As the All-Star break comes to a close, it's time to finish our discussion about the Tiger's first half with a little about the defense.
The defense hasn't been great, especially at second with Raburn and when Magglio plays in right. Cabrera isn't the greatest defensive player ever, either. The pitchers have accounted for quite a few errors too. At the other positions, defense has been stellar. Jackson gets to every ball even remotely close to him. Wells has been known throughout the Minors for his defensive play. Avila is one of the best defensive catchers in the Majors. Inge is above average at third, although he hasn't been as good as usual, with eight errors. Boesch has greatly improved in the outfield, and Kelly and Santiago have been good where ever they play. The Tigers as a whole are 24th in the Majors in errors, with 62 botched plays. Rayburn, Inge, and Cabrera lead the team in errors, with nine, eight, and seven, respectively.
If the offense keeps hitting, and the pitching and defense get better, the Tigers have a great shot at the playoffs. They will probably have to go after someone before the trade deadline, and that player could possibly be the difference for the Tigers. Right now, we just have to hope that all facets of the game come together at one time and they won't have the second half collapse that they are known for.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Tigers Mid-Season Hitting Report
With the All-Star break officially upon us, we'll continue our examination of the Tigers first half play by looking at the hitters.
Infielders:
1B: Miguel Cabrera (.311, 18 HR, 59 RBI) has been Miguel Cabrera. He has been the Tigers most consistent hitter, has the most HR on the team, and is dominant in RBI situations. While his average is not the best it has ever been (although anybody would like a .311 hitter on their team), I expect that it will go up in the second half and he'll end up hitting about .330 with 35-40 HR.
2B: Ryan Raburn (.213, 8 HR, 31 RBI) has some problems. He is constantly pulling the Tigers lineup down, and is not that great defensively. We have seen him have streaks where he is hitting with the best of them, but unless he can break out of the slump he is in, the Tigers have better options for second.
3B: Brandon Inge (.184, 1 HR, 17 RBI) has had a terrible year, and should not be playing. He is hitless for the last five games and has not hit a home run since April. Granted, his mononucleosis is probably slowing him down, but unless he shows that he has something left in the tank, Don Kelly, Danny Worth, or even prospect Francisco Martinez are all better options at third.
SS: Jhonny Peralta (.312, 14 HR, 50 RBI) has been the year's surprise at short. Acquired from the Indians last year in a trade, Peralta was expected to be let go at the end of the season. Instead, he played so well that the Tigers decided to sign him for this year. And has he ever played! Other than Cabrera and Martinez, Peralta has been the Tigers best hitter, and has really settled into the 6 and 7 spots in the lineup.
C: Alex Avila (.286, 10 HR, 46 RBI) has had a breakout year at catcher, and was selected to start in the All-Star game. After hitting .300 for most of the year, Avila has cooled off a bit, but he should be a consistent .270-.300 hitter the rest of the season, and is a key part of the bottom of the lineup.
DH: Splitting time with Avila at catcher, Victor Martinez (.316, 6 HR, 50 RBI) has made a huge impact in the Tigers lineup. Batting directly after Cabrera, Martinez has caused other pitchers to throw to Cabrera, and not intentionally walk him. Of all the "big" offseason pickups in the Majors, V-Mart is the only one who has played extremely well. He will be a big part of this team going forward.
Outfielders:
CF: Austin Jackson (.245, 4 HR, 23 RBI) strikes out waaaaaay too much (100 already). Aside from that, he has the potential to be an amazing hitter, and when he gets on a streak, he is unstoppable. This is only his second year in the big leagues, but Jackson has piled up countless amazing catches in the outfield, with his amazing speed allowing him to take away numerous doubles and triples. Jackson hasn't been great at the plate, but he will get better, and if he gets on base, the Tigers usually score.
LF/RF: Brennan Boesch (.306, 12 HR, 44 RBI) was sensational when he was called up last year, hitting well over .300 with a lot of bombs. Sadly, he was a disaster after the All-Star break. This year he has been much more consistent and is a valuable hitter in front of Cabrera. Barring another post All-Star slump, Boesch will be a great boost to the lineup, and should be a critical part of a run for the postseason.
RF: Magglio Ordonez (.217, 3 HR, 14 RBI) has not been as bad has his numbers indicate. His ankle was hurt for the first part of the season, and the Tigers put him on the DL. After coming back, Ordonez has hit the ball hard everywhere, except that they were right towards defenders. Once the hits start dropping in, Maggs will be hitting up a storm, and could easily hit over .300 after the break.
OF: Andy Dirks (.254, 6 HR, 17 RBI) and Casper Wells (.259, 4 HR, 12 RBI) have shown that they can hit consistently. Wells can play anywhere in the outfield and has a great arm. Dirks is not as good defensively, but has the potential to be quite a hitter. These two are valuable off the bench, and when Boesch or Ordonez sit, Dirks and Wells pick up the slack, and have even shown that they could fill in for the rest of the season if needed.
Utility:
Don Kelly (.245, 3 HR, 11 RBI) can play anywhere. Literally. He's played every position, including pitcher, during his career. When someone needs a rest, whether it be infield or outfield, Kelly is ready to play, and does a respectable job where ever he is. This year, he has obtained the majority of his playing time at third while Inge was injured. He played a lot better than Inge, and probably should start at third every day.
Ramon Santiago (.225, 1 HR, 8 RBI) plays either second or short, and provides switch hitting at the plate. He has been valuable to the Tigers through the years, but is starting to show his age.
Danny Worth (.300, 0 HR, 3 RBI) has spent most of the year in the Minors, but he has hit .300 in 30 AB, and is a better option than Raburn or Inge at their respective positions.
There have been a couple other call-ups, but these players have been sent down after a few games. Will Rhymes is probably the closest to the Majors, hitting over .300 at Triple A.
For the most part, the hitting has been pretty good (with 4 and at times 5 players all hitting over .300), but Raburn and Inge are holding the lineup back. Unless they start hitting consistently or someone else takes over for them, the Tigers can probably throw out any hope of making the playoffs.
Infielders:
1B: Miguel Cabrera (.311, 18 HR, 59 RBI) has been Miguel Cabrera. He has been the Tigers most consistent hitter, has the most HR on the team, and is dominant in RBI situations. While his average is not the best it has ever been (although anybody would like a .311 hitter on their team), I expect that it will go up in the second half and he'll end up hitting about .330 with 35-40 HR.
2B: Ryan Raburn (.213, 8 HR, 31 RBI) has some problems. He is constantly pulling the Tigers lineup down, and is not that great defensively. We have seen him have streaks where he is hitting with the best of them, but unless he can break out of the slump he is in, the Tigers have better options for second.
3B: Brandon Inge (.184, 1 HR, 17 RBI) has had a terrible year, and should not be playing. He is hitless for the last five games and has not hit a home run since April. Granted, his mononucleosis is probably slowing him down, but unless he shows that he has something left in the tank, Don Kelly, Danny Worth, or even prospect Francisco Martinez are all better options at third.
SS: Jhonny Peralta (.312, 14 HR, 50 RBI) has been the year's surprise at short. Acquired from the Indians last year in a trade, Peralta was expected to be let go at the end of the season. Instead, he played so well that the Tigers decided to sign him for this year. And has he ever played! Other than Cabrera and Martinez, Peralta has been the Tigers best hitter, and has really settled into the 6 and 7 spots in the lineup.
C: Alex Avila (.286, 10 HR, 46 RBI) has had a breakout year at catcher, and was selected to start in the All-Star game. After hitting .300 for most of the year, Avila has cooled off a bit, but he should be a consistent .270-.300 hitter the rest of the season, and is a key part of the bottom of the lineup.
DH: Splitting time with Avila at catcher, Victor Martinez (.316, 6 HR, 50 RBI) has made a huge impact in the Tigers lineup. Batting directly after Cabrera, Martinez has caused other pitchers to throw to Cabrera, and not intentionally walk him. Of all the "big" offseason pickups in the Majors, V-Mart is the only one who has played extremely well. He will be a big part of this team going forward.
Outfielders:
CF: Austin Jackson (.245, 4 HR, 23 RBI) strikes out waaaaaay too much (100 already). Aside from that, he has the potential to be an amazing hitter, and when he gets on a streak, he is unstoppable. This is only his second year in the big leagues, but Jackson has piled up countless amazing catches in the outfield, with his amazing speed allowing him to take away numerous doubles and triples. Jackson hasn't been great at the plate, but he will get better, and if he gets on base, the Tigers usually score.
LF/RF: Brennan Boesch (.306, 12 HR, 44 RBI) was sensational when he was called up last year, hitting well over .300 with a lot of bombs. Sadly, he was a disaster after the All-Star break. This year he has been much more consistent and is a valuable hitter in front of Cabrera. Barring another post All-Star slump, Boesch will be a great boost to the lineup, and should be a critical part of a run for the postseason.
RF: Magglio Ordonez (.217, 3 HR, 14 RBI) has not been as bad has his numbers indicate. His ankle was hurt for the first part of the season, and the Tigers put him on the DL. After coming back, Ordonez has hit the ball hard everywhere, except that they were right towards defenders. Once the hits start dropping in, Maggs will be hitting up a storm, and could easily hit over .300 after the break.
OF: Andy Dirks (.254, 6 HR, 17 RBI) and Casper Wells (.259, 4 HR, 12 RBI) have shown that they can hit consistently. Wells can play anywhere in the outfield and has a great arm. Dirks is not as good defensively, but has the potential to be quite a hitter. These two are valuable off the bench, and when Boesch or Ordonez sit, Dirks and Wells pick up the slack, and have even shown that they could fill in for the rest of the season if needed.
Utility:
Don Kelly (.245, 3 HR, 11 RBI) can play anywhere. Literally. He's played every position, including pitcher, during his career. When someone needs a rest, whether it be infield or outfield, Kelly is ready to play, and does a respectable job where ever he is. This year, he has obtained the majority of his playing time at third while Inge was injured. He played a lot better than Inge, and probably should start at third every day.
Ramon Santiago (.225, 1 HR, 8 RBI) plays either second or short, and provides switch hitting at the plate. He has been valuable to the Tigers through the years, but is starting to show his age.
Danny Worth (.300, 0 HR, 3 RBI) has spent most of the year in the Minors, but he has hit .300 in 30 AB, and is a better option than Raburn or Inge at their respective positions.
There have been a couple other call-ups, but these players have been sent down after a few games. Will Rhymes is probably the closest to the Majors, hitting over .300 at Triple A.
For the most part, the hitting has been pretty good (with 4 and at times 5 players all hitting over .300), but Raburn and Inge are holding the lineup back. Unless they start hitting consistently or someone else takes over for them, the Tigers can probably throw out any hope of making the playoffs.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Tigers Mid-Season Pitching Report
Well, the first half of the season is over and the All-Star break is upon us. The Tigers have had an up (Verlander's no-hitter) and down (a couple of long losing streaks) year so far, but with a majority of the remaining games against the AL Central, they are in a perfect position to clinch their first playoff spot since 2006.
Over the next few days, we'll be taking a look at some of the Tigers players and their performance in the first half, and what needs to happen after the break in order to make the playoffs. Today we'll look at the pitching.
Starting Pitching:
Justin Verlander (12-4, 2.15 ERA) has been absolutely remarkable. After a so-so start, the 6'5" righty has taken his game to a new level. Verlander has gone 9 consecutive starts while pitching at least 7 innings and allowing 2 earned runs or less. That is tied for the most in Tigers history. In a year where he has pitched the second no-hitter of his career, Verlander shows no signs of slowing down, and is presently the favorite to win the Cy Young.
Max Scherzer (10-4, 4.69 ERA) like the Tigers, has had an up and down year. After starting 6-0, Scherzer started slowing down and had a few bad outings. Just now he seems to be getting on track, and has had quality starts his last two games. As we saw last year, Scherzer has the potential to be lights-out, and he'll need to find some of that stuff if the Tigers want to compete for a spot in the playoffs.
Rick Porcello (8-6, 4.78 ERA) undoubtedly holds the key to the Tigers rotation. His first few starts were pretty good, but he was beat up during interleague play, despite getting a couple hits. He is turning it around, but unless we see more of the stuff we know he has, the Tigers do not stand a good chance of making it to the playoffs.
Brad Penny (6-6, 4.50 ERA) has had some great starts and some absolutely horrible starts. He has been better of late, and he needs to keep it up if the Tigers want to win in the second half.
Until recently, the fifth spot in the rotation belonged to Phil Coke (1-8, 4.88 ERA). His first year as a starter did not turn out so well, and after many consecutive bad starts, has been moved back into the bullpen, where he is amazing. Charlie Furbush (1-3, 4.03 ERA) and Andy Oliver (0-1, 6.52 ERA) have each started a couple games, but have not put up very good numbers, and are back in the Minors. Unless the Tigers can find someone to fill the fifth spot, it will continue to hold them back, and may keep them out of the playoffs.
Relievers:
What can I say? Jose Valverde (24 for 24 saves, 2.70 ERA) has been perfect in save opportunities. Almost all of his runs have come in non-save situations, where he should not be pitching (thanks a lot, Leyland). Papa Grande and his antics on the mound have been a staple in the ninth inning for the Tigers.
Joaquin Benoit (that's pronounced WAHkeen benWAH for all you wah-wah music effects fans out there) (2-3, 4.24 ERA) has pitched much better than his numbers suggest. Benoit has been quite good as the primary setup man for Valverde. After a terrible start, Benoit has settled down and is looking more like the amazing pitcher he was last year. While he is not quite there yet, he is on his way, and will be an integral part of the Tigers bullpen in the second half.
Al Alburquerque (5-1, 2.79 ERA) and his slider have burst onto the scene with 47 strikeouts in 29 innings. From Double A last year to one of the best relievers in 2011, Alburquerque has impressed everyone with his amazing slider and above average fastball. Although he is on the DL right now, it is only a minor injury (probably from throwing too many sliders), and Alburquerque should be back up and striking out hitters soon after the break.
(Bonus) Don Kelly (0-0, 0.00 ERA) has been insane! After coming in in the ninth inning and getting one out, he is now considered the best pitcher on the Tigers roster! Really though, he is amazing, and has played all nine positions on the field.
The rest of the Tigers relievers have been up and down the whole year. Ryan Perry (0-0, 7.17 ERA) and Daniel Schlereth (0-1, 4.91 ERA) just can't get going. David Purcy (1-1, 4.86 ERA) has the potential to be very good, and has show some good stuff. The other relievers have been up and down between Triple A and the Majors. The bullpen can be very good, while at other times it is downright awful. The Tigers need a little more of the former if they expect to be in contention come September.
Overall, the Tigers pitching has been mediocre. They have the potential to be one of the better pitching staffs in baseball, but the bullpen needs to be a little more consistent, and and a fifth starter must be found. The pitching will definitely define the Tigers second half, and will be the key part of their run for a berth in the playoffs.
Over the next few days, we'll be taking a look at some of the Tigers players and their performance in the first half, and what needs to happen after the break in order to make the playoffs. Today we'll look at the pitching.
Starting Pitching:
Justin Verlander (12-4, 2.15 ERA) has been absolutely remarkable. After a so-so start, the 6'5" righty has taken his game to a new level. Verlander has gone 9 consecutive starts while pitching at least 7 innings and allowing 2 earned runs or less. That is tied for the most in Tigers history. In a year where he has pitched the second no-hitter of his career, Verlander shows no signs of slowing down, and is presently the favorite to win the Cy Young.
Max Scherzer (10-4, 4.69 ERA) like the Tigers, has had an up and down year. After starting 6-0, Scherzer started slowing down and had a few bad outings. Just now he seems to be getting on track, and has had quality starts his last two games. As we saw last year, Scherzer has the potential to be lights-out, and he'll need to find some of that stuff if the Tigers want to compete for a spot in the playoffs.
Rick Porcello (8-6, 4.78 ERA) undoubtedly holds the key to the Tigers rotation. His first few starts were pretty good, but he was beat up during interleague play, despite getting a couple hits. He is turning it around, but unless we see more of the stuff we know he has, the Tigers do not stand a good chance of making it to the playoffs.
Brad Penny (6-6, 4.50 ERA) has had some great starts and some absolutely horrible starts. He has been better of late, and he needs to keep it up if the Tigers want to win in the second half.
Until recently, the fifth spot in the rotation belonged to Phil Coke (1-8, 4.88 ERA). His first year as a starter did not turn out so well, and after many consecutive bad starts, has been moved back into the bullpen, where he is amazing. Charlie Furbush (1-3, 4.03 ERA) and Andy Oliver (0-1, 6.52 ERA) have each started a couple games, but have not put up very good numbers, and are back in the Minors. Unless the Tigers can find someone to fill the fifth spot, it will continue to hold them back, and may keep them out of the playoffs.
Relievers:
What can I say? Jose Valverde (24 for 24 saves, 2.70 ERA) has been perfect in save opportunities. Almost all of his runs have come in non-save situations, where he should not be pitching (thanks a lot, Leyland). Papa Grande and his antics on the mound have been a staple in the ninth inning for the Tigers.
Joaquin Benoit (that's pronounced WAHkeen benWAH for all you wah-wah music effects fans out there) (2-3, 4.24 ERA) has pitched much better than his numbers suggest. Benoit has been quite good as the primary setup man for Valverde. After a terrible start, Benoit has settled down and is looking more like the amazing pitcher he was last year. While he is not quite there yet, he is on his way, and will be an integral part of the Tigers bullpen in the second half.
Al Alburquerque (5-1, 2.79 ERA) and his slider have burst onto the scene with 47 strikeouts in 29 innings. From Double A last year to one of the best relievers in 2011, Alburquerque has impressed everyone with his amazing slider and above average fastball. Although he is on the DL right now, it is only a minor injury (probably from throwing too many sliders), and Alburquerque should be back up and striking out hitters soon after the break.
(Bonus) Don Kelly (0-0, 0.00 ERA) has been insane! After coming in in the ninth inning and getting one out, he is now considered the best pitcher on the Tigers roster! Really though, he is amazing, and has played all nine positions on the field.
The rest of the Tigers relievers have been up and down the whole year. Ryan Perry (0-0, 7.17 ERA) and Daniel Schlereth (0-1, 4.91 ERA) just can't get going. David Purcy (1-1, 4.86 ERA) has the potential to be very good, and has show some good stuff. The other relievers have been up and down between Triple A and the Majors. The bullpen can be very good, while at other times it is downright awful. The Tigers need a little more of the former if they expect to be in contention come September.
Overall, the Tigers pitching has been mediocre. They have the potential to be one of the better pitching staffs in baseball, but the bullpen needs to be a little more consistent, and and a fifth starter must be found. The pitching will definitely define the Tigers second half, and will be the key part of their run for a berth in the playoffs.
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