It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. My baseball team (American League) is the Detroit Tigers. They are killing me. I have them pegged to win their division, but I don't know how they will do it.
There are so many wrong things with this team, that I don't know where to start. They have 2 sure starters in Verlander and Fister. If they don't give them run support, then all those starters do is keep them in games...which really doesn't amount to victories. Let's focus on pitching this time.
Their bullpen is a joke. Sorry but Valverde does nothing for me. He is the second coming of Fernando Rodney and Todd Jones all wrapped in one - he'll get you saves, but it will never be easy. I am looking forward to Marte coming up, and that's pretty much it. I like Below, but will he put you over the hump? No. Benoit could be a better closer if you ask me. He has nasty stuff, not sure he has the makeup of a closer though. He seems to get raddled easy. Not a fan of Coke and the rest Having a bullpen is a key to winning. Other teams know this..and will fight pitches from the starters...thus driving their pitch count up. When you do that, going to the pen is inevitable, and its game over. The Yankees have been doing this for years.
In all of baseball I believe, I feel, I know that the most important element of a game is how a batter can take advantage of a pitcher. 1984, Monday Night Baseball...Dave Bergman had the type of at bat I am talking about. 13 pitches! In Sparky Anderson'sbook, Bless You Boys, he wrote, "Tonight I saw the greatest at bat in my life...Bergie fouled off seven pitches and then picked one practically off the ground and drilled it into the upper deck in right. What a battle! Bergie was up there a full seven minutes." He hit a walk off home run to win the game for the Tigers. I'll never forget it.
When I watch baseball and see a player foul off pitch after pitch, and work the count I just love it. Imagine a lineup where 9 guys work 10 pitches each. That starter will be gone in no time. That's what I'm talking about. Managers now are so concerned with pitch counts, that if you aren't working the pitcher you are done. Other teams work the Tigers starters who (aside from the Porcello pitch project) are pretty good. Get to the bullpen!
We'll talk another time how they have no patience at the plate. That's another headache for another time. Foul that pitch! It's good!
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