2011 AL Central Catch-All Thread

[flavum]

Verlander finishing up his pre all-star break in style. Must be nice having an ace.

[DirtySox]

Jason Beck

beckjason Jason Beck

by BenBadler

Jacob Turner now slotted to pitch Friday for Erie. #Tigers have open spot five days later.

26 minutes ago Favorite Retweet Reply

 

Sounds like another AL Central top prospect to get the call soon.

 

 

[caulfield12]

Tigers are taking a big chance throwing a top pitching prospect into the lion's den.

 

I guess with Coke out of the rotation and Penny the kind of pitcher who might break down at any time, they have little or no choice.

 

But it's still a big gamble. We saw how much rope that KW was willing to give Hudson last year before dumping him. All of 3 starts.

 

 

BTW, Indians already beating up on the Orioles, 3-0. Who'd have thought Asdrubal Cabrera would be on a pace for 25-28 homers?

I'm also guessing the Twins roll right through the Royals.

[kitekrazy]

BTW, Indians already beating up on the Orioles, 3-0. Who'd have thought Asdrubal Cabrera would be on a pace for 25-28 homers?

I'm also guessing the Twins roll right through the Royals.

 

It will be interesting to see what moves they can make. They can still win it.

 

[Melissa1334]

It will be interesting to see what moves they can make. They can still win it.

according to buster olney, the tigers and indians,1-2, have the easiest 2nd half schedules in the a.l.

[Balta1701]

according to buster olney, the tigers and indians,1-2, have the easiest 2nd half schedules in the a.l.

Of course, they have to play the central a lot and can't play themselves. There are 3 pretty weak below .500 teams in the central and no dominant team.

[caulfield12]

Bruce Chen baffling the Twins as well. 3-0 for now in the middle innings.

 

Mauer had a ball he couldn't handle from Liriano go to the backstop and then made an ill-advised backhand flip to the plate, allowing 2 runners to score on one play. Two errors in that same inning for a team that had gone 5 games without making a mistake (mostly against the Sox).

 

 

POOF. Ooops, I mean Plouffe.

 

4-3 Twins. That didn't last. If this keeps up, they'll be able to tie us tmrw night for 3rd place.

 

Delmon Young back in the line-up as well after the ankle injury.

 

 

Edited July 15, 2011 by caulfield12

[greg775]

Hilarious.

Twins, who swept KC in 4 game series in KC, now are leading KC 8-3 late.

 

The Twins, folks, know how to win the division. They feast on Sox and Royals.

You wait, it'll be a 4 game sweep this weekend.

 

For some reason, Sox don't emphasize divisional games enough. How else can you explain our s***tiness. We're too cool to get down and dirty vs. the 'inferior' Central teams.

 

[fathom]

Hilarious.

Twins, who swept KC in 4 game series in KC, now are leading KC 8-3 late.

 

The Twins, folks, know how to win the division. They feast on Sox and Royals.

You wait, it'll be a 4 game sweep this weekend.

 

For some reason, Sox don't emphasize divisional games enough. How else can you explain our s***tiness. We're too cool to get down and dirty vs. the 'inferior' Central teams.

 

I'm beginning to buy into the theory that our divisional opponents have great scouting reports against us, and with our hitters being overly aggressive, it plays right into the scouting report.

[greg775]

I'm beginning to buy into the theory that our divisional opponents have great scouting reports against us, and with our hitters being overly aggressive, it plays right into the scouting report.

 

 

True.

BTW, the Twins shelled Bruce Chen and will shell every lousy starter KC throws out there unlike our favorite team.

[caulfield12]

The weird thing is that Guillen had the advantage over Gardenhire until May of 2009.

 

What's changed in the last 3 seasons?

 

The Royals have seemingly always played us tough...even winning some huge games late in 2005 when we were nearly choking it away down the stretch. Before that, we absolutely dominated them.

 

We used to be to the Tigers what the White Sox now are to the Twins...I think it was something like a 30-15 stretch against them.

 

Yet you could argue that DET in recently years is not nearly as talented as the team we basically owned 4-5-6 years ago.

 

You'd think with the Indians throwing all these young pitchers we're not very familiar with like Carrasco and Tomlin that they'd have the advantage over us. Strange days.

 

 

[greg775]

The weird thing is that Guillen had the advantage over Gardenhire until May of 2009.

 

What's changed in the last 3 seasons?

 

The Royals have seemingly always played us tough...even winning some huge games late in 2005 when we were nearly choking it away down the stretch. Before that, we absolutely dominated them.

 

We used to be to the Tigers what the White Sox now are to the Twins...I think it was something like a 30-15 stretch against them.

 

Yet you could argue that DET in recently years is not nearly as talented as the team we basically owned 4-5-6 years ago.

 

You'd think with the Indians throwing all these young pitchers we're not very familiar with like Carrasco and Tomlin that they'd have the advantage over us. Strange days.

 

It is strange.

I have two theories besides the normal Ozzie sucks theory.

1.) I repeated this before and got no response on here. We are the biggest and by far the best city in the division. They do get extra fired up simply playing in Chicago and playing Chicago. I realize that's somewhat simplistic, so ...

2.) We won the World Series in 05. None of them have come close. Yes it was a long time ago, but no matter the team we trot out there, they do try a bit 'harder' to beat us. We definitely have their attention is what I want to say as we have way more "name players" than they do. Meanwhile ...

3.) We do not get up for them. We in fact sleepwalk a bit against them because our fat and happy guys (pitchers not so much guilty of this) are too cool to get down and dirty and being alert in trying to beat these 'inferior' teams that we play 19 times.

You have a combination of 'them' being up for us and us not at all being 'up' for them ... and we lose, lose, lose.

 

Also add to the fact like fathom said they know how to get our hitters out, or better yet make our hitters get themselves out.

Comments?

Edited July 15, 2011 by greg775

[caulfield12]

The "chip on the shoulder" theory that all our sister cities in the AL Central feel a greater desire to knock the White Sox off?

 

Maybe. Not sure it's about the cities/markets....it's more about the mindset of that team. Look at the White Sox/Cubs rivalry. We have always wanted to beat them for the same reasons, I guess. They're yuppies and frat boys and Iowa grandmothers with broaches...the White Sox fans are knowledgeable, blue collar, working stiffs who won't countenance a player who dogs it or a lazy/apathetic team.

 

Seems for a long time both the Tigers and White Sox have had problems with the Twins. Those are the two big market/big spending teams (up until the last two seasons, when the Twins have caught up).

 

When I was watching the Womens' World Cup game the other night, the coach made a comment about how American teams are known around the world for having the biggest heart....that their technical precision isn't as beautiful, but that they outwork, outhustle and out-athlete you to to death and wear you down. That American athletes are born and bred to believe they're the best and that they'll usually win in the end.

 

I think that mindset has just gotten into the heads of every team in the division...that they can't beat the Twins. (The Royals are now 4-6 against them this year, much better than the 1-7 we've put up). I just don't think this team has believed in itself on a consistent basis since that '08 season, with the exception of that one stretch in the middle of last season. It's that mindset....you get the early lead and you hold it every time. You have the lead late, your bullpen's going to come through. Even if you're down 1-2-3-4 runs, you never feel you're out of a game. We've seen flashes of that, but never on a consistent basis. Probably that's a good reason we've never won more than 4 in a row this year.

 

Cuddyer said it best. They just expect the White Sox to screw up and let them back into nearly every game. Until we change the manager or GM responsible (or both), things are never going to change unless the players stop accepting it.

 

The fans don't believe 100% in their team anymore...either. We're all skeptical. Like that thread "will the Sox make any changes over the ASB?" and probably 80-85% said no way. Whatever happened since that 2008, we've totally lost that home field advantage that used to be automatic at USCF even in some of our down seasons.

 

 

 

 

[greg775]

The "chip on the shoulder" theory that all our sister cities in the AL Central feel a greater desire to knock the White Sox off?

 

Maybe. Not sure it's about the cities/markets....it's more about the mindset of that team. Look at the White Sox/Cubs rivalry. We have always wanted to beat them for the same reasons, I guess. They're yuppies and frat boys and Iowa grandmothers with broaches...the White Sox fans are knowledgeable, blue collar, working stiffs who won't countenance a player who dogs it or a lazy/apathetic team.

 

Seems for a long time both the Tigers and White Sox have had problems with the Twins. Those are the two big market/big spending teams (up until the last two seasons, when the Twins have caught up).

 

When I was watching the Womens' World Cup game the other night, the coach made a comment about how American teams are known around the world for having the biggest heart....that their technical precision isn't as beautiful, but that they outwork, outhustle and out-athlete you to to death and wear you down. That American athletes are born and bred to believe they're the best and that they'll usually win in the end.

 

I think that mindset has just gotten into the heads of every team in the division...that they can't beat the Twins. (The Royals are now 4-6 against them this year, much better than the 1-7 we've put up). I just don't think this team has believed in itself on a consistent basis since that '08 season, with the exception of that one stretch in the middle of last season. It's that mindset....you get the early lead and you hold it every time. You have the lead late, your bullpen's going to come through. Even if you're down 1-2-3-4 runs, you never feel you're out of a game. We've seen flashes of that, but never on a consistent basis. Probably that's a good reason we've never won more than 4 in a row this year.

 

Cuddyer said it best. They just expect the White Sox to screw up and let them back into nearly every game. Until we change the manager or GM responsible (or both), things are never going to change unless the players stop accepting it.

 

The fans don't believe 100% in their team anymore...either. We're all skeptical. Like that thread "will the Sox make any changes over the ASB?" and probably 80-85% said no way. Whatever happened since that 2008, we've totally lost that home field advantage that used to be automatic at USCF even in some of our down seasons.

 

Yep yep.

Can't argue anything you wrote.

 

[caulfield12]

http://www.freep.com/article/20110715/SPOR...ews|text|Sports

[Brian]

Hosmer clutch

[caulfield12]

Thome with a single, Valencia almost went yard and then the no-doubles defense leads to a single by Delmon Young with Tolbert to 3rd.

 

Soria has really been shaky this season. Apparently, the Mo Rivera cutter he was trying to add to his repertoire didn't take.

 

And Twins' fans hate Capps.

 

Tolbert thrown out at home on a ball hit back to the pitcher. 2 outs now.

[High Mileage]

Soria has really been shaky this season. Apparently, the Mo Rivera cutter he was trying to add to his repertoire didn't take.

Say what? Soria's cutter had been his meal ticket until his struggles this season. It's not a pitch he tried to add, it's a pitch he relied on too much...

[Benchwarmerjim]

Matt Capps can only get saves against the White Sox

[caulfield12]

Surprised the Twins didn't go to Perkins against Hosmer.

 

 

[High Mileage]

Hosmer has 9 homers this season. 5 of them have come in the 7th inning or later. 5 of them have also come when the Royals were tied or down by 1. Clutch.

[caulfield12]

Say what? Soria's cutter had been his meal ticket until his struggles this season. It's not a pitch he tried to add, it's a pitch he relied on too much...

 

 

http://joeposnanski.si.com/2011/05/31/the-...ble-with-soria/

 

That's what the Twins' announcers said earlier...if you watch him nearly everyday, I'm sure you know more than they do.

 

I haven't seen him in many months.

Edited July 16, 2011 by caulfield12

[LittleHurt05]

Time to start Joe Nathan on the old fantasy team. Do you think the Twins wish they still had Wilson Ramos to catch while Mauer is constantly hurt?

[knightni]

Ben Revere does a somersault going to third on a triple. That's athleticism, folks.

[ILMOU]

If the Twins don't come back to win this division, it won't be because of all the bats they're missing from the lineup - their pen blows.