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Tigers Inconsistency Maddening
It would be shame if the Tigers remained in this hitting slump and bow out with a whimper to the Cardinals. This is a series the Tigers should win. The Cardinals aren't that good. Yet, the Tigers hitters are in one those stretches where they literally get themselves out.
Tigers manager Jim Leyland said he is considering lineup changes following Game 3. It is difficult to see where he can change direction. Who do you insert? About the only choice he has is benching Ivan Rodriguez for Vance Wilson. And honestly, that has to be a harrowing decision for Leyland. Guess that is what happens when a club's best player becomes its worst.
Random thoughts
- Even if the Tigers lose Game 4, I still think they can rally and win the series. I see Justin Verlander turning the tables on Anthony Reyes in Game 5. If the Tigers come back to Detroit with life, their chances of winning the series will be, in my opinion, 50-50.
- I am glad Alan Trammell landed a job as bench coach with the Cubs. But honestly, I think if he is ever going to be all the manager he can be some day, he would be wise to spend a year or two managing at the Triple-A level. Managing, it seems, is not something one can learn by watching, but rather by doing. Tram’s biggest flaw as Tigers manager was his inability to adjust on the fly.
- The strangest sight of the World Series was Bud Selig and Donald Fehr sitting at a table glowingly praising each other over baseball’s extension of its collective bargaining agreement. I am glad for the labor peace in baseball. But these two guys celebrating what should be the norm instead of an aberration is utterly ridiculous.
posted by Pat Caputo at
12:41 AM
22 Comments:
Hey Book,
Wow, what a great couple weeks. The tigers are inconsistent, but this is what this team is. I'll take our pitching matchups the rest of the WS. I really see this going 7 games. I like bondo v suppan (i know suppan was NLCS, but I just dont see this guy keeping it going) and verlander v reyes. Then we have kenny in game 6, question is, does robertson pitch game 7, or verlander on short rest? Anyway, thats getting ahead of myself, right now, we need to win one of the next two. And yes, I think if we lose tonight, we can still win down 3-1. Not easy, but with this team its doable.
More than anything else though, this is just fun!
Pat, it IS maddening and crazy to watch the Tigers the whole season, and see these spells of really hot and cold for the whole team at the same time. Carpenter had good stuff, but the Tigers sometimes make everyone look like Cy Young himself - and then all of a sudden BAM! they're back! Just a good first inning and they could be off to the races again. Need to score a bunch of runs sometime to take the pressure off the pitchers.
Thanks,
Danny
Mae West said "when I'm good I'm very good." "But when i.m bad I'm better." If she had seen the Tigers she would have said. "When i.m good i'm very good but when i'm bad i look like the Lions."-- It would be a bad memory to carry through the winter if the Tigers go into one of their funks or swoons. -- The pessimism is creeping in on Vinny. What the tigs need is to shut out the Cards tonight. Tigs should be able to score one run. That sould give them confidence and watch the ball hit the bat when they take their swings... Vinny.
Nick P,
It has been a great couple weeks and a great season - regardless - for the Tigers. I do like their pitching matchups for Game 5 and Game 6. Tonight and Game 7 go to the Cardinals, I think. The main thing the Tigers must do is avoid getting swept these next two days. It's a tough environment. It's raining and there might be a rainout one of the next two days. But if they get back to Detroit for Game 6 Saturday with Rogers and get to Game 7, it'll be terrific series.
Caputo
book couldn't agree more. THe lasting memory is what we take with us the furthest. The tigers are far better then the Cardinals. However, what has plagued the tigers all year is starting to bite them again. Robertson didn't pitch all that badly. Not like the offense did anything to help. 3 hits 2 coming from Casey that is rediculous. Granderson keeps swinging at stuff in the dirt. You don't have to throw good pitches to get him out or even Pudge that has been the sad part. What a huge game for bonderman. In my mind the way he pitched in the ALCS and the Division series. If he could stop the bleeding today. To allow this to come back to detroit. Then he earned his spot next year. Despite his inconsistancies. Personally why not take both pudge and granderson out for a game. Despite what I am hearing I would not bench Polonco for perez. I'd go Polonco 2B, Monroe CF, Casey 1B, Ordonez RF, Guillen SS, Gomez LF, Inge 3B, Vance C. If not Vance then pudge, but granderson be the guy I'd bench for sure.
I think it is great Trammell is back. He deserves it in my mind. LIke you said though the best managers go a few rounds in the minors. He should go that route then take the next step. To at least get a feel. I mean look what Larry Parish has done. Can't ignore it.
Tigers continue to play smart baseball (unlike games 1 and 3) they will be successfull that is what got them here. The first two rounds they were paitent, swung at good pitches and played smart in the field. They did nothing to beat themselves.
I still overall think this is a very successful season. Though it will end on a sour note being they are the better team.
maddog52
Danny,
You're right. It's like, BAM!. And it goes one extreme to another that way. Some people think it is the layoff that hindered their hitters. I am not so sure. It's just the way they are - hot and cold with no in-between. And they go to those extremes for no reason.
Caputo
Vinny,
LOL. It wasn't good last night, but they are capable of turning it around on a dime. It's a cause for hope and negative thoughts at the same time.
Caputo
Vinny,
LOL. It wasn't good last night, but they are capable of turning it around on a dime. It's a cause for hope and negative thoughts at the same time.
Caputo
Thinkingman,
I think he might bench Pudge for a game. It sure seemed like after the game he was thinking about it. Wilson had many clutch hits for them during the season. It might make sense. If Leyland does it, it will cause turmoil, no doubt. It will be the No. 1 story leading into the game. But maybe he needs to shake it up a little bit. The Tigers look flat. Leyland has shown some guts with Pudge and that he will do what is best for the team regardless of egos. This, however, would be daring.
Caputo
Maddog52,
If Polanco isn't hitting second, he should be hitting leadoff with Monroe second and Casey third, in my opinion. Granderson is killing them at leadoff. When he slumps like that, it pulls the ensuing hitters down. It might be wise for Leyland to drop him down in the order.
Caputo
Pat,
Yes, a good break for Tram, but like you said; a Triple A experience behind the bench might be best for him at this point.
Nate Robertson pitched well enough to win Game 2, but as usual, no run support. To Carpenter's credit, he pitched a masterful game. Of course, Reyes pitched a gem too, so it makes you wonder. This is starting to feel like the Royals revisted; deja vu all over again, Yogi might say.
Jim Leyland is in a pickle. To make any drastic changes to the batting order just might heighten the panic. It all starts with Granderson, and man, is he ever due to snap out of it. Carlos Guillen is weird about moving up the order. You hate to move Monroe down, but his bat might be more potent if a had a runner or two on the base paths.
I don't think I bench Pudge at this point, but if he is 0-2, I consider inserting Wilson as a pinch-hitter for the 3rd AB, and have him hitting out of the 8 hole. If you move Casey to 3rd in the lineup, then Polanco has to move to 2nd, which moves Monroe to 6th, in front of Inge.
Who knows? Maybe he'll talk Guillen into leading off for a game to jump start the hitting, with Granderson dropped down to 6th behind Monroe? He will definitely have a headaches trying to sort this one out. More than Pudge, I'm surprised that Curtis Granderson has yet to step up at the plate; he is throwing everything off.
We've had 3 errors on the pitching staff, and 2 of them have cost dearly. Confidence seems shaky, and their command has been misplaced. I think this only reflects that the Tigers came into this series expecting to roll the Cardinals, and when they didn't get to Reyes early in Game 1, doubt began to creep in, and now it is a festering virus. It needs to be busted up. Whatever the batting order ends up as, it needs to produce some early runs, while Bonderman gives them a quality start, to get their confidence back where it needs to be. Hopefully, the bullpen can get there act together again, or it will be too late.
If they fall again in this one, I don't feel real good with Verlander in Game 5. Do you think Leyland would consider Wilfredo Ledezma in his place, if he isn't needed tonight? If lefties are the weakness of the Cards, why not? If there is a rainout, he might even have to consider Kenny Rogers, but that would be a zoo!
Something needs to shake things up. Maybe I'll pray for rain for today.
Mudcat41,
I don't think Inge would have been there set, able to take the throw and relay it to first in time for a double play. I don't think he would have even tried. I do think the double play at second with the shorter relay throw would have worked. Also, on the force at home, Inge should have tagged third and thrown home for the tag play double play. But he is probably being conservative because he threw that ball away the other day and a few others this season. Also, Jim gave me a funny look when I said that and I think the only reason he didn't point it out is because he is a good guy and didn't want to embarrass me because of a mistake I made on the air.
Caputo
Garold,
The Guillen in the leadoff spot is not such a bad idea. He is their best hitter. When all else is failing, why not give your best hitter more at bats.
Caputo
what kills you most about granderson is the crap he swings at. I mean a major league hitter hitting leadoff shouldn't be swinging at pitches in the dirt. T obe hones twith you his first at bat yesterday when he struck out first thing I said to my buddies was here we go. I just had a feeling it was going to be a long night. Hopefully tomorrow we will be talking about bonderman saving this team.
Russell,
Leyland has Guillen hitting third and Casey fifth. That shakes it up a little bit, which good. is Polanco was dropped to seventh. I'm not sure about that one.
Caputo
Maddog52,
I like Granderson, but he is probably the most inconsistent hitter on the team. And that is saying something. He is hitting first tonight.
Caputo
Pat,
With the rainout, do you think that Leyland blew it by not pitching Kenny Rogers in game one? When the rotation came out before the series, I was completely baffled why he would throw Verlander in game 1. I would have gone with Rogers and Robertson in games 1 and 2, since St Louis struggles against lefties. He then could have thrown Bonderman in game 3, and then Kenny would have been able to pitch game 4 due to the rainout. Even before the series started, the forecast looked bad, so a rainout was entirely possible. I know hindsight is 20/20 , but I thought this before the series even began. Your thoughts?
The Card's have a lot of guys with good off-speed stuff, and it's fooling our agressive fastball hitters. With Suppan taking the hill it will be no different. Why Polanco can't hit puzzles me. His swing is short enough, where scouting reports shouldn't bother him. Maybe it's his shoulder? He's got to get on base for the 4-5 guys. I'd move Casey to 6 behind Guillen against the Card's Right-handers. They aren't going to let Guillen burn them with Pudge struggling.
I agree Verlander has good odds against Reyes in the second matchup, but this rain delay may eliminate the need to use Reyes again.
Chris,
You make a good point. It doesn't seem as if he accounted for a possible rainout. But I can't get all over Leyland for that because I kind of considered Verlander and Rogers to be about equally good options coming into the series. I think Verlander is really good and will pitch well when he gets another chance.
Caputo
Rob,
Going three games without a hit normally wouldn't even be noticed, but its huge because Polanco has been so good and it's the World Series. Odds are better he will snap out of it soon than that it will continue.
Caputo
Hey Book,
Two things, both quoted for truth:
"- Even if the Tigers lose Game 4, I still think they can rally and win the series. I see Justin Verlander turning the tables on Anthony Reyes in Game 5. If the Tigers come back to Detroit with life, their chances of winning the series will be, in my opinion, 50-50." - The Book
"Over? Did you say "over"? Nothing is over until we decide it is! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Hell no! And it ain't over now. 'Cause when the goin' gets tough the tough get goin'! Who's with me? Let's go!" - Bluto
Nick P,
They did lose game 4, but, like you, I still don't think it's over.
Caputo
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