2009 Detroit Tigers Thread: Miggy for MVP!

**Nastradamus** · 05-18-2009, 06:21 PM

Yah, I'm worried after Galarraga. I was really liking what he was doing too. I think he can get back on track, but it might take some time out of the rotation to work with Knapp. Bondo is only 2, maybe 3 starts away, so if Willis doesn't work out in his next 2 or 3 starts, we can try Bonderman. I would like it if Willis succeeds, but I can't count on it. If he doesn't put it togegther as a starter, I say put him in the bullpen. I don't know if Rodney will last as the closer long term and even if he stays in the role, I wouldn't mind having a R/L combo.
Don't discount Miner either. He showed he was very capable as a starter, so if 2 out of the 3 guys above fail, he can jump back into the rotation. Or he might have to take back over when they shut down Porcello, which could be after 150-160 IP.

Maggs had a couple good days lately, thats encouraging. If he gets on track, the offense if a strength, without him, its a question mark. thats how big a deal he is.

Laird starting to hit is encouraging for sure, when he's not a blackhole at the bottom of the lineup, we are a better team. His catching is great though.

Gotta love Inge. The town has always had a hate/love relationship with him. He's such a great person and genuinely nice guy, that people root for him to succeed. Plus he's been around so long, played so many positions, been through the best and worst and his 3B D is a sight you should see before you die if you're a baseball fan. On the other hand, he failed as a C , so he was on the badside of most fans last year and he's always been a target for criticism for his poor bat(which did always show some solid power potential). This year, he's back at his natural position, his D looks great, his bat looks great. He's fixed his approach to hitting, plus being at third makes him more comfortable all around. He has hit a few homers that have been the difference in games. He might not hit this well all year, but a stats guy said 3B defense last year cost us something like 6 wins, so don't ever stop appreciating this guy. Thank God they didn't listen when fans wanted to send him out of town after the Miggy trade. Its too bad he didn't go immediately to third when Miggy went to 1B, because we would have been a better team last year.

**LionFan2k** · 05-18-2009, 09:54 PM

Agreed on Inge. I gave him a hard time at one of the games I was at cuz it looked like he was sulking out in the bullpen. He's a great defensive 3B though, and I do love the work he did with Lloyd over the winter. I think he can easily hit .260 with 25 homers and 90 RBI's.

Just as Maggs was getting into the groove he takes a bereavement for his wifes surgery.. hope everything turns out okay with that.

I think they'll let Porcello reach 160-180 depending on how things are going in August.

I'd love to see Willis succeed as well.. he's making like 11 mil a year so i hope he atleast contributes.

Tomorrow is a good test for Dontrelle against a hot hitting Texas team.

GO TIGERS!

**Nastradamus** · 05-20-2009, 05:32 AM

Dontrelle throws 6 shutout innings for his first tigers win. That was really encouraging. If he were to get going, the AL better look out. This team could be really deep on pitching a month from now. If Bondo comes back and Galaragga gets back on track, we are 7 starters deep,8 if you count Nate robertson. Who goes to the pen if everybody is healthy? People always say Bonderman is built to be a closer more than a starter, since he can't develop a 3rd pitch and has a power arm and a bulldog demeanor. If Rodney can't hold down the job, Bonderman could be a possible solution, though Zumaya is next in line.

1st place in the central and a 4 game winning streak. Everything is looking good for now, but you do have to take it a day at a time.

**LionFan2k** · 05-21-2009, 04:44 AM

I think the rotation when Bondo comes back will be Verlander-Jackson-Willis-Bonderman-Porcello with Galarraga going to the bullpen. Then when Porcello reaches 150 they'll shut him down til October and bring Galarraga back to the rotation... and Nas.. I don't want to see the word Robertson and Starting Pitcher EVER again.

Another good win against the Rangers tonight... 5 straight... lets keep it going!

**The Q** · 05-21-2009, 03:38 PM

Good to see Edwin Jackson finally getting it done.

For those of you who know me, he was my David Price before David Price came around.

**Nastradamus** · 05-22-2009, 05:42 AM

I always liked Jackson too. He was never reliable before, but it also never looked like you couldn't still turn him around. He's always been a horse with great power stuff. With control and his head in the game, he can be a top 2 guy in a playoff rotation. He throws 130 pitches or something like that and he doesn't even ice after the game according to Granderson. Thats nutty!

We dodged a bullet with Peavy declining to go to the Sox IMO. No need to strengthen a team that plays us tough as is. The Central has enough talent we have to fight off.

We now have the deepest pitching,SP and RP, in the division by far, a sharp turnaround from last year. It could still fall off if Porcello goes back to earth,Galaragga doesn't get it back together,Willis and Bondo don't help in the long term and Rodney/Zumaya/Perry either get injured or suck, as has been the case with our power BP arms in the past. Jackson and Verlander will anchor us at the top though, thats not going away any time soon IMO.

Now if the lineup could solidify in the middle, we'd coast. The back of the lineup is fine, even though it was supposedly 3-4 black holes, but the middle, without Guillen,Ordonez and Thames, is not at full strength. Maggs looked good before this personal leave though,Thames will be back before the all star break and so will Guillen most likely. If 1 and a half of them produce, we have enough offense. Somebody just has to protect Cabrera in the 4 hole really. The rest you can patch together for all I care.

**Cake** · 05-23-2009, 11:45 AM

7 in a row. Interleague play was very good to the Tigers in '06. Hopefully we can keep the streak going. The rookies are turning in some solid innings.

**Nastradamus** · 05-27-2009, 08:26 PM

streak ended, but we're still going strong. 2 of 3 from the Royals, 2 blowouts. Only Greinke could stop us, no shame in that right now.

Porcello is about to be the first rookie to win 5 consecutive starts since Dwight Gooden, that says something IMO.

Josh Anderson was 4/4 today, thats a great sign(not sure if he got another ab yet, its still in the 8th). He's a big help when he's on base. Cabrera and Polanco homered and Granderson was on base all day. The offense is showing life lately. 21 runs in the games surrounding Greinke. While only allowing 4(if it holds today)

**Nastradamus** · 06-08-2009, 05:35 PM

2 of 3 from the Angels was nice. We need to win this series against the ChiSox now. Edwin Jackson is a freakin' beast. He and Verlander will both be in the AS game.

**seahawksfan837** · 06-08-2009, 05:42 PM

For any of you out in the Detroit area, what's the word on Miggy?

I'm in a money league with weekly lineups and I really don't want to bench him but is this hamstring problem going to be bothering him all week?? I heard he was supposed to play in at least one of the games today.

**Nastradamus** · 06-08-2009, 05:50 PM

He's starting game 1, thats all that's out for sure.

**seahawksfan837** · 06-08-2009, 06:05 PM

K thanks, that's good enough to get him in my lineup for the week.

**The Q** · 06-08-2009, 09:59 PM

Your OF must really be hurting. Maggs is having a rough year right now.

**LionFan2k** · 06-09-2009, 02:37 AM

Offensively our OF hasn't been all that great.. Granderson has more homers but isn't hitting for average very well, Maggs has shown no power and Anderson/Thomas are good young players but still undiscplinted in the batters box.

They have been exceptionally defensively though, and that I think at this point is better than a good offensive outfield. They show speed on the basepaths as well... which has helped this team win games and keep control of first place.