gehringer_2

yeah - this has always amused me. Why wouldn't a good religious person not believe God loves all the players enough not to take any rooting interest in who wins? It's just kindergarten level theology, but hey, if it gets them through their ABs...... I played softball on Chruch leagues for years and the fact that no-one could claim God was more on their side was always good.

LOL -- I think both you and Buddha read a bit more into it than I actually meant. My only point was just the simple one that Harbaugh's history meant no matter what, his coaching chops weren't going to be seriously questioned - the underlying assumption with JH being he could/would turn it around remained pretty strong even after the disaster of 2020. I just took him a lot longer to find the QB he needed than anyone hoped. and just to clarify - and as Buddha would tell you, I never liked Harbaugh - but it wasn't because I didn't think he could coach, I just always thought he was bad news for UM in general. The constant low class running at the mouth in the early years, the drama with the NCAA in the later ones. Plus, for a guy with deep UM roots, he ended up not really looking out for the program's interests - he brought a big win but also ran down the program on the way out the door. So to go to those details I guess Franklin is different guy from that perspective also.

At first Skubal only threw a 4 seamer - beginning his 2nd year and then increasing his 3rd, he added a 2 seamer/sinker - so he has two fastballs - if the life on the 4 seamers isn't the greatest, the batter is still going to see FBs going different directions because he can throw both kinds. Melton is about where Skubal was in his 2nd year - he has a sinker but doesn't throw it much yet so that same added confusion might work for him. It reminds me what a freak Verlander was. He only threw(throws) a 4 seamer but it has so much spin guys couldn't barrel up it even when he didn't throw it hard. And he would vary his FB velo by almost as much as the difference between Skubal's FB and Change, before he even threw an actual secondary pitch.

Ironic that that is something the Lions are good at.

Well, certainly not Mexican anyway....

It was Melton that surprised me. I just hadn't seen any game where he pitched well. Long ball is probably going to be the continuing problem for him though. The FB has plenty of mustard but he needs to find a way to give it a little more life.

AJ Pierzinski turned out the have hit the nail right on the head though. He said trying to hit a HR in extras was usually not a great idea - they won when two guys dialed it back - a walk and single up the middle.

What's a reliever? Generally a failed starter. Keider hasn't even proven he's failed as a starter yet.

Iiked Arod's comment about the pressure that having the ACE that's starting tomorrow leaning over the rail added to the mix for Seattle. And I can't help being amused that Josh Naylor is with Seattle now. Didn't seem right playing Cleveland without him there - but we get the chance to beat him anyway.

Keider is only 24. I think we are going to see a lot of him next season.

They're playing 750 ball in the playoffs -- so far.

Kieder Montero's OPS against against Seattle *was* 1.042

ONE OUT LEFT

so who's pitching?

Finally a Tigers not swinging for the fences - gets the RBI

Tork worked the walk - but he needs to slow it down a little, he's over swinging when he does swing.

Vest finished at under 20 pitches. That's a victory.

Gleyber has tailed off so badly in the 2nd half his dreams of big contract offers are probably kaput.

Do the Tigers have no concept at all of protecting the plate?

if we had been playing reg season rules we would have had the speed advantage with Meadows over Naylor.

three well hit balls, three outs.

Tigers BaBIP'd

The guys in the both thought Raliegh couldn't score on a hit to left. I guess they haven't seen Riley's arm. But Finnegan moots the question.

so much for the good night in Cleveland waking up the bats.

you just wonder what 'plan' the tiger hitters are working from when they take so many strikes - esp on fastballs.