Six losses in a row now....I would not blame pitching on those last losses, even though they gave up 19 hits tonight...Looks like the issue is timely hits and the lack of the key HR ....They had six opportunities to end the game from the 8th to the 13th if someone could have reached the seats....instead it was Cruz who did it for the Rangers. Carlos Guillen grounding into the double play in the bottom of the 11th after Damon stopped at third on a previous play was the killer... meanwhile, the Sox go back to winning and the Twins go back to losing...and JL looked liked nervous nellie pacing back and forth in the dugout...as if you all were talking about him
You could, except he consistently makes the wrong calls for some reason. It may be a coincidence, but I don't think so.
How do you know they are the wrong calls? That is the problem with second-guessing. If it didn't work for Leyland's pitcher of choice, there is no guarantee it would have been any better for your pitcher of choice.
There are some obvious things as using struggling rookie Weinhardt twice in the Indians series, keeping Oliver, who is clearly not ready up in the majors
Players have gotta play. Against Cleveland, the manager should get the day off. Let the pitching coach make pitching changes.
The most likely explanation here is that our 1st place position with a break-even run spread was a mathematical fluke and the law of average... is catching up to us. There are only 5 teams in the American league with a worse spread than us. There are 16 teams in baseball with at least as many wins as us. We are average. Average teams make the playoffs in other sports, but not baseball.
Seven losses in a row....this time shut out by the Rangers. 8-0 Are the Tigers in the same league talent wise as the Rangers. Their pitching looks better, their defense is great, and they are defenitely faster than the slow footed tigers. Plus their manager smokes the real stuff while dazed and confused Leyland is just a plain ole cigaret man. Meanwhile the Sox are winning again tonight and can stretch their lead to 3.5 games despite losing three in a row over the weekend???
The Tigers are extremely unpredictable. But I think they have overachieved so far as they have no starting pitching and no fielding.
Somebody on the Detnews site commented that JL was tired and hoping to get fired so that he can just collect a paycheck and relax at home....
My concern is that if the Tigers don't win a Series or come close over the next couple years, Cabrera will ask for a trade to a team with a shorter left-field fence and better chance to win it all. I agree with mikhail. This team is unpredictable. No consistency (except for right now as they lose consistently).
With the Tigers being tied for 9th in the league in home runs, (79) you would think shortening the fences would be a no brainer to increase that total....but with them being in the the top five with home record, it is not necessary unless they fall flat and give back that advantage in the next two months. Three of the six games in the current losing streak are at home. I would love to see Cabrera win the triple crown and Boesh win ROY, but if they fail to get in the post season or finish in 3rd place, none of those individual achievements will be anything really to cheer about.
Verlander pitching tomorrow..maybe they can put together a two-gamer and build on that. Valverde looked like he wanted to extend the losing streak with his wildness to start the ninth. Luckily he regained his composure. We talked about Leyman going with the percentages and putting in his closer just because ..but with Coke doing a great job in the 8th, I would have just sent him back out there in the ninth...of course if he had blown it, then JL would have been second guessed with not going with Valverde.
Two in a row....can they build on this and get back on track?? JV and JV took care of business today as both were on track pitching wise. The bats even woke up in the end to grab a victory.
We're in 2nd place and then lose 7 in a row, and now we're in second place, just 3 games back. Wow...what a division...
