MLB and the Detroit Tigers Bandwagon Thread

[lineygoblue]

bah ... Cleveland is a great team,.. there's a legit reason they won the Central. Tigers taking them to five, and will literally throw their best at them to finish the series.

House money.

[Mike]

That was a really good baseball game.

[lineygoblue]

Yeah, it was. Record setting crowd at Comerica saw it happen. Two teams slugging it out to advance.

At least the Tigers will have their best on the mound. They'll either advance or go out with their very best effort.

Still, house money.

I'm already excited about next season.

Mike, you and I should maybe take in a game or three ... :-)

[Mike]

Win or lose Saturday, it should be an interesting off season. Scott Harris has repeatedly said that when the core is ready to compete, the team will spend money. Well here we are.

They’ll probably have to Bobby Bonilla Javy Baez. You simply can’t have him on your roster. It’s time to move on from Torkelson and Mize as well. What a clusterfuck of drafts by the previous administration.

At a minimum they need to upgrade first base and add a couple dependable SPs.

[iam416]

It, indeed, was a really good game -- it's what postseason baseball can offer. Hard to believe Rock the Vogt got his moves almost entirely right -- using a righty PH for a lefty against a....righty? Safety squeeze with the dude who put you ahead with a 2-run HR? Clase for 5 outs? -- ok, that was obvious. Herrin was going to get tagged.

I don't think there's much of a chance against Skubal. The Guardians are a really, nice solid baseball team over the course of 162 games. But over 5, their lack of a a true #1 (or #2) and inconsistent scoring will doom them.

But, they lost Bieber almost immediately. Tristan McKenzie was also out early and he was probably their #2 coming into the season. But they went 92-69 in, heh, the best division in baseball. And they still have players that I really enjoy watching every day. Jose Ramirez is probably an all-time top 5 switch hitter (I think definite and arguably #3), plays the game with so much love and is probably the most underappreciated superstar in the game.

My favorite Jose Ramirez play is a hustle double. He usually gets about 10 of those in a year. My favorite Jose Ramirez play ever was in the last game of the 2022 with the division clinched. Ramirez led off the 8th -- his last AB of the season -- with a little bloop toward the left field line that was a single for almost every other player, but he turned it into a double. Last AB of the season in a meaningless game. Ballplayer.

I've also really enjoyed watching Steve Kwan turn himself into an old school spray hitter with a touch of power. He loves chess and plays with the Cleveland City HS clubs. I have no doubt he'd destroy AA.

Anyway, it's really likeable team. That has no chance on Saturday.

[THE_WIZARD_]

...his sandbagging knows no season...

[iam416]

Well, the Guardians looked like a bunch of blind paraplegic children against Skubal in Game 2 -- my apologies to blind paraplegic children for the insult.

[Mike]

As much as that certainly was the case, it's worth pointing out that the Tigers didn't score any runs until 2 outs in the 9th. There are no sure things in baseball. Skubal can pitch a gem (which I expect) and the Tigers can still lose. They really needed to win that one last night because even with Skubal going, I'm not super confident we win tomorrow. It is somewhat comforting to be able to hand the ball to the best pitcher in baseball in that situation, though.

Any idea who Baseball Team will start tomorrow?

[iam416]

Probably Cobb. Yuck.

[Mike]

More of an "opener" then. It'll be a kitchen sink game which is why I think Skubal can be terrific but Cleveland will be clinging to a 1-0 or 2-1 lead in the 8th. I can't imagine Detroit getting to Clase 3 times in a row.

[iam416]

Yeah, for sure re bullpen game. Smith, Gaddis and Clase will all pitch. But I still don't see the Guardians getting anything across the plate.

[Mike]

Tomorrow’s game will be a carbon copy of this Dodgers - Padres game. It’s 1-0, might as well be 8-0.

[Mike]

Boyd gets the nod for Baseball Team in a Game 2 rematch. I’m good with that as it’s more probable that Skubal can return similar results than Boyd’s 4.2 innings of shutout ball.

Either way, it’s coming down to the bullpen and our is… a little taxed.

[Mike]

Carpenter likely out for the Tigers with a hamstring injury. Suboptimal.

[iam416]

Detroit is big favorite, but it’s baseball. Indians had Kluber going in G7 against Cubs and he got bombed. Of course, they had pitched him like 180 innings in 3 weeks, so….