gehringer_2

top of the order to start the next inning for the Brewers. Hate to pull a guy after 4, but....

yeah - not getting a good feeling about where this is going. Don't like the chances of a hitter that can't throw a FB for a strike.

2 100mph+ line drives for Torkelson in this game.

Could well be. Greene is a good opposite field hitter when he inside outs the ball but that's not going to get you a big ISO unless you're the size of Miguel. If he feels pressure to hit home runs he might be playing away from what he's most able to handle at this point. I think back to Lou Whittaker - came up and did most of his hitting the opposite way but was patient with himself and as he got older his pull power and timing just evolved naturally until he was an easy 20hr guy. I like that model but I can imagine that Tigers today are more impatient than they were when Lou came up.

Tork looking better by the week.

You can only hope that someone like Kagan give him an earful in Chambers afterward. It's seem pretty clear there hasn't been much comity on this court for a while so I wouldn't doubt it.

Probably also true, but given both their histories their really isn't sufficient evidence to be guided by anything other than what they are actually doing on the field and it seems silly not to take advantage of that fact that Rogers is playing well now even if he does fade. It not a matter of benching Haase, it's just a JC notes - there is no reason for Haase to have *more* AB than Jake so far. Especially after watching them play Barnhart for his D for more of last season than could be justified by any rational analysis.

Maybe, but I think it's more likely they are hoping to get 2021 Haase with the 950 OPS against LHP pitching to reappear, but given the overall arc of his career, I think it's pretty likely that '21 was his outlier and the Tigers are chasing a phantom. The problem for Hinch is that since Jake also has a postive split against LHP (already 3 for 9 with 2HR so far) you can't just give all the LHP starts to Haase either. I'd call it another example of the Tigers letting the perfect be the enemy of the good. Sort of like all those ABs given to Willie Castro because they were so sure a better player was 'in there somewhere.' They always seem to have a reason to not play their best team - and I suppose it starts with Cabrera -- and that paradigm contaminates everything else they do.

Prolly - but there aren't enought of them to be much of a clan.

you could always try the beer in a bottle.... 😎

Hinch is playing Solomon, going into tonight's game each has started exactly 10 games at catcher. Haase's additional AB have come in the OF. Both have faced RH/LH pitching in a 3:1 ratio. If you can tell me why that's optimum managing when one guy's OPS against pitching from both sides is 200 points higher than the other and he plays better defense, then you can be honorary AJ for a week.

Bullpen - 4 IP - perfect.

Well, that's about the best game this team can play in this configuration.

Riley eaten up by a 94 mph fastball. He's almost where Torks was last season - behind.

He's like Jhonny Peralta - always looks like he's moving slow but you look him up at the end of the season and he's made a lot of plays. Still has to hit though.

That ball hit by Riley is what Scales was talking about the other day. For as much as you get this goof ball mantra from Craig Monroe about 'letting the ball get deep', you aren't going to do max damage that way if you aren't Miguel Cabrera in his prime. Hitting the ball deep with almost a golf swing got him a weak flare to left, he needs to get around further to drive the ball hard to right. All that said, he's still has time enough to figure it out.

I think he could have some success if Hinch keeps bringing him in after a guy throwing 95+.

He's usually prett good about swinging at strikes, but the whole team is taking a lot of strikes tonight - maybe taking pitches is the game plan - they did get a lot walks off Rea.

In that AB Tork took a FB down the middle and then swung at pitches on the margins. Sometimes what you take is as big a problem. He was maybe looking off speed, whatever - he missed his best chance that time.

Dan is sure Boyd is done. 3 RH bats coming up next -probably right.

Yup -Boyd needs to get out of this himself if Cisnero is warming up.

Good throw from 2nd and Haase is dead meat - he didn't make a good throw so it was the right call! Riley with another ball chopped into the ground - worked in his favor that time.

they're staying back on the breaking ball because Boyd can't get enough on the FB to put it past them.

Typical Boyd, lots of Ks, lots of bombs. He's not going to win many with less than 4 or 5 run support.

maybe the worst play I've seen Riley make - maybe an indication he brooding over his hitting instead of keeping his head in the game. Not a good sign.