Detroit Tigers

[Fraquar]

It was a fine show, but the ending sucked. Would not recommend an encore.

We got Skubal for an encore.
All is good.

[chemiclord]

It was my fault really. I got home from work, settled down, and turned on the TV just in time to see Kwan get his second hit. By the time I realized I was the jinx, it was too late, and Fry sent it over the wall.

I guess the Tigers just don't like me watching them. I swear every time I do, they stink up the field.

[froot loops]

That one hurt.

[chemiclord]

Yeah, it kinda feels like the Tigers gave that one away... but that's the consequence of having to rely on your bullpen as much as the Tigers have. As I said, bullpen arms tend to be bullpen arms for a reason, otherwise they'd be starters. It's not a matter of if they're gonna falter, it's a matter of when. Tonight was that night, kinda like Game 1. This was the sort of game the offense needed to win, and it just couldn't quite do it.

If the Tigers are going to win the World Series down the road, they're gonna need to win a game 6-5 at some point along the way.

[froot loops]

I'd just take a win Saturday at this point. At no point have I been under the illusion of a World Series title. Just glad for the ride, if they could only get that Steven Fucking Kwan out.

Also, I've thought that they have got out ahead of their skis with Jobe. I'm pretty sure Shelby Miller would have been better because the Indians have a lot of left handed hitters. Jobe has been ok but the rub on him this season is his stuff was so good that he played in the zone too much because minor league batters couldn't touch him, but major league hitters can. So far that has played out a lot of contact and just a couple strikeouts.

[chemiclord]

I dunno. I saw the pitch chart on Kwan's hit on Jobe. He wasn't playing. All those throws were damn near perfect placement. Kwan actually put one in play that was considerably out of the strike zone. At some point, you just gotta tip your cap to a good at bat.

I wish the Tigers had a bat like that, honestly, along with a power guy that can actually do some reliable damage to southpaws.

[froot loops]

I'm talking generally overall. I'll tip my cap to Kwan nobody has got him out, but speaking overall about Jobe. He's had 5.2 innings in the majors with two K's. The things they said he still needed to work on have come to fruition. It's nothing a few months in the big leagues won't fix but I don't think he was ready.

[froot loops]

The point is moot because I think Carpenter is going to be unavailable and they are probably facing Boyd but they need to have Malloy in there. He's consistently had the best ABs on the team. That dude looks like he's going to rake next year, it's too bad he isn't much of a fielder.

[chemiclord]

I guess Hinch's logic there was Malloy was a liability in the field, while Jobe despite being raw, had starter quality stuff.

If it turns out that was the wrong call, it'd probably the first major one Hinch has made in the last few months.

[Coop]

Very close game. Indians were on the ropes and played like it. Hinch was smart to hold Skubal for game 5. Saturday gonna be interesting....

[DanO]

"Hinch was smart to hold Skubal for game 5. "
----------------------------------It would have been extremely STUPID if he had used him.

[chemiclord]

Even during the height of the "dead ball" era, pitchers going on 4 days rest was considered a desperation move that rarely worked well.

[froot loops]

Underrated topic of this run is they are kind of pushing it with Skubal as it is. He is over 200 innings. He threw 80 innings last year and his previous high was 149 in his 2021. He had a second surgery on his elbow in the middle of the 2022 and that surgery was a pre-emptive surgery to try and stave off a second TJ surgery. He is a dominant pitcher but he's not like Verlander in terms of handling overuse.

[froot loops]

[Coop]

Underrated topic of this run is they are kind of pushing it with Skubal as it is. He is over 200 innings. He threw 80 innings last year and his previous high was 149 in his 2021. He had a second surgery on his elbow in the middle of the 2022 and that surgery was a pre-emptive surgery to try and stave off a second TJ surgery. He is a dominant pitcher but he's not like Verlander in terms of handling overuse.

Well, it is pretty much do do or die today. I trust Hinch is being smart with him....