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 Jose Valverde. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jose Valverde. Show all posts
Monday, August 22, 2011
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Starter, Setup, Closer
Tonight was about as important game the Tigers will have on the road this month during an August pennant race: losers of the first 2 games to the Cleveland Indians, and their stopper pitching in the finale.
The game was probably a little too close for comfort in the eyes of Detroit Tigers fans, as they got out quickly vs Fausto Carmona, and staked Justin Verlander to an early 4 run lead. A solo HR later, and a 2-RBI double in the next inning, and we have a 4-3 Tigers lead.
A score that would stick throughout the course of the game. And to quickly summarize the type of season Cleveland has had, exciting, close, pulled it out in the end. They have a lot of walk-off wins this season, or wins earned late in games, which made many of us nervous about the potential outcome of a game to salvage the series.
Collective moans could be heard after the 7th inning, as it became known that after 7 innings, 3 ER, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts, and 108 pitches, his day was over. Enter setup man Joaquin Benoit, who won no fans for how he started his season. April and May were forgettable months for him, but Tigers fans won't be so quick: 6.10 ERA in April, 5.59 in May. Got it together in June and July, with a hiccup in this month that leads fans to be nervous when he takes the ball, especially in a close game.
Strikeout, strikeout, groundout. The haters are nowhere to be found.
Enter Jose Valverde, who has had a knack of making his save opportunities at times, very "exciting." At times, putting runners on via the walk, not exactly making life easy on himself. Add to that, the fact that he still hasn't blown a save opportunity this season (32 for 32), and more anxious Tigers fans await to see if this, in fact, was the night it might happen.
Strikeout, popout, groundout. Ballgame.
And with that, Justin Verlander wins his 100th career game, and Jose Valverde came in and converted what is now a club record 33rd consecutive save to start the season, breaking the old record held by Willie Hernandez in 1984. Yes, 2 big milestones were had tonight, but the win is bigger.
A loss may have sent panic through Tiger-town. Talk would have been about Verlander perhaps not being able to stop the bleeding that was 13 straight losses in Cleveland, or perhaps how the bullpen was unable to hold onto what Verlander had left them. They would move on to Baltimore with a slim 1-game lead in the standings, perhaps wondering what might have been, especially to allow the Indians back to within striking distance.
Instead, the top-dogs of the pitching corps did what they were supposed to do: Verlander struck out 10 more and only gave up 3 hits (big hits, but only 3). Benoit, brought in this season to set up Valverde, did just that. And rather impressively, I might add. Valverde did his thing, minus the crazy dance at the end, and got his save. Everything fell into place, and now it's time to move on to Baltimore with a 3-game lead in the division.
A sweep there would be nice. Winning and fundamental baseball would be ideal. Finishing road trips ahead would be paramount.
The game was probably a little too close for comfort in the eyes of Detroit Tigers fans, as they got out quickly vs Fausto Carmona, and staked Justin Verlander to an early 4 run lead. A solo HR later, and a 2-RBI double in the next inning, and we have a 4-3 Tigers lead.
A score that would stick throughout the course of the game. And to quickly summarize the type of season Cleveland has had, exciting, close, pulled it out in the end. They have a lot of walk-off wins this season, or wins earned late in games, which made many of us nervous about the potential outcome of a game to salvage the series.
Collective moans could be heard after the 7th inning, as it became known that after 7 innings, 3 ER, 3 walks, 10 strikeouts, and 108 pitches, his day was over. Enter setup man Joaquin Benoit, who won no fans for how he started his season. April and May were forgettable months for him, but Tigers fans won't be so quick: 6.10 ERA in April, 5.59 in May. Got it together in June and July, with a hiccup in this month that leads fans to be nervous when he takes the ball, especially in a close game.
Strikeout, strikeout, groundout. The haters are nowhere to be found.
Enter Jose Valverde, who has had a knack of making his save opportunities at times, very "exciting." At times, putting runners on via the walk, not exactly making life easy on himself. Add to that, the fact that he still hasn't blown a save opportunity this season (32 for 32), and more anxious Tigers fans await to see if this, in fact, was the night it might happen.
Strikeout, popout, groundout. Ballgame.
And with that, Justin Verlander wins his 100th career game, and Jose Valverde came in and converted what is now a club record 33rd consecutive save to start the season, breaking the old record held by Willie Hernandez in 1984. Yes, 2 big milestones were had tonight, but the win is bigger.
A loss may have sent panic through Tiger-town. Talk would have been about Verlander perhaps not being able to stop the bleeding that was 13 straight losses in Cleveland, or perhaps how the bullpen was unable to hold onto what Verlander had left them. They would move on to Baltimore with a slim 1-game lead in the standings, perhaps wondering what might have been, especially to allow the Indians back to within striking distance.
Instead, the top-dogs of the pitching corps did what they were supposed to do: Verlander struck out 10 more and only gave up 3 hits (big hits, but only 3). Benoit, brought in this season to set up Valverde, did just that. And rather impressively, I might add. Valverde did his thing, minus the crazy dance at the end, and got his save. Everything fell into place, and now it's time to move on to Baltimore with a 3-game lead in the division.
A sweep there would be nice. Winning and fundamental baseball would be ideal. Finishing road trips ahead would be paramount.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)