsler is also moveable but they have no one to take his place.

If we move JV, though, we may as well move everyone who has any value because we're not a playoff team without him. I think we have one more good year to make a push for a series. Maybin and JD have one year left, Kinsler has two, and VMart should fend off the worst of Father Time for another year.

After next year we have to decide if we want to invest big money in a 30 yr old JD, if we want to buyout Sanchez (why wouldn't we?), and whether or not we want to move Kinsler just to bring in some more pieces for a rebuild. That's why I move Kinsler and look at moving on from JD. Our window will really be closed, and we either won't want to invest long term in another player on the wrong side of thirty, or we just have no reason to keep a good trade asset that won't be doing much for a middle of the road team.

JV and Miggy are guys I want to see us hang onto because they define the franchise for me and are future HoFers (I have faith in Verlander staying on track now and making it). As we go with kids they won't prevent us from doing anything we want to do.

 

[ArGarBarGar]

Technically, they aren't a playoff team with him, either.

 

[SpookyTsuki]

I guess he's staying another year. But I bet illitch steps in and cleans shop