Contenders or pretenders

[lonesometiger]

Tigers are in bad shape. Yea I know they are only 4 back in the standings. But that not the real story. In reality they are 5 back in the loss column. That means to win the Division they have to out play the Tribe by SIX less loses the rest of the way!

Cleveland put a nail in last night by winning 1 of the 3 in hand games. They split the other 2 and then the Tigers are still 4 back they win those two and that pushes the Tigers back to 5 out and the Tigers can do nothing about it!

Cleveland going at a rate of .571 should they keep that up they will go 28 -22 for 92 wins. Even should they go .500 the rest of the way 89 wins are there!
Tigers would have to go 32-16 to reach 93 wins for a .666 clip. Even should they need only 90 it's 29-19 for a .604 clip. Not saying it can not be done but this 4 game losing streak has damage there contender chances.

Tigers are still in the thick of the Wild Card but that only a ONE game deal. And IMO throws them into a pretender with a 50 50 chance!

As of today there still a chance to win the Division but the numbers are starting to work against them. The real question is will they play .600ball the rest of the way. I guess not, but put it to the board, what do you think.

 

[dale675]

I like the rest of our schedule, other than we finish the season @ Atlanta.

Tough series left - 3 @ Texas, 4 vs Boston, 3 vs Baltimore, 3 @ Cleveland, 4 vs Cleveland

Then 31 other games vs teams under .500 who we typically beat up on.

IMO we must Must MUST go at LEAST 5-2 vs Cleveland to even stand a chance. 4-3 picks up 1 game. 6-1 would be nice but probably unrealistic. Too bad we played so terribly against them so far.

And for the wild card...I have a hard time even calling a 1 game play in, the playoffs. Not a comfortable feeling at all especially if you are on the road.

 

[tomdalton22]

The Tigers don't have the pitching. My guess is they don't even get a WC

 

[UMRules06]

Pretenders. I didn't want to get too excited during the winning streak, and we're seeing the reasons why now. You go through streaks during a baseball season, and you can't get too high or too low at any point. The other shoe eventually drops. I've seen enough of this team to know their only chance is for a WC spot, and even that will be challenging.

 

[Mitchrapp]

They don't have to win the division to get in. With that being said the Tigers' have already surpassed what I thought they would do. It's been a good season.

 

[UMRules06]

I agree it's been a better season so far than what I thought. I'm still invested in watching the games at this point, and they still can do good things if they can start playing better baseball again.

 

[turok]

Spoilers...injuries, only a vet and a rookie for quality SP, an aging closer who has begun to get rocked, a SP who is Jarrod Washburn 2.0, another who is
Jeremy Bonderman 2.0, and yet another who is Brad Penny 2.0.

Their tandem of catchers can't even hit the Mendoza Line, they rolled the dice on 6 offseason acquisitions, hit on 2, and snake-eyes on 4.

 

[@Stakesarehigh]

Spoilers...injuries, only a vet and a rookie for quality SP, an aging closer who has begun to get rocked, a SP who is Jarrod Washburn 2.0, another who is
Jeremy Bonderman 2.0, and yet another who is Brad Penny 2.0.

Their tandem of catchers can't even hit the Mendoza Line, they rolled the dice on 6 offseason acquisitions, hit on 2, and snake-eyes on 4.

You're a real glass half full guy there.

 

[Rebbiv]

Spoilers...injuries, only a vet and a rookie for quality SP, an aging closer who has begun to get rocked, a SP who is Jarrod Washburn 2.0, another who is
Jeremy Bonderman 2.0, and yet another who is Brad Penny 2.0.

Their tandem of catchers can't even hit the Mendoza Line, they rolled the dice on 6 offseason acquisitions, hit on 2, and snake-eyes on 4.

There were actually 9 off season acquisitions:

Upton

Maybin

Saltalamacchia

Aviles

Zimmermann

Pelfrey

F. Rodriguez

M. Lowe

J. Wilson

If you factor both production and ability to stay healthy, I see Saltalamacchia as the only one exceeding expectations. A few started strong, but have faded of late.

 

[tomdalton22]

I don't think any of them have exceeded expectations if you take health into consideration.

Upton - came up short

Maybin - better than expected but can't stay healthy

Saltalamacchia - pretty much what is expected except for a few HR's early in the season

Aviles - exactly what I expected

Zimmermann - great early but faded which was going to happen

Pelfrey - just as shitty as expected

F. Rodriguez - maybe a little better than I expected but has been very shitty lately

M. Lowe - no commentary necessary

J. Wilson - worse than expected

 

[gotime909]

Even with the injuries Maybin has contributed more than anyone on the board expected from him.

Rodriquez has been great. Find me one closer that hasn't had a rough spot this season.

Agree on the rest

 

[biggunsbob]

I agree with the list like G. Said. You can't say Maybin has not helped . Shame he cannot stay healthy and no one can sustain the pace he started.
Frankie has been great. Exciting sometimes to much .
Salty decent bench guy and should be getting more at bats verses rhp.

The rest just suck.

 

[Mitchrapp]

I actually thought Maybin might hit 0.0. Weather he started stronger than he finished.. he dd well. Next year, sub .200.

 

[tomdalton22]

I actually thought Maybin might hit 0.0. Weather he started stronger than he finished.. he dd well. Next year, sub .200.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgn0O0yuEls

 

[Mitchrapp]

Always love that scene.

 

[lonesometiger]

The real problem with Tigers center fielders COMBINE is they are in last place for XBH they are really doing quite well in runs scored considering. Maybin only got 11 in 63 games and 2 home runs. In fact only 5 total HR's from Center Fielders. With out J.D. in the out field Tigers are a little short!

 

[tomdalton22]

The real problem with Tigers center fielders COMBINE is they are in last place for XBH they are really doing quite well in runs scored considering. Maybin only got 11 in 63 games and 2 home runs. In fact only 5 total HR's from Center Fielders. With out J.D. in the out field Tigers are a little short!

I don't buy into that HR's or extra base hits need to come from a position. The Tigers are 4th in the AL in slugging, 4th in OPS, 6th in HRs.

 

[Mitchrapp]

The real problem with Tigers center fielders COMBINE is they are in last place for XBH they are really doing quite well in runs scored considering. Maybin only got 11 in 63 games and 2 home runs. In fact only 5 total HR's from Center Fielders. With out J.D. in the out field Tigers are a little short!

But he didn't hit 0.0. Which is what we all thought..

 

[lonesometiger]

I really hate to be a bearer of bad news. And some of you can not see the forest for the trees. But Maybin has not been doing that great. Yea he's batting .325. Look at where he started, May batted.429 June>.323 July> .275 Aug> .167. He is not the only one

Castellanos has fallen off as well and with a bigger track record, April .363,May. .284,June >.273,July>.260, Aug.>>.100! Yea that .286 is deceiving!

Kinsler done the same April .330, May.>303,June>.259 July=.260 Aug. exception << .341.

V-Mart April .329, May< .353 yea, June> .284, July> .234, what happen Aug., .380recovered.

Saltalamacchia started out bad April.214,May>.158 Hot in June <.257,July >.171 Aug. =.176.

Upton has been a mirror April .221, May= .213,June,<.245,Jul,<.278 And then he fell off the planet Aug., >>>.163 ugg!

Cabrera April .270 May<.333, June>.292,July<.314,Took off in Aug.<<<.391.
Romine April .100, May< .133?, June <.241, July,<<.350, Well nothing lasts Aug.,>>.158!
Aviles April .200,> May>.100 ugg, June .264 High mark of the season!, July>>.206, Aug, >.200 Well some one got to bring up. Well the end

 

[tigermud]

I really hate to be a bearer of bad news. And some of you can not see the forest for the trees. But Maybin has not been doing that great. Yea he's batting .325. Look at where he started, May batted.429 June>.323 July> .275 Aug> .167. He is not the only one

Castellanos has fallen off as well and with a bigger track record, April .363,May. .284,June >.273,July>.260, Aug.>>.100! Yea that .286 is deceiving!

Kinsler done the same April .330, May.>303,June>.259 July=.260 Aug. exception << .341.

V-Mart April .329, May< .353 yea, June> .284, July> .234, what happen Aug., .380recovered.

Saltalamacchia started out bad April.214,May>.158 Hot in June <.257,July >.171 Aug. =.176.

Upton has been a mirror April .221, May= .213,June,<.245,Jul,<.278 And then he fell off the planet Aug., >>>.163 ugg!

Cabrera April .270 May<.333, June>.292,July<.314,Took off in Aug.<<<.391.
Romine April .100, May< .133?, June <.241, July,<<.350, Well nothing lasts Aug.,>>.158!
Aviles April .200,> May>.100 ugg, June .264 High mark of the season!, July>>.206, Aug, >.200 Well some one got to bring up. Well the end

He's a clubhouse energy bunny and provides much needed spark this team so desperately misses when he's not in there. I'll admit I also didn't think his signing was going to amount to anything.. I was 100% wrong on that one and very happy they brought him back.