By:
Advanced search…

Welcome to Detroit Sports Forum!

By joining our community, you'll be able to connect with fellow fans that live and breathe Detroit sports just like you!

Get Started
  • If you are no longer able to access your account since our recent switch from vBulletin to XenForo, you may need to reset your password via email. If you no longer have access to the email attached to your account, please fill out our contact form and we will assist you ASAP. Thanks for your continued support of DSF.

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

http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?c_id=det&c...130623_9117734
Webvideo Miggy's RBI double.
Miguel Cabrera skies a fly ball to deep center for a ground-rule double, scoring Austin Jackson to get Detroit on the board early.

http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?c_id=det&c...130623_9122314
Webvideo V-Mart's stellar flip play.
Victor Martinez snares Jacoby Ellsbury's grounder down the line and flips it backwards to Drew Smyly covering first for the out. What a great play!!!

http://wapc.mlb.com/play/?c_id=det&c...130623_9124094
Webvideo Torii ends it for Benoit.
Torii Hunter runs in on Stephen Drew's liner and makes a nice catch to seal the Tigers' 7-5 win and the win for Joaquin Benoit
 
V-Mart showing signs of midseason rebound.
DETROIT -- Victor Martinez usually doesn't make too much about hitting into luck, good or bad. After his grand slam landed in the first row of seats in right field Saturday night, however, even he couldn't help but believe his karma had taken a turn for the better.

"I'm not gonna lie, I hit some good balls that didn't get caught," Martinez said.
There are advanced metrics that back up his argument on that. ESPN Stats and Information cites a data provider that categorizes balls put in play by how hard they're hit. While the average Major League hitter has a batting average well above their rate of "hard-hit" balls, Martinez's .231 batting average has actually been well below his hard-hit rate. At the same time, Martinez's line-drive rate of 19 percent, according to baseball-reference.com, would suggest a much better average.

Moreover, Martinez's batting average on balls put in play is just .237, 74 points below his career rate and 59 points below the American League's average.

"We see it every day," teammate Max Scherzer said. "Vic keeps hitting the ball hard at people, all the time. Guys just keep robbing him. For him to step up and hit that first-inning grand slam, that just changed the game. Kudos to him."

His manager is hoping it changes his season.
"If he hits like that, we'll be real good," Jim Leyland said. "He's shown signs of coming forth a little bit, he's hit a lot of balls hard, but he hasn't got hits on them, so he's hit in some tough luck. He's had some days where he hasn't really swung that good. It doesn't have to be of that magnitude [Saturday] night, but if we can get him going really good, it's a pretty impressive lineup."
from the Tigers official site
 
Anibal making strides in recovery from shoulder strain.
DETROIT -- Anibal Sanchez is showing hope that he could be ready to pitch when he's eligible to come off the disabled list on July 1. At this point, though, the Tigers are remaining cautiously optimistic about their injured right-hander, who is working his way back from a shoulder strain.

Sanchez felt fine after a long-toss session on Saturday, finding what he was missing in the start before he went on the DL. The Tigers are hoping he can do the same when he throws off the bullpen mound on Tuesday.

How he feels coming out of that could play a big role in his timetable. The club would like to get Sanchez some action against live hitting, possibly in a simulated format, before sending him back into the rotation.

Jose Alvarez is scheduled to make one more start in Sanchez's place on Wednesday against the Angels at Comerica Park. His spot comes back around in the rotation on July 1 in a Canada Day matinee at Toronto.
from the Tigers official site
 
Alburquerque turns up heat in pressure situation.
DETROIT -- Yes, those were 90-mph sliders coming from Tigers reliever Al Alburquerque on Saturday night, including on consecutive pitches to strike out the Red Sox's Shane Victorino and escape an eighth-inning jam.

Yes, the Tigers are taking that as a good sign.
"Yes, he's healthy," pitching coach Jeff Jones said.

It has to be more than health. Alburquerque has averaged about 86 mph on his slider for his career, according to various sources, and slightly higher than that this year. A 90-mph slider, however, is well beyond that, and more in line with something from 100-mph fastballer Bruce Rondon.

Alburquerque said after Saturday's game that the adrenaline of a tight situation might have played a part. He retired the top third of the Red Sox order after a walk and a single put two runners on in the eighth inning.

For game purposes, it didn't mean much in a 9-2 game. For Alburquerque's purposes of winning back his manager's trust, it was big.

"The slider last night was OK, but a little bit different looking slider at times," Jim Leyland said. "At times, it was real good. Plus, it's just a matter of consistency. I think he'll be fine."
from the Tigers official site
 
Leyland confirmed that Verlander is scheduled to close out the Tigers' first-half schedule with a start against Texas on Sunday, July 14, two days before the All-Star Game. By rule, if he pitches that game, it would rule him out from pitching in the Midsummer Classic two days later. He could still be named to the All-Star team and take part in the festivities, but he can't play. By contrast, Leyland confirmed that Max Scherzer could pitch an inning in the All-Star Game if he starts on Saturday, July 13, as scheduled.

The Tigers had a scout at this weekend's Marlins-Giants series at San Francisco. Detroit has been rumored to have interest in Miami relievers who could hit the trade market next month, such as closer Steve Cishek and setup man Ryan Webb.
 
Prince Fielder: 2-run 1B after an IBB to Miguel Cabrera. Via EliasSports: Fielder is 5-for-9 with 9 RBI this season in that situation.

Tigers now 7-1 last 8G v. Red Sox in Det...climb 10G over .500 for 2nd time this year.

JV asked if "concerned" was a good word for his mindset. "No. It's an awful word. Pick another one."

Verlander (1/4): "There’s obviously still frustration. I’m frustrated with myself, obviously."

JV (2/4): "There’s no point in getting upset and looking back and saying, ‘What the (heck).’ It’s just constantly looking forward".

JV (3/4): "That’s sports. There’s ups and downs. Nobody’s at the peak of their game forever."

JV (4/4): "I’ll get back there. I will. It’s just, like I said, finding that click. Finding that rhythm."

JV, if contract is factor: "No."

JV: "It’s my job to go out there and pitch, whether I’m making one cent, or $500 million a year."

Then JV was asked about the Taco Bell stuff,

JV: "Just haven’t quite found it. Can’t put into words what it is I’m trying to find. That click, that rhythm, that feel."

JV: "It’s not easy. When it’s going right it is easy. When it’s going wrong, it seems like everything kind of goes wrong."

Verlander seems frustrated, reading his comments today. Understandably so. Big win for the team today though, they picked him up.
 
Last edited:
Tigers ace Justin Verlander was asked if his struggles this season feel like those of '08, and early '09:
"Yeah, I guess a little bit. But having drawn from that experience, I’m sure helps me. When you look back at ’08, it was a 17-loss season, and almost a 5 ERA ... I’ve matured a lot since then. I think you take the same pitcher I am now, and throw it back then, and that’s what you get. You get 17 losses, and a game like today, you probably get a guy that gives up six or seven or eight, and the team loses, as opposed to keeping us in the game, and we end up coming back and winning.
"That’s a big difference, maturity-wise. I haven’t been pitching the way I want to, obviously. But just being able to keep a level head."

JV: "It’s just a matter of finding it. It’s not injury. The stuff’s there. Just being able to repeat my delivery, and execute my fastball."
JV if lack of velo concerns: "No. It’s one of those things. Because I’m not quite right, it’s not there. I think it all comes hand-in-hand".
Verlander on VMart's play: "It was unbelievable. What a great play. Should be No. 1 on @SportsCenter. We’ll see."
JV on Smyly: "He’s been a blessing. Pitched absolutely phenomenally for us, and has allowed our team to come up with a lot of big wins."

M.Mowery
 
Last edited:
Leyland said he'll probably rest every Tigers regular at some point during 20-game stretch leading into break, except maybe DHing Fielder.

Leyland on Verlander: "Command has been the issue. So that’s the issue that we have to tackle, and find out why."

Leyland: "We just caught a break. Sometimes it’s your day, sometimes it isn’t."

Leyland on Verlander: "The good thing about it is it's not stuff and he's healthy. We can fix the other things."

Tigers have an off day tomorrow, then don't have another until All-Star break. Leyland said he plans to rest everybody during that stretch.

Leyland was considerably more subdued today than he was his "write what you saw" rant last May in Boston.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

About Us

Founded in 2011, Detroit Sports Forum is a community of fanatics dedicated to teams like the Lions, Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings, Wolverines, and more. We live and breathe Detroit sports!

Stay Connected

Forum statistics

Threads
34,934
Messages
1,130,375
Members
979
Latest member
MiGrampa

Affiliates

    Discussion Hub
Back
Top