gehringer_2

Fair point

Elmer has the luxury of not having to skate a lot to still take up a lot of space.

I always wonder where Hinch is in all this in terms of what he is encouraging guys to do in a given AB - whether explicitly or implicitly. Torkelson is a good opposite field hitter and can reach the seat oppo in almost any ballpark, but he doesn't go that way as much as I would like to see him. So the question is do the Tigers get a lot of all-or-nothing hitting because that is what they encourage? IDK but it's a fair question.

My only question would be whether someone was paying attention to what he doing in the off-season last year that no-one thought to push back on the extreme swing path. It was pretty predictable that was going to lead to holes that pitchers would exploit.

They've gotten back into the habit of giving away too many 1st pitch strikes. You have to be ready to hit the 1st strike or you are in a hole. You can still work counts without always taking the 1st one.

I'll disagree on Torkelson. He's above average production, plays his position well and stays in the line-up. He's not going to be an all-star but he's a solid ballplayer. You need that profile. Keith I think is going to be fine, I think his bat to ball skill will play as his power develops and he'll be more of an asset at 3rd than his meh range made him at 2nd. I think he and Tork both have pretty good zone judgement and so will be helped more than average by the robo-ump. I think Torres is a solid ball-player but it's immaterial in his case because he is gone. Meadows is a disappointment. I think he needs a whole stance revamp because he cannot cover his long body's K zone. Maybe get into more of a crouch (I know, the TIger theories like like stand-up hitters 🤷‍♂️) OTOH - I'm not a big fan of Perez - too many mental lapses regardless of whether his bat come around or not - which isn't looking all that likely - they love him for now since he's a switch hitter and they don't have any others. Pretty much agree on the rest - I do assume Riley will get his head out of his *** as a hitter this off-season. The talent is there. It would be big blow if he can't get back to <25% Ks. Overall pretty thin. If Anderson and McGonigle (Clark even?) could be solid bats at some point next season - they could get back to more normal offensive output but it's not there right now.

Then again, the team with the record for most wins in a season in the modern era washed out after one round in the playoffs and has never been to the WS.

It has been disappointed that Tork and Dingler are the only young players who have exceeded last season's productivity. The rest all plateaued or regressed (Sweeney, Perez, Greene, Meadows, JHM, Keith, Carpenter). McKinstry and Baez had good season's by their own standards, but they're vets not Tiger system guys.

You know what Casey Mize is thinking: "If you'd given me two more innings you'd have never had gotten to Melton..." He's probably wrong but you know that's what he is thinking.

OK - flush this.

Why is it that the fact they are within a bloop and an blast is still zero hopeful?

well thtey are making Smith do a lot of throwing. That and a fin will get you a Latte.

Tork fouls off a middle-middle FB, gets bailed out of the AB by being plunked.

because he trusts Hurter even less than Mize. Hurter is throwing some strikes today though. EDIT: Apparently one too many however.

Now they just have to get out of this game quickly without wasting Hurter or anyone else that matters.

If a guy has a flat heater I'm not sure there any place for him in the majors.

Melton apparently thows very hard, and very straight.

you know if this goes to extras Cleveland will get in the psuedo runner and the Tigers will K out of the inning.

every tiger took a called 1st strike. Put yourself in a hole, It's a lot harder to hit. Don't give away strikes.

yeah- he's about a boring as a baseball announcer as there is going. How did they come up with him for baseball?

good AB there by McStinky

Parker earned his kibble for that inning.

It's not like Herrin was painting corners. Perez got three good pitches to hit, Even with the miss by the UMP, Jones still swung out of zone to get himself out.

In an alternate reality where accuracy actually counts, he walked.

This ump in the tank for Cleveland