This Team is maddening.

[skeletor]

Talk about a roller coaster of an team. Burns me that we LOSE to the Indians today. We constantly give away games to teams like the Indians, and Royals...and other bottom feeders...but when it comes to Chi-SOX, we eat their lunch.

if this team actually played to it's potential, it'll be games ahead...of the WHITE SOX.

This team needs to be re tweaked in the fall, GET RID OF BOTH Leyland, and the hitting coaches. Please don't hire Tom Brookens....we someone from outside the Tiger culture. who knows how to reach these guys..and knows how to actually play the best players....etc....Thanks for all you've done Jim,but it's time to ride off into the sunset.

[riverfrontier]

Hey skeletor, long time no see. I must concur about the emotions aroused by this team. When a team starts the ninth inning down by a run and gets a lead-off double by one of the slower runners on the team, I would expect a pinch runner and a sacrifice bunt. No matter how hot Delmon Young has been lately, YOU HAVE TO GET THAT RUNNER TO THIRD! Especially with Boesch, Peralta, and Avila coming up (The Holy Trinity of Abysmal At-bats). It probably wouldn't have mattered anyway. Situational hitting is not (aside from Cabrera and Fielder and a nod to Andy Dirks) this team's strong suit.

Remember that game about a month or so ago when Cabrera hit that walk-off homer against Chris Perez? Do you remember the bottom of the ninth? They couldn't score on a lead-off triple.
I shouldn't hold out such high hopes for this team, because as I've heard time and time again, the White Sox have an easy schedule in September (Twins, Royals, Indians), but the Tigers have to play... the Twins, Royals, and Indians.

Maybe it'll save us all from watching Jose Valverde pitch in the ninth or Alex Avila bat with runners on first and second and nobody out in play-off games. Unstoppable gag reflex is hard on the esophagus.

Go Tigers.

[riverfrontier]

Just to remind everybody...the Indians won all of FIVE games in August, with no back to back victories for the entire month.

As I previously said, it's better the Tigers start phoning it in now rather than later. Saves a lot of emotional investment.

[Captain Cold Nose]

After sweeping the Sox in what has been the most important series to date, this is the treatment they get? Phoning it in? Are you kidding? They lost a couple of tight games after once again making it back to first. So one little letdown and here come this stuff again? They are *one* game out.
Very easy to dictate what should happoen from an armchair. If they do make the postseason, and I think they do, I hope you enjoy it.

[riverfrontier]

Hey, it's the passion talking. Can't you see it in the eyes of my avatar? The 'phoning it in' comment was about the 4 runs in 2 games they put up against the league's worst pitching staff. The end of the 2009 season is not ancient memory. (Lest we also forget they lost the division in 2006 on the last weekend to the Royals.) Yes, I lash out prematurely to deflect possible disappointment. It's a well-known defense mechanism.

I'm just blowing off steam. The glass is not half-full, it's been half empty since 1984.

They DID win yesterday, so I'm like a napping cat on a TV. That is, until the next loss................

Gogh Tigers

[dominik]

I think the tigers will still win the division. they just have the most talent.

However I'm still dissapointed. I predicted that they will win 100 this year. they are lucky that they are in a weak division. had they been in the east or even west they likely would be out now. but in the central still anything is possible, just 1 game back.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Hey, it's the passion talking. Can't you see it in the eyes of my avatar? The 'phoning it in' comment was about the 4 runs in 2 games they put up against the league's worst pitching staff. The end of the 2009 season is not ancient memory. (Lest we also forget they lost the division in 2006 on the last weekend to the Royals.) Yes, I lash out prematurely to deflect possible disappointment. It's a well-known defense mechanism.

I'm just blowing off steam. The glass is not half-full, it's been half empty since 1984.

They DID win yesterday, so I'm like a napping cat on a TV. That is, until the next loss................

Gogh Tigers

More than fair enough.

[riverfrontier]

The White Sox are desperately trying to give this division title to the Tigers. The Tigers are treating it like playground cooties.

In 6 games since the White Sox sweep, the Tigers have scored 15 runs. That's (let's see...times two....carry the one....) 2.5 runs per game. If Greinke and C.J. Wilson had started ALL those games, I could begin to wrap my head around it.

Take out the game against Ubaldo Jiminez, which they actually won, and the run percentage gets worse. Against starts by Corey Kluber (5.26 ERA), Justin Masterson (4.84), and Ervin Santana (5.21) they scored exactly 2 runs per game. Those ERA numbers are AFTER those guys threw against the Tigers, so they've been lowered to a degree.

I wouldn't exactly call my self bitter at these recent events, but for the past week I have been pickling vegetables in jars of my tears.

If they can take three of four from the White's Ox, that beer stain on my carpet might actually begin to look like Jesus. As of now, I only see Kenny Rogers.

[Captain Cold Nose]

The White Sox are desperately trying to give this division title to the Tigers. The Tigers are treating it like playground cooties.

In 6 games since the White Sox sweep, the Tigers have scored 15 runs. That's (let's see...times two....carry the one....) 2.5 runs per game. If Greinke and C.J. Wilson had started ALL those games, I could begin to wrap my head around it.

Take out the game against Ubaldo Jiminez, which they actually won, and the run percentage gets worse. Against starts by Corey Kluber (5.26 ERA), Justin Masterson (4.84), and Ervin Santana (5.21) they scored exactly 2 runs per game. Those ERA numbers are AFTER those guys threw against the Tigers, so they've been lowered to a degree.

I wouldn't exactly call my self bitter at these recent events, but for the past week I have been pickling vegetables in jars of my tears.

If they can take three of four from the White's Ox, that beer stain on my carpet might actually begin to look like Jesus. As of now, I only see Kenny Rogers.

And we all know how great Rogers was for the Tigers in 2006.

[skeletor]

My overall gut feeling is still intact. after PISSING away games to the Tribe on sunday, and losing to the Chi-Sox on Monday. putting us 3 games back with 16 to go. Does not look good for us. Leyland needs to go, and take Lamont, and the rest of the staff...Thank you Jim, for 7 seasons, but it's time to retire. CURRENT team is too one dimension. and should have won at least 95 games. DISMAL failure in my opinion. fire Leyland. NOW.

[riverfrontier]

Take Leyland and the coaches, Boesch, Peralta, and Young, and see what they bring through that 'Cash for Clunkers' deal.

The team needs to get better defensively, as they've proved that Earl Weaver's 'pitching and three-run homers' adage doesn't work for this team.

This...team...is...maddening

[dominik]

what is the problem of the tigers this year? they are basically the same team as last year. Verlander is still very good, cabrera is very good and fielder is even better than v-mart last year.

the defense is not good of course and last year they got a little lucky (6 more wins that the run diff. suggests) but still this team should easily win 95 in that poor division. leyland might not be the best manager but he was there last year too and they won 96. so what is the problem? right now this team is on pace for less than 90 wins. they still have a shot but I cannot really explain those struggles.

Is there a specific problem that wasn't there last year?

[Captain Cold Nose]

what is the problem of the tigers this year? they are basically the same team as last year. Verlander is still very good, cabrera is very good and fielder is even better than v-mart last year.

the defense is not good of course and last year they got a little lucky (6 more wins that the run diff. suggests) but still this team should easily win 95 in that poor division. leyland might not be the best manager but he was there last year too and they won 96. so what is the problem? right now this team is on pace for less than 90 wins. they still have a shot but I cannot really explain those struggles.

Is there a specific problem that wasn't there last year?

The major difference is a few players had career years last year and they have not carried over. Peralta, Avila and Fister just have come down to Earth a bit. Boesch has never come near his hot first half last season. The team may have played above their level last year, basically.

[riverfrontier]

To that I would add Valverde. Also, the fact that the Tigers went 2/3 of the season with nothing but a loud sucking sound coming from the area around second base. Like when you flush a toilet on an airplane. It was great for discarded tissues, but couldn't hit major league pitching for anything.

[skeletor]

start addressing the needs of this team at the conclusion of 2012. FIRE LEYLAND. COACHES. do not hire from within.

go outside the culture.