08/15/2023 7:40pm EDT Detroit Tigers vs Minnesota Twins

[Crazy Cat Gentleman]

Oh, hey, an out.

[AZTigersfan]

Wasn’t Vest getting rocked in Toledo when we called him up?

[kdog]

The bullpen implosion is fine. Faedo pitched well. If a young guy gets a big hit, that would be a good outcome overall. The actual result of the game is largely irrelvant.

[AZTigersfan]

What is the purpose of playing Diaz? Clearly sub Maton level. 

[Adullin]

Wow what a double play. What a scoop at first. 

[Adullin]

Boom!!!!

[Crazy Cat Gentleman]

Torque bomb. too little, too late, I'm sure.

[chasfh]

Don’t look now, but TORK! is a halfway-decent hot streak away from ending up with 30 bombs.

[gehringer_2]

2 hours ago, Jim Cowan said:

I'm not enjoying the Isan Diaz era.

Just what exact calamity would befall the universe if Zach Short, our regular normal utility SS, actually just started a game in place of our missing regular shortstop? Would Polaris suddenly careen into Andromeda or what? We just *have* to have some retread waiver waif instead? Harris, and maybe Hinch as well, is trying to prove himself too cute by half and it's getting outright stupid.

Edited August 16, 2023 by gehringer_2

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, kdog said:

The bullpen implosion is fine. Faedo pitched well. If a young guy gets a big hit, that would be a good outcome overall. The actual result of the game is largely irrelvant.

Faedo's success also in spite of not having a whole lot on his FB. Pretty much junk balled them to death - 60% off speed.

[Tigeraholic1]

[SeattleMike]

11 minutes ago, Tigeraholic1 said:

112 wRC+ since May 1. BTW, both Greene and Carpenter in top 20 in MLB since then. I believe both were injured during the 9-game losing streak. 

[casimir]

9 hours ago, SoCalTiger said:

Why does Tork back up to catch a bigger bounce from Verling instead of just leaning in and catching the short hop ? Is that a correct way to play that ? It seems it will take longer and puts Tork at risk moving into the baseline to catch the ball. That's like the third time he has done that.  Did anyone see that ?

I've seen this on occasion from other 1Bdudes as well.  My guess is its a combination of the runner still being a ways from the base and backing up on the bounced throw is a better hop angle to catch.  If the former isn't available, the 1Bdude is forced onto the inside of the bag to make a tougher catch.  It looks similar to how an IF waits back on a bounce as opposed to coming in on it.

[casimir]

9 hours ago, kdog said:

Waiver claim you can try for a week while Baez is out? See if you salvage anything out of his tools? I've got nothing.

Neither does Diaz.

[casimir]

8 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

Just what exact calamity would befall the universe if Zach Short, our regular normal utility SS, actually just started a game in place of our missing regular shortstop? Would Polaris suddenly careen into Andromeda or what? We just *have* to have some retread waiver waif instead? Harris, and maybe Hinch as well, is trying to prove himself too cute by half and it's getting outright stupid.

Alright, so hear me out on this a bit.

Baez goes on bereavement.  Replace an IF with an IF.  They are experimenting with Vierling at 3B, which is fine (although part of the risk reared its ugly head in this game).  They have McKinstry, Short, Maton available for SS, that trio plus Ibanez for 2B, and that quartet available for 3B (along with Vierling).  That gives them 4 bodies for up the middle, which seems fine for a week.  2 on the bench if Vierling is at 3B, but he's going to get some OF time, too.  So 1 on the bench as a minimum.  Not ideal if someone comes down with a day-to-day issue, but it ain't like they'd have to shuffle Cabrera out to 3B.

OK, so bring up an IF for an IF for coverage.  They could bring up Nevin, wouldn't that be dandy?  No, bat stinks and can only play the corners.  Even if only for a week, look for other options.

They've also got Perez, Lipcius, Leonard, and Kreidler on the 40.  Kreidler is working back from injury, so, OK, reluctant to bring him up.  They're probably holding out on the first 3 because they simply don't feel they are ready and/or they want to keep rookie status (which..., whatever).  But Lipcius is 25 already and has over 550 PAs at AAA (.277/.364/.408 with a 67 BB to 100 SO split).  Seems like he could have been a reasonable call up, although he recently missed time due to injury also.

Why pick up Diaz?  He was readily available, wanted a warm body that plays up the middle, and he can be simply released after a week without affecting the 40 going forward and preserving rookie status?  I can see that angle.  But again, on the outside looking in, why not give Lipcius the big league locker? 

[gehringer_2]

3 hours ago, casimir said:

I've seen this on occasion from other 1Bdudes as well.  My guess is its a combination of the runner still being a ways from the base and backing up on the bounced throw is a better hop angle to catch.  If the former isn't available, the 1Bdude is forced onto the inside of the bag to make a tougher catch.  It looks similar to how an IF waits back on a bounce as opposed to coming in on it.

Some guys are just more comfortable making certain plays. But there is some justification here. You don't want the ball at your feet so you have to go one way or the other. At 1b if you come off the bag toward 3rd you are pretty much giving up the out as the bag and the runner are now behind you (an issue a MIL doesn't have when he charges a hop) and you can't see and may not find either once you have the ball. Sometimes the blind behind the back tag works, sometimes someone gets hurt. If you go back, the risk is being run over but if you take a full step back from the line the runner is going to have room to stay in front of you and you can tag him as he goes by - most runners are going to avoid a collision if they can, though there are always a few crazies.

Edited August 16, 2023 by gehringer_2

[gehringer_2]

3 hours ago, casimir said:

Why pick up Diaz?  He was readily available, wanted a warm body that plays up the middle, and he can be simply released after a week without affecting the 40 going forward and preserving rookie status?  I can see that angle.  But again, on the outside looking in, why not give Lipcius the big league locker? 

OK - I would buy it 100% if it saved burning an option for say - Lipcius, but he's already on the 40 so aren't we burning one his options already this season? Why not give him a 'cup-o-coffee' when Baez is out - I would think if anything that kind of treatment is a great morale boosting move for the your AAA players.

[Tenacious D]

19 minutes ago, gehringer_2 said:

OK - I would buy it 100% if it saved burning an option for say - Lipcius, but he's already on the 40 so aren't we burning one his options already this season? Why not give him a 'cup-o-coffee' when Baez is out - I would think if anything that kind of treatment is a great morale boosting move for the your AAA players.

Plus, why not see what you have in Lipcius or Wenceel, as you have to make decisions regarding the 40 man this offseason?  I can’t imagine them keeping both again, if presented with a roster crunch.

Plus, as noted, give the playing time to Short and let Diaz provide bench depth.

[casimir]

4 hours ago, gehringer_2 said:

OK - I would buy it 100% if it saved burning an option for say - Lipcius, but he's already on the 40 so aren't we burning one his options already this season? Why not give him a 'cup-o-coffee' when Baez is out - I would think if anything that kind of treatment is a great morale boosting move for the your AAA players.

Oh, I'm not suggesting that's the reasoning at hand, nor that I agree with it.  I'm just throwing pooh against the wall trying to understand the decision that was made.  I agree with you, give Lipcius his MLB debut.

[gehringer_2]

22 minutes ago, casimir said:

Oh, I'm not suggesting that's the reasoning at hand, nor that I agree with it.  I'm just throwing pooh against the wall trying to understand the decision that was made.  I agree with you, give Lipcius his MLB debut.

Well, you can take either view: A) try to be predictable in your system so guys know who's in line and when they can look forward to getting their shot. The "keep everyone happy because everyone knows where they stand" approach.  OR B) You keep everyone on edge, not knowing if anything they have done is good enough and that some one else might be brought in at any point in front of their place in the line. The "keep everyone on edge, looking over their shoulder, running as fast as they can" approach.

On system performance grounds a lot of folks might argue that B is just as likely to net you maximum performance....🤔