TIGERS 08 SEASON THREAD

[mikhail1973]

Interesting. Leyland prefers Clete to Brandon as Inge sits for the second straight game.

[mikhail1973]

Robertson just talked about going deep into the games and what does he do to start the game? A double, a stolen base, a walk and an RBI groundout to put Twins on top 1-0 right out of the gate.

[mikhail1973]

The Tigers bat remain hot as they come back from 4-1 deficit to beat Twins 6-5. Tigers had with 4 home runs in the game including Cabrera's two-run shot to put Tigers ahead. Jones with a slight scare allowing a run to earn a save.

[mikhail1973]

This is how serious things are in Detroit at week's start:
• The Tigers already have been blanked one more time this season than they were in all of 2007. They're averaging just 2.75 runs a game, by far the worst in either league. Even in the games in which they scored, they're averaging just a tad over four runs a game. That would still put them deep into the bottom half of all teams.
• Their pitching is just as bad. The staff gave up two grand slams to the White Sox on Sunday and is allowing 6.5 runs a game, worst in the American League by a run and a half.
• Since their 0-7 start the Tigers (2-10) actually have lost a half-game in the standings. If they are to win 92 games they have to go 90-60 the rest of the way. That's a .600 clip. By the way, it has taken an average of 97 wins over the last three seasons to win the vastly improved AL Central.
It's unclear precisely what set off Leyland after Sunday's debacle. Indications are that he feels his hitters -- whom many predicted would produce a record number of runs this season -- are simply not being smart at the plate. They are swinging at too many bad pitches, especially early in the count.
"I do think there's a possibility," Leyland told the Detroit News, "that we're already falling into the trap of thinking our offense is so good, the next guy will do it."

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...up2/index.html

[TheeTFD]

The first pitch is usually the best pitch you're going to see. And when you're stinking you got to stay aggressive. [until the pitchers figure that out]

[LA Dre]

Originally Posted by mikhail1973

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...up2/index.html

Some positive spins on the tigers

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...nks.one/2.html
As bad as the Tigers have started off, SI still has them ranked 26 out of 30 in their power rankings as of 4/11 when they were still 1-8. ESPN had them ranked 18th and Fox Sports has them 13th as of 4/14. So there is still some who think they are decent despite others mouthing that they are the worst team in baseball.

Tigers have won 3 of their last 5 and are only 4.5 games behind the leader of what could be the toughest division in baseball. Also they are only 1 game behind the Indians the other team they were suppose to battle with this summer. A victory over the Indians tonight and the two teams are tied for last

Consider this : The Washington Nationals who share the same 4-10 record with the Tigers, won their first 3 games out of the gate and then lost nine in a row. Of course neither their expectations, nor their payroll was as high as the Tigers.

[fwoompf]

Armando Galarraga: AL Cy Young Winner, 2008.

Bats AND Pitching coming together for a beatdown of the Tribe? Well I never.

[BillLaimbeer]

Originally Posted by fwoompf

Armando Galarraga: AL Cy Young Winner, 2008.

.

He certainly has one more win than I thought he would get this year.

[LA Dre]

Originally Posted by fwoompf

Armando Galarraga: AL Cy Young Winner, 2008.

Bats AND Pitching coming together for a beatdown of the Tribe? Well I never.

If he comes out as sharp in his next start than he needs to be put in the rotation as the third starter and JL can relegate either Rogers or Willis to the middle long reliever.....

Good win tonight for the Tigs vs their adverseries. sp Whatever Leyland said hopefully it was recorded and Wings can listen to it before Fridays' face off.

[mikhail1973]

Good win as bats get hotter. Cabrera gets rolling and the youngster pitches a great game. Of course, Grilli had to come in and give up that second run. Oh, well, if that's the biggest issue then Tigers have nothing to worry about. Now they are tied with Tribe for the last place. And their pitching still has given up the most runs.