07/14/2023 10:10pm EDT Detroit Tigers vs Seattle Mariners

[Tigermojo]

Something happened the first week of June. He hasn't been the same since. His walk rate more than doubled. It wouldn't surprise me if he's hurt and doesn't want to say anything because he finally got the closer role. He's been their worst pitcher since that second appearance in Chicago on June 4.

[SeattleMike]

  On 7/15/2023 at 4:57 AM, lordstanley said:

A performance of which Todd Jones would be proud. 

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Todd Jones gave up lots of singles but rarely walked anyone nor gave up many HRs. Not a bad profile for a guy who comes in to start an inning with a lead. It’s difficult to score runs by bunching singles. 

[gehringer_2]

  On 7/15/2023 at 5:59 AM, SeattleMike said:

Todd Jones gave up lots of singles but rarely walked anyone nor gave up many HRs. Not a bad profile for a guy who comes in to start an inning with a lead. It’s difficult to score runs by bunching singles. 

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Todd was the master of the semi-intentional pass to a left hander when a RHH was on deck. He had so much confidence against RHH he didn’t really care if he loaded the bases to get to one. 

[casimir]

  On 7/14/2023 at 2:57 PM, Tiger337 said:

Catchers are undrerepresented in the Hall of Fame in part because they don't have as many plate appearances as players at other positions.  

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https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/munsoth01.shtml

That's Thurman Munson.  All star in 7 of 10 full time seasons behind the plate.  He averaged .292/.346/.410, good for a 116 OPS+ and 5.2 WAR over his tragically short life.  Add on a ROY season and MVP season.  The HOF committee never inducted him through 15 ballots.  He never had double digit percentages with the exception of 15.5% on his first ballot.  People use Don Mattingly as the exception to the New York bias, but I think Munson is the better example.

The HOF museum is a fantastic place to visit.  HOF enshrinement is an absolute head scratcher sometimes.  If/when Buster Posey is inducted into the hall, baseball historians and media darlings absolutely need to bring up cases for Munson & Freehan.  

[Sports_Freak]

  On 7/15/2023 at 4:48 AM, SoCalTiger said:

Lange’s stock dropping. 

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Harris said the next few weeks will determine if we're buyers or sellers at the trade deadline.

[Dtrain72]

Went to bed and woke up with a steaming plate of Maton crow in my face, thats nice

[Sports_Freak]

Love the pitch clock on the west coast games. Finished at a decent time.

[Sports_Freak]

  On 7/15/2023 at 12:42 PM, Dtrain72 said:

Went to bed and woke up with a steaming plate of Maton crow in my face, thats nice

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Headlines....Blind squirrel finally finds nut!

[gehringer_2]

  On 7/15/2023 at 5:23 AM, Tigermojo said:

Something happened the first week of June. He hasn't been the same since. His walk rate more than doubled. It wouldn't surprise me if he's hurt and doesn't want to say anything because he finally got the closer role. He's been their worst pitcher since that second appearance in Chicago on June 4.

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I think you are correct. Divide his season at June 4 and his walk rate is 11.5% first half, 19% since, and more ominously, his sinker Velo took a subtle  drop at about the same time.

[LongLiveMaroth]

Kudos to whomever got this shot. 

 

[Motor City Sonics]

Maybe playing third every day was a distraction.      Anyway,  Nick Maton is a better hitter than he's shown this year.  I really believe that.   I think he fell into a hole and started thinking too much.   Not saying he's an All Star, but he's not a .160 hitter either.    I think the manager was foolish to keep putting him in the 5 spot, I think it just made everything worse.    Maybe the Tony Packo diet let him take a breather.   It doesn't matter if someone bats left or right if they don't hit at all.  Putting at 7 or 8 in the lineup could help too.    Don't give up on him.  I think he's at least a decent utility guy.     

[Motor City Sonics]

I like Vierling.  I think he's an every day guy and he might be the best player in that whole trade for either side.  

[gehringer_2]

  On 7/15/2023 at 1:22 PM, Motor City Sonics said:

Maybe playing third every day was a distraction. 

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He hit the HR in his next AB after making a big defensive play at 2b. Could well be the number of plays he wasnt making at 3d was keeping his daubers down.

I'm not sure why Hinch was so fixed on playing him there when you have both a RHH and LHH that are  better 3B gloves than he is in McKinstry and Ibanez - though McKinstry is no great shakes there either - McK does throw well though.

Edited July 15, 2023 by gehringer_2

[casimir]

  On 7/14/2023 at 11:50 PM, Motor City Sonics said:

Who'd they call up to replace Jake?  

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There was a scramble at the State Farm offices to find a worthy person in khakis.

[casimir]

  On 7/15/2023 at 1:08 AM, gehringer_2 said:

I know they want to start giving Greene and Tork more DH and off days, and Hinch is probably brilliant to have realized Greene must be exhuasted after 5 days off.

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Who is the backup 1Bdude when Torkleson is at DH?  Or do they roll with two 2Bdudes and they rotate as middle 2Bdude and foul line 2Bdude?  Maybe they start standing next two each other and one of them rolls over to 1B while the pitcher goes in motion, almost like a man in motion in football?  Talk about chess level chess.

Come on AJ, we knew you read the forums.  Let’s see it!  And stop staring at me when I’m at the yard.

[casimir]

  On 7/15/2023 at 2:10 AM, Edman85 said:

Mike Ferrin in the booth with Dan.

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I listened for a short bit.  I liked it.

[casimir]

  On 7/15/2023 at 3:16 AM, gehringer_2 said:

Funny they were talking about Baddoo needing to bunt more and he bombs one. But Monroe was probably right. 3B was playing SS against Akil. If they are going to play him like that and he lays it down the 3b line he can walk to 1st.

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I think it would be helpful for him to show bunt more often, but I don’t think he’s been all that successful at actually laying one down.

[casimir]

  On 7/15/2023 at 3:25 AM, chasfh said:

Wow, huge Pollock brain fart at third base on that groundout to Maton keeps the Tigers in the lead …

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So I wonder what he saw from his angle.  I bet he thought Torkelson had it as his initial movement was to field the ball which put him in a reasonably good throwing position to deliver the ball home.  For all of his fielding question marks, Torkleson has shown a pretty strong and accurate arm.  So, we benefit from multiple TV angles, but I wonder if Pollock’s angle (and possibly the base coach) reads significantly different than what we saw.

[casimir]

  On 7/15/2023 at 3:44 AM, Tigerbomb13 said:

Mayyyyyton

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Eat it, h8terZ.

[casimir]

  On 7/15/2023 at 3:41 AM, chasfh said:

Marisnick is a Dodger now. Anyone else?

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I hope he goes Trey Thompson, Jr.  Wouldn’t that be fun around here?

[Tiger337]

  On 7/15/2023 at 2:24 PM, casimir said:

I listened for a short bit.  I liked it.

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I liked him because I didn't notice him too much.  He just blended in naturally.  Dickerson doesn't need a lot of analysis in the background.  

[casimir]

  On 7/15/2023 at 4:24 AM, gehringer_2 said:

Dumb play anyway - you don't risk getting thrown out at third when you'd still be down by 2.

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So here is another play during this game where I wonder what was happening on field vs what we could see on TV.  What was the chatter on field as far as where to throw the ball as it was cut off.  From what I saw as I saw it live this morning on recording (just go with it), I could see an out at 3B while I was surprised the out was made at home.  It took a perfect relay to the plate to make it close (I think he was out) whereas Kelenic was a dead duck at 3B.  I don’t want to blame Maton who doesn’t have eyes in the back of his head, perhaps he heard 4/home.  But with a 3 run lead and one out late in the game, take the 2nd out at 3B when they run into it.

As far as the review, I didn’t see an angle that suggested overturning it either way.  It seems to me like whatever call was made, once it was established that Rogers wasn’t guilty of blocking the plate, I don’t see how the result of out/safe was overturned.  It didn’t seem obvious enough to me.

[casimir]

  On 7/15/2023 at 3:59 AM, Tenacious D said:

They’ll do something with either Motor City or Motown.

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Old English M?  Just don’t go over the top with different colors or pinstripes or skylines or stuff like that.  The Tiger jerseys have been historically subtle.  A simple change that way would be enough.  Maybe a navy blue jersey top with a left side chest old English M is enough.

[casimir]

  On 7/15/2023 at 4:26 AM, gehringer_2 said:

Any explanation how they got another challenge after losing one?

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Leftovers from the all star game?  Gotta use those before they smell up the fridge.

[casimir]

  On 7/15/2023 at 2:35 PM, Tiger337 said:

I liked him because I didn't notice him too much.  He just blended in naturally.  Dickerson doesn't need a lot of analysis in the background.  

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Yes.  I recognized Ferrin’s voice from MLB radio.  I wonder how many games he’s called?  But even if he has experience, I doubt he and Dickerson have worked together before.  They formed a good combo early on.