Watching the surprising Detroit Tigers. They field a 8/9 White batting lineup. Tarik Skubal is their ace pitcher and likely AL Cy Young award winner. With the Orioles faltering, the Tigers are an interesting team to watch. Hopefully they eliminate the Astros. But I don’t see them doing any further.
2024 MLB Playoffs
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FootballDad
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The Tigers have been on an absolute tear the last month of the season. I think they can go toe-to-toe with any team in the American League.
Snow Plow
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The Tigers used 8 of 9 against the right hander they faced and 5 of 9 against the left hander so far in the playoffs. The strength of the team is Skubal, like you mention, and the other 11 lunch pail warriors. Most games they use a bullpen approach all game. Today, they used 7 pitchers, with only future star Jackson Jobe giving up runs.
I have to say it’s much nice to look at a roster like this than most NFL ones.
PITCHERS (12): Beau Brieske, Jason Foley, Sean Guenther, Brenan Hanifee, Tyler Holton, Brant Hurter, Jackson Jobe, Ty Madden, Casey Mize, Reese Olson, Tarik Skubal, Will Vest
POSITION PLAYERS (14): Kerry Carpenter, Dillon Dingler, Riley Greene, Andy Ibáñez, Jace Jung, Colt Keith, Justyn-Henry Malloy, Zach McKinstry, Parker Meadows, Wenceel Pérez, Jake Rogers, Trey Sweeney, Spencer Torkelson, Matt Vierling
I have to say it’s much nice to look at a roster like this than most NFL ones.
PITCHERS (12): Beau Brieske, Jason Foley, Sean Guenther, Brenan Hanifee, Tyler Holton, Brant Hurter, Jackson Jobe, Ty Madden, Casey Mize, Reese Olson, Tarik Skubal, Will Vest
POSITION PLAYERS (14): Kerry Carpenter, Dillon Dingler, Riley Greene, Andy Ibáñez, Jace Jung, Colt Keith, Justyn-Henry Malloy, Zach McKinstry, Parker Meadows, Wenceel Pérez, Jake Rogers, Trey Sweeney, Spencer Torkelson, Matt Vierling
Carolina Speed
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After being down 3-0 in the 6th inning, the Philadelphia Phillies come back on HR's by Harper and Castellanos to take game two, 7-6 and even the series 2-2. Although I like the Mets Pete Alonso, I'm hoping the Phillies will play the Dodgers in the league championship.
Carolina Speed
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Potential NL ROY of the year, Jackson Merrill went 3-5, 3 RBI including a HR to lead San Diego to a 10-2 when over the LA Dodgers. Series is now tied at 1-1. The Dodgers Max Muncy went deep for LA.
Either Merrill or Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes should win the NL ROY when announced later this month.
Phall
Master
DING DONG!
The Tigers break a 0-0 tie ballgame in the top of the 9th off the alleged best closer in baseball. They had two outs and then went single, single, and a home run from Kerry Carpenter on a two-strike count. This one inning could have saved the series for them, now going back to Detroit where two wins would put them in the ALCS.
The Tigers break a 0-0 tie ballgame in the top of the 9th off the alleged best closer in baseball. They had two outs and then went single, single, and a home run from Kerry Carpenter on a two-strike count. This one inning could have saved the series for them, now going back to Detroit where two wins would put them in the ALCS.
Snow Plow
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That was such a big moment considering the situation. Clase had a 0.61 ERA in the regular season and the Tigers’ bats were basically anemic until 2 outs in the 9th. At that point, weak hitting Jake Rogers and Trey Sweeney both singled and Carpenter launched a 3 run home run. Carpenter, who doesnt start vs lefties as he is white and must wait his turn to develop, mashed a ball so hard (423 feet) that he barely jogged out of the batters box. Just a great moment in an unbelievable season for the Tigers.
Tarik Skubal pitched another gem and hasn’t given up a run in two playoff starts. He also hasn’t given up more than 2 runs since August 2.
Phall
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So fun to watch: I thought it was a pop-out off of how high the ball left his bat and didn't realize that he wasn't jogging out of frustration but rather celebration and awe. Within that same second, I noticed the crowd had gone quiet, the camera panned to the right fielder giving up chasing, and that was that. Again, a really memorable moment for fans and especially for Carpenter. The announcer mentioned he was selling sporting goods at Dick's a few years ago trying to make ends meet in the minors.
This is still an analytics stat for nerds in my opinion, but the post-game interviewer chick relayed that this 111-mph ball-off-the-bat exit velocity was the highest of Carpenter's entire young pro career.
And yes, extra important that the Tigers didn't squander a Cy Young-worthy start from Skubal in a short series.
Carolina Speed
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Pete Alonso another HR in game 3 as the Mets beat the Phillies. Schwarber, Turner, Harper and Realmuto need to step it up. Mets lead the series 2-1.
Padres beat the Dodgers 6-5. Same here. Ohtani did have one hit, but the Dodgers got nothing from Freeman or Muncy. To his credit Mookie Betts went 2-4 and a HR. Padres lead series 2-1.
Padres rookie Merrill, 0-3 1 run scored. Jake Cronenworth went 2-3, R.
Phall
Master
The Tigers take Game 3 by a score of 3-0.
Third baseman Matt Vierling had the defensive play of the game, leaping to save two runs and keep the tying run off of second base.
Catcher Jake Rogers walked, doubled, and scored a run while batting ninth. More impressively, he called a shutout with six different pitchers, his second in a row.
Third baseman Matt Vierling had the defensive play of the game, leaping to save two runs and keep the tying run off of second base.
Catcher Jake Rogers walked, doubled, and scored a run while batting ninth. More impressively, he called a shutout with six different pitchers, his second in a row.
Freethinker
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The Mets got hot at the right time. With this new playoff format it seems to benefit teams like this more than ever. The Tigers are riding a similar wave and last year the Rangers and Diamondbacks navigated past some of the regular season Goliaths.
Freethinker
Hall of Famer
Watching the post game coverage on TBS. 4 blacks and a woman. Granderson, the well spoken black guy. Dusty, the wise old negro. Jimmy Rollins, the jive talking ghetto fella. Pedro Martinez, the barely legible Latino clown. Earlier, I saw a panel with Jeter, David Ortiz and Arod (I think).
The White erasure is obvious and blatant.
The White erasure is obvious and blatant.
white lightning
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Only thing you can do is watch the game on a stream or mute the audio and skip the post commie game talk.
wokewhite232
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having high strikeout HR hitters is not beneficial in the playoffs, the teams that make a run have contact hitters that can manufacture runs with speed, bunts, walks, doubles, etc are the most dangerous
Snow Plow
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Bobby Witt Jr is 5-22 and only 2 RBI, so root for him to have a breakout game.
jimmyjerapolo
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There is no evidence to support this. Obviously the Phillies team BA of .186 is a problem, but the 2 things that matter the most are getting on base and producing extra base hits (preferably home runs). OPS and slugging predict offensive success in the modern baseball and even more so in the playoffs where pitching is better and you need to score runs on fewer hits. The Phillies lost largely BECAUSE they didn't hit enough home runs. Every now and then you'll see a team like the D-Backs from last season but they are an exception. It's no different than the 3-pointer in basketball.
wokewhite232
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Texas Rangers last season had a great combo of power and contact, lower strike out rate under Bochy, similar to the Giants 3 title teams
knightedsoldier5000
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I'm sure a statistician at some point determined that '3 outcome' baseball was the winning strategy but I absolutely hate it. We need more hitters like wade boggs, tony gwynn, mark grace, Actual good hitters. Not just swing for the fences and hope to get lucky 30 times / year.
jimmyjerapolo
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They also hit the most postseason HRs of any team, including out homering their opponent in every round of the playoffs. Same with slugging % and OPS. The D-backs over the Phillies was a strange series where virtually every offensive metric went to Philly (the D-backs only narrowly had a higher BA) and still lost.
My point is, no contending team is manufacturing runs with speed, bunts and singles anymore. The Royals from a few years back were a rare exception along with last year's D backs. Contact helps but the long ball is king.
I don't think they (the pro-3 outcome crowd) deserve even that much credit. There's nothing, statistically or otherwise, that says that 3 outcome baseball is the best way to win. Players (not all, of course, but many - too many) just slipped into that "swing for the fences" attitude.