A few things

[lonesometiger]

With Fielder at first and Cabrera at 3rd Tigers need a very good fielding 2ndbaseman and shortstop. JP is average at best at short but is not enought. None of the Tigers 2nd baseman are good enought! There really is no Double play in this infield! and really there are too many balls that get passed the 1st/2nd base side of the infield.

The left fielder is not good enought. Get Young out of there.

Leyland needs to stay with a lineup day in and day out for a while. And Young does not need to bat 5th!
Really on this note Cabrera needs to bat 4th and Fielder needs to bat 3rd for a while as the current combo really has not really produce any better than Cabrera did last season. Moving Fielder up could get him going at least? And Really I'm a thinking to bat Boesch 5th behind Cabrera?

And for crying out loud used the closer for closing winnable games! Using him in non winnable games is throwing him away for the next game! Tigers can not afford those kind of bad moves!


And for sure Tigers have too score more than 3-4 runs in a game! With the defense the Tigers are putting out there no wonder there record is below .500. You can not score runs and play good D. Pitching is not going to last, let alone win games.

 

[mjsb2]

As far as INF defense, double plays is what they do best.

Raburn is good at the turn, and Cabrera turns it well too, DPs aren't the problem.

It's a lack of range, and Prince has been a huge disappointment defensively.

And since the incident in New York, Dirks has been the LFer, and he's one of the best defensive LFer in baseball.

 

[biggunsbob]

You guys all talk about sample size and we all know Raburn's sample size of good defense at second is not going to hold up..Plus he is batting .144. You can't play that type of hitting... Range is a issue and Fielder does not have any... Miguel has played a pretty good third.. Jp is ok with not great range but again he needs to hit..Team is so maddening... Dirks, Jackson in left and CF would have good coverage. Right should be a platoon of Raburn/ BB.. Next year Young will not be back so I would just tell him to shut-up and DH him all the time.. Verses LHP only use raburn to try and get his bat going...But only in the outfield.. He has improved At second But his range is below the league average... If he would only hit all season...

 

[lonesometiger]

As far as INF defense, double plays is what they do best.

Raburn is good at the turn, and Cabrera turns it well too, DPs aren't the problem.

It's a lack of range, and Prince has been a huge disappointment defensively.

And since the incident in New York, Dirks has been the LFer, and he's one of the best defensive LFer in baseball.

DP's is what they do best? Out of 14 teams in the AL they are dead last in turning the DP, DEAD LAST; at 26 ! The next team closes to them isSeattle with 32 . That's 6 better, Toronto is best at 54 twice as many twin killings for there pitchers!

The lack of range is indeed the big problem! they just do not get to too many balls. Just look at there games and count how many infield hits they have in a game. I'm a thinking there wa a game that there was 4 or 5 in it. The D in the infield is a problem, upgrades at 2nd and short are they only places that can be done with Cabrera and Fielder in the infield! O and it's not going to happen this season. No ones available at both 2nd and short for the right price!

 

[tomdalton22]

I didn't like the Fielder signing at first. Then I came around a bit. I think my first instinct was correct...I let the masses sway my opinion.

 

[hellifino]

I think we all knew going in, that this team wasn't going to be the greatest infield,what's killing us, is the lack of hitting, and especially timely hitting.

 

[johnny2x2x]

It's just a sloppy team in the field that apparently isn't getting good advice at the plate.

It's going to get worse before it gets better as we're at the start of a long road trip and a tough stretch.

 

[cmlfactor]

I make myself feel better by playing season mode in MLB2K12 where I've been scoring 10 to 12 runs a game regularly. And I've got DY batting .427 right now. LOL.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I didn't like the Fielder signing at first. Then I came around a bit. I think my first instinct was correct...I let the masses sway my opinion.

Of course you did.

I like still love the Fielder signing. We still have Miguel, AJ has become a big league ball player, we might have found a gem in Dirks (and Smyly). And we have JV and Fister.

Lot to be excited about and a relatively young team. Struggling big time but still the future looks bright. We just need to shore up a couple things and we'll be alright, maybe this year or maybe next.

 

[tomdalton22]

Of course you did.

I like still love the Fielder signing. We still have Miguel, AJ has become a big league ball player, we might have found a gem in Dirks (and Smyly). And we have JV and Fister.

Lot to be excited about and a relatively young team. Struggling big time but still the future looks bright. We just need to shore up a couple things and we'll be alright, maybe this year or maybe next.

no, I didn't like the signing at first. I said it would hamstring what the Tigers could do in the future and it would give them the worst infield defense in baseball.

 

[mjsb2]

DP's is what they do best? Out of 14 teams in the AL they are dead last in turning the DP, DEAD LAST; at 26 ! The next team closes to them isSeattle with 32 . That's 6 better, Toronto is best at 54 twice as many twin killings for there pitchers!

The lack of range is indeed the big problem! they just do not get to too many balls. Just look at there games and count how many infield hits they have in a game. I'm a thinking there wa a game that there was 4 or 5 in it. The D in the infield is a problem, upgrades at 2nd and short are they only places that can be done with Cabrera and Fielder in the infield! O and it's not going to happen this season. No ones available at both 2nd and short for the right price!

I can only hope you weren't serious with the first part.

That's even worse than using FP% to judge fielding.

I mean seriously, they don't get many DPs due to their below average GB%, league leading K% and just a lack of range.

 

[Rebbiv]

I can only hope you weren't serious with the first part.

That's even worse than using FP% to judge fielding.

I mean seriously, they don't get many DPs due to their below average GB%, league leading K% and just a lack of range.

Add in that DET has one of the lowest rates of a runners on 1B, less than 2 outs. (only TEX and NYY have less).

 

[Mitchrapp]

no, I didn't like the signing at first. I said it would hamstring what the Tigers could do in the future and it would give them the worst infield defense in baseball.

See this is the thing and I want you to be prepared so wait for it..wait for it some more. You Ready? I'll block it for ya, THERE IS NO SALARY CAP IN BASEBALL.

We might all assume Detroit won't spend above a certain amount, I'm sure not many thought no way we'd get Prince at 214m. But as long as there is no cap and the owner has money (and he has a lot) there is no "hamstring in the future".

 

[Thumb]

See this is the thing and I want you to be prepared so wait for it..wait for it some more. You Ready? I'll block it for ya, THERE IS NO SALARY CAP IN BASEBALL.

We might all assume Detroit won't spend above a certain amount, I'm sure not many thought no way we'd get Prince at 214m. But as long as there is no cap and the owner has money (and he has a lot) there is no "hamstring in the future".

See this is the thing that bothers me, people (like you obviously) think just because someone has money....

There is no salary cap, but there is a magic line between profit and loss.

Saying Mr. I is rich and has tons of money to spend is so nearsighted it's laughable.

Do you really expect, like the idiot on ESPN boards who thinks we should throw truckloads at Hamilton next off-season, that Mr. I will just let this team go deep into the red on the off chance he spends enough to buy a championship?

If you do, whoever you are, you're less smart than I gave you credit for.

 

[tomdalton22]

See this is the thing and I want you to be prepared so wait for it..wait for it some more. You Ready? I'll block it for ya, THERE IS NO SALARY CAP IN BASEBALL.

We might all assume Detroit won't spend above a certain amount, I'm sure not many thought no way we'd get Prince at 214m. But as long as there is no cap and the owner has money (and he has a lot) there is no "hamstring in the future".

no shit.....but every organization has a cap on what they are willing to spend. Today I heard that the Yankees are trimming payroll and they probably won't re-sign Cano. Given there is no salary cap do you fully expect that the Tigers will offer him a Prince like contract? Why didn't the Tigers sign Darvish? I mean the Tigers have holes at both corner OF spots, no 2B and need at least 1 more quality starter. If there is an unlimited amount of money don't you think that the Tigers would have filled those holes? Use your brain Mitch....I know it is difficult for you sometimes.

 

[Mitchrapp]

See this is the thing that bothers me, people (like you obviously) think just because someone has money....

There is no salary cap, but there is a magic line between profit and loss.

Saying Mr. I is rich and has tons of money to spend is so nearsighted it's laughable.

Do you really expect, like the idiot on ESPN boards who thinks we should throw truckloads at Hamilton next off-season, that Mr. I will just let this team go deep into the red on the off chance he spends enough to buy a championship?

If you do, whoever you are, you're less smart than I gave you credit for.

You're talking about different issues. All I said was you, me them - know jack about what is MI magic line. If you think you do, you're lying. I have no doubt you were stunned when we signed Fielder because you as most others did thought the magic line was lower.

Its not about add just anyone or having a 200m payroll. Its the fact we haven't a clue with what MI might or might not do. So when Tom said it'll "hamstring" the future, how would he know?

 

[Mitchrapp]

no shit.....but every organization has a cap on what they are willing to spend. Today I heard that the Yankees are trimming payroll and they probably won't re-sign Cano. Given there is no salary cap do you fully expect that the Tigers will offer him a Prince like contract? Why didn't the Tigers sign Darvish? I mean the Tigers have holes at both corner OF spots, no 2B and need at least 1 more quality starter. If there is an unlimited amount of money don't you think that the Tigers would have filled those holes? Use your brain Mitch....I know it is difficult for you sometimes.

You taking it out of context and assuming I meant something when I didn't.

 

[tomdalton22]

It will hamstring them in the future at some point. There will be a time that there will be a more pressing need that won't be filled because they signed Prince to a huge deal. That time could be next year if they pass on an opportunity to sign Cano. It's called opportunity cost.

 

[Thumb]

You're talking about different issues. All I said was you, me them - know jack about what is MI magic line. If you think you do, you're lying. I have no doubt you were stunned when we signed Fielder because you as most others did thought the magic line was lower.

Its not about add just anyone or having a 200m payroll. Its the fact we haven't a clue with what MI might or might not do. So when Tom said it'll "hamstring" the future, how would he know?

No.

I was not stunned by the Fielder signing because of money.

I was stunned because we already had the best player in baseball at 1B, and never thought we would target a 1B FA like Fielder or Pujols.

And here last seasons financial data:

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2011/33/baseball-valuations-11_Detroit-Tigers_332729.html

I'm not saying he wont spend, but to assume he'll just spend because there is no cap is dumb. He's a businessman with a net worth of 1.7B, and he didn't get that way by running in the red very much with any company.

 

[Mitchrapp]

No.

I was not stunned by the Fielder signing because of money.

I was stunned because we already had the best player in baseball at 1B, and never thought we would target a 1B FA like Fielder or Pujols.

And here last seasons financial data:

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2011/33/baseball-valuations-11_Detroit-Tigers_332729.html

I'm not saying he wont spend, but to assume he'll just spend because there is no cap is dumb. He's a businessman with a net worth of 1.7B, and he didn't get that way by running in the red very much with any company.

I never said that directly. Just pointed out that because there is no cap, a Fielder or another big signing is hard to say will hamstring the organization but to point that its an open cap. It wasn't meant to say we'll just sign Hamilton and Cano just because.

My whole argument was on no one knows what will hamstring us outside of the man, MI. MI has lost money before with the Tigers and yet he still spends. And I'm grateful for that.