***Official 2025 Detroit Tigers Thread***

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by regularp

Skubal's just an equalizer in a three game series. It makes me sick all over again that Harris said there isn't a Skubal window.

This guy is a gift to the Detroit organization.

As if two time cy young award winners come around all the time. I know the analytic crowd downplays starting pitching. You still need to get 27 outs. Something to be said for having a single guy go out and completely demoralize a lineup and get 21 of those outs.

Of the four games played yesterday, only the Cubs/Padres didn't feature a starting pitching performance going 7 strong innings. Two of the games featured both pitchers having great starts.

[JustinVerlander07]

Going to be a very unproductive afternoon at work today. Can't believe MLB does weekday playoff games, it's like they don't want people to watch.

[Stifle]

The Tigers need to do whatever it takes to scratch out more runs than yesterday. In the 7 X the Tigers reached the playoffs : 06, 11-14, 24 & 25, this team might be the team in scoring runs that I doubt the most. Hope the Tigers can pull it out and make this a bad take.

That was a huge win and it was all TS.

[Rememberthepast]

We don’t deserve to win this game today. If we lose today, we lose tomorrow!

[Nostalgia]

Getting thrown out at 3rd base before the run scored was the turning point of the game and likely the series.

[regularp]

How many times has Troy Melton been brought into a high leverage situation in the 8th inning before?

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by regularp

How many times has Troy Melton been brought into a high leverage situation in the 8th inning before?

Probably none, but I don't think Hinch really thinks of anybody in the bullpen as a "high leverage" guy. It is all situational match up driven. Pitching chaos worked last playoff and most of the year this year.

[Stifle]

The Tigers front office has to be pleased. Detroit definitely went the way of saber-metrics and beat Cleveland today in opportunities / WAR : 2 ROE’s, 2 HBP’s, 7 H, 6 BB’s. While Cleveland had only 6 hits & 4 walks. Going 1-15 in RISP never occurs in context-neutral but in playoff games without that clutch hitter, YES. Detroit did exactly what they are set up to do but there isn’t that go to bat in the lineup. Yes, I miss the days of Miggy as a Tiger in RISP opportunities going 13-25 with 9 walks, a HBP, 2 ROE’s, in other words not only getting the big hit but increasing the odds of winning 25 out of 35 times. I didn’t utilize SF’s or include 2 GIDP’s runs that were scored. Detroit doesn’t want to spend on an intimidation bat in the lineup. One that had an Oakland pitcher throw a WP with a guy on 3rd facing Miggy. We have nothing like that in the playoffs.

He also went 7-11 in 2 out W/RISP with 6 walks & a ROE. Reached safely 14 out of 17 times, with a slash line of .636/.765/1.636/2.401. He was paid handsomely for a reason and produced like nobody ever in a Tiger uniform has in their playoff history. Hope Detroit’s front office receives these non WAR but CLUTCH hitting statistics !

I realize that not all great hitters have that in them. A Judge since 19 is 1-13 in 2 out RISP with 2 walks and a slash line of .077/.200/.077/.277.

[Fulmer4MVP]

Originally Posted by Scottish Punk

Probably none, but I don't think Hinch really thinks of anybody in the bullpen as a "high leverage" guy. It is all situational match up driven. Pitching chaos worked last playoff and most of the year this year.

Honestly its not the pitching. No team is going to win stranding that many guys on base. They literally went from one of the best teams with RISP to one of the worst in a 2 month stretch. All their big bats forgot how to hit after the all star break.

[Stifle]

Originally Posted by Fulmer4MVP

Honestly its not the pitching. No team is going to win stranding that many guys on base. They literally went from one of the best teams with RISP to one of the worst in a 2 month stretch. All their big bats forgot how to hit after the all star break.

Kind of like last season. Then when the playoffs came, our hitters were waiting on the 5-9 starters and the like relief pitchers. The playoffs are about metal grinding on metal and our blades are beyond dull. The Tigers are 2-23 in RISP opportunities and Skubal isn’t pitching again in this series.

[JustinVerlander07]

That 3-1 pitch to Jones that should've loaded the bases felt like a real back breaker. Melton in that spot felt like Jobe last year. Just doesn't make a ton of sense, but this year speaks to lack of options Hinch trusts.

I'd be stunned if they win tomorrow, but who knows?

*Also what a decision to pinch hit Riley Greene for Jones in the biggest spot of the season!!! That's a bad sign for Riley*

[hairysasquatch]

What a season of highs and lows. Geez...

[bub838]

Originally Posted by JustinVerlander07

That 3-1 pitch to Jones that should've loaded the bases felt like a real back breaker. Melton in that spot felt like Jobe last year. Just doesn't make a ton of sense, but this year speaks to lack of options Hinch trusts.

I'd be stunned if they win tomorrow, but who knows?

*Also what a decision to pinch hit Riley Greene for Jones in the biggest spot of the season!!! That's a bad sign for Riley*

This, along with pulling Mize after 60 pitches were head scratchers.

[Stifle]

Originally Posted by JustinVerlander07

That 3-1 pitch to Jones that should've loaded the bases felt like a real back breaker. Melton in that spot felt like Jobe last year. Just doesn't make a ton of sense, but this year speaks to lack of options Hinch trusts.

I'd be stunned if they win tomorrow, but who knows?

*Also what a decision to pinch hit Riley Greene for Jones in the biggest spot of the season!!! That's a bad sign for Riley*

Riley Greene and Mike Trout were horrendous in Late & Close games :

R. Greene : .128/.209/.269/.479
M. Trout : .164/.344/.315/.659

[JustinVerlander07]

Originally Posted by bub838

This, along with pulling Mize after 60 pitches were head scratchers.

I think tactically it was a smart move. I've said all season if you pinch hit Carp every time a lefty comes up, why not Greene too? (because he's just as bad against LHP) I think there will be longer term consequences because of it, though.

[Stifle]

Originally Posted by JustinVerlander07

I think tactically it was a smart move. I've said all season if you pinch hit Carp every time a lefty comes up, why not Greene too? (because he's just as bad against LHP) I think there will be longer term consequences because of it, though.

It’s easier to do in the regular season with a 28 man roster compared to a 26 man roster. I would have made the change as well. Riley isn’t a clutch hitter but by putting your team ahead early has significant value.

[btimm]

I did not understand pulling Mize at all, he was pitching well and did not have a high pitch count.

I actually did like pinch hitting for Greene in that spot, as you need to put the ball in play and Greene strikes out way too much.

But if he is one of Detroit's best hitters, that speaks volumes to the lack of high end bats. It seems like Detroit has a ton of the amazing guys to fill out the back end of a quality lineup, but few of the top end guys.

[base set]

I figured the Mize decision was a result of Skubal’s excellent start. The bullpen was rested, so start maxxing the “matchups” ASAP may have been the thinking. Also with Hinch I believe the bullpen moves are plotted out before the game starts based on sequences in the opposing lineup.

[Stifle]

Originally Posted by btimm

I did not understand pulling Mize at all, he was pitching well and did not have a high pitch count.

I actually did like pinch hitting for Greene in that spot, as you need to put the ball in play and Greene strikes out way too much.

But if he is one of Detroit's best hitters, that speaks volumes to the lack of high end bats. It seems like Detroit has a ton of the amazing guys to fill out the back end of a quality lineup, but few of the top end guys.

Detroit’s best hitters are not reliable vs top end starters or relievers. When the season reaches post with this team, it’s all about pitching for Detroit. I like Greene and Carpenter but they are extremely limited and are exposed in a playoff setting. Detroit is compromised to do exactly what the front office has them doing in the first two games, create opportunities. The problem is that they look at the formula insisting that by compiling 23 RISP situations, the context-neutral has them scoring roughly 8 runs and we have 2 in those opportunities.

We are a saber-metric team, the one that Jim Leyland critiqued it the best “Who is going to get the hit” ! ! ! ! ! I would even take a Fatboy Slim Delmon Young as our best clutch hitter for this team.

[Chris Lyle]

In all sincerity good luck today guys. It's always fun to lock up with you guys and have some great games like we have had the first 2 games of the series.

[Scottish Punk]

Originally Posted by Chris Lyle

In all sincerity good luck today guys. It's always fun to lock up with you guys and have some great games like we have had the first 2 games of the series.

Ha ha, you as well. I don't have any ill will against Cleveland. I am tired of seeing you guys though. nine games in like two weeks is enough!!! Probably doesn't help we could end up 2-7 in those games.

Tigers haven't been hitting in what seems like forever. Will we get good Flaherty or the bad Flaherty today?

[Chris Lyle]

Originally Posted by Scottish Punk

Ha ha, you as well. I don't have any ill will against Cleveland. I am tired of seeing you guys though. nine games in like two weeks is enough!!! Probably doesn't help we could end up 2-7 in those games.

Tigers haven't been hitting in what seems like forever. Will we get good Flaherty or the bad Flaherty today?

I'm kind of tired of seeing you guys also. Even though could win 7 of those games. Lol

Same for us which Cecconi are we going to see. Should be interesting.

[regularp]

Wow, they are pouring it on in the 7th. This is stunning to see the offense erupt like this.

[hairysasquatch]

Bring on Seattle!

[Rememberthepast]

Originally Posted by hairysasquatch

Bring on Seattle!

Well, the hitting was hideous against Cleveland and I can only guess how bad it’ll be against Seattle.