04/02/2023 1:10pm EDT Detroit Tigers vs Tampa Bay Rays

[Dave Christian]

This is the first Tigers game that I have had the opportunity to watch this season.

I'm starting to think that there is no point in suffering through any more.

[chasfh]

I think that was a good decision to go to the plate by Baez even without the force there. Worst case scenario is we're down 6-0 with 12- and one out, versus 5-0 with 12- and two out. If you're going to maintain any pretense of competing, might as well try to keep the game closer for the bats in the ninth.

[Tigerbomb13]

The upcoming series against Houston is going to be FUN

[chasfh]

3 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

So far Foley is perfect through, 3/3 inherited runners scored. 

'Lineup flexibility' has netted us zero runs and non 3b Maton was just unable to make another play that led to a run.

If it make y'all feel better, Candelario is currently hitting .100 in Washington.

[chasfh]

Jakey!!

[mtutiger]

Finally lol

[Tigerbomb13]

1 minute ago, chasfh said:

If it make y'all feel better, Candelario is currently hitting .100 in Washington.

.100 points better than Maton. Good god this is depressing. 
 

Holy shit Rogers!!!! A run!!!!

[gehringer_2]

2 minutes ago, chasfh said:

If it make y'all feel better, Candelario is currently hitting .100 in Washington.

LOL - !st run scored by the guy that provides *no* line-up flexibility. I rest my case.

Edited April 2, 2023 by gehringer_2

[Jim Cowan]

Well done Jake.  Prepare to catch 125 games this year.

[Tenacious D]

3 minutes ago, IdahoBert said:

I haven’t been around here in quite a while because I don’t have much positive to say and I don’t want to be like the trolls I used to enjoy banning. But the negative comment I do have to share is that I was wondering how the Ilitch family cannot feel ashamed at what they’ve done to this team and I realize that as really really really rich kids they probably have a pretty thick skin about being disliked. I suppose that Mike as complicated and unsaint like as he most likely was, was at least capable of shame which made him care two shits instead of none. 

The difference is that Mike genuinely cared about the team and fans.  He was emotionally invested.  And we were spoiled by it.  VMart gets hurt in an offseason training accident?  Go sign Prince Fielder to replace him.  While his impulsiveness and willingness to build a winning team led to some regrettable decisions, he was willing to invest to maintain a winner.

Chris, however, is running it like a business with what appears to be very little emotional attachment.  I’m more critical of his blind loyalty to Avila than his willingness to spend, which I think has been unfairly characterized.

[Toddwert]

5-1  Rays game over series sweep.... on to the WS champs

[Tigermojo]

Hopefully they paid attention and took some notes because the Rays know how to play.

[lordstanley]

Outscored 21-3 this series.

[SoCalTiger]

So 3 games in we are 3 games out of first...is that perfect ?

And I really like Baez but no matter the $$ he won't stay around if we keep losing and if he comes to that conclusion soon he will have another poor year. Dude needs energy to perform.

And Torkelson is a groundball machine..ya ya the exit velo is high generating outs. 

Maton is a middle infielder. Just put him at second and end Johnny's pain now. 

Rogers should catch every day. Pitchers seem to respond to him. Just find AB's for Haase elsewhere. 

 

On to Houston. Didn't we sweep them there last year ?

[mtutiger]

The pitching was what it was this series, I have some faith they will get the bullpen sorted out. Fetter and Co. earned some patience last year on that front. Turnbull was bad, but he gets grace coming off TJ.

More concerning is the offense, and a lot of it, to me, seems like it's between the ears. Granted that's a good staff they faced, but they are going to need to figure it out and get some sort of identity as an offensive unit before it gets even uglier.

Lastly, Rogers needs to play more at catcher. Haase should get ABs, but Jake seems more trustworthy behind the plate 

Edited April 2, 2023 by mtutiger

[gehringer_2]

3 minutes ago, Tenacious D said:

Chris, however, is running it like a business with what appears to be very little emotional attachment.  I’m more critical of his blind loyalty to Avila than his willingness to spend, which I think has been unfairly characterized.

I have a some sympathy around the fact that the Tigers probably saw Bally's collapse coming and knowing your single biggest income stream was in jeopardy should have motivated any good management to stay somewhat conservative - but there is still a lot of room between being planning to be 'somewhat conservative' and not upgrading the line-up with a single  major league bat.

[apabruce]

It was not as close as the score indicated.

[chasfh]

5 minutes ago, SoCalTiger said:

So 3 games in we are 3 games out of first...is that perfect ?

And I really like Baez but no matter the $$ he won't stay around if we keep losing and if he comes to that conclusion soon he will have another poor year. Dude needs energy to perform.

Yeah, I wouldn't blame Baez if he felt like he was sold a bill of goods to come here and bolted at the firstt opportunity.

What will be interesting to see is, if Javy does have a down year this year, does he stick around for (from his perspective) the money and the losing, or does he test the market and bet on himself and sign a one-year deal with a contender, hoping to parlay that into a rich multiyear deal starting 2025? A little early to speculate, of course, but the possibility is on the table.

[gehringer_2]

1 minute ago, mtutiger said:

The pitching was what it was this series, I have some faith they will get the bullpen sorted out. 

1st suggestion might be not to use Foley in leverage.

Quote

More concerning is the offense, and a lot of it, to me, seems like it's between the ears. 

It's keeps coming down to this.  Sure, all we can do is wonder, but against a guy like Springs today - I think I'd rather after the failure the 1st time through the order they throw away all their plans and just play 'see ball - hit ball'.  All the guessing and taking sure as hell wasn't working. Again, pure speculation, but I continue to get a vibe that the Tigers over-prep the young hitters.

[chasfh]

7 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

I have a some sympathy around the fact that the Tigers probably saw Bally's collapse coming and knowing your single biggest income stream was in jeopardy should have motivated any good management to stay somewhat conservative - but there is still a lot of room between being planning to be 'somewhat conservative' and not upgrading the line-up with a single  major league bat.

I think being a free spender this offseason was a non-starter in any case. I don't think they could have spent a lot of money this year on good players because I don't think any good player who has a choice of where to go would have chosen to come to this team this year.

[chasfh]

1 minute ago, gehringer_2 said:

1st suggestion might be not to use Foley in leverage.

As the manager of a big league team fated to be under .500, I don't think a manager is stressing about avoiding leverage for just about any of his pitchers. To be sure, now is the time to test everyone in every situation to see who's got something and who doesn't.

[SeattleMike]

10 minutes ago, mtutiger said:

The pitching was what it was this series, I have some faith they will get the bullpen sorted out. Fetter and Co. earned some patience last year on that front. Turnbull was bad, but he gets grace coming off TJ.

More concerning is the offense, and a lot of it, to me, seems like it's between the ears. Granted that's a good staff they faced, but they are going to need to figure it out and get some sort of identity as an offensive unit before it gets even uglier.

Lastly, Rogers needs to play more at catcher. Haase should get ABs, but Jake seems more trustworthy behind the plate 

Plus he had two nice at bats. Earned a walk in his first AB (with a competent ump) and the HR. 

[gehringer_2]

1 minute ago, chasfh said:

I think being a free spender this offseason was a non-starter in any case. I don't think they could have spent a lot of money this year on good players because I don't think any good player who has a choice of where to go would have chosen to come to this team this year.

It didn't need to be a Correa, but - they didn't add *one* bat of any kind that was even a verified replacement level hitter. Soto and Jimenez went for discount lottery tickets.

[gehringer_2]

8 minutes ago, chasfh said:

As the manager of a big league team fated to be under .500, I don't think a manager is stressing about avoiding leverage for just about any of his pitchers. To be sure, now is the time to test everyone in every situation to see who's got something and who doesn't.

TBF, the Foley comment was partially facetious, but still, do we want to be 10-30 by the time it's all sorted out? If you're not going to play to win, get out of the game.

Edited April 2, 2023 by gehringer_2

[casimir]

1 hour ago, Tenacious D said:

Could be a frequent refrain this season.

Replacing “Tigers threaten, but do not score”, eh?