[*JD*]

From shitty losing streaks to no-hitters.

It looks like it's going to be the kind of season that teases you and disgusts you.

I also still miss Grandy and Austin Jackson is having a terrible year.

Does he have the worst BA of any lead-off hitter?

Will they have 3 (or more) players in the line-up hitting under .210 for the whole year?

Will they swing a deal to improve things?

Stay tuned!

[Stefan S]

Good to have this thread...

BTW, maybe you could transfer here those last few posts from the Wings thread (just a suggestion).

[Dave Bing]

What a steal Jackson for Scherzer and Schlereth was. Scherzer is rounding into form. He's going to be big this year. And I loved Baby Grand but for what he cost, I would rather have Jackson and Coke.

[papalawrence]

AJ is starting to get hot. His average is up over .220. He suspect he'll get to ~270-280. And I'll bet Granderson will fade at some point. I still do that trade 100 times out of 100. Even without AJ, I would make the trade for Max, Coke and Shlereth.

I fear Magglio might be done. He has something like 3 extra-base hits so far. I read an article this morning that the Tigers might be interested in David Wright is he becomes available. Of course that would be great, but not if it costs Turner and Oliver, which I am guessing it would. If Wright is extended before such a trade I would think about it though. I do not think the Indians will stay so hot - though they might win 85-90.....the Twins are vulnerable this year (Mauer's knees, Nathan cannot regain his form, etc) and the White Sox are also struggling. This seems to be a year Det has a chance.

Detroit just does not develop position players and as a result there is no depth there.

[*JD*]

AJ doesn't have much of an arm either. I still like him but I'd rather see Grandy out there.

[papalawrence]

The Grandy that's playing right now, definitely. But remember he was on a steady decline until the 2nd half of last year. If he can maintain this level I agree with you.......but I'm still concerned he'll fade again.

[*JD*]

Maybe but he's still fairly young. I hope he wins a ring in NY.

[Dave Bing]

NY ring? Ugh.

[*JD*]

I grew up a Yankees fan. That said, it still feels wrong to have Grandy there.

The Tigers need a title worse than the Yanks. That's why I was rooting for them against the Yanks in '06.

[*JD*]

Big hit for AJ right now, a bases clearing double that puts the Tigers up 5-2 in the 4th.

[papalawrence]

Alburquerque has been very impressive so far this year. Including tonight - 12 innings pitched, 4 hits, 2 runs and 22 K's. Pleasant surprise.

Up 10-2 in the 8th, safe to say they are back to .500 at 18-18. VMart had a nice game, back to his typical .290+ with 15 Rbi's in 22 games.

[papalawrence]

Sheesh......ended up 10-5. Max is now 6-0. Porcello has had 3 quality starts in a row, and Verlander is off to his best start (not w-l, but he is typically slow out of the gate). Could be an exciting year.

[papalawrence]

Won 5 of last 6 on the road. Last year they were 29-52 on the road so this is a pretty big deal. VMart is absolutely on fire and his avg is up to .333.

[whoDean]

Minnesota really sucks right now. The Tigers tried to give the game away with very poor defense to let the Twins take the lead late but came back themselves to put it away thanks to Brandon Inge

[papalawrence]

Yeah, I live in Minneapolis. Mauer is hurt -- there is big concern for his knees. He is having nerve issues. They are already talking about moving him to right field. Morneau is such a sad story. He has lost a lot of weight through this concussion/vertigo issue. In batting practice he drives the ball, then once the speed of the pitch is increased he cannot focus. He was on an MVP pace when he went down last July. So far this year in 100+ AB he is hitting around the Mendoza line with 1 HR and 9 RBI. Those two guys are their main offensive force. Delmon Young (100+ RBI last year) has also been hurt. There are largely a AAA team right now. They also lost a big chunk of their bullpen to FA this past offseason.

[The King]

I don't buy the "mystery" with Morneau's weight loss. Sounds like he isn't using the juice anymore to me.

As for Mauer, he should have been moved from catcher long ago.

[The King]

Don't forget Nathan not being able to lock down the 9th due to injury. That teams a clusterfuck, but it's a long time coming. They got by with so little so often, they were due for a season like this.

[papalawrence]

Yea, Nathan is an issue too. Tommy John surgery. I still think it's more about confidence with him - he was out an entire season. He might not ever regain his old form but I think he will still be a good pitcher. Remember the Twins won the Central without him last year. Don't see how this has been a long time coming. They've won something like the last 9 of 13 Central titles. Imho they are one of the most solid franchises in baseball - they are a small market team and constantly lose good players to FA. but their GM is usually wise enough to trade them before they leave (like Santana). They have a ton of injuries right now (Mauer, Thome and Young are all on the DL).
I also disagree about Justin. They test for roids now. I seriously doubt he's been juicing these past few years. He is admittedly nautious most of the time from his concussion. Fwiw, here is a link re: post-concussion syndrome. In the "stomach upset" section it states nausea and weight loss are a symptom of this.

Post-concussion Syndrome Symptoms | LIVESTRONG.COM

[whoDean]

Shhhhh

Verlander perfect again through 5

[papalawrence]

Got through 5 2/3. Pitched 8 innings and gave up 2 hits. This has been a different Verlander this year. Cleveland won again, 5-4, scoring 3 in the bottom of the 9th. They must have divine intervention on their side this year.

[The King]

This teams SP is going to be LOADED if Turner or Oliver pan out. The Verlander, Scherzer and Porcello 1/2/3 is pretty damn good. If you can add a 4th guy to that mix we will be rocking and rolling.

[papalawrence]

Going for the sweep with Max tomorrow afternoon.

Skankees are tanking hard right now. Boston is only 2 games behind them Their early schedule has been heavy-loaded at home. They have a very tough stretch coming up. ARod is looking old, as is Jeter. Jorge is about done - hitting a buck and change. I am going to predict that they will not make the playoffs this year.

[The King]

Ya, that's an old team and they are also depending a lot on Colon and Garcia. I doubt they hold up for the season.

Jeter needs around 35 hits or so for 3,000. That's going to take awhile with the way he keeps hitting into grounders. He's pretty much done. Baseball is an amazing sport in which age truly shows and shows FAST. Once you get older you just can't turn on the ball anymore. Jeter is in this stage.

[*JD*]

I hope he can somehow get it going again. He's been one of the best gamers I've seen in my time watching baseball.

[*JD*]

As for the Tigs, they're on a nice little run but I still don't know what they've got. It seems like a few of you know something about what's going on in Toledo.

I didn't watch any of spring training so I don't really know who the prospects are. I've heard there's some CF prospect that was tearing it up but I don't recall the name.

[The King]

Dirks got called up for Maggs. He's been smoking. Turner is our best prospect and is a big SP with a power arm. Oliver is another SP with potential but not the power arm. We have a 3B we drafted high a few years back who has been pretty good. Castalanos or something like that.

[*JD*]

I think Dirks was the guy I heard being talked about.

[papalawrence]

That third baseman is with the White Caps. I hope to see them when I go to GR in August. He is only 19. He started out terribly.......struck out something like 30 times in his first 80 AB's.......but he has found his stroke. Still under .250, but after his horrid start that's still a positive. He projects to hit for average and power. He was one who dropped to the Tigers in the draft because Dombrowski is willing to overpay with bonuses - something most teams will not do. That's how they got Porcello too.....he was projected to be a top-3 pick.

[whoDean]

Benoit has been a dog this season, and the double whammy is that the team lost their first round draft choice because of his signing, no choices until #78 or something like that.

[The King]

Ya, you can't give setup men big money. It's a crapshoot.

[whoDean]

They've got to do something about the pathetic bullpen.

[papalawrence]

Because of their bullpen and lack of depth with position players I think they're going to end up 81-81 again. Sad, because their starting pitching is incredible. A lot has to go right for them to contend - including getting some eventual help from the likes of C Guillen and Magglio.....but I don't see it happening.

[papalawrence]

Carlos Guillen transfered to the 60-day DL. I fear he is done.

Starting pitching had better carry them.

[joe servo]

Anyone know where the old WC Tigers Forum is now? I checked the Lions forum and there's pretty much no activity in their Tigers forum. I was always a lurker but it kept me informed and somewhat entertained.

[*JD*]

Here ya go, Joe. I tried to get them to go either here or the Lions Forum but they settled on this place. It's a little old school but the community is the same.

http://www.tigersclubhousegang.com/

[*JD*]

By the way, I'm reminded that Johnny Damon is hitting all right. He wanted to remain a Tiger. I know his OF skills are all but gone but he could still help out.

[papalawrence]

Damon is having a nice year -- 7 dingers and 28 ribbies so far......

But last year in Det he had 500+ AB's and only hit 8 HR and had 51 RBI and hit .271. You gotta get more out of your DH. Det went out and got VMart, and I would much rather have him than Damon.

[joe servo]

Thanks, JD. That's one crappy-ass forum, man.

[*JD*]

Originally Posted by papalawrence

Damon is having a nice year -- 7 dingers and 28 ribbies so far......

But last year in Det he had 500+ AB's and only hit 8 HR and had 51 RBI and hit .271. You gotta get more out of your DH. Det went out and got VMart, and I would much rather have him than Damon.

I agree with that. I was just thinking about the Tigers OF woes. I also just like Damon. I have since his KC days, although he pissed me off in 2004. There aren't too many Tigers that I just like. JV is an obvious one.
I've been an Inge fan but too many .220 and below seasons have worn me down. I still like him but they need to upgrade that position.

I still appreciate Miggy but he's lost a fair bit of luster as a guy you can trust.

Grandy was my favorite Tiger probably since Cecil. He maybe was my favorite Tiger ever. The guys from the 80's were classic but I was such a huge Yankee fan growing up that I didn't embrace them the way I liked the '06 team. I liked the '06 guys more for who they were, coming off some god awful seasons.

In 2003 (If I recall the year correctly) I saw Mike Marroth avoid his 20th loss of the season in my first game ever at the new ballpark and that was when I started taking a real interest in the Tigers in about 10 years. I didn't care so much about Higginson or JuanGone. The one guy I kind of liked over that era was Jeff Weaver and he was shipped out pretty quickly after I started following him.

I casually followed the Tigs from '03 to '06 but then I had the MLB package in '06 and started catching Tigers games before going to work (I was in LA). Grandy, Inge, JV, Marroth, Polanco, Mags, Zumaya, Big League Chew Robertson, Bonderman, adding the everyman Sean Casey....even Kenny Rodgers was likeable. The playoffs was the first time ever that I rooted for a team to beat my Yanks.
I'm still following them and even though I still favor the Yankees more overall, I think I'd still root for the Tigers if they matched up in the playoffs again. I think they need a title more. I just wish there were more guys inside the jersey that I could root for.

[The King]

Agreed, Servo. The new Tigers forum is so terrible I didn't even bother to register.

As for Damon, where in the hell would he play for us? He sucked major ass last year. Losing him doesn't hurt us one bit.

[papalawrence]

A good younger guy to root for is Alex Avila. He hit in the minors and this year has found his stroke. Flirting with .300, has 8 HR's and 25+ rbi's. He had 2 errors last night (but also 2 HR's, inc game winner in bottom of 8th). Has a decent and accurate arm. He might be an all-star this year - and my hunch is he will be a few times in his career.

But overall Det has not developed position players in their system well at all. They are loaded with starting pitching and have at least two other starters in the minors that project to be top-3 in a rotation guys -- turner could be an ace......but not position players.

[*JD*]

Avila has been a nice surprise. A huge step up from Laird at the plate.

[*JD*]

I'm still pissed about the Jurjens trade for Rentaria. Maybe we just shouldn't trade young pitching to Atlanta ever again? Unlike the Smoltz deal, the Jurjens trade didn't work in the short term or the long term.

[*JD*]

Originally Posted by joe servo

Thanks, JD. That's one crappy-ass forum, man.

I made mention of that early on but that just ruffled their feathers. I think they wanted to have total control of a place (which they pretty much could've had either here or at the Lions forum) and settled on the first site Robby T found. The format is missing a few things I like about this place, like being able to post videos, a text box at the bottom and quicker speed.

I tried. I failed. They're happy with what they have so I quit poking fun at their place.

The World X Western & Eastern conference forums settled on a place with a similar page (the Goat Pen) but it has the Youtube option.

I still go to both places but not as much. I think I have about 25 posts in each place.

The World X University of Michigan Sports Forum went to the Lions page and they really like it. If you want to check that out, go to:

University of Michigan - DetroitLionsForum.com

[joe servo]

Thanks. I don't even like the Lions format (much like I don't like their posters, never did). I was really hoping the Tigers forum would move here, this place is the bomb. I doubt I'll even bother lurking over there. It looks like they've lost some people, too.

[Stefan S]

I agree.

I tried to follow discussions on a few other forums, and mostly it was shit (either in terms of the quality of posts or in terms of the set-up, or both).

This place is definitely the shit.

[DYNOMITE]

Fuck that Tiger's forum. JD tried but they just couldn't overcome their snobbery. They don't want but a few posters anyways. The death of them I predict.

[Stefan S]

hey, it's funny, but our community here is a rather big tent, don't you think?
Just thinking about it, for almost all of you (and never mind your crazy political views), if I could make a few hours trip (say to San Anton or Houston or even Dallas) to have a beer with you and watch some really good game, I would definitely do it. I think it would be great fun.

Well, in the interest of full disclosure, I have good friends in all those places. So, it would be fun for me in more than one way.

[The King]

In that Renteria trade we also gave up Infante. VERY GOOD utility player. He would be our 2B right now for fucks sake.

It sucked because I saw a Braves game in the ATL after that Renteria deal. Jurjens was the SP and Infante got the nod at 2B. I was rooting for those guys wearing my Tigers hat the whole game.

[The King]

I still check out the Lions forum here and there for info. A lot of crappy posters, but I read for the articles. They have some fantasy leagues over there I always play in.

I don't know what the Tigers Forum deal is. Sounds like they have a few dictators over there. That format is just brutal. I miss the game threads mostly. Those were gold when you weren't able to watch a game. A dude over there always gave a running play by play.