SeattleMike

Is LOB% skill or luck? The Tigers are top 10 in WHIP. Top 5 in walks, average in K/9, top half in hits allowed, average in HRs allowed. Every other team ranked in the top 10 in WHIP is among the league leaders in fewest runs allowed per game. By most metrics the Tigers defense is decent. In some really good, in others ok. The one metric where they really stink is in allowing men on base to score. They are 29th in LOB%. This says to me they been pretty unlucky.

One of the things I liked about Leyland. He always called BS on chemistry. I think the only real intangible he believed in was professionalism.

Yeah, there is more good pitching than hitting in this year's free agent class so replacing ERod with someone comparable or better is very doable.

Everyone remembers the Martinez trade, which was atrocious and haunted him the rest of his tenure. From that point on I'd say, in all fairness, that his deadline deals were ok. Verlander yielded a catcher who this season ranks in the top half of regulars at his position in RC+. Getting an impact player would have been better, but as others on this board have noted rarely do these deadline deals yield that kind of talent. The other 2017 trade netted two pretty good players for practically nothing. Avila and Wilson for Paredes and Candy. In 2019 he traded Castellanos and received Lange. Not bad, considering at the time of the trade Castellanos was slumping (95 OPS+ in July) and had a rep as a bad fielder (well earned). Later deadline trades: Greene for Wentz, who may still prove useful, Martin (with his 97 OPS+ at the time) for Castro, who, hey, is still in the league, Norris, badly damaged at the time, for Olson, who may prove more than useful, and Fulmer, for Long-Gibson, who is pitching well at AA. Yes, the Fiers trade in 2018 netted nothing, and I know I'm missing a few other clunkers. But considering the underwhelming assets Avila had to trade, I'd say he performed ok at the trade deadline, after the Martinez mess. He failed as a GM for many reasons, but trade deadline deals were the least of his problems and maybe weren't really a problem.

Maybe he was a part (a bit of a throw in) of the ill-fated Rodriguez deal?

No. Most of these guys are fighting to establish themselves in the league. Coasting will get you the boot. The issue is talent and ability. That’s lacking.

Same old story.

Or play more games in, say, Comiskey (or whatever it’s called these days).

So he played for the Tigers in 67 not the Pirates.

That baseball card lists a year in Pittsburgh. But Price didn’t play in the majors until 1968. I see quality control was lacking back then as well.

Yeah, what happened with that?

You are down one in the 9th with the tying run at first. And Haase and Baez represent your last hopes. Ouch. In terms of Baez outcomes at the time he signed he must be performing at the 10th percentile. Better than Austin Meadows mind you but still brutal.

You’re still keeping track?

If he were surrounded by veterans contributing at above replacement level his periodic 0-9s would barely be noticed.

Is this Sportz from the old board? That guy was contentious as heck.

That Trayce Thompson?

Yeah, I've somewhat enjoyed this season, for all the reasons Budda cited. Contention was a silly dream. Having said that, yesterday was downer. C'est la vie. On to Miami.

They are both 23, not too old but hardly young. And Meadows has 2000 PAs in the minors. He'll probably never be a 125RC+ guy, but what better time to find out than the next two months? I kind of understand the Malloy wait because he has defensive issues and may end up DHing, which means Cabrera is kind of blocking him. No one is blocking Meadows, unless you want to give Baddoo more leash. Maybe its as simple as that.

Triple A scoring is insane this year. IL: 5.62 runs a game. 803 OPS for the league. No wonder all these guys who get sent down rake at Toledo. What is going on? Juiced ball? Tight strike zones due to robo umps? Small ballparks? For comparison the Eastern League in AA is averaging around 4.60 runs a game, on par with MLB.

Thankfully they are on the road for the next couple series. Tigers are more competitive away from Comerica. 24-27 on the road (-27 run differential); 22-30 at home (-70 run differential). Probably just statistical noise. Notice Tork much better on the road (765 OPS and 11 HRs) than at home (670 OPS and 4 HRs).

Been some rough days this year (although not as many as I expected), but this one was likely the worst. Not really competitive in either game.

I view this factoid as a positive. .500 baseball for an extended period of time is a real triumph for this team, given the injuries and obvious roster deficiencies. I believe the Tigers are 2-games under since starting the season 2-9. Can’t be too upset about that.

I guess Foley or Holton were not available.

If the starting pitcher gives up 4 runs or more this team is toast. That is likely true of most teams but especially true for an offense that doesn’t even average 4 runs a game.

Prescient