5/22/24 2:10PM Tigers @ Royals

[Sports_Freak]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:18 PM, Tiger337 said:

They also added Flaherty, Canha and Chafin.  Maeda too, although he hasn't helped so far.  

Expand  

So many All Stars...wow. impressive. I'm surprised we ever lose a game. 😅😅

But seriously,  Flaherty has surprised me. I wish we had coaches that improved hitters as much as our coaches help pitchers...

[Hongbit]

Anyone able to find video of the AJ mound visit? 

[LongLiveMaroth]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:23 PM, Klondike said:

the problem with this line up is there's too many Colt Kieth's. although a solid singles hitter, the Tigers have to scrape three singles together to get a run. that's tough to do to win a lot of games. they did it earlier, but most teams have guys who can score in bunches with power. Big difference.

Expand  

Keith will find his power. I'm not worried about that. I know people are tired of being patient but we still have over 100 games to play. 

[Sports_Freak]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:19 PM, Tiger337 said:

He's got a .350 OBP.

Expand  

OK. But that doesn't change the fact that he's a 36 year old on the downside of his career. People who are into stats know there's a curve where there's an age drop-off. It's pretty foreseeable. And like I've said, he would be an excellent pickup to fill in a roster on a contender...as someone you can build around? Yeah, not so much.

[LongLiveMaroth]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:23 PM, Sports_Freak said:

They didn't do enough. Last two seasons, Tiger fans were all excited by the fact that Miggys huge contract was coming off the books and we could go out and get some quality players. This season, we hear that we need to evaluate what we have in the young players before we can spend. Next year it will be more of the same with a young 3rd baseman possibly coming up and some fresh arms possibly coming up. So our payroll is half of what it was when we contended, did they lower ticket prices? Lip service and excuses only work for so long when other teams rebuild and pass you by. What will Tiger management say next season when the White Sox pass us? It's all Al Avila's fault? 

Expand  

Who should they have realistically signed this off-season? 

[Klondike]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:28 PM, LongLiveMaroth said:

Keith will find his power. I'm not worried about that. I know people are tired of being patient but we still have over 100 games to play. 

Expand  

I agree. Even if it's not this year. He seems to be one of the few hitters who goes to the plate with a plan of what to do. Like Rod Carew said, 'If you don't have a good plan and idea on how to hit you won't succeed" . Not his exact words but close.

[gehringer_2]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:23 PM, Klondike said:

the problem with this line up is there's too many Colt Kieth's. although a solid singles hitter, the Tigers have to scrape three singles together to get a run. that's tough to do to win a lot of games. they did it earlier, but most teams have guys who can score in bunches with power. Big difference.

Expand  

This is true, but (by virtue of their approach) they are stuck in a chicken and egg situation. I believe it is largely because too many of them are selling out for power that opposing pitchers are using it against the Tigers with great success. The Tigers are trying to short circuit the process. You have to *hit* before you can hit for power. The Tigers give away so many strikes and so much of the plate so much of the time looking for that perfect pitch to drive that they are no threat to hit at all. Prove to pitchers you can hit it where they pitch it and you will force them to mix their approach and then you might start seeing pitches you can drive. Or you can just wait for those few games against incompetent pitchers and pad your stats once a week.

Edited May 22, 2024 by gehringer_2

[RatkoVarda]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:26 PM, Hongbit said:

Anyone able to find video of the AJ mound visit? 

Expand  

not much to see; he talked for 15 seconds, the rest of the guys kept some distance. he left and Lange looked a bit puzzled

[chasfh]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:23 PM, Klondike said:

the problem with this line up is there's too many Colt Kieth's

Expand  

I can only imagine what we'll be saying two years from now! "Not enough Colt Keiths", probably!

[chasfh]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:30 PM, Sports_Freak said:

OK. But that doesn't change the fact that he's a 36 year old on the downside of his career. People who are into stats know there's a curve where there's an age drop-off. It's pretty foreseeable. And like I've said, he would be an excellent pickup to fill in a roster on a contender...as someone you can build around? Yeah, not so much.

Expand  

We didn't get Canha to build around him. We got him because we needed someone to put on the field this year. No matter what, you gotta try to put the best team on the field that you can manage to.

[Sports_Freak]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:33 PM, LongLiveMaroth said:

Who should they have realistically signed this off-season? 

Expand  

Nobody. Why spend any money when suckers....err...fans will pay to see an inferior product? Just throw some more "alternate" jerseys and hats at the suckers...err...fans and pocket the money.

[LongLiveMaroth]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:52 PM, Sports_Freak said:

Nobody. Why spend any money when suckers....err...fans will pay to see an inferior product? Just throw some more "alternate" jerseys and hats at the suckers...err...fans and pocket the money.

Expand  

This is what bothers me and honestly it probably shouldn't because let people be fans the way they want but it's this idea that there were these superstars out here that Detroit definitely could have signed but didn't because "the owners cheap" rather than face the reality of the situation that the past off-season didn't really have any difference makers and people would be all up in arms had they actually signed some of the players people were clamoring for (looking at you Matt Chapman) rather than the Urshela. I understand the frustration but there was no silver bullet this off-season besides Ohtani who was never coming here.

[SeattleMike]

  On 5/22/2024 at 8:51 PM, 1776 said:

Outscored 26 to 9 in the three games. 

Expand  

First series all year where the Tigers were never really in any of the games.  It happens. If this starts happening more regularly I'll start to worry. Still feel a winning season is likely. Biggest concern for me is the bullpen. It's been knocked around for about a month now. 

[Sports_Freak]

  On 5/22/2024 at 10:01 PM, LongLiveMaroth said:

This is what bothers me and honestly it probably shouldn't because let people be fans the way they want but it's this idea that there were these superstars out here that Detroit definitely could have signed but didn't because "the owners cheap" rather than face the reality of the situation that the past off-season didn't really have any difference makers and people would be all up in arms had they actually signed some of the players people were clamoring for (looking at you Matt Chapman) rather than the Urshela. I understand the frustration but there was no silver bullet this off-season besides Ohtani who was never coming here.

Expand  

How much better would the Tigers be with Ohtani? Never had a chance at him because he was way too expensive? Yeah, we wouldn't just be a Central division contender, we would be a AL contender. Crazy talk, huh?

[kdog]

They needed Tork to be an elite hitter to fast track the process. Now that we know he probably won’t be elite, you have to look elsewhere to find that production. They are evaluating everything…need to pick a lane soon….either another mild teardown or trying to get better with what they have.

[Sports_Freak]

  On 5/22/2024 at 10:08 PM, SeattleMike said:

First series all year where the Tigers were never really in any of the games.  It happens. If this starts happening more regularly I'll start to worry. Still feel a winning season is likely. Biggest concern for me is the bullpen. It's been knocked around for about a month now. 

Expand  

The BP is being overworked because our SP have to try to be perfect. It's very, very common in baseball. A weak offense put tons of pressure on the pitching staff.

[SeattleMike]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:11 PM, Sports_Freak said:

I see tons of potential from him. He'll be close to hitting .300 by season end, IMO. He really is the least of our problems. But let's look at 1st base, SS, 3rd base, CF and RF. We have players we put out there but players to build around? Nope.

Expand  

What is wrong with RF? He's currently the best hitter on the team, if you don't count the current CF. You can't blame either of those positions for the Tigers woes.

[SoCalTiger]

  On 5/22/2024 at 9:07 PM, LongLiveMaroth said:

What if I told you Keith has an OPS of almost .900 the last 15 games and he is 74th percentile in range for a 2B. He is still learning the position but let's not act like he's been terrible out there.

Expand  

Your correct. I don’t doubt his hitting and am positively surprised by his range but he has to turn the double play and I have doubts he will be even average. My point is  making long term commitments based on projections not production. Not something I would do or support. Not saying I’m correct either. 
 

I want us to add proven talent not audition at the big league level. I still support Harris and less so Hinch but my concern is growing and my patience thin. Harris gets time but he can’t ignore the past years either. 

[LongLiveMaroth]

  On 5/22/2024 at 10:08 PM, Sports_Freak said:

How much better would the Tigers be with Ohtani? Never had a chance at him because he was way too expensive? Yeah, we wouldn't just be a Central division contender, we would be a AL contender. Crazy talk, huh?

Expand  

No because he basically had his pick of teams and there was no way he was coming to Detroit when he could play in California.

[Sports_Freak]

  On 5/22/2024 at 10:13 PM, SeattleMike said:

What is wrong with RF? He's currently the best hitter on the team, if you don't count the current CF. You can't blame either of those positions for the Tigers woes.

Expand  

People said the same thing about Canha just a few weeks ago.

My corner outfielders are sluggers who drive the ball on a consistent basis. Perez has had a nice start to his career but wasn't expected to be up here doing so well. Hopefully he keeps it up, we need all the offense we can get. And while some fans question the moves Harris didn't make, nobody knows what he was allowed to spend. Talking about payroll? Illitch is a multi-billionaire. Fans act like it's their money. So what if the Tigers just break even, or even lose a bit of money? Would Chris rather have "he wanted to win bady" on his tombstone or..."he made a lot of money"?

[Dtrain72]

And now, a live look into the brains of Scott Harris and Chriss Illitch:

 

[SeattleMike]

  On 5/22/2024 at 10:10 PM, Sports_Freak said:

The BP is being overworked because our SP have to try to be perfect. It's very, very common in baseball. A weak offense put tons of pressure on the pitching staff.

Expand  

You may be right about the reason, I don't know. But the pen needs to figure it out. Over the last month, a period in which the Tigers were 4 games under .500, the starting pitching was the best in MLB by xFIP. It was 10th in ERA. The Tigers offense was 14th in wRC+ and 10th in runs scored per game. The bullpen during this time had an ERA of 5.16, good for 28th in MLB. It's xFIP was better, at 14th. So they are probably a little unlucky, but that is what happens to bullpens that don't have high K rates.  Royals pen has the same problem. That will catch up to them. So will the fact that they are currently second in MLB in hitting with RISP. Considering they are 19th in MLB in wRC+ I suspect a serious run scoring regression is on the horizon for them.

[Dtrain72]

  On 5/22/2024 at 10:29 PM, Sports_Freak said:

People said the same thing about Canha just a few weeks ago.

My corner outfielders are sluggers who drive the ball on a consistent basis. Perez has had a nice start to his career but wasn't expected to be up here doing so well. Hopefully he keeps it up, we need all the offense we can get. And while some fans question the moves Harris didn't make, nobody knows what he was allowed to spend. Talking about payroll? Illitch is a multi-billionaire. Fans act like it's their money. So what if the Tigers just break even, or even lose a bit of money? Would Chris rather have "he wanted to win bady" on his tombstone or..."he made a lot of money"?

Expand  

Irony is, if Chris builds a winner, he'l make lots more $....he must have been in college huffing whippets when his dad at least tried to win and had actual, you know, passion and drive for building a winner.

[IdahoBert]

I totally forgot about this game because I spent the day hanging out with my son who lives in Portland Oregon and is in town for the week. We went for a great walk in the botanical garden, had a tremendous lunch, and then went to Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, which was slow and tedious at times but finally picked up and was worth the 2 1/2 hours it took, which was better than this game from what I can tell. 

[Sports_Freak]

  On 5/22/2024 at 10:27 PM, LongLiveMaroth said:

No because he basically had his pick of teams and there was no way he was coming to Detroit when he could play in California.

Expand  

First, throw enough money at him and he would be here. Second, the Tigers weren't even in discussions to sign him.