4/9/24 12:35PM EDT Tigers @ Pirates

[Jim Cowan]

A pleasant surprise W!

[gehringer_2]

21 minutes ago, oblong said:

Someone on Tiger Twitter had a meltdown because Foley's first pitch was a ball....

 

And he gave up two GB hits. I can see why Hinch doesn't want to relay on him as a guy to call on with men on base, even if he might be the toughest guy in the BP to score on  starting an inning clean. But if Hinch has any virtue as a manager, it certainly starts with his ability to fit the pieces of a bullpen together.

[Sports_Freak]

57 minutes ago, Dtrain72 said:

And Greene's robbing of a home run.

Agreed. But Vierling made those plays in the bottom of the 8th, allowing the Tigers to come back. Really huge defensive plays, as was Greene's.

[Sports_Freak]

"Hey, Rockie, watch me pull a win outta my ass"

[IdahoBert]

Nice to win a game again, especially in the ninth-inning. Winning is the difference between milk and honey flowing through your veins or battery acid. I like milk and honey a lot more.  

[VegasTiger]

34 minutes ago, IdahoBert said:

Nice to win a game again, especially in the ninth-inning. Winning is the difference between milk and honey flowing through your veins or battery acid. I like milk and honey a lot more.  

While I prefer the milk and honey, I'm having a hard time holding a charge.

[LongLiveMaroth]

 

 

[Tigeraholic1]

1 minute ago, LongLiveMaroth said:

 

 

Another nice plug for these awesome new uniforms.

[oblong]

The Tigers have won one game out of their last one games played, good for a one game consecutive winning streak. 

[chasfh]

2 hours ago, SoCalTiger said:

Keith has been a pleasant surprise and our outfield defense is excellent. 

I think we all knew the outfield defense was gonna go get it, but I think we all expected Keith to be meh at 2B. Honestly, if he can end the year with at least 0 DRS and 0 OAA—that is, not negative—with 100+ wRC+, he’s gonna get votes, and I’ll be thrilled.

[IdahoBert]

1 hour ago, LongLiveMaroth said:

 

 

I watch a lot of men’s cycling on Peacock and MAX and when those guys hit the pavement going 30 to 40 mph, their thin sheen of Lycra exposes their bleeding butts. Riley’s getting off easy here. 

[SoCalTiger]

39 minutes ago, chasfh said:

I think we all knew the outfield defense was gonna go get it, but I think we all expected Keith to be meh at 2B. Honestly, if he can end the year with at least 0 DRS and 0 OAA—that is, not negative—with 100+ wRC+, he’s gonna get votes, and I’ll be thrilled.

Agree. Surprising his glove is ahead of the bat. He looks like a ball player to me with good instincts. 

[kdog]

Barring a rainout for Minny, Pablo Lopez vs Skubal on Thursday afternoon.

[casimir]

16 hours ago, LongLiveMaroth said:

Defense and Bednar are really the only reasons they won that game. Keith has been solid at 2nd. 

True.  But they took advantage of Bednar's issues and figured out a way to win.  Ugly offense for 8 innings and opportunistic for 1.  Good enough.  I think we've seen plenty in the past where a Tiger team doesn't take advantage of what could be be gifted to them.  We definitely have seen their defensive issues in the past.

[casimir]

13 hours ago, chasfh said:

I think we all knew the outfield defense was gonna go get it, but I think we all expected Keith to be meh at 2B. Honestly, if he can end the year with at least 0 DRS and 0 OAA—that is, not negative—with 100+ wRC+, he’s gonna get votes, and I’ll be thrilled.

I'm still a bit worried about Keith and Torkelson on the same side of the infield.  A shot in between is a shot in between and will be a single regardless of who is over their.  But this team's postseason chances seem to be built on pitching (added depth over the offseason) and trying to win the margins where they can (evident in the use of the bench during the games).  Now, we have seen a good amount of shifting within the rules still, so they can take advantage of that with Baez up the middle.  But will it be enough to be favorable on an amount of those grounders to the right side?  So, I'm probably with you on the 0 DRS and 0 OAA, but how does that parlay to the team defense?  

[mtutiger]

1 hour ago, casimir said:

True.  But they took advantage of Bednar's issues and figured out a way to win.  Ugly offense for 8 innings and opportunistic for 1.  Good enough.  I think we've seen plenty in the past where a Tiger team doesn't take advantage of what could be be gifted to them.  We definitely have seen their defensive issues in the past.

It really shows the value of playing 9 innings of clean, mistake-free baseball as well... that was a factor in keeping it close in this one.

[gehringer_2]

1 hour ago, casimir said:

But this team's postseason chances seem to be built on pitching

ironically, they are not doing so great at their professed 'Job 1' of controlling the strike zone, sitting at 12th of 30 teams in walks allowed. TBF, they drop to above average at 18th if you drop out Lange's 5. 🤢 

[casimir]

2 hours ago, mtutiger said:

It really shows the value of playing 9 innings of clean, mistake-free baseball as well... that was a factor in keeping it close in this one.

Easier to win games late when the difference is a run or two rather than five or six.  The pitching depth and improved defensive options should help that.  Now as far as manufacturing the runs needed......

[chasfh]

3 hours ago, casimir said:

I'm still a bit worried about Keith and Torkelson on the same side of the infield.  A shot in between is a shot in between and will be a single regardless of who is over their.  But this team's postseason chances seem to be built on pitching (added depth over the offseason) and trying to win the margins where they can (evident in the use of the bench during the games).  Now, we have seen a good amount of shifting within the rules still, so they can take advantage of that with Baez up the middle.  But will it be enough to be favorable on an amount of those grounders to the right side?  So, I'm probably with you on the 0 DRS and 0 OAA, but how does that parlay to the team defense?  

I would think that along with the improved defense we got at the other positions, it would raise the team's defense overall.

[kdog]

The defense kept them in the game. Vierling showed some tremendous range.