Detroit Tigers Team Notes Over 3 Million Views!!! Thankyou!

[kalinecountry]

Tigers bullpen thriving out west.
Maybe a trip to the West Coast was the remedy for what ailed the Tigers bullpen.

Since Al Alburquerque's two-run outing last Saturday, Tigers relievers had strung together 13 1/3 scoreless innings entering Friday's series opener against the Angels. They allowed seven runs and five walks in that stretch while racking up 15 strikeouts. They didn't an inherited runner to score in that stretch, but they didn't inherit any runners from the starters, either.

In all of those innings, the bullpen replaced the starter to begin an inning, not in the middle of one. For manager Jim Leyland, that's the difference in strong starting pitching allowing him to use his relievers the way he wants to, not because he has to.

"They've done a good job recently," Leyland said. "Both bullpens over in Seattle did a good job, I thought. [Anibal] Sanchez gave us innings. [Doug] Fister gave us innings. [Justin] Verlander obviously gave us innings. Scherzer gave us innings. That's when you're using your bullpen how you want to, when you're getting innings out of your starters."
from the Tigers official site

 

[kalinecountry]

Valverde impresses in first Minor League outing.
Jose Valverde's first Minor League game went about as smoothly as his extended spring training outings did. He pitched a hitless seventh inning for high Class A Lakeland on Friday night against the Blue Jays' Class A affiliate at Joker Marchant Stadium.

Valverde walked the leadoff batter, Peter Mooney, but promptly erased him on a double play. Valverde ended the inning with a strikeout of Kevin Patterson.

The plan the Tigers have laid out calls for Valverde to pitch another inning for Lakeland on Saturday night before team officials meet about his situation next week. Though the original plan called for Valverde to face more advanced hitters at Triple-A Toledo before the Tigers decided whether to sign him to a Major League deal, team president/general manager Dave Dombrowski indicated earlier this week they wouldn't necessarily need to do that.

It's possible the Tigers could make a decision as soon as next week. Even if they don't, it looks increasingly likely the Tigers will reach a decision before the May 8 deadline specified in Valverde's opt-out clause.

Coincidentally, the Tigers' series at Angel Stadium this weekend brings Dombrowski face to face with Valverde's agent, Scott Boras, who has club seats behind home plate. The two were seen chatting briefly during pregame batting practice on Friday evening.
from the Tigers official site

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.freep.com/article/201304...it-1-Despite-warmth-Tigers-offense-still-cold
Los Angeles 8 - Detroit 1: Despite warmth, Tigers' offense still cold.
Halos' manager Scioscia gambles, faces Cabrera head-on in seventh.
from the freep

In the eight innings that Friday night?s 8-1 loss was close, the Tigers had 14 runners (eight hits, six walks). They left at least one runner in scoring position in seven innings.

http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2013/04/detroit_tigers_11.html
Detroit Tigers miserable with runners in scoring position, suffer 8-1 loss to Los Angeles Angels.
from Mlive

The Tigers went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and stranded 12 runners Friday night.
The Tigers grounded into three double plays with runners in scoring position, including two that ended innings.
The first hit they got with a runner in scoring position was a single that didn't score a run.

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/...rs-unable-deliver-big-hit-Angels-roll-victory
Tigers unable to deliver big hit as Angels roll to victory.
from the detnews

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_04_19_detmlb_anamlb_1&mode=recap_away&c_id=det
Tigers' bats remain cold in Anaheim.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/inde...d=det#gid=2013_04_19_detmlb_anamlb_1&mode=box
Boxscore.
from the Tigers official site

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.blessyouboys.com/2013/4/20/4245110/mlb-scores-angels-tigers-april-19
Angels 8 - Tigers 1: Detroit barely avoids suffering back-to-back shutouts.
from blessyouboystigersblog

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/Angels-8-Tigers-1-15254687
Tigers stifled 8 - 1.
from DetroitFox

 

[kalinecountry]

April 20 in Tigers and mlb history:

1908 - Henry Chadwick dies at age 83 in Brooklyn, New York. A sportswriter and historian, Chadwick was one of the prime movers in the rise of baseball to its unprecedented popularity at the turn of the 20th century. He will be elected to the Hall of Fame by the Special Veterans Committee in 1938.

1912 - The Detroit Tigers christen their Navin Field with a 6 - 5 win over the Cleveland Naps.

1914 - The 25-player limit is suspended in the American and National leagues. With uncertainty over who has signed with what teams as a result of the creation of the Federal League, it is almost impossible to know how many players may be on the roster at any one time.

1937 - Gee Walker hits for the cycle on Opening Day to lead the Tigers to a 4 - 3 victory over Cleveland. Walker hits the cycle in reverse order: home run, triple, double and single. This game starts a 27 game hitting streak for Walker

1939 - The Boston Red Sox show off their prize rookie Ted Williams before 30,278 in their opener at Yankee Stadium, delayed two days because of rain. After striking out twice, Williams collects a double off New York Yankees pitcher Red Ruffing, who wins 2 - 0. Lou Gehrig makes an error, goes hitless, and lines into two double plays in the only game featuring the two great sluggers. Other notables in what will become a historic box score include Joe DiMaggio, Bill Dickey, Jimmie Foxx, Joe Cronin, Bobby Doerr, Red Rolfe, and losing pitcher Lefty Grove. New York scores its first run on a home run by Dickey and its second tally on an error by Foxx. Boston has baserunners in each inning, but Ruffing tosses just the second opening day shutout in Yankees history. Four umpires work the game including third base ump George Pipgras, the starting pitcher for the Yankees in the 1929 opener against Boston. Curiously, his opponent for that day was Ruffing.

1941: The Brooklyn Dodgers become the first major league team to wear protective headgear. Each player's cap features a special plastic lining designed to fend off the effects of beanballs. It is a cautious response to the numerous beanball wars of 1940 that hospitalized Joe Medwick and Billy Jurges, among others. The liners in the caps are thin enough to be hardly noticeable, but most major league players disdain the protection.

1943: The season starts, two weeks later than customary. Stalwarts such as Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams, Enos Slaughter and Johnny Mize are gone to military service, among some 60 players who could have been classified as regulars in the 1942 season.

1968 - Detroit Tigers pitcher Jon Warden, the last man to make the team in spring training, makes his third appearance, and wins for the third time in relief, as Detroit beats the Chicago White Sox at Comiskey Park in 10 innings, 4 - 1. Due to a torn rotator cuff injury after being selected by the Kansas City Royals in the expansion draft, the rookie sensation, who will be the only Tiger not to appear in the World Series, will pitch only one season finishing with a 4-1 record and a 3.62 ERA.

1973 - Four months after his death, Pittsburgh Pirates great Roberto Clemente is inducted into the Hall of Fame in a special election.

2006: Julio Franco, at 47 years, 240 days old, becomes the oldest player in major league history to hit a home run. At Petco Park, Franco connects for a two-run, pinch-hit shot off Scott Linebrink that launches the Mets' six-run 8th inning and propells them to a 7 - 2 comeback victory against the Padres. This gives Franco the spot in the record book that had belonged to Philadelphia Athletics pitcher Jack Quinn, who was 46 years, 357 days old when he homered on June 27, 1930. Franco already was the oldest player to hit a grand slam and a pinch-hit homer, and to have a multi-homer game. He also has four career pinch-hit homers.

Tigers players birthdays:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Lou_Vedder
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/v/veddelo01.shtml
Lou Vedder 1920.

http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Milt_Wilcox
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/w/wilcomi01.shtml
Milt Wilcox 1977-1985.

from Baseball Reference

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2013/04/three_stars_miguel_cabrera_hel.html
Three stars: Miguel Cabrera helps snap Detroit Tigers' scoreless skid, Torii Hunter greeted with standing ovation.
from Mlive

http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2013/04/after_worst_game_of_young_seas.html
After worst game of young season, Detroit Tigers know key is to turn things around quickly.
from Mlive

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/...1129/Tigers-Torii-Hunter-remains-close-Angels
Tigers Notebook: Tigers' Torii Hunter remains close to Angels.
from the detnews

Stats
You know those 12 strikeouts by Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander in back-to-back games against the Mariners?

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, it's just the second time ever that a pair of Tigers starters have struck out 12 or more in consecutive starts. The first pair was Paul Foytack and Billy Hoeft in 1956 ? on July 28 and July 29 of that year, to be precise.
Foytack struck out 15 and Hoeft followed with 12 against the Washington Senators.

Also on the subject of strikeouts, the Tigers recorded 10 or more strikeouts seven times in their first 15 games, the most such games for them since at least 1916. In fact, no Tigers team had compiled more than four games of double-digit strikeouts in the first 15 since 1916.

 

[kalinecountry]

http://blog.detroitathletic.com/2013/04/20/home-run-facts-from-the-corner-in-detroit/
Home run facts from 'The Corner' in Detroit.
from Detroit Athletic

 

[kalinecountry]

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/hot-hi...ception--adds-to-angels-misery-050439266.html
Hot-hitting Torii Hunter returns to warm Anaheim reception as key cog in potent Tigers lineup.
from yahoosports

 

[kalinecountry]

Tigers vs Angels.
Saturday April 20th, 3:05 PM ET at Angel Stadium of Anaheim
Radio: DET: 97.1 The Ticket LAA: KLAA 830, KWKW 1330
TV: FOX

 

[kalinecountry]

http://motorcitybengals.com/2013/04/20/victor-martinez-isnt-hitting-but-hes-still-getting-on-base/
Victor Martinez Isn?t Hitting, But He?s Still Getting On Base.
from motorcitybengals-tigersblog

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.blessyouboys.com/2013/4/20/4245978/gif-of-the-day-austin-jackson-throws-out-peter-bourjos
GIF of the Day: Austin Jackson throws out Peter Bourjos.
from blessyouboystigersblog

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.theoaklandpress.com/arti...5172d7149effb047769862.txt?viewmode=fullstory
For now, Berry, Worth have to bide time as Detroit Tigers' spare parts.
from the Oakland Press

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.freep.com/article/20130420/SPORTS02/130420011/detroit-tigers-los-angeles-angels-recap
Los Angeles 10, Detroit 0: Forgettable day for Porcello, Tigers.
from the freep

http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2013/04/detroit_tigers_play_los_angele.html
Detroit Tigers' Rick Porcello surrenders nine runs in first inning; offense lifeless in third consecutive loss.
from Mlive

 

[kalinecountry]

Jackson experiences rare defensive glitches.
Austin Jackson's defensive credentials over his first three Major League seasons have made him an annual candidate for Gold Glove Award consideration. However, he has two uncharacteristic mixups in left-center field this month.
The latest came on Friday night, when Jackson and left fielder Matt Tuiasosopo both tracked a Peter Bourjos drive to the fence. Jackson gave way to Tuiasosopo, who was calling for the ball but stopped. Jackson didn't have enough time to recover, and the ball glanced off his glove as he made a last-second attempt.
"I think he probably had a bead on it," Leyland said, "and out of the corner of his eye he saw Tuiasosopo coming at him like a locomotive. All of a sudden, it was a little flinch."
Jackson and Andy Dirks had a similar play earlier this month. Under most circumstances, the center fielder has the priority on that play.
from the Tigers official site

 

[kalinecountry]

Garcia successful in extended spring game.
Avisail Garcia, who began the season on the disabled list with a bruised right heel, returned to game action Saturday morning with five at-bats as the designated hitter in an extended spring game in Florida.

Garcia stole a base in the game, according to head athletic trainer Kevin Rand, so he felt comfortable running.

The Tigers' plan calls for Garcia to start in the outfield in extended spring games on Monday and Tuesday before the medical staff re-evaluates him. Assuming Garcia has no setbacks, it would not be a surprise for him to begin a Minor League rehab assignment next week, either staying in warm weather Florida with Class A Lakeland or heading north.

Garcia was a contender for a roster spot in Spring Training before the heel injury, though the Tigers seemed unlikely to carry him on the big league roster unless he would be getting regular at-bats. Though left fielder Andy Dirks has gotten off to a slow start, a healthy Garcia won't change the Tigers' outlook right away.
from the Tigers official site

 

[kalinecountry]

Jackson goes green with first two-steal game.
Austin Jackson is one of the few Tigers with a green light to steal a base at any time. Manager Jim Leyland reserves the right to put a stop sign on him, but rarely does. Thus, it seems odd that Friday marked just the second two-steal game of Jackson's career, and the first since his rookie season.

Call it an effort to get a sputtering Tigers offense going, or call it a flash of aggressiveness on the basepaths with baserunning consultant Jeff Cox in the crowd, but Jackson took advantage of Angels starter Tommy Hanson's struggles holding runners, and catcher Chris Iannetta's struggles throwing them out. Opponents are 11-for-11 stealing bases on Iannetta so far this season.

"We thought we had a shot, so we tried to take advantage of it," manager Jim Leyland said. "It worked out fine. To their credit, [Angels manager] Mike [Scioscia] called a pitchout on the one and he still beat it."

Jackson's first steal in the third inning came on a pitchout after a leadoff walk. It put Jackson in scoring position for Torii Hunter, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. Hanson opted not to intentionally walk Cabrera and instead retired the middle of the Tigers' lineup in order.

If Fielder's presence prompts opponents not to walk Cabrera, it could create more opportunities for Jackson to steal by removing the hesitation to leave first base open.

Jackson's last two-steal came on June 12, 2010, against the Pirates. Cabrera was still batting cleanup back then. Ryan Raburn hit third on that particular day. The Tigers had five two-steal games last year, three from Quintin Berry and two from Omar Infante.

Other Tigers with two-steal games in between Jackson's two-steal efforts: Brennan Boesch on Sept. 12, 2010, and Johnny Damon on June 27 of that same season.
from the Tigers official site

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/...s/Rick-Porcello-hammered-as-Tigers-lose--10-0
Rick Porcello hammered as Tigers lose, 10-0.
from the detnews

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/index.jsp?gid=2013_04_20_detmlb_anamlb_1&mode=recap_away&c_id=det
Porcello, Tigers can't overcome tough start.
http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/gameday/inde...d=det#gid=2013_04_20_detmlb_anamlb_1&mode=box
Boxscore.
from the Tigers official site

http://www.blessyouboys.com/2013/4/...mike-trout-grand-slam-detroit-los-angeles-mlb
Rick Porcello's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
from blessyouboystigersblog

 

[kalinecountry]

http://www.mlive.com/tigers/index.ssf/2013/04/focus_in_10-0_loss_is_on_nine.html
Rick Porcello charged with nine runs in 10-0 loss, but lack of offense is bigger issue for Detroit Tigers.
from Mlive