The Tigers started their 7-game road trip on a high note, beating the Tampa Bay Rays 5-2, notching win number 19 for Justin Verlander, the first pitcher to reach that win level this year. A rather ho-hum performance from Justin: 7 innings, 1 run, 3 hits, 3 walks, 8 strikeouts. You'd think it be moderately difficult to find fault in a game in which the Tigers would win their 4th straight ballgame, and increasing their division lead to 5.5 games over the Chicago White Sox AND the Cleveland Indians. But I will try my best and do it anyway.
Because all of us hate to see Jose Valverde when it is NOT a save situation.
But Jim Leyland does it anyway, because Ole Smokey doesn't really listen to what the fans have to say (not even a 6-yr-old girl), because if the fans pulled the strings, in hindsight, this team would theoretically be 127-0 right now. Leyland tends to out-manage himself on most days, such as going with lineups that might be righty-heavy for a lefty pitcher (queue tomorrow's lineup, to be sure)... And pitching match ups aren't any different in his world.
According to my quick research on baseball-reference.com, I noticed that Valverde does have 2 months out of this season where he has not given up a run in his non-save appearances (April and June). The numbers don't lie for the remaining months of the season, though. In May, he gave up 9 runs (8 earned), in July he gave up 6 runs, and so far in August he's allowed 3 runs (1 earned, and that was tonight). Overall, in a mere 19.1 innings pitched in non-save situations, he's given up 18 runs (15 ER), good for an ERA of 7.07.
Closers have a different mentality. Jose Valverde is just a different cat altogether. If you are going to send a character like that out there when he can't get the save, he may relax a bit too much, or lose focus. Either way, chances are, he's going to lob a few too many pitches, (22 tonight, only 11 strikes) and suddenly he's unavailable to pitch the next night. Who becomes the Tigers closer then? Not Joaquin Benoit either, also declared unavailable tomorrow night.
Valverde might be perfect in his save chances this year, but he's a bumpy roller coaster ride when that stat doesn't matter. Even though he won't, Jim Leyland needs to dig elsewhere in his bullpen to get those last 3 outs. As it is, should the opportunity arise tomorrow night, he's going to have to.
Showing posts with label Jim Leyland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jim Leyland. Show all posts
Monday, August 22, 2011
Monday, August 8, 2011
Sure, They're Extended, But...
So earlier today, Detroit Tigers President/GM Dave Dombrowski and Manager Jim Leyland were given contract extensions from the club, Dombrowski through 2015, and Leyland through 2012. Like most fans, at least some of the fans I saw on Twitter today, were rather disgusted by the moves, myself included. After all, I did post some dribble on here not too long ago about how Dombrowski and Leyland's time is up, and we need a new direction.
After digesting the news over the course of the day, I will admit that can come to terms with what we have with the Tigers, based on some chatter with common fans, and a journalist or two. A few things come to mind though.
Leyland being extended is fine, mostly because you're not going to find an available manager out there who'll be a better replacement for this ball club. I can accept that. The problem is, most of the common fans don't see some of the successes but instead the errors in judgement, or just plain mismanagement. The players like him, and he likes the players. There's too much at stake to just swiftly make a change, though it wouldn't have happened until this offseason.
That said, same goes for Dombrowski. And it's not just DD, it's the rest of the front office too. There's a lot of potential still surrounding this team, along with a couple of expiring big contracts (Paging Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez). DD, Al Avila, and the rest of the front office has the right hold on this team, and turning that over to someone different might be a little dangerous. While it's not great to think of what happens IF the Tigers fail to make the postseason this year, the front office and its minions have a pitching rotation that is under club control through 2014, and the core of offensive threats are all around for at least that long too. So in theory, there's no reason to turn all that over to another group.
So the Manager and the President are signed. In the end, we don't have to like it, but that's what's out there. The timing is strange, being that this could have taken place earlier this season, or at the end. My theory is, take the stress and "lame duck" label away, and you're now focused for a stretch run. But the common ground with this group is, that no one has won anything yet. During the regime, the Tigers have won zero divisions, zero championships. Sure, the wild card and pennant in 2006 was a great run, but it still came up short, and now were coming up on 5 years since that October run. The common fan is impatient, and wants its winner now.
After digesting the news over the course of the day, I will admit that can come to terms with what we have with the Tigers, based on some chatter with common fans, and a journalist or two. A few things come to mind though.
Leyland being extended is fine, mostly because you're not going to find an available manager out there who'll be a better replacement for this ball club. I can accept that. The problem is, most of the common fans don't see some of the successes but instead the errors in judgement, or just plain mismanagement. The players like him, and he likes the players. There's too much at stake to just swiftly make a change, though it wouldn't have happened until this offseason.
That said, same goes for Dombrowski. And it's not just DD, it's the rest of the front office too. There's a lot of potential still surrounding this team, along with a couple of expiring big contracts (Paging Carlos Guillen and Magglio Ordonez). DD, Al Avila, and the rest of the front office has the right hold on this team, and turning that over to someone different might be a little dangerous. While it's not great to think of what happens IF the Tigers fail to make the postseason this year, the front office and its minions have a pitching rotation that is under club control through 2014, and the core of offensive threats are all around for at least that long too. So in theory, there's no reason to turn all that over to another group.
So the Manager and the President are signed. In the end, we don't have to like it, but that's what's out there. The timing is strange, being that this could have taken place earlier this season, or at the end. My theory is, take the stress and "lame duck" label away, and you're now focused for a stretch run. But the common ground with this group is, that no one has won anything yet. During the regime, the Tigers have won zero divisions, zero championships. Sure, the wild card and pennant in 2006 was a great run, but it still came up short, and now were coming up on 5 years since that October run. The common fan is impatient, and wants its winner now.
Saturday, August 6, 2011
Leyland Shuffling the Rotation = No Brainer
Before today, Justin Verlander's turn in the rotation has him starting tonight, and then next Friday as they open a series in Baltimore.
Perhaps he's not as ornery as we have all thought he was, and he realized that pitching the future Cy Young winner would be better off on Thursday against the Cleveland Indians in what will be an important series for the Tigers. And he won't be losing any rest, as the Tigers are off on Monday.
But with that move for his workhorse, I hope he realizes he needs to to the same with his lineup. Stop playing the percentages, and play who needs to be played, i.e. streaky batters, regulars who should have regular time in a stretch run. Leyland's late-game management is always in question, as was displayed last night when he yanked starter Rick Porcello after only throwing 82 pitches. Instead of perhaps letting his young pitcher work himself out of trouble, he allowed the bullpen (which is nothing short of awful this season) to cough up the lead, letting the game go into extra innings. Sure, Brennan Boesch, who had a great night last night, came through last night in the top of the 10th with the game winning hit. What I'm saying is it didn't need to come to that.
I will also say that Daniel Schlereth, who's had a rocky season out of the 'pen for the Tigers, looked sharp. He was supposed to be the lefty specialist out of the bullpen this season, and still needs to be because of the horrid season Phil Coke is experiencing. Valverde has been Valverde, converting his 31st consecutive save to open the season. He and his asinine antics can tie the club record held by Willie Hernandez ('84) with his next successful save opportunity.
I shall keep hoping that Leyland figures other things out as we continue along the stretch run, as the Tigers play the Royals in the second game of the series, starting the day with a 4 game lead over second-place Cleveland. It would be beneficial for this now .500 road team to maintain that margin before starting a series against the Indians on Tuesday.
Perhaps he's not as ornery as we have all thought he was, and he realized that pitching the future Cy Young winner would be better off on Thursday against the Cleveland Indians in what will be an important series for the Tigers. And he won't be losing any rest, as the Tigers are off on Monday.
But with that move for his workhorse, I hope he realizes he needs to to the same with his lineup. Stop playing the percentages, and play who needs to be played, i.e. streaky batters, regulars who should have regular time in a stretch run. Leyland's late-game management is always in question, as was displayed last night when he yanked starter Rick Porcello after only throwing 82 pitches. Instead of perhaps letting his young pitcher work himself out of trouble, he allowed the bullpen (which is nothing short of awful this season) to cough up the lead, letting the game go into extra innings. Sure, Brennan Boesch, who had a great night last night, came through last night in the top of the 10th with the game winning hit. What I'm saying is it didn't need to come to that.
I will also say that Daniel Schlereth, who's had a rocky season out of the 'pen for the Tigers, looked sharp. He was supposed to be the lefty specialist out of the bullpen this season, and still needs to be because of the horrid season Phil Coke is experiencing. Valverde has been Valverde, converting his 31st consecutive save to open the season. He and his asinine antics can tie the club record held by Willie Hernandez ('84) with his next successful save opportunity.
I shall keep hoping that Leyland figures other things out as we continue along the stretch run, as the Tigers play the Royals in the second game of the series, starting the day with a 4 game lead over second-place Cleveland. It would be beneficial for this now .500 road team to maintain that margin before starting a series against the Indians on Tuesday.
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