gehringer_2

We've lost 3 starters - now a forth, plus a reliever here and there, and the team ERA is 3.52. But Avila is incompetent.

that's part of his charm.

They need to stop screwing around and let Peralta stretch out from this outing to take Pineda's spot.

he's getting caught on in-between hops. He could either try to be more aggressive charging the ball when he can instead of letting it get to that in-between hop, or take another step back and take the ball after the hop - but maybe his arm isn't up to that.

That slide by Schoop is the first that I've seen that is serious competition for Prince.

when did Peralta come up with 97?

well, this doesn't look like it's going to age well. Mize back to Lakeland, Pineda hit in the hand with a batted ball...

another broken hand?

It looks like he took C Mo's advice to simplify and just do one thing, and right now that is pulling the ball, which is fine. He can expand his comfort zone on varying his approach once he has the 'get out front on the fastball' thing down.

I've always pretty much assumed this lyric was John's: "But if you go carrying pictures of Chairman Mao You ain't going to make it with anyone anyhow"

I'll go back to what I said about the hitters - one of the things that keeps guys keyed up when things are going bad is fear of losing their role. The take the role away so they can't worry about it any more. That may be the quickest way to get them back to where you can give them the role back.

Was it Gardy that said, "your role is to get guys out when I give you ball"?

Yeah - and once Gates Brown had a hot dog.

g...o...t......t...o......d...o...u...b...l...e......d...o...w...n.

AA: Dingler with a double for 4, Daniel Cabrera with a 5 game hitting streak (but 3 Ks tonight) A: Colt Keith's 15 game hit streak ends.

again, how do explain Hinch's thought process when you have 14 pitchers on the staff and you keep using a guy north of 7 BB/9IP to close? I'm really getting tired of the hope over reality approach to things this team seems locked into. And I suppose because Wiili had a hit tonight the terrible route he took on his one chance in the field will be conveniently ignored as well. And just a side note, it will never show up in his stat analysis because Baez managed to come out and make the play for him.

I think Fulmer is mostly rusty but I don't know how you work relievers back into form when your team never gets a comfortable lead. Soto is over throwing everything - just dumb because he has great stuff. Maybe need to turn off the radar gun when he pitches.

At least he can find the plate.

Fulmer and Soto need to work some 7 and 8ths.

Tigers have issued 7 walks. absolutely.

this is beyond nuts.

Soto looks like he keeps trying to make perfect pitches when he doesn't really need to.

Well, he didn't walk him.....

6 base runners stranded in two innings. They better not go back to that well in the 9th.