The Tigers lost this evening 9-1 to the Seattle Bleeping' Mariners to drop to 10-8 on the young season.
-Adam Wilk got beat up because he throws a mid 80s fastball that is straight. Yes, he's left handed. Yes, he's got outstanding control. Yes, he throws several different pitches. That's all well and good. But unless every single pitch is at the knees on one corner or the other, you're gonna be seeing a lot of balls end up in the seats. I'm sorry, I like Wilk, I really do. I'm sure he's a great guy to be around. But throwing consistent strikes and throwing consistently GOOD strikes at two different things. Wilk did not do the latter.
-Following the game, Wilk was optioned to Toledo and Bryan Villarreal was called up. Villarreal is not a starter, so he will presumably take the long man role occupied usually by Balester over the next few days, considering that Balester has pitched 2 straight days.
-This leads to the question: Who will start for the Tigers in 5 days? Most believe it will be Duane Below, who has been incredibly effective out of the bullpen. That's not set in stone, however, because 1) Leyland loves Below out of the pen, and 2) no one really knows how Doug Fister's health will be in 5 days.
-Here is where I might meet a bit of backlash. I have 2 opinions on who should start for the Tigers in 5 days, both dependent on Doug Fister's bullpen session tomorrow.
1) I don't believe that Fister will make his next scheduled start, even if he comes out of the session tomorrow pain-free. I think he would make a rehab start, and be back in 10 days. Should that be the case, I would call up Casey Crosby and let him make a SINGLE spot-start in Fister's place. I would do this because I believe that Below has been absolutely wonderful out of the pen, and starting him may mess that up not only for him but also for the team. Also, as I said it would be for a single start, and Crosby has been pretty good in his last 2 starts in Toledo. This could be a good thing for him to get a taste of big league action.
2) Should Fister have to miss more than 1 more start, I believe the Tigers should start Below and give him that spot in the rotation until Fister is healthy. I just think that moving Below from the pen to the rotation for a single start then back to the pen could mess him up big time, and that's the last thing I or the Tigers want considering how effective he's been.
-I've been impressed so far with Dotel. He's been very good and will be viewed as an incredibly under valued signing
-Jackson still looks better at the plate, regardless of the cooling off he's had since his hot start. He's still striking out, yes, but he also leads the Tigers in walks. His strike zone recognition has vastly improved since last year, and his 2 strike approach truly is night and day
-Boesch shouldn't hit 2nd. I love Brennan, and I felt that 2nd would be a good spot for him at the beginning of the season, but he just hasn't been effective there. Bad strike-zone recognition, etc, are not the makings of a 2 hole hitter. I know Leyland loves some "pop" in the 2 hole, so I would recommend moving Peralta there. Bat Boesch 7th, behind Avila and Young
-Cabby has been exactly how I thought he would be at 3B. I was one of the few who thought he would be fine over there, and he has been. Suck it, haters. He's an incredible athlete for a man his size, and his instinctual baseball ability is that of a left-side infielder.
-Prince's power shortage has been somewhat concerning, but I wouldn't worry too much about it. Water finds its level. It could be worse ya know? We could have signed Pujols
-Young might be the most infuriating Tiger on this roster, including Inge, Raburn, Lamont, Valverde, etc. At least with Inge you know he's going to strike out on a check swing. Young is a horrendous outfielder and should have his glove taken away and burned. But as a hitter, he's a mystery. Yes, we know he's going to swing at terrible pitches and never take walks. But when I think he's going to do something good, he pops out on a slider 4 inches off the plate at his shins; and then when I think he's going to do something bad, he takes 3 pitches and then laces one in a gap. Oh well.
-Peralta and Avila are Peralta and Avila to me. Avila may be the best catcher in all of baseball, he just does everything well.
-Verlander is Verlander. Moving on
-Drew Smyly what? My pick (slaps self on back) for Tiger's fifth starter in spring training has been all we could ask for and more. Keep it up kid.
-Porcello has also impressed. My pick for breakout player of the year; he got roughed up against Texas but I think that was more fluke than rule. His sinker has had increased velo along with increased life, leading to more swings and misses in addition to the usual ground balls.
-Maxwell is still bipolar. When he pitches out of his blue eye, he can dominate the 1927 Yankees. When his brown eye takes over, he gets shelled by the 12 and under Michigan Hawks baseball team.
-Bullpen has been good, but not in the expected way. Below, Dotel, and Coke have been very good-great. Benoit and Valverde have been terrifying yet mostly effective. Schlereth was a grease fire and sent down. Balester has been what Balester was traded for to be: An innings eater with a good arm that has off days and bad days. Anyone who expected dominance from him needs to violently face palm themselves, a la what I do every time Jose Canseco tweets.
-Inge and Raburn have been terrible, but you don't need me to tell you that. Raburn will pick it up, he always does, and luckily we have Santiago to HELP (not take over, morons) at 2nd base u t he does. Inge should be released, plain and simple. Hes not good at baseball anymore. Everyone knows how I feel about Inge, I mean look at the damned name of the blog. But I have something to say: Anyone who boos Inge as he walks to the plate, or when he strikes out, or when he GIDP, or when he makes an error; or actually roots for him to fail should be subject to a violent encounter involving their extremities and a wood chipper. Although we don't like it, he plays for the Tigers. Baseball is a TEAM GAME. When you root for someone on your team to do badly, you are rooting for the team to do badly. And if you root for the Tigers to do badly, I will be forced to consider you either A) A terrorist, or B) an Indians fan (not sure which is worse). So yes, I want Inge DFA'd 3 weeks ago, but I will never cheer for him to fail.
Beer, Broads, and Tigers Baseball
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