SeattleMike

I'll be there Sunday. Skubal I hope.

I'll have to believe he pitches Game 2 on Sunday. That's four-day's rest and will allow him to go in a Game 5, such like last year.

I think someone looked into that last year and Tork was definitely a victim of lots of balls called strike. Likely same this year.

Yeah, he's not the contact guy everyone is clamoring for right now. Bregman on the other hand...

The Illitch/Dombrowski duo would have signed Bregman, I'm almost certain of that. For better (next couple of seasons) or for worse (3-4 years later) they would have beaten every other offer.

As recently as September 10 the Tigers were 7th in MLB in runs scored. And other than the 1-12 skid in July they avoided extended hitting slumps. Maybe they can recapture what worked for 140 games starting tomorrow.

Mize is a free agent after next year.

So it took the league five months to figure out how to pitch to the Tigers? I'm not buying it. I think this is just one of those weird baseball things. Almost everyone slumping at once.

Statistically, Perez had a better year this year than last. But his last 60 PAs have been so bad one could argue that he belongs on the list of guys who failed to improve year over year.

And of course now they can pull Smith so he'll be available tomorrow.

He shouldn't be in the bullpen.

When the Mariners play Toronto the crowd is about half Blue Jays fans. And it doesn't matter if the Jays stink. Western Canadians show up either way. This year, however, for obvious reasons Blue Jays fans were not as heavily represented.

The Mariners are the only current MLB team to have never played in the WS. 47 years and counting. So if it can't be the Tigers let it be the Mariners. Plus, it would be fun to see this town really obsess about baseball.

Can you carry fewer pitchers and more position players if you want?

1955-1993 the Indians were epically bad. Remember Major League, the move? The Indians were the team they chose to represent as the ultimate MLB underdog. My Dad grew up an Indians fan and always complained that the Tigers owned the Indians. Would be nice to flip back to that script.

What was he doing the first 5 months of the season?

Greene has taken a lot of grief from Tigers fans down the stretch but has anyone noticed Carpenter's struggles the last two weeks. 410 OPS+ Throw in Perez's 362 OPS+ and that is lot of suckitude in the middle of your lineup during an important stretch.

Cleveland's starter tonite has pitched even fewer innings in his career. I still think the Tigers screwed up by moving Melton to the pen. I have to believe if they had given Morton's starts to Melton they'd have a win or two more.

What did the Braves have to play for? But I agree with your general point. If Boston just uses the series to lineup its pitching for the postseason maybe the Tigers can break through with a win or two, which may be all they need.

Law of averages would favor the Tigers?

Your most recent example, Toronto, defies your premise. They won 87 games and finished third in 88, finished first in 89, second in 90, first in 91 and won back to back WS in 92 and 93. So all is not lost.

I think the 19 Ks is a sign the Tigers are pressing. I think Skubal trying the trick play is a sign the Tigers are pressing. I think Tork slamming his bat after his final K is a sign the Tigers are pressing. And I guess who can blame them. Time to re-set and win a darn game.

Don’t look now but Tork and Greene with identical OPS+s.

The last few weeks it seems if a team comes into a series doing something really the Tigers have been wholly incapable of reversing the trend. The A's have been hot since the All-Star break and sweep the Tigers. The Mets come in hot on offense and destroy the Tigers pitching in two games. The White Sox come in with an offense that had scored the 5th most runs in MLB since the break and clobber two of three Tiger pitchers. The Indians come in shutting every down that is what they do to the Tigers. That is what happens to bad teams and for the last few weeks that is what the Tigers are. Now the Braves come in after scoring a bushel of runs. Would be a good time for the Tigers to play like a playoff contender and cool the Braves off.

Is hitting the fastball? That has always been his problem, I think.